𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗦 | 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗜𝗜𝗜
❝𝖭𝖮𝖳 𝖯𝖮𝖲𝖲𝖨𝖡𝖫𝖤.❞
𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗙 𝗨𝗦 𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗙, wind blowing harshly against our faces as we saw Javier and David just stepping off the edge of the building. I felt Ava push her way to the front next to Kate.
Kate: I found them! They’re up here! Be careful, Javi, I ran into–
But Javi caught sight of Ava before she could finish her sentence.
Emma: We found her downstairs when we were checking the barricades were holding up.
Clementine: She only just made it. Could have been a lot worse.
Gabe: The muertos were everywhere! She only just got inside in time. Seriously, I’ve never seen so many muertos.
Mariana: It’s not like the herd from when we were driving… It’s awful.
Javier: I’m glad you’re okay, Ava. It’s great to see you. Look, about earlier… I guess I owe you an explanation. About what happened on the stage, with Joan and Tripp.
Ava: You don’t have to say anything to me. Your actions said plenty. I read you loud and clear. But go ahead and say whatever you want.
Javier: Hey, don’t get mad at me! It was a total no-win scenario.
Ava: Just be glad the situation was what it was. And that she didn’t make me pick between you and your brother.
Kate: There’s so many. They’re pouring in.
Ava: You don’t even know the half of it. The herd has taken over Richmond. The streets are filled with walkers. With that hole in the wall, this city is fucked. We’re not safe here. No one is.
Kate: Jesus Christ, what the fuck have we done?
Gabe: So what do we do?
Mariana: I don’t wanna die up here.
David: None of us do, Mari.
Javier: Stabilize the city. Figure out how to make it safer for everyone.
Kate: I saw construction vehicles when we got the armored truck. We can use those to stop the muertos, seal the breach, and save Richmond.
David: That’s over by the motor pool at the water tower. We could use the highway overpass to get to the water tower.
Emma: Guess we’re going to save the city!
I spotted the small space between our roof and the next one and I gave a pointed look to the rest of them.
Emma: Let’s just jump over there.
I gave a running start and jumped to the next building, reaching it easily. They all looked at me with raised eyebrows.
Emma: Come on! It’s a small jump.
Javier shrugged, jumping over and then Clementine, after that everyone went one by one until all of us had jumped over the fire escape and to the next roof.
David: Keep your eyes open, stay aware of your surroundings. All of you. Let’s move out.
We started to walk and I fell into step beside Clementine, behind David and Javi. The girl looked like she was straining to hear what they’re saying.
Emma: What are you–
She covered my mouth and shook her head, before whispering.
Clementine: I want to hear what they’re saying.
I nodded and listened in with her.
David: When we found Kate and Mari earlier, Kate hugged you. With Mari it’s different, but why do you think she hugged you? Why was that? Just wondering.
Javier: That can only mean one thing. She likes me more.
David: Not a great time to joke around, Javi.
They walked further ahead and Clementine looked at me with wide eyes.
Clementine: David doesn’t know?
Emma: No. And it’s not our place to say anything. It’s not like it isn’t obvious, I think David’s just in denial.
Clementine: Well, I’m not going to say anything. Huh…
Emma: What’s up?
Clementine: Ever… thought about being in love like that? Like Javi and Kate? Just something’s stopping you from ever fully being together.
I almost stopped walking, feeling my heart start to beat faster and my face turn slightly red.
Emma: I– I don’t know. Just never seemed possible, you know? It’s an apocalypse, right?
She looked at me for a second, her eyes narrowing and then she nodded with a slight frown.
Clementine: Right, yeah. Not possible.
I was about to correct myself when there was a scream down below. A New Frontier soldier was being devoured by walkers and I had to stop myself from wincing as we all looked down from the roof.
David: We need to be careful up here or else the exact same thing will happen to us. Stay sharp, and do not fire your guns. We’re gonna be fine. That guy was all alone. We’re not.
We all nodded in response and we carried on our journey across the roof, stepping over a broken down billboard and climbing onto the now deserted highway. The wind whistled through cracks and my hair blew behind me as we all moved tentatively across the empty road, walkers roaming ahead of us.
David: Everyone hold back. Let Javi and I clear out these walkers.
All of us stayed put, listening to orders as Javi and David rushed forward, killing the walkers again.
Emma: Why are we taking orders from him, again?
Clementine: I’m not saying he deserves it, but he’s already having a rough time. Best not to make him mad, we don’t know if he’ll snap.
I nodded and after the walkers were dead and limp on the floor, we walked back over to the two men.
David: Good to go, let’s move.
I turned back behind us, seeing a herd of walkers following us. It made shivers go down my spine and my feet started hurrying to catch up with the rest of them.
Javier: You okay, bud?
Gabe: When I was little, Dad used to ask me and Mari what we wanted to be when we were grown up. And I’d point at him while Mari just smiled in that way she always does. He always liked that when he knew what we were thinking. We thought he was such a great guy. It would always make him smile. Every time.
Javier: Yeah, lots of kids hero-worship like that. It’s part of the job.
Gabe: Yeah. I guess it was.
Beside us, Kate swung down her crowbar, killing a walker on the right, protecting Mariana, while me and Clementine caught two walkers for ourselves, throwing them over the side of the highway.
Gabe: “Never be like your uncle!” He told me and Mari that all the time. “Don’t be a man or woman who relies on other people to solve your problems… Because then you’re not a man or woman at all.” I used to think he was right. Not anymore, though, Javi. I can only hope I grow up to be like you. So… Here’s hoping.
Javier: Oh, well, thanks, buddy. Means a lot.
Gabe: I’m sorry I never really said it before. I should have.
Javier: Thanks a million.
Gabe: You’re welcome a million! You took such good care of us. Now we need to take care of Dad. He’s the one that needs our help.
Javi nodded and then we all stopped as a pile of cars stood in our way across a crack in the highway. The pile stood high and wavered unbalanced, making us all freeze. I checked behind us, seeing the herd of walkers slowly making their way closer to us.
Emma: Whatever we’re doing here, we need to make it quick.
Javier: We’re gonna have to go around the side.
Kate: There’s barely any room.
Javier: No time to waste. Come on.
I went first, side-stepping carefully across the crumbling ground beneath my feet. Clementine followed after me, her eyes looking down at the floor in repressed fear.
Emma: Clem, look at me.
She did as she was told, her eyes meeting mine, fear flooding through her.
Emma: Keep calm. Deep breaths. We can do this, alright?
She nodded and I took her hand, taking one more step and getting to the other side, helping her over quickly. I heard her take a sharp intake of breath, like she was holding it all the way over and I patted her back. When she raised her head again, she gave me a sheepish smile, making me return it, warmly.
Looking back, I saw the other’s following us, each of their expressions mirroring Clementine’s.
Kate: You know, I didn’t think there was much that could scare me anymore. And yet, here we are. Just goes to show you, life is full of surprises.
Mariana: Just don’t look down, right? Just don’t look down…
Gabe: Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God.
Javier: I’m not just scared. I’m fucking terrified.
Soon, me and Clementine were joined by Kate, David, Mari and Gabe, leaving Javier and Ava left on the side of the car pile. Behind Javi’s shoulder, one of the cars gave way slowly, rolling forward, hitting him in the back, nearly sending him off the edge.
Ava: Grab my hand!
He held on to the woman’s hand, steadying himself on the side of the road. He took a deep breath and Ava shook her head.
Ava: You got to be more careful!
Javier: I was being–
A walker sprung out of the car that had moved, crashing through the windscreen, grabbing at Ava.
Ava: Oh, fuck!
However, the woman couldn’t hold onto anything and she fell from the highway, the walker falling with her. Her scream echoed up to us as she hit the road below, surrounded by the herd.
Javier: Holy shit!
David: Oh, my God! Ava! Fuck! Oh, goddamn it, no!
Taking a leap, Javi landed beside his brother, patting his back.
Javier: I’m sorry, man. I know she was important to you!
David: I would’ve died a long time ago without her. Thank you, Ava. Goodbye, my friend.
He took one more look down at the herd before shaking his head and walking away. We all followed, finding the highway cracked in the middle, a skeleton of a helicopter stuck in it, blades spinning eerily in the wind.
David: We have to get across.
Gabe walked forwards, trying to look down at the road below, finding a way across, but David tried to pull him back from the edge. He got met with Gabe shrugging his arm off with a huff. I followed Clem as she stood behind Javi, watching the scene.
Clementine: I know Gabe doesn’t see it, but David really is trying to look out for him. He’s not doing the best job, but no one gives you a rulebook to raise a kid.
Javier: They sure as shit don’t.
Emma: But… I don’t know why David let AJ go. Did he think it was better? To just stop guarding him? How is that possible?
Javier: He was afraid. Holding a baby in his arms probably scared him ten times more than any muerto.
Emma: I don’t get that.
Clementine: After you put in all that work. So much of your heart…
Footsteps walked up to us, David looking at us with sincerity.
David: AJ was a brat. He lived with me after we kicked you two out. And I had already raised two kids – thought it'd be a piece of cake! Pfft! Not with that tyrant!
Javier: Is that why you gave him away?
David: We had a bad winter. Destroyed every crop we had. I couldn’t leave Richmond, and AJ couldn’t stay in Richmond. I gave AJ to Lingard and told him to do whatever he had to save his life. I miss that brat. Never asked Lingard about it again. Though I’ve wanted to… Often.
Javier: Sounds like it was your only option. You did the right thing.
David: I hope so. I think about it… every day. It wasn’t easy, Emma, Clem. Remember: far as I knew, I had already lost two children. Wasn’t any easier with number three.
Javier: It’s never easy.
David: I’m gonna keep you alive, keep all of us alive, and hope that that’s enough. Enough for atonement.
Emma: He was a brat, wasn’t he?
Clementine: Our goofy little brat…
Emma: You did what you thought was best… That’s not always easy. It– It reminds me of someone…
Clementine: Yeah, he did that for us. When Emma thought her dad was gone, there was someone who did what you did for AJ.
Emma: You did the right thing, David.
We sighed and walked away, David nodding sadly and following us while Javi walked over to the helicopter, getting an idea. He grabbed onto one side of the helicopter blades, testing his weight on it, the pin at the top of the vehicle creaking.
David: You’re not thinking…
Javier: It’s that, or go back.
David: We should go lightest to heaviest, that way it won’t break on the first swing.
Emma: Think you can do it, Mari?
Mariana: I’ll try.
Gabe: You got it, sis!
She smiled and held onto the helicopter blade firmly, digging her finger into the metal to get a good grip.
David: Get a long run-up, but not too long. If you take too many quick steps, you’ll propel yourself upward instead of out. Same with your jump: just run off the end. Don’t leap. Try not to–
Gabe: Dad, she’s got it.
Mariana: Thanks, though.
She stepped back a few paces, before pushing herself off the side with a small gasp and then landing back on the other side. She smiled brightly, pushing the blade back and bowing, proudly.
Mariana: I know, I know. Best swing you’ve all seen, right?
Emma: Getting cocky there, Mari?
Mariana: You know it.
Javier: You did good, Mari!
Next Clementine held onto the blade, swinging herself across, but not without giving me a teasing smile. She pushed it back, making me go, and then Gabe. Next up was Kate.
Kate: For the record, I do not trust this thing. Not at all. It’s one thing for the kids to swing across, but us?
Javier: Here’s the secret: I guarantee you, you’ll be just fine if you follow my advice perfectly.
Kate: Okay.
Javier: Whatever you do… don’t fall.
Kate: I’m gonna push you off the side of this thing.
Javier: Well, you can’t deny I’m right!
She pushed his shoulder lightly with a roll of her eyes before grabbing onto the blade and pushing herself across.
Javier: Alright, David. You’re up.
David: You’re the little brother… You should go first. You’re definitely lighter.
Javier: Aw, c’mon! You know the drill! Age before beauty.
David: Ah, you fucker.
He took the blade in his hands, hauling himself across, but at his weight, the blade bent slightly as he reached the other side. He dug his boots into the ground, pushing it back around for Javi. The man took a look behind him, seeing the herd approaching again, their proximity frightening, and he swung across on the blade. There was a sharp snap and then it broke beneath him, bending downwards, Javi only just holding on.
Kate: Javi!
Emma: Oh, shit!
Clementine: Goddamn!
Gabe: Javi, no!
Mariana: Javi!
David: Javi, hang on!
What was left of a walker, hanging by a rope, was groaning as it reached towards Javi, but he closed his eyes, ignoring it as he climbed up. I leaned over the edge, waiting to grab onto Javi’s arm as he reached the top. As the man was climbing the blade, he kicked outwards, pushing the half of a walker into a metal rod in the highway, impaling it. He kept pushing himself up, climbing onto the metal sticks, me and David pulling up onto the road.
Kate: You okay?
Javier: Oh, my, fuck that! Seriously, fuck you, helicopter!
Emma: You said it, Javi.
He sighed, standing upright.
Javi: Almost there…
And we all carried on our way, to the water tower that stood in the distance, like a beacon.