Chapter 10
Cast into Exile
In the courtyard of the fortress, Carley holds Lee close as Clementine begs him that what had happened is not true. "It's Louis." one member, Nick, alerts everyone as he watches from his post at the main gate as Louis appears.
"It's Louis." another member, Jane repeats and now everyone whispers among each other as Louis approaches Lee, Carley and Clementine.
"Louis!" Clementine is about to run to his side when Lee grabs her arm, preventing her from going to him as he sets his angered eyes on the boy, even Mitch is keeping James from going to his friend.
Louis kept his gaze ahead as he heard people notice his new scar and stops. "Why have you come back here?" Lee asks, strong anger in his voice.
"Lee, I promise I had nothing to do with that ambush." Louis attempts to explain himself.
"You don't belong here." Lee says since his trust had been broken the minute Lilly and the Raiders arrived, now wanting nothing more to do with him.
"Please, I'm asking for your forgiveness." Louis says sincerely.
"Lee, please. Listen to him." Clementine begs him but Lee briefly shot her a look that silenced her.
"When you first came, I told you I would watch you closely. Now I pass your judgement." Lee announces, causing many community members to yell and both Clementine and James to become nervous for Louis as this is not going to go well. "I exile you from here!"
Those words cause her heart to break as Clementine exclaims, "No!"
All around him, Louis sees that every member agree with their leader. He could feel his chest become tight at the sight of a few members holding Clementine back, preventing her from going to his side. Then Louis watches as other members start to force him out.
Deception
Disgrace
Evil as plain
As the scar on his face
Deception
An outrage
Disgrace
For shame
As fear takes over, Louis backs away from anyone as they all start to chase him out, Lee keeping his hatred-filled eyes on him and Clementine watches as she fights off the tears, wanting nothing more than to go to him and stop everyone, even considering leaving the community if they won't let him stay.
He asked for trouble
the moment he came
Looking at every glaring face, not one showed any sympathy for him, except for AJ, who Clementine had told the small child about Louis and how she feels for him. But since he's too young for anyone to listen to him in order to convince them to let him stay, AJ watches with sad eyes as Rebecca holds him close beside her while Alvin glares with a hidden sadness.
Deception
An outrage
Disgrace
For shame
Evil as plain
As the scar on his face
Deception
An outrage
Disgrace
For shame
Even a few of Clementine's other friends had started to throw rocks hard at Louis as he then exits the main gates, Nick and Luke shutting them tight behind him. Wanting to make sure he truly is gone, Lee goes to one of the watchtowers.
He asked for trouble
the moment he came
See you later agitator
Born in grief
Raised in hate
Helpless to defy his fate
Wishing that he never earned this hatred from the Raiders raising him, Louis shakes his head as he only wanted to live on in love for Clementine.
Let him run
Let him live
But do not forget
What we cannot forgive
Being a safe distance away from the fortress, Louis sadly looks back at the fortress to see that Lee now watches from one of the towers, no doubt that Clementine still struggles to run to him.
And he is not
One of us
He has never been
one of us
To hear the community, her family, say those words were what finally caused her to shed her tears as she falls to her knees and the ones holding her back finally release her arms, James rushing to her side to comfort her.
He is not part of us
Not our kind
Still looking back as his thoughts now only remain on Clementine, Louis then looks at his reflection in the pond only to see Carvier stare back at him. He runs out of the lake after breaking his reflection, the illusion of Carvier, as he walks further away.
Someone once
Lied to us
Now we're not so blind
For we knew he would do
What he's done
And we know that
he'll never be one of us
Stopping for a moment, Louis looks back at the fortress to see Lee is still watching him, and then noticing through a window that Clementine appears heartbroken while James did what he could to comfort her.
He is not one of us
With that, Louis continues on to leave the sight of the fortress with a heavy heart. He really did want to leave the Raiders to have a new life there, especially now that he has come to love Clementine with all his heart. But now thanks to the Raiders pulling off that ambush, Lee and the whole community save for two of them could never trust him.
As he walks further away now that he is cast into exile, Louis can still hear those words repeat in his mind and the angered faces remain fresh.
Deception
Disgrace
Deception
Disgrace
Deception
Watching her friend leave the new home he could have had, Violet becomes saddened herself as Kenny shakes his head. If Louis and Clementine can't be together, then this war of hatred won't end the way they want it to.