The shutter leading to our outdoor space was up when we approached, and immediately I detected that something else was going on. I stepped closer to Clementine, my arm lingering near hers so I could move her quickly if something was to go wrong. I'd risk my own safety for her anytime.

We paused in the doorway, and I noticed two new people that I didn't recognise. One man looked somewhat similar to Sarah, so I presumed that it was her father. The other man sat on the floor, wounded.

"Get over there!" Troy urged.

We moved forward, and the man I guessed was Carver continued his own speech to the others. Travis caught my eye. He narrowed his own before visibly becoming more tense as he spotted my cut face. I shook my head subtly.

"And how is it that we're repaid for our trust?" Carver questioned the group. "With treachery, with deceit, with theft!"

"Luke," Clementine mumbled, her eyes to the man on the floor.

Busted. The plan was out then. Fuck.

Carver then held up a radio in his hand. My heart raced. "Whatever you were planning is over. It's done. You can't just run from your problems."

I resisted the desire to tell him that he was the problem and knew it. I got the impression from how he spoke and the submissive attitudes of the group that Carver was not a man to stand up to.

"You can't just up and leave when it gets tough, cos there's nowhere to go where it ain't. Tough is all we got now; get that through your fuckin' skulls."

The man walked nearer to us, forcing eye contact with us all. When he met my eyes, seeming confused as I was unfamiliar, I returned the stare with cold, stern daggers. He kept his eyes on me for longer than I'd liked, but I would not look away. I would not stand down to this man.

"You got a problem with that?" He demanded.

"I got a problem with you," I spat.

Carver's mouth curled up into a snarl and I felt his hand strike me across the face, adding to the existing injury. Nobody moved to stop the man, but I heard a gasp from Clem and a small squeak from Sarah. I turned my face back to the man, ready to glare again but he had turned his back on me.

"Luke here, he can't help you now. You've gotta help yourselves. You gotta help me find the strength to forgive you," Carver stated. "Now you can start by telling me where the other one is. I'm gonna count to three. If that radio ain't in my hand by then, we'll have to make things more difficult."

I glanced down to Clementine who looked nervous and unsure. If I was stood on the other side of her, I would have taken the radio myself.

"One..."

I tried to stay calm but I was so worried. I had no idea what horrors this man would do, and I doubted that he'd hold back from hurting Clementine.

"Two..."

Clem let out a noise like she was about to speak and my eyes widened, but suddenly Kenny's hand held the radio high and he walked forward to return it.

"It's right here," Kenny informed. "I got it."

Carver held a hand out expectantly and Kenny began to walk forward. Sarita stepped out in worry, but he continued to go after telling her it was alright.

"Sorry about that, not sure what I was thinkin'," Kenny apologised to Carver.

The radio was dropped into Carver's hand and the man then spoke in a monotonous, eerie voice. "Three."

There was a silence temporarily. Kenny and Carver glared at each other, and I could see my friend shake his head.

"Heh. Fucker."

Before Kenny could defend himself, Carver brought the radio down onto his face with a force I didn't expect, knocking him to the ground.

"No!" Sarita screamed.

Kenny was hit again and I stared in shock, my body frozen.

"Stop him! Somebody stop him!" Sarita moved forward, but then the man that stood with Luke grabbed the woman to prevent her intervening, which I thought was the most cowardly thing I'd witnessed in the past few months.

Sarita was crying out for someone to help Kenny, the others pleading for Carver to stop yet still not going anywhere. They knew this man... they knew what he was capable of. That didn't stop me.

"Stop it!" I yelled, my legs carrying my forward before I could even think of what I was doing.

I saw Troy move to hit me down, but I ducked and he fell himself. I ran at Carver and he noticed, then dropped Kenny to the floor and a fist hit me straight in the face. That didn't go to plan.

There were more footsteps around as everyone scattered.

"Don't you fuckin' touch her!" Travis roared as he ran to me.

Carver hit me again, knocking my hands from my bleeding face so I also fell. From my watery eyes I realised Clementine was also approaching, but Troy and stood at this moment and pushed her down. I saw Travis fighting to get past Tavia and her gun, the others shouting for Carver to stop as his foot kicked me in the side and made me curl up to prevent further damage.

"Bill!" A new voice called out. "That's enough, Bill, please!"

Before Carver's foot could collide with my body again, he paused to look up at the speaker.

"Bill, there's a breach."

"Alright, everyone come with me," Carver suddenly instructed, stepping away from me. "Bonnie, you stick around; make sure these folks don't get into any more trouble."

I let out a small whimper when he walked away. My mind assessed my injuries as well as they could. Broken nose I guessed from the blood, bruised side from the kicks, probably a scratch or two on my face from the landing. All in all, not a very good state to be in.

"No supper for y'all tonight. Maybe an empty stomach will give you some perspective, then we'll try this again tomorrow!"

"Marcey, are you alright?" Travis panicked, rushing to my side.

"Yeah," I whispered, trying to move. "I'm ok. Kenny..."

My gaze went straight to the man as I sat up. He lay on the floor, blood everywhere, while Sarita and Sarah's dad sat with him. Clementine was sitting up now and the ginger haired woman from earlier was checking on her. I now had a name to the lady- Bonnie. I had to thank her for stopping Carver before things got worse.

"Do your best with him, Carlos," Bonnie said. Carlos was Sarah's dad, then. "You need to get him able to move, cos we're leavin' tonight."

Everyone exchanged surprised faces.

"We're leavin' tonight."

Clementine went to rest for a while since she had hit her head hard on the floor when Troy pushed her. I sat with Travis leaning against a wall nearby, my eyes watching her carefully.

My bleeding had stopped but I was still in a great deal of pain. Travis had an arm protectively placed around my shoulders, and I could practically feel the anger radiating from him. I dreaded thinking what he would do to Carver next time he saw him.

I noticed Luke, the man who was previously our hope of escaping, walk towards Travis and I with a slightly cautious expression. He sat down on the floor near us after greeting us quickly.

"My name's Luke," he introduced.

"Travis," my friend responded. "This is Marceline."

Luke nodded and then his eyes quickly examined my face. "Carver hit you pretty bad, huh."

"Yeah," I shrugged, though winced in pain almost immediately.

"I'll ask Carlos to take a look at you once he's finished with Kenny. He's a doctor so I trust that he'll help ya as much as he can."

"Thanks," I replied with a small smile.

He smiled then stood to walk away, but I suddenly got another thought.

"Luke?" I asked. He turned his head and lifted an eyebrow. "I, uh... thanks for taking care of Clementine."

He smiled once more and turned away. "No problem."

I leaned into Travis' arms more and shut my eyes. I wanted to get out of this place as soon as I could.

So the view count is working again! Yay.

Thought I'd upload this chapter early, just because I love you guys for reading this and the support you give me by reviewing.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review if you can and let me know what you think will happen! See you next time x