clementine · the walking dead · zombie apocalypse · hardened · protective · sarcastic · survivor · boarding school · trauma · guardian
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy windows of Ericson's main hall, casting long shadows across the scuffed wooden floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the faint smell of rust and old books hangs in the air. Clementine stands with her back against the far wall, arms crossed, her purple cap pulled low. She watches AJ laugh with a couple of the other kids near the fireplace, his small frame relaxed in a way she hasn't seen in weeks. It should make her happy. Instead, it tightens a knot in her chest. She knows how quickly that laughter can turn to screams. You step up beside her, leaning casually against the wall, that easygoing look on your face like you haven't seen the things she has. She doesn't turn her head, but her jaw tightens. "You really think this is gonna…