Clementine rushed through the rain, Harry right behind her. Nearing the pen, Clem spotted Byron waiting by the entrance, an umbrella in hand.
"Here, get in close," he instructed as Clem reached the gate. "I got her." Harry left without a word.
"How come we don't get umbrellas, or raincoats?" asked a soaked Clementine as she shook the rain off her sleeves.
"Hector put some towels in the pen." Byron could see Clem wasn't happy with that answer. "Like I said, I just work here." Byron looked past Clem. "Where's Sarah?"
"She got in trouble with Dr. Bostwick," explained Clem.
"What'd she do?"
"She knocked over a flower by accident and broke the pot."
"She grows flowers?" asked Byron in surprise. "I thought she was supposed to be growing us more food?"
"She mostly is. I think she said the flowers are for attracting bees, or was it getting rid of bad bugs?" Clem looked up at Byron. "Are you going to be watching the pen all night?"
"Until everyone gets back and Edmund brings dinner," answered Byron. "Why?"
"Just wondering," said Clem. "Is anyone else in there?"
"Just the brothers and Adam. Here, put your arms up so you can keep the umbrella over me." Byron flinched as he handed the umbrella to Clementine. "I'll be quick. I don't like this anymore than you do." Byron quickly patted Clem down, then stood up, rubbing his right shoulder.
"What happened to your arm?" asked Clem as she handed the umbrella back.
"Nothing," snapped Byron.
"I was just asking."
"Well don't."
Clem's eyes narrowed. "Do you think Walter is okay?" said Clem, more accusing than asking.
"He was fine the last time I saw him. After that is his problem," answered an annoyed Byron. "Away from the door." Byron unlatched the gate and let Clementine inside. She saw the towels Byron mentioned and immediately grabbed one. As she dried herself off, she could hear Matt talking with Mick.
"I don't care how big a bitch she is," said Matt. "Bridget is smoking hot. I would kill to get my hands on her."
"Ehh, I'd take Sarah over Bridget any day," answered Mick.
"You're insane."
"I don't dig chicks with attitude."
"Is that why you don't like Consuelo?" asked Matt. "Cause she's kinda hot and—"
"Stay away from her." Clem looked over at Mick. He seemed oddly disturbed at the mere mention of Consuelo.
"Okay, yeesh," spoke a confused Matt. "Never get why she gets you all worked up."
"Well she does, so just drop it."
"Okay, okay. But still, you're crazy to say you'd pick Sarah over Bridget."
"You're crazy to think you'd have any chance with Bridget."
"Not as crazy as you are for even thinking about Sarah. The only reason you're even considering her, at all, is she's literally one of only two girls close to our age here. Probably in the world really."
"Yeah, well, that counts for a lot these days."
"Yeah, well, if Sarah was my only choice, I'd rather choose Clementine." Clem found herself growing irritated by the brother's conversation.
"That's sick man," said Mick.
"I just mean, if those are my only two choices, I'd rather wait five years or whatever for Clementine to get older than go near Sarah," explained Matt. "She's a cute girl, she'll probably grow up to be hot."
"You know I can hear you," commented Clementine.
"Yeah, so?" shrugged Matt.
"So, I don't like you talking about me," retorted Clem.
"Then don't listen," suggested an unconcerned Matt. "Besides, I just said you're cute, learn to take a compliment." Clem turned away in disgust and tried to finish drying herself off in a hurry.
"See, that's what I mean about girls with attitude problems," said Mick. "You talk about Bridget, but you'd have to put up with shit like that all the time."
"Better than looking at a dog like Sarah all the time."
"She's kinda cute," said Mick. "And besides, she's got a nice ass."
"She's got a fat ass," said Matt.
"Dude, no, she's not even fat. Not even close."
"Didn't say she's fat. I said her ass is fat."
"Oh, I know what this is. You don't know what a girl's ass is supposed to look like. It's common for boys your age."
"I know what a girl's ass is supposed to look like. I stare at Bridget's ass all the time at lunch."
"Bridget doesn't have an ass."
"She has a tight ass."
"She is a tight ass."
"Would you two shut up?" asked Clementine, finding their conversation as annoying as it was confusing.
"How bout you stop eavesdropping on us?" suggested an annoyed Mick. "Or better yet, go hide in the bathroom like the freak is doing." Clem groaned and headed for the bathroom. Stepping inside, she saw Adam curled up in the corner. She closed the door and sat down in the corner across from him. Clem could still hear Mick and Matt, but the door was muffling their conversation.
"Um… hi." Adam didn't respond. "Are you okay?" Clem looked at the scarred one-eyed boy looking off into space and could clearly see he didn't feel okay. "Well, if you can hear me, I just wanted you to know, that I have seen some really bad things too." Adam kept looking off into space. "And, I understand why you wouldn't want to talk about them. I don't like talking about things like that either."
"Do you know what those older boys are talking about?" asked Adam in a quiet voice.
"You mean, just now?" Adam nodded. "Um. Girls, and how pretty they are, and choosing them, and what their… bottoms, look like, for some reason," recapped Clementine.
"Why?"
"Why are they talking about those things?" Adam nodded again. "I don't really know, it's kinda weird. Sarah told me that when girls get her age, they're supposed to think about boys and kissing, so maybe—"
"I used to know people who would talk about things like that. I didn't understand it either."
"There's a lot of things I don't understand," confessed Clem. "I hate being little."
"Me too…"
"Thanks for helping me this morning. I really don't like this place. It's the worst."
"No…" whispered Adam in a quiet voice.
"You don't think it's the worst?" Adam shook his head. "Well, maybe not the worst. There was this place in Savannah—"
"You haven't seen the worst."
"How would you know?"
"Because," spoke Adam. "You wouldn't be leaving this place tonight if you had."
Clementine's eyes went wide with shock. "What?" Clem waited for an answer, but didn't get one. "What did you just say?"
"Keep your heads down…" mumbled Adam to himself as Clementine approached him.
"You could come with us," whispered Clem.
"Pete wanted me to come with him," mumbled Adam.
"What? Pete—"
"I told him." Adam turned to Clementine, revealing the terror on his face. "I don't want to leave."
"Away from the door." Byron's announcement prompted Clem to leave the bathroom. Sarah shuffled into the pen, sobbing and soaking wet as she sat down on a bed.
"Sarah," called Clementine as she sat down next to our despondent friend. "Are you okay?" Sarah only sobbed softly in response while Clementine grabbed one of the towels. "You should take off your jacket." Sarah removed her wet jacket, letting it hit the ground and Clem started drying her hair. "What happened?"
"They… they said… I can't eat tonight," explained a choked Sarah.
"Oh Sarah, I'm—"
"Or all day tomorrow."
"What? But you barely got anything to eat today."
"I know," cried Sarah. "I'm going to starve. Just like that woman."
"You won't starve Sarah, you're…" Clem hesitated mentioning the escape plan, realizing Byron was still sitting just outside the fence. "It's just one more day. After that—"
"I'll mess up again," cried Sarah. "I'm going to starve to death because I'm stupid."
"No. Sarah. You'll be okay," assured Clementine. "Your dad—"
"He can't help me," whimpered Sarah. "Consuelo said they'd make things worse if he tried."
"Byron, come back," crackled the radio.
"Go head Hector," answered Byron.
"Can you give me a hand in the warehouse real quick?"
"I'm watching the pen," reminded Byron.
"I know, but I really need a second set of hands and everyone else is busy," explained Hector. "You're just outside, and it'll only take a minute."
"All right, I'm on my way." Byron put his radio down and turned to the gate. "I'll be back in a minute. So just try to stay behaved until then." Clem watched as Byron took his umbrella and moved out of sight. As soon as she couldn't see him, Clem leaned in real close and whispered directly in Sarah's ear.
"You'll be okay. We're leaving tonight."
"What?" Clem made a shushing sound. "They won't let us leave," whispered Sarah as quietly as she could.
"We've got guns, under the bed," whispered Clem.
"You do?"
"Your dad planned it all out. He'll shoot the guard and we'll get out of here."
"But, Byron is the guard," whispered Sarah. "I don't want dad to shoot him." Clementine realized she didn't like the idea of Byron being shot either, but looking at a nervous Sarah, Clem found herself disliking the idea of watching her friend starve to death a lot more.
"If we don't leave, you'll have to stay, and you won't get anything to eat," whispered Clem. "We're just doing what we have to."
"But—"
"I couldn't help but overhear." Clem turned her head to find Mick hovering over Sarah. "Is it true?" Clem felt her stomach sink. "They're not feeding you until the day after tomorrow?" Clem breathed a sigh of relief.
"Huh? Oh, yeah," answered a conflicted Sarah.
"That's bad." Mick sat down incredibly close to Sarah. "Real bad."
"I know." Clem noticed Mick seemed to be almost studying Sarah, his gaze moving up and down her body.
"She'll be okay," asserted Clementine.
"Oh no, you skip a whole day and it's almost impossible to catch up," informed Mick. "That's how it started for Felicity. She didn't get anything on her first day back in here, then she got sick, couldn't work one day, didn't get fed the next and… well, she's gone now."
"That won't happen to Sarah," said Clem.
"Hey, who's been here longer?" asked Matt.
"It doesn't matter, she'll be fine," asserted Clem.
"And why's that?" asked Mick.
"You two know something we don't?" asked Matt.
"No," denied Clem. "It's just, they won't let a little girl die."
"She's not that little, and even if she was they wouldn't care," stated Mick. "Matt had to skip a day once."
"Mick got me some food, but he said he wouldn't be able to do it again," explained Matt.
"Yeah…" Clem noticed the older boy appeared uncomfortable now. "Don't believe the guards when they say they can get you food. It's not worth it," insisted a shaky Mick.
"We won't," said Clem.
"But I know another way."
Sarah turned to Mick. "You… you do?"
Mick leaned in close, putting his arm around Sarah, who tensed up in response. "It's simple," he smiled. "At dinner, I put a couple of pieces of radish or lettuce in my mouth, and when they leave, I take them out and give them to you."
"That sounds kinda gross," said Sarah.
"It's better than not eating at all," assured Mick. "I've had to do it for Matt a few times."
"Don't tell her that," insisted an embarrassed Matt.
"But if I'm going to do this, I have to know you wouldn't tell anyone."
"I won't," assured a nervous Sarah.
"I'd like to believe you, but really I need a guarantee."
"How could I guarantee I wouldn't?" asked Sarah.
"Simple. Kiss me," suggested Mick.
"What?" asked a confused Clementine.
"Why do I have to kiss you?" asked a nearly as confused Sarah.
"So I know you care enough about me not to rat me out," explained Mick. "I care about you. Do you not care about me?"
"I care but…" Sarah turned away, as if she was trying to escape from Mick. "I really don't want to kiss you."
"Why not?" asked Mick, sounding a little offended. "There something wrong with me?"
"No, but… I just don't want to. You're only supposed to kiss people who are special to you."
"So I'm not special to you?"
"Well…"
"She says she doesn't want to kiss you," said Clem. "Leave her alone."
"Why don't you let her speak for herself?" suggested Mick.
"Yeah, stay out of it." Matt shoved Clementine off the bed. "This is big kid stuff."
"Don't hurt her," insisted a worried Sarah.
"She's fine, you're the one in trouble," reminded Mick. "Just one kiss and you can eat something tonight. If you want some privacy we could do it in the bathroom."
"She doesn't need any food tonight," asserted Clem as she approached the bed.
"Yeah, I'll be okay, just—"
"You were just crying about how you're going to starve, now you're okay?" observed Mick. "Both of you seem pretty calm about this problem."
"She'll be okay, because…" Clem scrambled to find an excuse. "Because, I'll save Sarah some food. I'll just put it in my mouth. You don't need Mick."
"You do that and we'll tell the guards," stated an annoyed Mick.
"I thought you said you care about Sarah?" retorted Clem. "But you won't let me give her food?"
"I gotta know you two aren't gonna turn around and rat me out," said Mick. "I mean, I offer to help her and just want her to show she trusts me, and you come back with we don't need you because you already gave us what we want? Pretty ungrateful."
"Yeah, Mick could just let you starve, but he's willing to risk his life for you, and this is how you say thanks?" added Matt.
"Maybe… maybe I could kiss you afterwards?" suggested Sarah.
"You're asking me to take you on faith when your little friend here is acting like we're trash?" noted Mick. "Not happening."
"We won't tell anyone, but just leave her alone," pleaded Clem.
"You think you'd want her to eat tonight," Mick told Clem. "And tomorrow. A kiss would only take a second but you're acting like I'm worse than going hungry."
"I'd… I'd rather just help her myself," reasoned Clem.
"Well if she lets me know I can trust her, then we can both help her. That's twice as much for her to eat. You are her friend, right? Don't you want what's best for her?" asked Mick.
"Maybe they already got a plan?" pondered Matt. "What were you whispering about before we came over?"
"If you are planning something, you should tell us," asserted Mick. "Because there's a good chance I'll know if it'll work or not."
"We're not. It's just…" Clem struggled to think of a rationale.
"I'll do it," stated a skittish Sarah. "If it'll make you happy." Sarah reluctantly turned to Mick, who had an eager smile on his face. She hastily arched her head forward and briefly kissed Mick on the cheek.
"There, I did it," said an uncomfortable Sarah.
"Oh no, it's gotta be a real kiss," insisted Mick. "On the lips."
"You didn't say that," exclaimed Clementine.
"Hey, stay out of it kid," instructed Matt.
"Come on, for real this time." Sarah sighed. Again, she very briefly kissed Mick, this time on the lips. "No, like how the adults kiss in the movies. Where they open their mouths and take their time."
"I… I don't want to do that," stammered Sarah.
"She just kissed you twice," stated Clem. "You—"
Matt shoved Clementine away from the bed. "Step off kid," he said.
"I don't want to do this," insisted a nervous Sarah as she tried to move out of Mick's grip. "I won't tell anyone anything, but—"
Mick pulled Sarah closer, refusing to let her go. "You know what, I'll just make it easy and kiss you," assured Mick in a confident voice. "Just relax and let me handle it."
"No!" Clem watched as Mick moved his other hand behind Sarah's head and forced her closer. "Stop it!" ordered Clementine as she lunged for Mick. "Don't—" Matt grabbed Clem by the arm and pulled her back. "Let me—ahh!" Clementine yelled out in pain as Matt twisted her arm.
"I said, step—" Clem heard a loud thud and suddenly found her arm free. Spinning around she found Adam standing over a woozy Matt, the bucket from the bathroom in his hands and a primal glare in his eye.
"The fuck are you doing?" Sarah fled as Mick moved to confront Adam. The younger boy swung the bucket, which Mick caught. Mick then grabbed Adam by the arm, but Adam immediately sunk his misshapen teeth into Mick's hand. The older boy cried out in pain from the savage bite, desperately he tried to pry Adam off with his other hand, but upon releasing the bucket Adam smashed the dented chunk of metal into Mick's face, knocking him to the ground.
Clementine watched in horror as Adam repeatedly hammered Mick's skull with the bucket. Over and over again, without pause, each blow as forceful as the last. Sickened by the sight of blood pooling on Mick's motionless face, Clementine turned away and covered her ears, but she couldn't block out the horrid sound of metal repeatedly smashing wet flesh into the pavement, or the gunshot that followed.
"Step back! Right now!" Clem watched as Byron barged into the pen, his gun trained on Adam. Hearing the shot and seeing Byron aim at him, Adam dropped the bucket and immediately backed into the nearest corner, trembling in terror. "Oh God…"
"Everyone check in," crackled Hector's voice over the radio. "What was that shot?"
"It was me," reported a shaky Byron. "I'm in the pen and it was a warning shot. I think Adam just killed Mick." Clem briefly looked towards Mick, and regretted it. In that short glimpse, she saw blood splattered on the pavement surrounding Mick's head, which had been broken into a grotesque mess of misshapen flesh.
"Mick!" cried Matt. "Mick, get up!"
"Stay back!" Clem heard Byron cry. "He's gonna—" Clementine listened as she heard an odd gurgling sound coming from Mick's direction.
"He's still alive!" declared Matt.
"No, he's coming back!" asserted Byron.
"No he's not. He's—" Another gunshot filled the air. "No! He was still alive!"
"He was coming back as one of them!"
"No he wasn't!" screamed Matt. "If his head was smashed then he wouldn't have come back at all! You fucking killed him!"
