Young and Young at Heart (The Rewrite of The Walking Dead Game: S2) [TWDG/TWD]

72. Fears of Childishness

"I'm so sorry," repeated a tearful Sarah as she cradled a heartbroken Clementine in her arms.

"You... you are?" Clementine looked at the older girl in disbelief. The misery that had so often filled her eyes was now gone, replaced with a look of pity and concern for the same person who had just struck her.

"Christa's not your mom?" Clementine only managed to shake her head slightly in response. "So, your mom—"

"She went away with my dad and then the walkers came," sobbed Clem. "And... and they never came back for me."

"That's... that's horrible," cried an emotional Sarah. "That's, like the saddest thing I've ever heard. I... I feel so bad for you."

"You... you do?" sobbed a shocked Clem. "Even after all those mean things I just said, you still feel bad for me?"

"Of course. Maybe... maybe if I was a better friend, you wouldn't have gotten mad at me."

"What? You're a great friend. You're my best friend."

"I'm your only friend."

"I could have a million friends and they wouldn't be as great as you. You care about me. You're nice to me."

"Anyone can do that."

"Most people don't. Especially not now."

"But, so what? Me being nice won't keep us alive."

"It makes being alive better," said Clem. "You don't yell at me, or beat me, or... or spit on me, and call me horrible names and tell me I'm ugly and stupid and worthless..." Clementine started sobbing on Sarah's shoulder.

"I... I didn't know those things bothered you so much."

"Of course it bothered me," whimpered Clem. "It's like they hated me for being a little girl. I couldn't help it. I tried... I tried so hard, but I was never good enough."

"Good enough for what?" asked Sarah.

"I don't know," sobbed Clem. "I... I'm just no good at anything."

"Clementine..." Sarah moved her hand to Clem's face and gently tilted the small girl's head so she could look the heartbroken nine-year-old in her wet eyes. "Clem, you're the most amazing person I ever met in my entire life."

"No I'm not." Clem turned away from Sarah.

"Yes you are." Sarah tilted Clem's head back towards her. "You're... I don't even know where to start. You're so brave, and smart, and wonderful, and..." Clem watched as Sarah teared up. "And other than my dad, you've done more for me than anyone I've ever known. And you're only nine. And I've only known you like a week. You're... you're incredible."

"If I'm so incredible, why are we stuck up here?"

"That's not your fault."

"Then whose fault is it?"

"It's... it's just the world's. Everything is so wrong now." Sarah looked towards the ledge. "All those lurkers down there, they all used to be people too, and now they're all dead, because the whole world is messed up. Not because you did anything wrong. You make things better, because you're a good person."

"I'm just a little girl," mumbled Clem.

"You're the most amazing little girl in the world."

"That still means I'm just a little girl."

"Why do you think being a little girl is bad?"

"Because, kids don't get to be kids anymore, and people do bad things to little girls," recited a conflicted Clem. "I... I can't be a little girl anymore. I just can't." Clem felt Sarah's warm hands on her face as she gently grasped Clem's head. Looking at the older girl, it seemed almost like she was smiling.