Ericson's Boarding School

Chapter 12: Pieces Of The Past Revealed

*You and James stared at each other*

Clementine: You two know each other?

Y/N: We go way back. We were apart of this group called the Whisperers. My time was totaled. I got... I left the group.

*Clementine looked at you, but you stopped talking about it*

James: Left? They said you... got kicked out.

*You looked at Clementine and AJ. AJ was falling asleep*

Y/N: We'll talk later.

Clementine: Why did you help us, James?

*James stood up and looked into the woods*

James: The people who attacked you. What do you know about them?

Clementine: I know they steal kids. They took two last year.

James: A common practice for them. They're at war, up north. Their entire community, against another. It's why they take people. To make them fight. Train them, use them.

*James looked at his hand and clenched it*

James: You would join their war.

Clementine: That's horrible.

James: Yes. That's why I helped you.

Clementine: Thank you.

*AJ opened his eyes as a walker could be heard nearby*

AJ: Clem!

*Clementine grabbed her knife and got up to kill the walker*

*James grabbed the knife and stopped her*

James: Wait.

*He picked up a rock and handed it to her*

James: Throw it. Distract him. Works just as well, and nobody gets hurt. Not us. Not him.

*Clementine threw the rock and the walker followed the sound*

James: Thank you.

*He walked back and Clementine sat down with AJ*

AJ: Safe.

James: It was difficult. To send the herd in. To save you. I didn't want them to die.

*James started picking at the campfire to keep it burning. You laid down and looked up at the sky. When you lied down, you remembered you had Clementine's bag on. You took the bag off and placed it by the campfire*

Clementine: So, James, do you just hang around in the woods saving random people?

James: After I left my group, I wandered. First time alone ever.

*You closed your eyes and just listened. You were relieved that Clementine was fine and AJ seemed stable*

James: Saw war everywhere. First against walkers, then against each other. Hoped it would be better here.

*There was silence*

James: Where are you from? Here? Or somewhere far away?

Clementine: Georgia.

James: Long way from home.

Clementine: It feels like forever ago.

James: It was.

*There was no talking. You could hear the bugs chirping and the crackling from the campfire*

Clementine: So... where are you from?