Feral (Gabentine Fic)

Three Crosses

Time seemed to be frozen, yet it went by so quick. It didn't seem real and I woke each day praying that everything was back to the way it was. Lee would be with Lilly and I would be with....Gabe. The words he last spoke to me were still ringing through my head.

"Clementine, I love you and I'm sorry."

I shook my head to get the words out but, they just wouldn't fucking leave. If I closed my eyes at all, all I seen was a remorseful look on his face and then him jumping into the water. I couldn't bear to sleep at night because the visions came back. All the people I let down where there but, now there were three more people in them. Lee, Becca, and Gabe. Becca would ask how I let her die because I should've been in the truck with Lilly. Lee just stands there and gives me a nasty scowl with hate in his eyes. But, Gabe is the worst one I've ever experienced because he doesn't blame me.

Gabe reassures me that it was his choice to go in the river and it was his fault. Him saying that hurts me so much more than the others.

"Hey, Clementine. You in there? We're about to start."

I jumped at the sound of Lilly's voice outside the RV and I looked out the window to see everyone standing outside. I wiped my tears away, put on my hat, and stepped outside. Lilly's eyes were bloodshot and had dark bags under them, indicating that she hasn't gotten any sleep. I gave her a fake smile and we walked over to where the others were. Russell and Shel were placing finishing touches on the last one before stepping away, showing me what they'd been working on.

There, in front of me, were three wooden crosses.

I turned my head away from them as I heard Shel choke on a sob. Kenny had been looking at me but, I couldn't look at him and not see Lee. I closed my eyes as a soft breeze blew around us and the whimper I let out was lost in the wind. I opened my eyes back up to see Kate clutching what looked like an orange beanie in her hand. She had tear streaks down her cheeks and Javi could only hold her so she wouldn't fall over. Russell wasn't doing anything and it kind of worried me because he always had something to say. Tripp started saying a couple words about them and I just tuned him out because I know how good of people they were.

"Does anyone else have something they would like to say?"

No one made a sound and that was it. We all packed back into the RVs and kept driving. Kenny had mentioned something about heading up North and see how things are. I didn't give a shit where we were going because anywhere we go, they won't be there. And that is the hardest thing to think about. I passed the time thinking about Gabe and what he was. He was the wolf that has been helping me all along and then turned into a man and saved my life twice. I wanted to approach Kate and say I'm sorry but, I know it won't do any good. How can a simple sorry bring back her son? It can't.

Days have passed and Kenny said we needed to stop and look for gas. I was more than willing to come along because I couldn't be on that RV any longer. It was me, Javi, Kenny, and Tripp. The others stayed back and watched the RVs. We split up and me and Javi took one gas station while the others took the one further down the street. Javi hadn't said a word to me since before the river and that made me feel sick to my stomach. I swallowed down the apologies that were threatening to come out and instead told him I would check out the office inside. There was a couple walkers here and there but nothing I couldn't handle. I pushed opened the office door and froze as something was staring at me through the dark.

"Gabe?"

Growl

The growl was the only warning I had before the animal pounced on me, sending my gun sliding away from me. It was a nasty looking German Shepherd with cuts and scraps all over his body. It tried biting my neck but, I pulled out my knife and stabbed it. Over and over again. The dog slouched against me and blood went all over my face but I didn't care. It felt good killing the dog and gave me the workout I'd been needing. I looked up once more at the canine and immediately stopped stabbing it. It's eyes were golden yellow and it's fur had turned black with some brown in it.

Gabe.

I let out a sob before clutching the dead animal to my chest and apologizing to it.

"I'm so sorry, Gabe. I shouldn't have said it was your fault because it wasn't. It shouldn't have been you, it should've been me."

I rocked the animal back and forth before feeling a hand touch my shoulder. I whipped around to see Javi standing behind me with a sympathetic look on his face. I looked back and seen it was the German Shepard I had holding and pushed it aside before diving into Javi. He held me tight and quietly shushed me as I began sobbing.

"It's all my fault. It should've been me instead of Gabe. He said he loved me but, how can he love me when I said that to him? How can someone love someone as fucked up as me?"

Javi pulled me and back and made me look up at him.

"Clementine, you listen and you listen good. Gabe loved you from the very beginning and he swore to me that he would protect you with his life. He also showed you his secret that he hasn't shown anybody because he's ashamed of it. His father would chain him up and make him transform before making him kill everything in sight. Gabe thought he was a monster but, you showed him that he's more than that. And I can't thank you enough for that."

I shook my head at Javi's words as my vision was blurred with tears. I started to respond to him but, was cut off by three gunshots. I jerked away from Javi and turned towards where the sounds came from.

"Fuck, they sounded like they can from the RVs! Let's go!"

We ran to the RVs but, didn't see anyone else. My breathing grew quicker as me and Javi searches for any sign of them. I didn't see anyone and I heard Javi curse from beside me. I looked where he was looking and seen Russell, Shel, and Molly all lined up on the side of the RV. Each had a bullet through their heads but, that wasn't why Javi cursed. No, that was because of what was written on the RV above them. Blood was dripping from each letter on the RV and it sent a bad shiver through me.

WE HAVE YOUR PEOPLE, JAVI. COME JOIN US AT RICHMOND AND SEE IF YOU CAN RESCUE THEM LIKE THE HERO YOU ARE. -YOUR BIG BROTHER

I turned to Javi as I seen hate fill his eyes and gave him a look.

"Javi, tell me this isn't who I think it is."

Javi sighed and kicked the RV in frustration before answering.

"Yeah, Clem. It's my brother, David. Gabe's dad."