Chapter 3: Clementine
The flood of skill experience notifications in Hanks's mind was instantly drowned out by Lee's scream.
Without hesitation, he swung the shotgun behind his back and secured it, making sure it wouldn't get in the way when he climbed.
Two steps back, a short running start, then he kicked off hard! His hands caught the top of the fence precisely, and he vaulted over in one smooth motion.
Thud!
Hanks hit the ground hard, but his knees bent to perfectly absorb the impact. He immediately shifted into combat stance.
The scene before him made his heart skip a beat.
Lee was sprawled on the ground in a panic, trying desperately to crawl backward, both hands braced against his chest.
A female walker in a nightgown was snarling as it lunged at him, its gaping maw mere inches away!
Split-second timing!
Hanks's reaction was lightning-fast. His right hand flashed to his waist, grabbed a magazine, and hurled it.
THUNK! The heavy metal magazine struck the walker's temple dead-on!
It didn't cause fatal damage, but the sudden impact made the walker's movement stutter. Its bite was interrupted, head jerking to the side.
This bought Hanks the critical second he needed!
Even as the magazine left his hand, he didn't pause. The M590 shotgun was already in his grip!
Almost the same instant the walker's head snapped aside and its movement froze, BOOM! The deafening roar exploded in the small backyard!
At point-blank range, the 12-gauge buckshot obliterated the walker's entire head along with part of its neck!
Foul blood, bone fragments, and brain matter sprayed outward in a radial pattern, splattering Lee from head to toe.
The headless corpse went rigid, then collapsed limply onto Lee.
Shotgun Skill Level Up
Shotgun Skill Level 9: 400/900
The massive gunshot echoed through the yard, leaving ears ringing.
Hanks quickly stepped forward and kicked the headless corpse off Lee.
The shotgun muzzle swept alertly across the other corners of the yard, especially the house's doors and windows.
"Cough... urgh..."
Lee was gripped by the thick stench of blood and the terror of his near-death experience. He couldn't help dry heaving.
"Officer, shouldn't we get inside and hide?" He wiped chunks of flesh off his face. He looked more horrifying than the walkers now.
Hanks shook his head, his gaze locking onto the treehouse in the corner of the yard. "No. This house isn't safe."
"The gunshots will draw more walkers. We grab some supplies and leave immediately!"
Just as he finished speaking, a small head that had been peeking out the treehouse window jerked back in panic.
Hanks immediately raised both hands to show he meant no harm, calling out in the gentlest voice he could manage:
"Hey! Kid in the treehouse! We won't hurt you. The walkers outside are dealt with."
After a moment of silence from the treehouse, a young but cautious girl's voice answered: "Who are you? I saw your police car and the handcuffs..."
"I'm Officer Hanks. This is Lee. We just crashed." Hanks kept his distance.
"It's dangerous out here. More walkers are coming. Come with us!"
The girl in the treehouse hesitated. "How do I know you're not bad guys?"
Hanks let his Police Authority talent shine through, speaking with calm conviction. "I'm a cop. It's my job to protect people, especially kids."
The treehouse door finally opened. A girl around eight years old carefully climbed down the ladder.
She wore a yellow hoodie and a baseball cap, clutching a walkie-talkie tightly to her chest.
"My name's Clementine." The little girl's eyes moved warily between Hanks and Lee.
"My parents... went on vacation to Savannah. I think I should wait for them at home."
Something clicked in Hanks's mind. This had to be her!
From the start, Lee's name had sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd heard it.
Now it all made sense. Clementine!
He only remembered bits and pieces of the TV show. He'd never actually played the Walking Dead game, only caught some clips online.
He crouched down to Clementine's eye level. "Hey, listen, Clementine. We're in real danger right now."
"We have to leave here, then we'll figure out how to find your parents, okay?"
Clementine's eyes filled with reluctance. She bit her lip, but finally nodded in agreement.
Though only eight, recent experiences had forced her to mature beyond her years.
"Clem." Hanks knelt down so their eyes were level. "I don't know what's happened to the world. Maybe it's some kind of test."
"But from now on, I'll look after you like a big brother. Will you trust me?"
Clementine looked into his steady gaze, into those blue eyes radiating sincerity.
Her small hands clutched the walkie-talkie tightly. After a moment's hesitation, she finally nodded gently. "I... I'll trust you, Hanks."
"But... but I want to go to Savannah to find Mom and Dad. Can you take me there?"
Five-Star Search Quest: Journey to Reunite
This is your bond with her. Lead Clementine to Savannah to find her parents
Quest Completion Reward: Hunter Profession Book
Accept Quest?
Yes/No
Hanks's heart jolted.
Hunter Profession Book?!
He had five talents from his Police profession. Add another profession and that's ten talents total. Absolute power spike!
"I promise!" Hanks nodded solemnly, mentally accepting the quest.
Quest Accepted: Journey to Reunite
A hint of a smile finally appeared on Clementine's somber face. She was about to say something when—
"ROAARRR!!!" Bone-chilling snarls erupted from deep in the forest, rising and falling in waves!
The earlier gunshots had clearly drawn more walkers to converge on their location.
"Move! We need to hurry!" Hanks made the call instantly. "Get inside and grab essentials!"
The snarls from the forest edge grew closer, like a tide of death surging from all directions, hammering at everyone's nerves.
He snatched up the magazine from the ground, scooped Clementine into his arms, and signaled Lee to follow with his eyes.
Lee forced himself to ignore the stench covering him and the pain in his leg, limping after them as fast as he could.
The moment they entered the house, the sound of walkers slamming against the fence and their ear-piercing scratching filled the air.
"They... they can't get in, can they?" Clementine's face went pale. She clutched Hanks's sleeve tightly.
"Safe for now. Stay by the door and watch." Hanks did a quick sweep of the interior and set her down.
"Lee, hit the bathroom and clean up quick. Look for a first aid kit and bandage that leg."
Lee nodded and limped into the bathroom for a quick rinse, wrapping his wound with gauze.
Hanks ejected his pistol's empty magazine, loaded a fresh one, and maintained alert posture as he moved quickly toward the kitchen cabinets.
"Clem, do you know where the canned food and water are usually kept?"
"That blue cabinet, and the storage room door next to the fridge." Clementine pointed, her head turning nervously toward the fence rattling with impacts.
Hanks quickly opened the cabinet and pulled out several bottles of water, cans of beans, corn, beef, and a walkie-talkie.
He found an unused backpack and efficiently stuffed the supplies inside.
Right then—
CRACK! CRASH!
A teeth-grinding crash came from the backyard! Then the thunderous sound of wood splintering and collapsing!
The wooden fence, which had seemed fairly sturdy, finally gave way under the tireless pushing and weight of countless walkers, collapsing in huge sections!
Like a broken dam, an uncountable horde of snarling walkers shoved forward, flooding into the backyard in a dense mass that nearly filled the entire field of vision!