Holstering High School 2 (The Walking Dead Game - Alternative Universe)

14 - Close to home

Things are about to get fucked. In this book you need to remember as many little details as you can, every little thing will most likely have an impact on something later in the story.

Enjoy the chapter. :)

*******

Luke shuffled around in the back as the car slowed down at a corner.

"Hey Clem, you got the radio in this car?" He asks before looking through the seats and seeing the radio that I hadn't even turned on once.

"Yeah. You're going to have to get Nick to play around with it" I say keeping my eyes on the road as Nick fiddles with the buttons on the front of the radio. Nick begins to get frustrated when it didn't tune it.

"What do you want it for anyway?" Nick groans getting fed up with the device. He was already pissed off enough, let alone smashing his fist through my car stereo.

"I wanted to hear the local football scores. Green yaks have a good chance of getting into the college state finals. You know, the one Alvin's brother plays for" he reminds Nick. I had no idea what they were talking about. I looked into the rear view mirror and saw Rachel glaring out of the window. She was as bored as I was with this 'guy talk'.

Nick sighs as he tries again. He finally gives up.

"Look man, you'll have to look at it" before he could finish speaking we turn a corner and the static turns into the radio hosts voice.

"See, this is it! It should be on after the local news update." Luke slaps the back of Nick's head. He didn't seem to appreciate it as he frowned.

The guy on the radio begins to read news updates. How apparently a fire had started not too far from where we just drove from.

"A student from Few high-" he announces.

We all sort of perk up as we hear the name of our school.

"Shhh" Rachel whispers to everyone.

"Nick turn it up" Luke commands Nick. Nick leans forward and twists the knob.

"-Had been reported missing around noon last night. King county's sheriff department were working across the clock attempting to find the young girl identified as Bonnie Daniels. However this morning a body was found on the Everton river banks by a passer by. A suspected murder is being looked into. Our condolences go out to the family of Miss.Daniels. In other news-" the reported announces.

I decide to pull the car over so we could all process the information. I attempted to picture Bonnie in my head. I knew I had seen her around before, most likely in the corridor. I keep my head positioned forward as the car flooded with silence from shock. I felt a little sick. These things don't usually happen so close to home. Especially when its a girl from your own high school that sat in your math class just a week before living and breathing.

"She was murdered?" Rachel gulped, her eyes began to flood with fear and tears.

I felt like crying. I'd never really known anything like this to happen. Why would they murder a presumably innocent young girl?

"It's going to be okay" Luke says comforting her in the back. I just take a quick look at Nick. He didn't seem to show any emotion.

A motionless poker face. Emotionless. As if all of his emotion had already leaked from his face previously during the day. Like he had no other emotion to give. I didn't know Bonnie but I still felt like crying for a long time, her coming from the same school felt like it hit close to home. Too close.

A girl was dead. She had been murdered. So suddenly. Without a warning. I can't even imagine what her family was feeling. I decide to start the car up again. I take us all back to Nicks house. Luke and Rachel clamber into Luke's truck and wave goodbye, still silent about the news report. I help Nick out of the car and take him outside. We stand by the door awkwardly with him leaning on his crutches.

"Do you want me to stay tonight? I can go home if you want." I rub his shoulders. His head still dropped downwards as he stared at the floor contently. He just hobbled towards me and rested his head on my shoulder.

I took this as a gesture to wrap my arms around him. Yet again he was just a softy inside. His dirty cap fell off of his head and landed on the floor revealing his shaggy black hair flicking off to the back of his head. He was a little bit taller than me meaning his back was arched to reach my shoulder.

I couldn't blame him, today must have been stressful for him. The sudden Bonnie situation has shaken me up more than I had expected, although Nick's situation continued to pile up the depressive problems finally spilling all of it on my shoulder.

"Stay" he sobbed. It looked as if once again I was spending the night at Nicks. I couldn't say I minded. If there was a place where I felt safe it would be with Nick. Especially since a student had been murdered?!?

I actually managed to cook a meal for us...it may have been ramen noodles but it satisfied him enough. We were like an old married couple, me helping him around as he uses his walking sticks to shuffle around, us having the house together etc.

When we crawled into bed together for yet another night. I felt his warm breath on the back of my neck. I turned around and faced him.

"Happy birthday" I whispered.

"Don't say that, it wasn't at all happy" he remarks. He was right, I was so stupid to ask that. It was like when you visit a terminally ill patient and you ask them if they're okay. They're quite obviously NOT okay. But it slips out anyway.

"Sorry, its just a natural reaction" I sigh. I totally didn't mean the happy birthday comment.

"I'm glad I have you" he smiles for the first time properly that day. Although he still felt so far away. He didn't stroke my hair like usual when he spoke softly to me.

"You too Nick" I try not to cry at his cute comment.

"I love you so fucking much. I've been an ass all day" he admits. He had his reasons, I understood why he acted the way he did. It wasn't even that bad.

"I love you too. I just need you to know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need. Even if you needed me to dress up as you and face your dad. I'd do that!" I tell him. I managed to get him to crack a little smile.

"I'd do the same" he tells me finally stroking my hair back like usual as he feels more comfortable.

"Well, I need my beauty sleep" I smirk as I snuggle the covers.

"Aren't you beautiful enough?" He grins. I just shake my head and bury myself into his chest using the gap between his arm and chest as a headrest.

Yet another night happily perched in Nick's arms.