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

82. Mortal Coil

Clementine lay in bed, wracked in pain and nearly helpless, just as she had been for the last three days. The initial misery of her injury had only worsened with every passing day. She'd awaken feeling terrible, take a painkiller, then would be stuck waiting in agony for it to take effect. Sarah would bring her meals, which Clem could barely summon the will to eat, then Sarah would always ask if there was anything else she could do. Clem always wanted to ask her for something, but she couldn't think of anything Sarah could actually do that would make things any better.

Clem's stomach would always hurt afterwards and she couldn't help thinking every time she ate she was making things worse. Then Clem would need to take antibiotics Sarah had prescribed her, big pills that were hard for her to swallow. All the rest of the day was spent lying in bed and waiting anxiously for hours on end until it became dark and Sarah would give her a pill for sleeping, providing Clem with the only peace she'd get in a day. The quiet relief of a deep sleep was all she had to look forward to; if only it didn't have to end with a new morning each time.

Sarah would always offer to bring her things during the day, but Clem didn't want them. She didn't want to read any books, whatever few they had on hand. She didn't want to listen to any music. Even seeing Omid did little to raise her spirits. Clem couldn't hide the fact she was hurt from him and all he seemed to know to do was try to feed her and say he loved her, and when those didn't work he started to get upset.

The worst part was anytime the RV was moving. Clem would be alone as Sarah drove and she couldn't see anything from bed, leaving her to only imagine what was beyond the thin walls of their home. The thought of venturing into the unknown again was terrifying enough without Clem being helpless to do anything about it. It plagued her already overwrought mind and anytime Clem heard the brakes squeak she was horrified of what could happen next.

Then there were the times Sarah would have to go outside. Occasionally Sarah would tell Clem that she and Anthony would have to check on something. Sarah would always assure Clem it wasn't anything important and Clem would put on a brave face for her. She'd then listen anxiously as Sarah left with Omid to join Anthony in his camper, then wait in bed in utter silence as she was unable to stop her mind from imaging all the terrible fates the people she loved could encounter.

The waiting was the worse part of Clem's days. Worse than the pain, or even the uncertainty, it was enduring the tortuously slow isolation until what little good she had left in the world returned to her, fully aware it might never return. For nearly a week now, it feels like Clem has just lied in a bed while everyone she cared about was taken from her; Sin, Devlin, Patty, Jet, all gone. And every time Sarah left with Omid and Anthony, Clem had to wonder if that was the last time she'd see them too. It was the wait she dreaded most.

Today had been the longest day yet. Sarah told Clem she and Anthony had to go out for a while to get things they needed, and they'd be gone for longer than usual. And that was the last Clem had heard of her or anyone for what must have been hours now. She couldn't be sure, she didn't have the strength to bother locating her watch, but as she had lied in bed she had watched the light from the window gradually move across the length of the room. It was at least in the afternoon at this point, which was far longer than it took for them to return previously.

The aching in her side had slowly grown worse as the painkiller she had taken this morning wore off. Clem forced herself to sit up and take the bottle of pills from the dresser. She took one and popped it in her mouth, wincing as she had to bend forward to pick up the bottle of water. Looking at the pill bottle sitting on the dresser, Clem found herself considering taking a second one; then she thought about taking all of them.

With every passing hour she had grown more convinced Sarah would never return. They hadn't needed food, not yet anyways, so whatever she went to collect couldn't possibly be taking this long, so something must have happened to her. Sitting alone in this old RV, Clem just wanted the pain to finally stop for good, and enough painkillers could do that. She moved the bottle to her lips, then it dawned on her; she'd come back as a walker. If Sarah did return, or anyone else found the Brave, that could mean their death.