Me and Clem decided to spend the night at the gas station and head out in the morning since she knew where they would go. The gas station was a connivence store too so, we pigged out on the snack cakes that were left behind. I was in the middle of destroying a Twinkie when Clem turned to speak to me.
"Gabe. What happened to you that made you stop speaking? You don't have to answer me but, I've pretty much told you all about me and I feel like I know nothing about you."
I swallow my Twinkie with difficulty as my throat started constricting from the thought of my accident. I pull out a pen and paper and begin my story.
I guess you could say I had a rough childhood. My dad was a very angry man and wanted the perfect and well disciplined son that he dreamed about. I did not fit the bill and never would, I guess he knew that because he started abusing me. At first it was only with his words but, it slowing changed into physical abuse. I remember the first time he hit me, just like it happened yesterday. Me and Mariana just got home from school and Mariana had failed a quiz that she had that day and my father seen it. They started fighting and my dad started taking steps toward Mariana and I stepped in front of her and told her to go to her room. My father told me to move and I told him to go fuck himself. Smack! He struck me to the ground and I held my cheek and got up and ran to Mariana's bedroom and locked the door. It wasn't until he started breaking my bones that I stopped talking and then Kate came into our lives. Kate calmed him down quite a bit and made him stop hitting me but, the damage was already done.
My hands are shaking by the time I hand Clem the paper and steadily make my way to the bathroom to get ahold of myself. I stand over the sink and use some water to wash my face. Tears start welling up in my eyes as I start recalling the pain of every hit. Before the tears can fall down my face, I feel two arms make their way around my waist and a head resting against my back. I turn around and bring Clem into my embrace and start whimpering into her neck and she holds me tighter. I finally calm down and give Clem a grateful smile before making my way to the break room that has a bed in it. But, there's a problem. There's only one bed. Great.
As I start making a makeshift bed beside the real bed, I feel Clem take my hand and lead me to the bed. I start blushing and shaking my head, trying to tell her I'm fine on the floor and she can have the bed. She gives me a look that makes me stop resisting and I give in with a huff. She smirks at me and starts unlacing her boots and taking off her jacket. My face becomes flushed and I spin around before taking off my own shoes and coat. I hear the bed strain from the weight of Clem laying down and I take a deep breath before turning towards her and bedding down. I stayed as far away from her as I could but, before I went to sleep I felt a weight on my chest and then everything went black.
I awake to the sound of whimpers and look around for the source of the sound before realizing it came from my chest. I glance down and see Clem frowning and squirming in her sleep. I hear her say a name, Lee I think, when she awakes with a gasp and a small shout. I quickly calm her down and bring her to my chest, comforting her with strokes on her back. Clem looks up at me before smiling at me and laying back down. I settle back in but, not before feeling a pair lips on my cheek and quiet voice that whispered goodnight, Gabe.
My dreams are filled with Clementine. I'm in a dark alley sitting on the ground with blood gushing out from where I've been bit. Clem is on her knees in front of me, crying and shouting for me not to leave her.
"Don't you fucking leave me, Gabriel! I've lost everyone, I can't lose you too!"
I give her a weak smile that tells her everything is going to be okay and hand her my gun. She takes it with shaking hands and gives me one last look before putting the gun to her own head.
Bang
I awake covered in sweat and looking around for Clem. She's still asleep huddled in the crook of my neck, her slow breathing sending shivers down my spine. Her legs are tangled with mine and our hips are touching. This would be my ideal kind of morning if we weren't in the middle of an apocalypse and if my family wasn't kidnapped by some backwoods hillbillies. I slightly nudge Clem to wake her up and she moans and buried her head deeper into me, making me turn bright red. I let out a tiny squeak as her leg shifted over my groin. This woke Clem up and gave her own squeak when she realized the position we were in. She scrambled out of bed with an apology and made her way to the bathroom. By the time she comes out, I'm dressed and trade her places as I go to brush my teeth and wake myself up, ready for our adventure ahead of us today.