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

92. Known Known

Lying there in the darkness, hands bound behind her back, listening to the sound of the truck's motor as it carried Clementine away to some new terrible fate, she found herself wishing the woman had just shot her. When Clem left the Brave this morning, she suspected it would probably be the last time she'd ever see Sarah or Omid again; she'd rather just die and get it over with already instead of suffering anymore.

Everywhere they had been, all the miles they had traveled in search of safety, and they still were no better off than when they started. No matter what they did it always led to one of three outcomes. Either they'd find bad people they'd have to escape, find good people who they'd eventually lose, or take their chances with the dead while scavenging the already picked clean remnants of civilization; Clem was sick of it all.

Lying there in the utter blackness, her mind began to drift. She could picture Omid smiling at her and it briefly chased away her despair. She never felt a love like the love she felt for him. To give of yourself in a way that you see some of yourself in that person, to feel that part of you is also a part of them, was something Clem never knew before raising Omid. She only hoped it was the best pieces of herself that she had imparted on him.

Then Clem found herself thinking about Sarah. Clem also loved her in a way she never felt for anyone else, but with Sarah, it was as if she filled a void in Clem's life she never knew existed before meeting her. She couldn't even really put it into words, beyond never wanting to be apart from Sarah if she could help it; if only she had the courage to tell her that. Thinking about Sarah, Clem suddenly remembered her promise; she'll do whatever she could to get back to them.

Clem had no idea how long she was in that truck, time being impossible to track while bound and blindfolded. But when Clem finally heard the squeak of brakes she steeled herself for whatever was coming next. She lay there for a while, nothing to do but wonder what her captor was waiting for. Whatever happened next, Clem just wanted it to be over. Suddenly, the creaking of hinges sounded and light flooded in from the edges of the blindfold.

"We're here," announced the woman. "Get up."

Clem struggled to sit up while her hands were cuffed behind her back. No sooner was she sitting up did she feel a hand pull her off the floor. Clem just followed along, afraid of what would happen if she didn't cooperate. She was guided out of the vehicle and onto what felt like concrete, then walked along in whatever direction she was pulled, like a dog on a leash; she hated every fucking second of it.

"This next part is narrow, move slowly," instructed the woman.

Clem inched forward, feeling her face brush up against something smooth and metal. She was pulled forward by her collar, sliding along the metal for a second until the light bleeding in around the edges of the blindfold disappeared entirely. She was somewhere much cooler now, the sound of their footsteps echoed loudly as they walked and it felt like they were moving slowly downhill.

Clem first wondered if this was a garage, but she never remembered being in a garage that echoed this loudly. They also were walking for a very long time without having to stop, leading her to think this was a tunnel instead, which only raised more questions. Clem was tempted to ask the woman where they were going but remained quiet out of fear of retribution. If nothing else, it was a relief to be out of the heat; Clem hoped it wouldn't be her only relief today.

"Stop," instructed her captor. "Wait here and don't move."

Clem felt her collar be released and heard the woman walking away from her. Sensing an opportunity, Clem tested her restraints. She had to bite her own tongue to stop herself from crying out as a horrible pain shot through her right wrist. Clem braced herself and tried pulling on her left hand instead. There was absolutely no slack; this person was a lot more careful than the last one who put Clementine in handcuffs.