Me, Clem and AJ walked down beside a stream, I was following the other’s lead as we headed to wherever this James boy lived.
Y/n: So, how many walkers do you think we could get from this kid? Will he help us?
Clementine: He probably should. I don’t know, might be fifteen? A hundred? A thousand?
AJ: Clem--ow.
The boy beside us stopped, causing us to do the same and he clutched at his stomach.
Clementine: Gunshot wound?
AJ: It feels like someone pinched me from inside.
Y/n: Hey, don’t worry, little dude. That’s normal, just means it’s healing.
Clementine: Do you wanna rest for a second?
He nodded and we all sat down on a bridge, our legs hanging over the water.
AJ: Clem? Y/n/n? I keep thinking… When Willy said all that stuff about Tenn before, I got so mad. He was being mean, and Tenn wasn’t even there to defend himself. I wanted to hurt him. I know I shouldn’t. But I just can’t stop thinking about it. I wanna just… punch his head. I tried breathing, kicking rocks… I don’t like this feeling. Wanting to hurt somebody.
Clementine: It’s okay to get mad at people. You can’t help that. But those thoughts have to stay in your head, okay? Don’t act on them. Ever.
Y/n: Yeah, and Willy has a pretty punchable face. I shouldn’t say that, but I’ve known a lot of people who wanted to hit him at one point in their life.
AJ: Okay. I’m strong. I can control what I do. But not what I think.
There was a pause as all we could hear was the rushing water beneath our feet and the birds in the trees. The woods were peaceful and it made you forget that we were in a war with child-snatchers and walkers.
AJ: Like, I think… I think I’m mad at Tenn, too. Running out of cover when Lilly attacked the school was really stupid. Then he made you, Y/n/n, come out with him. But he doesn’t know stuff like we do. And then Willy started yelling at him instead of helping him learn… Why don’t the other kids know all the stuff we know? When there’s a plan, you have to follow it. And when you yell at someone, it just makes them not listen.
Clementine: Well, uh, the other kids haven’t had it as hard as we’ve had. We had to make a lot of mistakes to learn what we know.
AJ: Yeah, I guess. But Tenn’s mistakes are just so bad. Maybe he’ll learn from them, too. Like we did. It’s just weird that people can be so different.
Y/n: Well, it is Ericson’s Boarding School for ‘Troubled’ Youth.
AJ: Troubled youth… Trouble… Like, bad. So you did bad things? Why?
Y/n: Um… Well, uh, sometimes we do them because bad things have happened to us.
Clementine gave me a reassuring smile and held my hand in her lap.
Clementine: Yeah, I-I knew a doctor once, back when you were just a baby. He called it trauma. You have some too, you know. The thing where people can’t walk up behind you.
AJ: I don’t like my trauma. I want to get it off of me. How do I get rid of it? I don’t even like the way the word sounds.
Y/n: You see, it’s pretty hard to do it by yourself. A lot of people can’t without some help. It’s sort of why we’re all still ‘troubled’ back at the school.
AJ: So help? From a doctor?
Clementine: Sure. But those are rare these days.
AJ: Or--or like the school, right? It was supposed to help with people’s… trauma.
Y/n: Yeah, it was supposed to. But… now we all help each other.
AJ: I still like you and the others.
Y/n: Thanks, little dude.
We got up from where we were sitting and carried on down the path.
AJ: I like Tenn and you, Y/n, the most, but Tenn… It doesn’t matter if he does dumb things. Actually… I think he’s my first real friend.
Clementine: Oh, yeah? I thought I was your first real friend?
Y/n: And if not Clem? What about me, mate?
AJ: Well, yeah. But you two don’t count, you’re old!
Clementine: We are not!
Y/n: Yeah, we’re so young.
AJ: Fine, he’s my third first real friend.
In front of us, a bunch of walkers came out from the woods and we had to quickly hide behind the log. Clem brought out her knife and I took out my sword.
AJ: I don’t see James. Just monsters.
Suddenly, from behind us, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat. We all turned around and we saw a boy, who I guessed was James.
Clementine: James?
He put a finger to his lips and Clementine put her knife away, telling me to put my own weapon away. I saw Jame’s arm, blood dripping from it as he held it in pain.
AJ: You’re hurt.
Y/n: Did the raiders do this?
The boy looked at me, eyebrows furrowing.
James: It looked like they… had people from your school. Who are you? And why are you here?
Clementine: This is Y/n, she leads the kids from the school.
I held out my hand and he moved slowly, shaking my hand, still slightly cautious. I couldn’t blame him, I was technically still a stranger.
Clementine: As for why we’re here… Those people you saw, we’re going to save them. But to do that, we need your help moving some walkers.
James: I could… maybe help, but… My mask is still in the camp. Inside my bag. I can’t pass through a herd without it.
Y/n: Okay. We’ll just go get it.
James: Please, I just… I just ask that you don’t kill them. The walkers. If you distract them, I can sneak over and find my mask.
AJ: Distract all of them?
James: Please.
I wasn’t too sure, it would be a risky move.
Clementine: We’ll--We’ll try.
She nodded to me and both jumped over the log. Separately, we didn’t kill any walkers, following Jame’s orders, we just stunned them temporarily. I hit their knees, making them fall to the floor, but every time, after a few seconds, they would get up again. After a few minutes, James was still creeping around the edge of the herd. We ran over to me, all of us slightly out of breath.
Clementine: I don’t know how long we can keep this up. Did you find your mask?
James: I can’t find it. The horses must’ve… There!
He pointed to a bag that laid at the feet of a bunch more walkers.
Y/n: Are sure you can’t just make another mask?
James: No… Uh, we have to run--
AJ: Hey! Over here!
The boy was standing on the log, throwing walkers at all the walkers to grab their attention.
Clementine: AJ!
James: No. There are too many of them…
Clementine: The cart! If we push it, the noise will draw them away.
I nodded to her.
Y/n: You both do that, I’ll go get AJ away from those walkers.
Clementine: Okay, thank you.
I ran past them as they rushed over to the cart, they lifted it up, starting to push it, as I grabbed AJ around the waist, lifting him up. A walker seemed to just miss him as I did, and I lowered him back to the floor, both of us running back over to Clem and James, stunning walkers on the way. As we did, the cart went flying, crashing into a tree and distracting all the walkers. We got to the other two, Clem crouching down to AJ.
Clementine: AJ, are you okay?
AJ: Yeah. No bites.
Clementine: Thank you, Y/n/n.
She kissed my cheek and I blushed.
Y/n: Hey, don’t worry about it.
James looked at us, scratching the back of his neck as he held onto his bag.
James: I know it would’ve been easier to kill them. You’re both kind. I appreciate it. Really.
He took his mask and a picture that I couldn’t see out of his bag.
James: Thank you. For helping me get this back. Now. How will walkers save your friends?
Y/n: They’re being held captive on a boat down stream. It’s not too far from here. There’s no cover so we need something to sneak on board, hopefully without being shot by the raiders.
James: You want to use walkers to hide… to sneak on board their ship? That’s insane.
Clementine: It’s our only chance.
James: I have something I need you to see. So you can understand what you’re asking.
Clementine: James!
He started walking off, leaving me, Clem and AJ looking after him.
AJ: We still need his help, right?
Y/n: Yup.
We followed after him and we were all walking in silence. After a few minutes, James threw a rock to distract a walker in front of us.
James: It’s safe. Just a little further.
And then we came into a clearing, a dilapidated barn standing before us.
James: My people… my former people. They had a practice. They called it… collecting.
Quickly, he opened the barn door showing us a whole building full of walkers, he then shut it, again.
James: They used them as a weapon. I do this… to protect them. I know it sounds strange. But that’s why I brought you here. To see them as I do. As people.
Y/n: As… people?
James: Well, not people, exactly. But… something in between. Part of us is still in there. Deep down. So few of us die anymore. We turn. Not dead, not alive.
Clementine: I wish I could see it that way. It’d be nice to think that everyone isn’t actually gone.
James: In a way, they’re just lost.
AJ: Do you really think there’s people inside of monsters?
James: Somewhere, yes. Think about it this way… Has someone you cared about turned?
Y/n: My friend, Daisy. And a couple other people.
AJ: Clem’s friend, Lee. She shot him before he did. So he wouldn’t have to suffer.
James gave us both a sympathetic look.
James: Sorry. Maybe this wasn’t the best way to explain. Didn’t mean to bring up difficult memories. I lived among walkers for years. Still do, in a way. When they’re alone, they’re harmless. Innocent. If you want my help, I need you to try and walk with them.
He passed over his mask to Clementine.
James: Then tell me if you really believe they’re just ‘monsters’. You can both see.
He looked at me, saying that after Clementine, I could wear the mask, too.
AJ: They ARE just monsters. They’re not people or friends. Clem… Y/n/n…
James: They’ll be safe. I promise.
AJ: This isn’t smart. It’s too dangerous.
James: They just need to move as they do.
Clementine: If it gets bad in there, we’ll need you to save us, okay? Can you do that?
AJ: I… Yes. I’ll always protect you two.
The girl turned to me.
Clementine: So, who wants to go first?
Y/n: You go and then I will. James knows you better, he wants to show it off more to you.
She nodded and takes James’ mask.
AJ: The first rule is never go alone.
Clementine: We’re not leaving you alone. I’ll be right back.
AJ: Find the exits.
Clementine: I will.
AJ: And say fuck off to fear!
Clementine: I will. I promise.
James: The mask will disguise your scent. But be gentle, and be quiet. Touch the wind chime. You’ll see.
Clementine did as she was told, putting the mask one and walked into the barn, shutting the door behind her. I turned back to James.
Y/n: So, you were part of a group before now?
James: Uh… Yes. They were called the Whisperers. It was a long time ago.
Y/n: This… gift you have, it’s cool. The way you go about life, it may seem odd to others, but you believe in it. To live with walkers, seems crazy, but you know… it’s actually cool.
James: Really?
He looked at me, eyes wide as if he’d never heard a compliment before.
Y/n: Yeah, of course. It makes you different. Different’s good.
James: I… That means a lot. Thank you,
Y/n.
Y/n: No problem, mate.
Clementine stepped out of the barn, pulling off the mask as she took a deep breath. I stepped forwards, followed by a worried AJ. He tackled her in a hug and she smiled.
Clementine: Whoa, hey there, kiddo. It’s alright, I’m fine. See? No bites.
AJ: No bites.
James: Y/n, do you want to see now?
I nodded and Clementine passed me the mask.
Y/n: Anything I should know?
Clementine: Keep calm and… you’ll see. It’ll definitely change your mind about walkers.
I raised an eyebrow and slipped on the mask, giving them one more salute and walking into the barn. I shut the door beside me and then turned to find myself surrounded by hundreds of walkers. I took a deep breath, my heart beating in my chest, it felt like it would burst at any second. From trying to kill them, to now standing in a crowd of them, it was definitely a change of scenery. None of them seemed to be ripping out my throat right now, so… so good so far. I took a step forward, trying to act like I was like them, taking on a limp. Their peeling faces turned towards me, all of them emitting groans from their hanging open mouths. I shut my eyes for a second, taking a few more steps forward, trying to weave through the crowd. I finally reached the wind chime, I sighed in relief and then tapped the bottom of it. A musical sound echoed around the barn and the walkers seemed to stop. They all looked up at the sound, they looked peaceful. It was weird to see them like this when I had seen them murdering so many people and things that I had cared for. Someone clicked inside me and I rushed out of the barn, closing the door beside me and taking off my mask. Clementine and AJ rushed forward, both hugging me.
Y/n: Hey.
Clementine: You were in there for such a long time.
Y/n: I just got… distracted.
I looked at James and he gave me a small smile and a nod.
AJ: No bites?
Y/n: No bites either, little dude.
I ruffled his hair and they both let go, all of us turning to James.
James: So… do you still think they’re ‘just monsters’? Now that you’ve seen them at peace. Any different? At all?
Y/n: I… I think there’s something there.
Clementine: Yeah, I think you might be right, about there being something more to them. It was kind of nice in there.
Y/n: Mm-hmm. It seemed like the world stopped and the walkers were back to how they were, for a second.
James: Really? I’ve never met one person who understood. Let alone two. It’s… thank you. I’m glad.
AJ: Have you ever killed a walker before?
James: I have. Many.
AJ: Have you ever killed a person?
James: Many. But that was a long time ago.
AJ: I’ve killed someone before, too.
Clementine: AJ…
Y/n: Um.
James: You’ve killed someone?
AJ: Yeah. I’m a murderer. But I’m trying to atone.
James: Well. That’s good. I guess.
Clementine: That’s enough. What about the walkers? Are you going to help us save our friends?
I passed the mask to James, giving him a small smile. He didn’t return it, not looking into my eyes.
James: I thought I could, but I can’t. So many walkers would die. All of the death this would cause… I’m sorry, Clementine, Y/n. But I can’t have more blood on my hands.
Y/n: Please, James… I need my friends back. They mean the world to me, all of them do. They don’t deserve what the raiders are going to do to them. Making them into child soldiers and forcing them into a war they didn’t even start. There’ll be more death, more violence, more blood. I can’t have that. So… please.
He sighed, ruffling his hair.
James: I may be stubborn. But I’m not heartless. Those ‘raiders’ are cruel. They force others to be the same. And if your friends are anything like you… I don’t doubt they’re worth saving. It’ll take some time to guide them through the forest, to the shore. Others will join the herd as they go.
He slipped the mask on.
James: Tomorrow night. Be ready. I can’t undo this.
Me, Clementine and AJ hid behind the barn as James opened up the doors, letting the walkers out and leading them into the forest. When they had all gone, we came out of hiding, walking back to the school.
AJ: Clem? Y/n? When you said there might be people inside walkers… did you mean it? Is he right?
Clementine: Well, we can’t know for sure. Maybe he’s right. Death might not be like we thought, before the world turned like this. Maybe something is left after we die.
Y/n: I hope there is. I feel like Tenn would enjoy that, him and James would get along.
AJ: It sounds weird. But if you two believe it… I do, too.
Clementine: Come on, you two. Let’s get back before it’s too dark.
And we headed back to the school.