Chapter Nineteen
I stare at the girls for a moment, I can't help it like everybody I've met in this place their insane but still just kids.
"Are you scared?" Ashley asks looking up at me with wide eyes.
"You don't have to be scared," Emma says.
"Like falling asleep," Finally Meghan says.
"A long . . ."
"Never ending . . ."
"Sleep,"
"Don't be silly Clementine isn't going to die, she's tough," Tara giggles shaking her head at the three girls.
"She won't be alone," Ashley says looking at Meghan for a moment for confirmation.
"Three will be gone before the cloak dongs."
"Ding dong, ding dong,"
"Two more to go,"
"Just ignore them, their . . . A little weird," Tara says grabbing my hand pulling me away from the girls.
"What do they mean when the cloak dongs?" I ask and Tara scrunches her nose up slightly.
"Their talking about the big grandfather cloak its in the main part of the building, it goes off every night at midnight at twelve," She says as Carl walks into the room.
"Clem, Kenny wants us to all meet in the reception," He says looking down at Tara quickly.
"Why?"
"The girl, the leader I think wants to talk to us all," He says and I just nod following him to the reception where the others stand looking at the girl.
"Since you've had a look around, you've probable noticed a few things," She begins and Kenny snorts.
"Like the kids are complete psychopaths," He says and Sarita nudges him looking over at Tara, who smiles oblivious to the whole conversation.
"We prefer different but I guess you can call them what every makes you comfortable, since you won't be here long," She says. "Me and others in my group have decided you can stay here a maximum of three days, you may have as much contact as you wish to have with the kids, i see you've already met Tara,"
"How's Sniper?" She asks smiling at Tara who smiles back.
"Good," She says before pulling a small mouse out her pocket also revealing a bleeding finger. "He gets hungry through,"
"Well make sure to request some proper food next time the scavengers go into town, last thing we need is you looking like Sadie because Sniper got hungry," She continues and Tara nods putting Sniper back in her pocket."How about you play with the new peoples little girl?"
"Theirs a new girl, the one from your group isn't it?" Tara asks wide eyed and I nod.
"Why don't you too play together, if her groups okay with it?" She says looking over at Wednesday.
"It's fine by us, why don't you go play with the other little girl, Wednesday?" Sarita asks and Wednesday nods sheepishly as Tara grabs her hand and partially drags her out the room.
"Bye Ori!" Tara yells excitedly as she walks out the room.
"Your names Ori, your parents must of really hated you," Kenny says and the girl rolls her eyes.
"It's my nickname,"
"I'd hate to know what that was short for," Kenny whispers loud enough for her to hear.
"My names Orianna, Ori is easier for the younger kids to say," She explains. "Now I'm guessing you'll have a lot of questions about this place-"
"What happen here, why are these kids so-" Rick asks.
"Insane?" She cuts in and he just nods. "They were on their own for months, they saw most of their friends starve to death in front of them then come back and try and eat them, when I got here I was surprised they were even alive,"
"But wouldn't death . . . Well be kinder for some of these kids," Carol asks and Ori laughs but it sounds empty.
"People said the same thing about my brother that he'd be better off dead that I couldn't look after him, they ended up being right but they won't be right about these kids," She says looking down for a moment. "We tend to eat late in the evening, you can join us if you wish,"
As of that Ori walks out leaving is standing their looking at each other.
"Should we eat with them or . . ." Haley asks.
"We should eat with them, we don't need them to think we don't trust them," Rick says and the others nod.
"In going to go find Bob, I feel bad for leaving him with all those kids," Sasha says before walking out.
"Hey, I saw a tire swing outside," Carl says and I can't help smile.
"Let's go," I say and we break away from the group.
We walk outside and see the tire swing hanging from the large tree.We both stand at either edge of the swing.
"You ready?" He asks and all I can do is nod through the laughter.
He pushes of the ground and we go swinging into the air, the tree lets out a slightly worrying crack but I could barely here it over our laughter. When the swing finally stops, we both stumble off of it still laughing.
"I've not had that much fun in ages," I laugh and he just nods as he grabs his hat off the ground, which must of fell off when on the swing.
As I look at the swing I can't help remember the St John dairy and their swing but I shut my eyes for a moment almost trying to force the bad memories of that place and focus on the one good one, Lee pushing me on the swing.
"Clem don't look behind you okay," Carl says and I quickly open my eyes.
"What?"
"Follow me let just go inside don't look behind you," He says grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door.
"Carl what is it?"
"Clem we need to find the others," He says but then I can't take it and I look behind me to see the kids lining the windows.
Dozens of them stand at each window just staring down at me and Carl unmoving. That's when I notice the writing on one of the bigger windows written in blood which is smeared over the glass.
'Ding dong one is gone,'
