Open up, Survivors Inside

Chapter 24

When Puffer slowly woke up, he could see the covers and pillow stained with the tears from the night before. He wasn't a crier normally, but this was different. He slowly got up, grabbing his weapons and getting out of bed. He knew he had to come up with a plan for what to do now, seeing as how Kenny was most likely about to ditch them all.

What he didn't expect to see when he got downstairs was the place empty, with his original group prior to entering Savannah gathered around outside the fence. Puffer headed out, moving over the fence. It was only then that he saw that Clementine wasn't with them. "Last night Vernon came to me and offered to take her with him," Lee said to the rest, "Said she'd be better off."

"Son of a bitch, I knew we couldn't trust that fucker!" Kenny grumbled, then he saw Puffer, "About fucking time!"

"Shut the fuck up Kenny," Puffer grumbled as he made his way over, "What the hell is going on?"

"Clementine is missing," Christa said, "We're going to go find her."

Puffer was still for a moment, "He did WHAT?! I'm going to kill that mother fucker!" Puffer calmed himself down, until he spotted Lee's arm, "Lee..."

Lee noticed Puffer looking at the bite, and a saddened expression formed, "Puffer I-"

"No...no not you too..." Puffer mumbled, almost as if he was begging, "Where are the syringes?!"

"Stolen, take a guess by who," Kenny huffed.

"FUCK!!" Puffer shouted, gripping his hair with his hands. He couldn't worry about that right now, he needed to focus on Clemetine, "We need to look for her.

"You know I care about Clementine," Kenny said, "And I'm a christian man. But I keep asking myself if this was me asking you for help, would you be there for me?"

That seemed to be Puffer's breaking point with Kenny, "Fuck you, you can sit your ass down and guard the damn boat!" Puffer snapped, "I am sick of your bullshit! You have been so fucking combative from the moment someone other than you has been leading the group! Grow the fuck up!"

"It's not my fault every leader is a selfish prick," Kenny retorted back.

"Selfish?! SELFISH?! The only selfish bastard I see here is you! You constantly trying to leave with the damn RV before any of us were ready! You trying to steal the damn supplies from the car! You refusing to stop the train until Lee had to go and talk some sense into you! You dragging us to this walker infested city over some stupid boat!! If anyone here is responsible for all the misfortune falling on us, it's you!" It was silent enough that you could hear a pin to drop, and Puffer was huffing after his rant.

Kenny stood silently for a moment, although his fists were clenched up like he was about to punch Puffer. "I hope you know I don't plan to take you on-"

"Mention that boat one more time and I will make it not sailable!" Puffer cut him off. He was over Kenny at this point, and was ready to cut him loose. And after everything the two had been through. While Lee was closer Kenny, the fact that Kenny wasn't going to help Lee over petty reasons pissed Puffer the fuck off.

"We should go now, and be back before nightfall..." Lee said, looking over at Kenny. Kenny said nothing, but gave a nod to Lee.

"Duck come on," Kenny said as he headed back to the gate, but paused and turned to see Duck not following, "Duck let's go."

"I'm going to go help..." Duck mumbled.

"The hell you are! Get over here," Kenny ordered.

Duck moved in front of Puffer, "I can help! He believes in me, right Puffer."

"Yeah..." Puffer replied back, his voice calmer.

Kenny looked shocked, then he stormed off, "Back by nightfall, understood?! We ain't leaving this city until Clementine is back!"

With Kenny back inside, the group began to move out, and Puffer saw Elizabeth was clinging to Christa's side. At least she was safe. As they walked, Lee and Puffer took lead as they knew where they were hiding out at. When the group entered, Puffer stayed by the hole in case walkers got in. That was, until the walkie started chattering, and Puffer went into the empty room as the walkie switched off. The sound of walkers above could be heard, and Puffer knew why. "We didn't get a chance to use the train," Puffer groaned in frustration. So much for that plan.

Puffer moved to the door and closed it, noting the sound of growling getting closer. Through the sewers wasn't an option anymore, it was now through the elevator. "We need to find ourselves a way out," Christa said, and Duck was already looking around.

Lee moved to the elevator while Duck opened a cabinet, finding a rib spreader. Duck grabbed it and ran over to Lee, "Maybe this will work?" Duck suggested.

"Let's hope so," Lee said, placing it in. Cranking the lever, the elevator doors slowly opened up. Puffer looked over in time to see Lee growing dizzy, stumbling a bit. Puffer ran over just in time to catch him, pulling Lee over to the others.

"Fuck, his bite is worse!" Puffer said when he saw how red the bite was now. Nothing like this happened with his bite, but it did happen with Duck's bite.

"Help me get him up," Christa said, pulling Lee onto the table, "You're not going to like this but we may have to cut his arm off."

"I fucking hope not," Puffer said, but he knew she was right, "Try and get Lee up first!"

"I'm up..." Lee groaned, slowly sitting up, "And I heard, let's do it. Maybe it will work."

"Pray to whoever you believe in it does," Puffer said, ushering Duck and Elizabeth away with Omid. Omid covered Elizabeth's ears while Duck tried to peak out and see what was happening.

"I'll go as fast as I can," Christa said to Lee.

Puffer turned away and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for what was about to happen while covering Duck's eyes with one hand. "Fast would be good. Look, you're gonna want-" But Lee couldn't finish as Christa started cutting. Duck flinched back as Lee screamed in agony, with Duck looking away and covering his ears.

A thump caught Puffer's attention and he turned and saw Ben unconscious, as well as Lee. His arm was on the table, and Christa was patching his wound up. Puffer quickly grabbed the arm and shoved it into a cabinet, slamming the door closed. Puffer felt himself go a bit pale at all the blood, but he shook it off. Now all they could do was wait.