Three Orphan Pilgrimage (The Alternative to TWDG's Final Season) [Walking Dead]

12. Lost Childhoods

Omid kept making cooing noises as Clementine carried him into the mall, excited to be in the girl's arms again. Clem waited patiently outside the toy store as Sarah checked inside to make sure it was safe. Confirming it was, the pair set their raincoats, weapons and equipment on the counter and browsed the aisles still stacked with plentiful toys, unopened games, colorful figures, and stuffed animals. Turning to Sarah, Clem watched the older girl pick a toy robot off the shelf and examine it.

"Do you like that?" asked Clem.

Sarah shrugged. "I don't know. Sorta?" The older girl sighed and put the robot back.

"If you like it take it," urged Clem.

"I... don't really want it," realized Sarah.

"Then why'd you pick it up?"

"It looked like something I would like, but I guess don't anymore?" spoke Sarah, sounding confused by her own words. "Does that make any sense?"

"Actually, it does." Clem looked out at the packages of plastic goods sitting on the shelves and no matter how colorful or eye-catching they were, she didn't feel any urge to take any of them. "I don't know why, but this just doesn't feel as fun as I thought it would be."

"Yeah, it's like, I know I should want to play with this stuff, but I just don't anymore," said Sarah. "I think I'd... actually rather read something instead."

"Or maybe just play chess," suggested Clem.

"So, what do you want to do then? Do you want to leave?"

"I... I don't know," realized Clem. "Maybe..."

Omid started fidgeting in Clem's arms. Looking down, she saw the baby boy's bright brown eyes had lit up upon seeing a large bin full of inflated plastic balls. He stretched his chubby arms out towards the multi-colored display, practically squealing with delight. Hearing that chased away the clouds looming in Clem's mind and a smile came to her face.

"I think Omid knows what he wants to do," said Sarah.

"Yeah." Clementine carried Omid to the display, where he immediately stuck his hands through the gaps in the elastic lines that held the balls in place and tried grasping one of them. Watching him trying to grab the nearest one, his chubby fingers struggling to a establish grip, Clem couldn't help giggling.

Clementine helped free the ball from the pen, letting Omid take it in hand. He seemed to delight in shaking it a couple of times, then tossed it onto the ground, laughing as he did so. Clem set Omid on the floor, who crawled over to the ball in a hurry. He grabbed the ball again, sat up, then tossed it down the aisle, laughing at it as he did so.

"We should get a few of those and take them back to the front of the store, where there's more light," said Sarah as she collected a few balls from the pen.

"Right," said Clem as she collected Omid. They returned to the entrance where they could see more easily. Sarah set the balls down, and Clem set Omid down. He immediately crawled to nearest one, smiling and babbling as he did so. Clem watched as he tried to collect all the balls in his stubby arms, only for a small orange one to roll out of his grip and into Clem's feet.

Clementine gently nudged the ball forward with her foot, rolling it back towards Omid, who seem transfixed by the bright orange moving piece of plastic. He dropped the other balls he was holding and took hold of the orange one. He picked it up and tossed it towards Clem's feet again, who kicked it back, prompting an excited laugh from the bouncing baby boy.

"You like that," said Clem in a sweet voice. "Don't you?"

"Puh-bah!" babbled an overjoyed Omid as he tossed the ball back towards Clementine. The girl sat down so she could see Omid's face more clearly. Watching the boy sport a big and nearly toothless grin while giggling hysterically as she rolled the ball back to him touched Clem's heart in a way she didn't fully understand, but was entirely grateful for feeling.