The Bell Tower

Eight-Shot

Clementine inhaled deeply and continued, "But I'm happy now too... Even with walkers... I can't imagine being any happier with my life than I am right now... So... Yes... This house is where my old life ended, and that sort of stings? But it's also where my new life began... Come with me." She picked herself off of Violet's shoulder and grabbed her hand again, pulling her eagerly around the house.

Violet wasn't entirely sure Clementine was in the right headspace, so she kept an eye out for walkers and signs of other life. Glancing around, staying alert as the brunette pulled her through a broken wooden gate and into the overgrown backyard. The first thing she noticed was the pool, the cover was torn and it was filled with water. Green and murky, growing algae. Most likely a home for frogs and other creatures now. Clementine's parents must have been more well off than she had thought.

"There's my treehouse!" Clementine pointed, almost childlike in her excitement, "That's where I spoke to Lee for the first time. And there!" She now pointed up at the patio, "That's where I handed Lee the hammer that saved his life. You know, I almost dropped that same hammer on his head instead." They both smiled.

"That's my spunky girl." Violet shook the hand she was holding, Clementine blushed lightly, "Tell me about him, about Lee." Violet encouraged as they walked toward the treehouse, surprisingly sturdy looking despite it's age. It was old and worn, but didn't look rotten. The blonde stared now at the brunette, her eyes almost sparkling with memories.

"I've told you about him before..." Clementine shrugged, not wanting to be annoying or repetitive.

"It's different when we're here, go ahead. I want to hear." Violet insisted as they tested the treehouse ladder. Frowning when the rope collapsed at their tug, dry rot ruining it's integrity.

Clementine began speaking immediately, needing no further encouragement, "I can't remember if I ever explained what Lee looked like to you?" Violet chuckled at her eagerness and shook her head, Clementine continued, "He was a tall, dark skinned. He actually looked pretty similar to my dad. I had thought he was my dad at first. Maybe that's why I found him so easy to trust? Or maybe it was his voice? Deep and calming, he had a really soothing voice."

Violet followed Clementine as she walked in the direction of the detached garage. The door was open, busted into by the looks of it. It was devoid of a car, but several cans were scattered around, along with tools and apparently what Clementine was looking for, a ladder.

The brunette picked it up with both hands, Violet followed suit and the two of them carried it back to the treehouse.

"I used my walkie-talkie to talk to him first. I wasn't sure if I should come down, but when I heard him yelling, because my babysitter was in the house and had turned, I couldn't just sit there and let something happen to him. I grabbed the hammer I had with me and brought it straight to him."

"My brave wife," Violet kissed Clementine on the cheek the second they sat the ladder down in the tall grass, "were you scared?"

"Not as much as I should have been." Clementine grinned at the memory, "Even then I realized she wasn't a person anymore, she was something else and I never was scared of monsters."

"Of course you weren't." Violet grinned, the two of them working together to open the 'A' frame ladder and lock it in place. Clementine climbed up first, impatiently climbing the rungs, pulling herself onto the warped but not rotted porch.

"Let me check it first, make sure it's safe before you come up." Clementine called down.

"Alright." Violet agreed, worried now that someone could be hiding up there, or a loose floor board could send Clementine falling to the ground, breaking her leg. Real or prosthetic, it would mean trouble for them. At least Violet could drive now, she could get them home safely, "Everything okay?" She yelled up, nervous that it was taking so long, her thoughts spiraling out of control.