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

35. Proving Grounds

"Sarah," said Clementine as she tried to shake the older girl awake. "Sarah, wake up." Sarah mumbled something and then pulled a pillow over her head. "Come on Sarah, get up."

"Clem, it's..." Sarah clumsily collected her watch off the nightstand and held it close to her face. "It's..." Sarah squinted as she tried to read the watch. "It's early..." Sarah tossed the watch aside and rolled over in bed.

"I know, I want to get an early start." Sarah remained firmly planted in bed and showed no signs of moving, so Clem grabbed the covers and yanked them off with one quick pull.

"Clem! I'm not dressed!" squealed a panicked Sarah she clutched a pillow to her body.

"Then get dressed already; I am," said Clem as she tossed the covers into the corner. "And then meet me up front. We got a lot to do today." Eyeing a sleeping Omid as she left the bedroom, Clem retrieved an orange from the closet and headed for the sink. Squeezing juice from an orange with just her hands was difficult, but with enough elbow grease, she produced a decent amount of orange juice in a bowl. Clem ate the squeezed orange pieces and carefully poured the juice into Omid's sippy cup.

"You didn't have to embarrass me like that," said Sarah as she entered the living room.

"Why were you embarrassed?" asked Clem. "We see each other in our underwear like every night."

"Maybe for a second when it's dark right before we get into bed," argued Sarah. "It's not like we're watching each other get undressed."

"Uh... yeah, that's a good point." Clem handed the sippy cup to Sarah. "Here, after we feed Omid, I want to head out of town and—"

"Hey!" called a voice from the door, followed by a pair of loud knocks. "Are you people up?" Clem moved to the nearest window.

"I think it's Rhonda," whispered Clem.

"What's she doing here?" whispered Sarah.

"I just want to talk for a second," announced Rhonda.

"Let's just ignore her," suggested Clem.

"And I can wait all day if that's what it takes." Clem watched as Rhonda moved away from the door. Peeking through the curtain covering the windshield, she could see Rhonda parking herself in front of the Brave. "So you might as well come out now, because I'm not moving until we talk."

"Great..." mumbled Clem as she watched Rhonda.

"I could back up, try to go around her," whispered Sarah as she peeked past the edge of the curtain.

"Or you could just drive over her."

"Clem!"

"I'm kidding," assured Clem.

"Don't joke about stuff like that."

Clem looked out at the mean-spirited woman and groaned. "I'll go talk to her." Clem headed for the door.

"What are you going to say?" asked Sarah.

"That you're not supposed to bother people and if she doesn't leave I'll go tell Deacon or someone else who works for Tanner." Clem headed outside and was almost immediately approached by Rhonda as she came rushing back to the door.

"You again," Rhonda mumbled to herself.

"I feel the same way." The woman was dressed in a long trench coat now along with big sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat that obscured her face if not her familiar scowl. "What do you want?"

"I don't suppose there's anyone else I could talk to?" asked Rhonda.

"Nope," said Clem as she crossed her arms. "So if you don't want to talk to me you can just leave."