Open up, Survivors Inside

Chapter 26

Everyone raced upstairs, with Christa and Omid shooting at some walkers while Lee and Kenny moved a dresser in between the stairway and the hallway that lead to the attic. "Now what?!" Ben asked while panicking.

There was only one option left. "Save your ammo and go up!" Puffer instructed as he pulled the latch, letting the attic ladder lower. The kids and teens headed up first, and Puffer stayed last as he made sure everyone got up, although Lee dropped his gun on the way up. Scooping the pistol up, Puffer scrambled up the ladder before pulling it up, sealing everyone inside.

As soon as everyone was safe in the attic, Puffer leaned on one of the columns, just happy that no one died this time. "Everyone okay?" Christa asked.

"Lee's still bitten," Kenny said, earning a glare from Christa.

"The window...?" Elizabeth suggested, and Omid tried it, but the window wasn't budging.

"Anyone have any ideas?" Kenny asked.

"I bet this guy would," Omid said, walking over to a bust of a man.

"Not now Omid," Puffer sighed.

"So, no ideas then?" Kenny huffed.

"There's got to be another way," Lee said, wiping some sweat from his forehead.

""We could wait them out?" Travis suggested as Lee coughed.

"Lee, go sit down," Puffer said.

Right as Lee was about to protest, the walkie sprung to life. "Lee?" Clementine's voice called out, "I'm okay! I'm where my parents-" the walkie turned off again.

"What does that mean?" Christa asked.

"She's at the hotel where her parents were staying," Lee replied, "He hasn't moved her yet."

"We need to start thinking about more than just Clementine when it comes to our, urgency," Kenny spoke up, "Lee, do you think that worked?"

"O don't know, I hope so," Lee replied.

"I think we need to have an 'adult' conversation about what happens if Lee takes another spill."

"Now is not the time," Puffer frowned.

"We could be looking at a Larry situation here," Kenny said, causing Christa and Omid to look confused.

"Who's Larry?" Christa asked.

"Old ass buff guy that had a heart attack," Puffer answered, "His head was smashed in to keep him from turning."

"And Lee is a strong guy," Kenny argued.

"I think it'd be best if we just worried about getting to Clem right now," Lee said.

"We're not gonna do her any good if you've attacked us!"

"That's not gonna happen."

"How do you know that?"

"Mother fucker I am built bigger than him," Puffer snapped, growing ticked off at Kenny again, "We already know what to do, so stop trying to start shit."

"I'm not trying to start nothing," Kenny said defensively.

"Bullshit, you choose now when we are all trapped in a closed off space to start talking about killing Lee, real fucking classy," Puffer grumbled.

"I'm not advocating anything here! He's clearly not about to drop any second now," Kenny argued, "But how has this not been a topic."

"Because we already know what to do! What is there to discuss?!"

"Oh I'm glad I've got you looking out for me, for Clem," Lee sneered, growing ticked off himself towards Kenny, "This is just fucking great. Listen to him man, we already know what will have to be done."

"Why are we even listening to what he says!?" Kenny started, "He speaks up one time at a car and all of a sudden everyone wants him to be the one to boss us around! Now you're going to listen to me. We will get Clementine back, with or without you."

"Knock it off!" Puffer warned.

"I'm sick of listening to you! What good have you done?!

"Are you blind?!"

"You only started carrying your weight after you chopped your ankle off!"

"HELLO?! YOUR SON IS ALIVEBECAUSE OF ME!"

"AND TESS DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"I DIDN'T SEE YOUR SORRY ASS SHOOTING AT THEM!"

The argument ended with Kenny grabbing the bust and throwing it at a wall in frustration, leaving a large dent. Puffer tightened his grip on his cane, ready to beat the hell out of Kenny if he threw the first punch. "Dad stop!" Duck ran over, standing between Puffer and Kenny, and there was even some tears forming, "You're scaring me!"

That seemed to snap Kenny out of his anger, as he looked away from Duck and Puffer. "You ruined that dude's face," Omid said.

"Shut up, sweetie, look," Christa said, moving closer to the hole the bust made on impact. Rotten wood. Puffer grabbed a nearby candle stand and slammed it into the wall, more rotten wood chunks flying off.

"I've got this covered," Puffer said.

"Are you sure?" Kenny asked, his tone calmer, "We could switch in shifts-"

"I said I got this covered," Puffer spat, and it was clear that while Kenny had calmed down, Puffer had not. Puffer began to slowly chip away at the wall with each hit, and while Kenny went to sit with the others, Duck stayed with Puffer.

Kenny noticed an angry look on Travis's face, "What?"

"I don't know why he hasn't cut you loose yet," Travis grumbled, making Lee look over, "What?! He's thinking the same thing! Ever since we left the motel, Kenny had been arguing with Puffer or Lee. Puffer nearly died in the sewers and all you could do was be pissed about not finding getting to the river!"

"We don't need to cast anyone out," Christa said.

"I can't say how sorry I am for how I treated Ben," Kenny frowned, then he looked back over to where Puffer and Duck were, "How would you feel if your son started preferring a stranger over his own father?"

"It's your own fault," Omid frowned, "You heard the kid, you've been scaring him lately. How do you think he feels seeing his father act like this."

"it beats him!" Kenny replied, "You don't know the kid like I do."

"And how long have you known him?" Christa questioned.

"Since the beginning, and he didn't do shit around the motor inn because of his ankle," Kenny grunted.

"That's not true," Lee frowned, "He helped with hunting and gathering supplies in Macon. He was there the day we found Ben and Travis, helping Kenny."

Kenny stuttered a bit. "See? This is what I mean!" Travis said, "Now he's lying about him! Get over yourself!"

The sound of metal hitting the floor of the attic made the group look over, the hole now big enough for a person to fit through. "Let's move," Puffer said.