WARNING: This chapter contains sexual assault. Viewer discretion is advised.
Chapter 4 - I Loved Him
Clementine wasn't sure how long she had been screaming. Her vocal cords were so fried that she was barely emitting a sound. At this rate, she would lose the ability to speak. But she couldn't stop, even if she wanted to.
Her captor didn't seem to be amused. His boot was pressed against her spine, keeping her pinned to the road. The asphalt ripped up her skin, creating a large gash on her face, which was drenched with snot and tears, as well as Louis' blood.
Clementine's distraught wails finally ceased when AJ emerged from a dark alley beside the toy store. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone. Her captor's "buddy" was with him.
A short man, with a plump face and round body, thick owl-eyed glasses, black matted hair and the semblance of a beard. His cheeks were a fiery red shade, whilst sweat pooled on his forehead. He looked like he had just run a mile.
"Clem!" AJ cried, fear darting across his features when he saw the terrible state she was in.
"AJ..." She croaked out, her voice hoarse.
"Took you long enough." Her captor grunted, before producing a small, leather wrapped canteen from his jacket and taking a swig. Judging by the smell, it wasn't water.
"You had the easy job." The other man wheezed, desperately trying to catch his breath. "This kid's a fighter. I had to chase him around the entire block before he ran out of bullets. You already nabbed the girl, so getting the boyfriend should've been a cakewalk."
Her captor refused to utter a word. He simply cleared his throat and continued to chug more alcohol down his gullet.
"Where's Louis?" AJ asked, his eyes pricked with tears, as the horrible realisation began to dawn on him.
The other man's beady eyes did a quick double take, before his jaw hit the floor. "Nate... You didn't."
This so-called "Nate" finished off his liquor and tucked the canteen into his jacket. "I killed him." He admitted in a rather nonchalant manner, as if he had merely squashed a beetle.
That confirmation crushed AJ. The young boy collapsed to his knees and hugged his own torso, as a loud sob burst from his lungs. Like a tremendous foamy tidal wave crashing against jagged rocks, tears flooded his face as his anguished wails increased tenfold and reached a deafening crescendo. Clementine initially thought her own sore red eyes had run out of tears to shed, but seeing AJ so distraught caused a misty haze to cloud her vision. She wanted to hold him, wanted to squeeze him so tightly and never let go... But she was still trapped under Nate's heel.
Exasperated, the other man could barely string a follow up sentence together. "Wh- why the fuck did you do that?!"
"Misfired." Nate offered a short, blunt response.
The other man removed his glasses and pinched his nose. "We needed him alive." He groaned.
"Fuck off, Anton, don't tell me how to do my job. It's not like it matters anyway, I mean- you saw music maestro, dude looked like a goddamn skeleton. We would've gotten such a lousy trade." Nate rebutted.
"A lousy trade is better than no trade." Anton pointed out, readjusting his glasses. "Besides, we could have fattened him up."
"Waste of time and food."
A chorus of gurgles emanated from nearby. Nate instinctively whipped out his gun. Louis' blood coated the barrel, giving the weapon a slick menacing shine. "Walkers. Must have heard the gunshots and these two cry babies." He muttered.
Anton cupped AJ's underarm and hoisted him up. The young boy had screamed until his small lungs surrendered and body shut down, leaving him now limp and lifeless. "Let's go. But this conversation isn't over."
Nate rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Whatever, man."
Clementine was too physically and mentally exhausted from crying to fight back. As Nate dragged her towards the outskirts of Opal Creek, she watched helplessly as Louis' final resting place grew further and further away, until it was nothing but a speck on the horizon.
"Score!" Clementine cried with glee, after spotting a large pack of coloured pencils, hidden amongst Play-Doh sets. "Over one hundred and twenty to choose from!" the sticker boasted. So many shades and variations. A perfect rainbow in the palm of her hand. AJ would be so pleased, she couldn't wait to see the look on his face, as well as the fantastic drawings he would create.
She heard heavy footsteps on the tiled floor behind her. Knowing it couldn't be AJ, she merely assumed that it was Louis. Up to no good again, no doubt.
"Back already?" Clementine asked, a smile already decorating her cheeks, before she even laid eyes on him.
Cold steel was jammed into her back. The coloured pencils cascaded to the floor.
"Don't make any sudden moves." The stranger instructed.
Clementine had been replaying that moment on a continuous loop. How could she let this happen? She had been so careful... Almost to an obsessive degree. And yet she lowered her guard down, the one time it truly mattered. And Louis paid the ultimate price for her mistake.
She was so lost inside her own head, she hadn't absorbed anything from their surroundings. She didn't even know where they were, she just walked in a lucid daze.
Sight returned to her first. She saw rough cave walls, lined with fluorescent lamps that lacked power. Anton carried an ancient lantern, which glowed a bright orange and guided them through the darkness. Nate was at the rear, waving his gun around without a care in the world. He also had Clementine's bow and backpack draped over his right shoulder.
She glanced at Anton again, and noticed that he had AJ's belongings. His bag swayed, making the four Ninja Turtles dance. She was nearly brought to tears when she recalled Louis singing the theme song. The way his smile and hair caught the natural light. The elated texture in his voice.
Why was I such a killjoy back then?
Hearing came second. The chatter between the two men began to filter into her ears. She heard AJ sniffling softly, the rocks clattering under their feet, and water dripping from the ceiling.
Was this the mine Opal Creek was supposedly famous for?
Against her better judgement, Clementine decided to ask. "Where are we?"
Nate looked at her like she was sprouting three heads. "Why are you asking me this now and not an hour ago?" He questioned. "You hit your head or something?"
An hour? Did I really blackout for that long?
"Just answer her question." Anton interjected.
"Fine." Nate sighed. "If you couldn't tell, we're in a mineshaft. It's a shortcut back to our base. Be grateful this place is here, or else we'd be hiking up the mountain for two straight days."
"Do you come through here often?" She quizzed. She wanted to test how much information she could glean from these two, before they started getting cagey. "You seem to know where you're going."
"Occasionally. That town used to be a good spot to ambush survivors. Folks think they're untouchable out here, in the middle of nowhere." He explained. "Oh, and Anton memorises this shit. That's why he's leading."
"Nate would get us completely lost." Anton hummed in agreement.
"We were trying to track down some escaped merchandise when we stumbled on you three." Nate said. "Guess our luck's starting to turn around."
"Merchandise? What the fuck does that mean?"
"Oh, well you see, we're going to sell you off to the highest bidder. Most communities will pay top dollar for stone cold killers like you. Weapons, ammo, clothes... You name it, they'll fork it over."
"What makes you think I'm a killer?" She retorted. Admittedly, it was a stupid question. To survive this long, you needed to get your hands dirty. Although, when she had first met the Ericson's kids, they hadn't hurt a soul. Only walkers. Maybe people like that still existed.
"I can see it in your eyes. Same goes for him." He said, vaguely gesturing in AJ's direction with his gun toting hand. "You're not lost sheep from a big luxury community. You've been out here, in the mud and the cold. Killing is part of your daily routine. I bet you don't even bat an eyelash after slitting a man's throat. Plus... It takes one to know one."
Tangled knots and stray ringlets danced as she shook her head. "I don't enjoy it like you do."
"Don't act so sure. People can change. You just might surprise yourself."
Clementine's brow furrowed into a scowl. She eyed the temporary bandage wrapped around his injury - which he had sustained from their encounter. Crimson leaked through the sandy brown material and a stream trickled down his jeans. "How's your leg, asshole?" She snarled, her tone laced with venom.
"It's just peachy. Thanks for caring." Nate answered, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. It faded swiftly, replaced by a subtle, coy smile. However, his brown eyes bulged, fuelled by malice. "Y'know... Maybe if you hadn't stabbed me, your boyfriend would still be alive."
"Nate-" Anton began, trying to defuse the situation. He was far too late.
That taunt caused a red haze to cloud Clementine's vision. Her mind emptied of all rational thought, only to be filled by a hungry bloodlust. "MURDERER! I'LL FUCKING GUT YOU!" She screamed, the ancient, primal beast within her core bursting from its rusty iron cage. "I'LL RIP OUT YOUR ORGANS AND MAKE YOU EAT THEM!" She hurled another threat, and charged towards the man.
Practically blind, she lashed out, clawing at him with her bare hands. She felt something warm and wet under her fingernails, before Nate stopped the assault with a pistol whip. Stars blanketed the red haze, as Clementine and the cave floor collided. Her rear partially cushioned the fall, but gravel ripped her sleeves and chafed her palms.
"CLEM!" AJ cried. He attempted to rush to her aid, but Anton grabbed the boy's arm and twisted it, preventing him from moving any closer.
Nate touched his cheek, ran his fingers over the scratch marks. "Feisty. I like that in a woman." He chuckled.
Crunch. The man kicked Clementine square in the ribs. He then did it again. And again. And again, until purple bruises began to swell.
"Leave her alone!" AJ demanded.
"Or what?" Nate retorted. He was upon AJ in a matter of seconds, leering at him with those same wild eyes. Was there no limit to how far they could widen? They seemed to be extremely close to flying out of their sockets. "Go on, squirt, tell me, what are you gonna do to stop me?"
Clementine coughed and spluttered, almost hacking up her lungs. "It's fine, AJ. He can't kill us, as much as he'd love to."
She must have touched a nerve, since a blood vessel in Nate's forehead popped. "True. I can't. But if you two keep acting up, I'll happily shoot one of your limbs. Sure, it'll lower your worth... But what can I say, I like to gamble." He mused, whilst cocking his gun. His sporadic attention span swerved back to AJ. "So which one first? Left arm? Right leg?"
Clementine's hand closed around the biggest rock she could find. I don't care if he's armed. I don't care if he has the strength and height advantage. I'll bash his head open.
She looked to AJ, who had seen her reach for the blunt weapon, whilst Nate and Anton were none the wiser. She hoped to wordlessly instruct him to cause a good distraction. However, to her surprise, AJ wasn't onboard with the plan, and shook his head frantically, mouthing "No."
She was acting stupid and rash, expecting others to follow her suicidal crusade. Had she learned nothing from today's events? Was she doomed to repeat her mistakes?
Clementine relinquished the rock. I won't drag AJ into this mess. I can't lose him too.
"Nate, that's enough! Quit fucking with them!" Anton commanded. "We want them alive, remember? And preferably not with their ribs in shards!"
She gritted her teeth and glared at Anton. Pull your finger out of your ass faster next time.
He folded his arms and pouted, like a child robbed of their favourite toy. "You never let me have any fun."
"Come on, if we keep up the pace, we can make it back by nightfall." Anton said, before venturing further down the tunnel with AJ in tow.
Nate turned to Clementine and offered her a helping hand. She grunted and spat a mixture of saliva and blood at his feet. She then used the cave wall to hoist herself up. Her nerves were on fire and her muscles ached, but she couldn't stop for a breather. Despite her entire body swimming in pain, she began to limp towards their destination.
He's right. If I had surrendered, Louis wouldn't have died. I was just so scared, I didn't want to become someone's prisoner. Not again. I- I acted selfishly, I forced Louis to act, I put him in danger, and now he's gone. Louis is fucking gone.
The path ahead melted away, revealing a picturesque scenery. Golden wheat swayed in the wind and tickled her legs. The only landmark was a lonesome hill, with a cherry blossom tree growing on top. The sun was setting on the horizon, but a figure draped in shadow blocked the evening glow.
Louis. His silhouette was unmistakable.
A strangled gasp escaped Clementine's throat. She stumbled and tripped over her own feet, as she broke into a full on sprint, desperate to reach him. To feel whole again.
Louis... I've known you for five years. We've been dating for four. Every moment with you was like a dream. You made me feel so complete.
A fierce gale whipped around her, ripping blossom from the tree's branches. The pink flower petals swirled, forming vague human shapes. Moments from their long, happy relationship together. Their first meeting. A kiss under the moonlight. Swapping stories and sharing dreams. Louis serenading her with a song.
It's true we had our ups and downs - ha, "Understatement of the century" is what you would say - but after living through all that awful shit, I thought... We could conquer the world together. We could do anything, go anywhere - nothing was stopping us! I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter how uncertain our future was.
In this fantasy realm, the laws of physics didn't apply. Time moved slower than a tortoise. Despite maintaining her blinding, yet taxing speed, Clementine had barely covered any distance. It felt like she was wading through deep water. The rift between her and Louis was growing wider, stretching on into infinity.
I should've known it couldn't last forever. I... It's my fault. It's all my fault. My curse caught up with me again.
He turned and walked away, disappearing from view. Where was he going? To whatever lay beyond this mortal coil?
"Louis, wait! Please don't go!" Clementine begged. "It's too early to say goodbye."
I shouldn't have let you get so close to me. Maybe if we never met you'd still be alive.
All of this was futile. No matter how fast and how far she ran, her lost lover was just beyond her reach. With no other choice, Clementine slowed her pace, until she came to a steady halt. Seconds later, exhaustion overwhelmed her and she collapsed to her knees. A bottled up anguished scream rose from her lungs, and hot tears streamed down her cheeks.
The gentle plucking of strings pierced through her own shrill cries. A voice followed, softly singing along to the melody.
"Tell me, baby, tell me
Are you still on the stoop
Watching the windows close?
I've not seen you lately
On the street by the beach
Or places we used to go"
Her tears dried.
Clementine glanced around, and found herself miraculously resting at the slope of the hill. Gathering every ounce of her strength, she climbed to her feet and walked up the final stretch.
Louis was sitting under the pink cherry tree - legs neatly crossed and guitar nestled in his lap. Large roots and white lilies surrounded him. A smile decorated his freckled cheeks when their eyes locked.
"I've a picture of you
On our favorite day
By the seaside
There's a bird stealing bread
That I brought
Out from under my nose"
And yet... If I was given the chance to trade all those years, all those happy memories, to free me from this pain. I wouldn't take it.
"Tell me, baby, tell me
Do you carry the words
Around like a key or change?
I've been thinking lately
Of a night on the stoop
And all that we wouldn't say"
Clementine sat down beside him, allowing the soothing music to wash over her.
"If I see you again
On the street by the beach
In the evening
Will you fly like a bird
Stealing bread out from under my nose?"
He stopped strumming and hugged the guitar close to his chest.
She reached out, yearning to cup his face.
Because... I love you, Louis.
Upon contact, he crumbled into dust. Her fingers grasped at nothing. Sunlight faded, leaving her truly and utterly alone.
Wait- when was the last time I told him that?
An ash feathered raven perched on a fragile branch. His tiny black eyes shimmered in the pale moonlight, and curiously studied the four humans, who were traipsing through the forest. Clementine held a staring contest with the bird. His beak fell open and a loud squawk emerged, as if to rattle her and deter that unflinching gaze. He then unfurled his wings and took off. She watched him soar and disappear beyond the clouds, envious of his ability to fly and escape this hell.
It must have rained while the group were underground. Quite heavily too, evident by the scent of wet grass which filled her nostrils, and the thick mud that squelched under their feet.
The tree line began to thin and a group of densely populated, colossal structures - partially illuminated by roaring campfires and flaming torches - came into view. Clementine strained her eyes, and immediately spotted a tall rusted billboard, where a person of indiscernible gender stood on guard, clutching a sniper rifle in one hand, and puffing on a cigarette kept in the other. The deteriorating sign read "Benji Beaver's Woodland Adventure Park". Beyond that advertisement, she spotted a derelict ferris wheel and stagnant log flume ride.
An amusement park? Clementine questioned internally. I think I saw this place on my map of tourist destinations. Louis even suggested bringing AJ here for his birthday. I didn't expect it to be occupied.
A long, winding, green metal fence and ominous gate blocked their path. She attempted to peer through the bars, to see what lay beyond the boundary. However, her view was obscured by a woman, who appeared from the shadows carrying a jangly key chain. She fumbled with the lock, and the main entrance squeaked when she pulled it open. Clementine couldn't help but imagine hundreds upon thousands of children rushing inside, screaming with excitement.
"Hey, boys." The woman greeted. Clementine estimated that this new stranger was in her early thirties, unlike the two old fossils she had been forced to accompany. She had olive skin, dark eyes, and curly black hair, tied back in a tight bun. A snake tattoo spiralled down her neck, and disappeared under her shirt collar. She also had a strap swung over her shoulders, which was attached to an automatic rifle.
"Hey, Jazz." Anton replied, offering her a simple wave.
Jazz's stoic expression morphed into pure horror when she saw Nate's blood soaked jeans. "Whoa- Nate, what the hell happened to your leg?" She asked, mouth falling open in shock.
"This one stabbed me." Nate replied, indicating to Clementine by giving her shoulder a hard nudge.
She clamped her jaw shut before any insects could fly in. "Damn. Looks like it hurt." She commented dryly, shifting back to her stone cold persona.
"Pssh, hardly. I've dealt with worse." He scoffed, whilst tracing a faint scar on his hand.
"He screamed like a little bitch." Clementine interjected with a snide remark.
Her reward was a smack to the head, courtesy of the man himself. "Be quiet."
"Ha! She's got a big mouth." Jazz commented, a smirk beginning to dominate her features. She almost seemed impressed.
"Ugh, I know. Can't get her to shut up." Nate grumbled.
"Did she give you those scratches too?"
He briefly stroked his cheek for a second time today before answering. "Yeah, tried to claw my eyes out."
"You always get yourself into trouble." Jazz rolled her eyes. "I didn't expect you to fetch back new merchandise. I take it you didn't find the escapee then?"
"Who? Bob?" Nate asked, a confused eyebrow raised.
"Bill." She corrected him.
"Oh yeah, that guy. Dear ol' Billy managed to give us the slip. But since I put a few holes in his legs, I doubt he got very far."
"Dammit. He would've fetched a mighty good price." Jazz cursed and massaged her temple.
"I'd say these two will cover our losses." He said, pushing Clementine and AJ forwards, almost as if they were nothing more than peace offerings.
With her stress level minimised, a smile returned to her face. "You've really out done yourselves this time."
"We would've gotten one more, but Nate shot him." Anton piped up, bitterness plaguing his tone.
Nate turned on his "buddy" within a matter of seconds. "Jesus Christ, Anton, do you want to broadcast my fuck up to the entire world?! I thought we were going to keep it a secret!"
"I never agreed to that. We didn't even discuss it." Anton protested, baffled by Nate's bizarre logic.
"I gave you the signal!"
"What signal?!"
"The signal with my eyes!"
"Wait, wait, wait, hold on- You found three easy pickings and you managed to get one of them killed?" Jazz questioned, interrupting their petty squabble.
"He had a knife to my throat! What was I supposed to do? Let him kill me?" Nate growled, directing his rage towards Jazz.
"You could have knocked him out!"
"I wasn't in a position to knock him out." He stated firmly. "It was either him or me. I made the right call."
"Hang on a second- you said it was a misfire!" Anton pulled Nate up on his lie.
"So what if I did?!"
"ENOUGH!" Jazz shouted, stunning both men in silence. "Nate, go get yourself patched up at the infirmary."
"No way. I wanna process the newbies." He argued.
"Nate. Infirmary. Now." She ordered, staring daggers at him.
"Fine." Nate huffed. He tossed Clementine's belongings at Anton with all his might and then stormed off. "Such fucking bullshit." He muttered under his breath.
"You didn't tie them up?" Jazz asked, only now noticing that Clementine and AJ's hands were free.
"Didn't pack enough rope." Anton replied.
"Here." She tossed him some rope, which he expertly caught. "Bind their wrists and then let's go."
After that long winded conversation in dangerous territory, Clementine and AJ were finally allowed inside the relative safety of the group's base.
Jazz took on the 'leader' role, whilst Anton followed. He was directly behind Clementine, and she could feel his stare burning into her skull.
Since she was being heavily scrutinised, the young woman chose a subtle approach, and kept her head down and eyes low. If she avoided suspicious activity, then no one would cotton on to her scheming.
Along the short trip, she spotted a beaver statue, expertly carved from wood. Benji, the park mascot, she presumed. He was surrounded by cardboard cutouts of bushes and trees, and a canvas backdrop, which had partially collapsed and almost rotted away.
Before the world changed, Benji was used for photo opportunities. A hallmark to stick in the family album. However, now he served a far different, malicious function.
Target practice.
His entire body was riddled with bullet holes and knife slashes. An arrow even protruded from his jolly face.
Poor Benji. She thought.
After more brisk walking, she spied a group of five people huddled around a fire barrel. One in particular - a man - turned his back on the heat, to gawk at the newcomers. His curious expression transformed into a sneer, and his eyes blazed with a deep seated hunger. Was he fantasying about the reward Clementine and AJ would fetch?
After making a left turn at a merry go round, the four reached their destination. A gift shop, although there were no knick-knacks nor trinkets on sale, except for a lonesome beaver toy. The main attraction was a mountain of backpacks and clothing, which breached the ceiling.
Jazz stepped behind the cashier counter. She then produced a yellow notepad and pencil from her coat pocket, and began to flip through the pages. From what Clementine could gather, Jazz's handwriting looked more akin to chicken scratches than intelligible words.
"Alright, Anton, what did these two bring us?" She asked, after finding a blank page to write on.
"Well, we confiscated their backpacks, but there's not much worthwhile in them. All the kid had was books and empty beef jerky packets." Anton declared, and proceeded to dump their bags on the counter.
Jazz swiftly jotted that down. "The books will be good for tinder, I guess. And the girl?"
"Load of junk. Oh, except for some sheet music, canned peas and dog food."
"In that case, if we ever get a dog, then at least we'll have something to feed it." She joked.
How many times have they robbed people of their hard earned supplies? Clementine wondered. They're so nonchalant about it too. The audacity.
"Please don't use that sheet music for tinder." Clementine piped up, desperate to cling on to the item Louis had given to her on his deathbed.
"No one said you could speak." Jazz spoke coldly, completely disregarding her plea.
"Please, you don't understand, it's the only thing I have left of my boyfriend!"
Anton chipped in. "Come on, Jazz, can't she have it back?"
"Oh yeah, and why don't we give her all her stuff back while we're at it?" She snapped. "We don't make any exceptions for merchandise, Anton, you of all people should know that."
"Right. Sorry."
Fucking asshole. Clementine seethed with rage.
"Now where was I?" Jazz muttered under her breath, whilst checking her notes. "Oh, right. Speaking of the boyfriend, tell me you at least grabbed his stuff?"
"Unfortunately, no. Nate gut shot him but didn't stop him from turning. By the time I got there, he was probably already a walker. Wasn't worth the risk, plus we already had a group of 'em on our ass."
"This just keeps getting better and better." She muttered sarcastically. "Any weapons?"
"Knives galore." Anton responded, whilst placing AJ's shiv, plus Clementine's large knife and switchblade on the counter for inspection.
The tattooed woman groaned. "We have more than enough knives. Come on, please tell me you got something good."
He shrugged off Clementine's bow and set it down with their other weapons. "The girl had a bow. Hand crafted."
"Huh. Very promising. Anything else?"
"I was saving the best till last." He said, an excited flavour to his voice. He reached into his waistband and produced AJ's revolver. "Check it out. The kid was packing heat."
Jazz's eyes sparkled with sick twisted joy. "A revolver? Now we're talking. Any bullets?"
"Afraid not. He used them all up trying to shoot me."
"Oh well, still a good find. Take these to lockup once we're done here."
Jazz turned her attention away from Anton and pointed at Clementine with her pencil. "You. You're up first."
Confused, Clementine stepped closer to the counter. Jazz's eyes darted up and down as she sized the young woman up. "Name?"
"Clementine."
Jazz scribbled that down. "Age?"
"Twenty-one."
More scribbling ensued. "Know how to use a gun?"
"Yes."
Even more scribbling occurred. "Any health issues?"
"No, none."
As Jazz finalised her notes, Anton pipped up again. "Nate has been scaring the shit out of me these last few days."
"Really? How come?" She asked, not looking up from her notepad. "You two usually get along rather well."
"He's been acting like... How he was, when we first met him." He answered, choosing his words delicately.
"Hm. That doesn't bode well for any of us. I'll keep tabs on him." She stated, before her eyes settled on AJ. "You're up next, kid."
AJ quietly approached the counter, his head hung low.
"Name?"
"Alvin Junior."
"Age?"
"Nine. But I'm going to be ten soon."
"Wow, good for you." She said, feigning interest. "I take it you know how to use a gun?"
"Yeah."
"Figures. It would be weird if you were carrying one and had no idea what to do with it." She muttered. "Any health issues?"
"No, I don't think so." He answered, glancing at Clementine to check if he was correct. She nodded.
"Great. I'm going to report this to the boss." Jazz declared, slamming her notepad shut and tucking it away in her coat pocket.
"Are you going to tell him about Nate too?" Anton asked.
"Well, yeah, I have to. He's screwed up big time. But don't worry, I'll mention that I got my info from an anonymous source."
The man smiled reluctantly. "Thanks, Jazz."
"No problem. Take the newbies to the barn and I'll meet up with you later." She said.
"I'm on it."
Just before they departed, Anton placed their backpacks on the massive heap. They then exited the gift shop together, with Jazz going in one direction, while they went the other way. Anton took his position at the rear of the group once more and instructed the two on where to go.
Along the journey, Clementine noticed Nate exiting what used to be a nurse's station. How fitting for a medical bay. His injury had been given proper dressing, not to mention he had been prescribed a bottle of painkillers. Or maybe antibiotics, to stamp out possible infection? It was hard to read the tiny label from this distance.
After popping a pill, Nate noticed Clementine staring. So he stared back. She quickly averted her gaze.
"Clem, what's wrong with that guy?" AJ asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "He's a little-"
"Psychotic?" Anton piped up, after clearly eavesdropping. "Nate's always been like that. It's in his nature."
Clementine cocked an eyebrow. "Seems like an undesirable trait. Why does your leader keep him around?"
"You need to be crazy to do our job. Plus, Nate's an excellent hunter. He's singlehandedly caught the most merchandise out of anyone."
"So he's never killed 'merchandise' before?"
"No... That's a new thing."
After that conversation died down, Clementine stopped alongside a dock and stared out at a swamp. She could just barely make out the park's perimeter fence, partially collapsed and swallowed by the water. Besides the sunken swan boats, she could also see what looked like a humanoid shape in the darkness.
"Is that... a walker out there?" She asked, squinting to make out the shadow.
"That's right. This used to be a man-made lake, y'know, for the paddle boats. But thanks to heavy rainfall, over the years it's been gradually swallowed up by the swamp." Anton explained. "'Course, once we took over this place, walkers caught a whiff of us but ended up getting stuck in the mud. Now we use them as guard dogs. It's like a minefield. Anyone trying to sneak in from the water is gonna get their leg chomped. We call 'em 'the drowned'."
There's more than one? She questioned internally and shuddered at the thought.
"Alright, enough sightseeing, let's get a move on."
They arrived at their destination, a barn that was fairly intact. A guard carrying a rifle stood at the entrance.
"Got some new merchandise to add to the collection." Anton declared to the guard as they approached.
The slave trader opened the door and the two were ushered inside without a moment's notice. Anton lingered in the doorway and eyed Clementine for a few seconds. "I must be stupid." He heaved a deep sigh and reached behind his back, producing Louis' crumpled yellow tinted sheet music, smudged with dried blood. He approached her and tucked it into her body warmer pocket. "Here."
"Um… thank you, I guess?" She mumbled, unsure on how to react to this random act of kindness.
"This is a one time thing, y'know. And for what it's worth… I'm sorry about your boyfriend."
She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. Anton backed away and exited the barn, closing the door and locking it behind him.
Clementine surveyed her surroundings, noticing a group of people huddled together by the back wall. One of them - a middle aged man, with a shaved head - met her gaze for a fleeting moment, before averting his eyes. The rest seemed uninterested, perhaps they were too wrapped up in their own heads to even notice the newcomers.
To her left were small pens lined with hay. Each pen was signposted, detailing rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, goats, and donkeys. This place seemed to once be a petting zoo. Now they were the ones being cooped up like animals.
Utterly exhausted, she slumped against the nearest wall and sank to the hay covered floor.
"Okay, um... Let's see... They took all our weapons. They even found my little knife. So we can't get the ropes off that way. Maybe we could find something sharp in here? Then climb up to the rafters and see if there's a way onto the roof?" AJ suggested, pacing back and forth as he wracked his brain. "What do you think, Clem? I know it's not a full proof plan, but it's a start!"
"AJ... Do you remember the last time you heard me tell Louis that I loved him?" She asked, her voice quivering on each syllable. "Because I don't."
A saddened expression dominated his youthful face. He approached Clementine and crouched down in front of her. "He knew. You didn't need to tell him with words. He could feel it. I can feel it too. The love we shared, it was all warm and fuzzy. Like a bright sunny day, when the birds are singing and there's not a walker for miles. You find a good spot and just... Soak it in."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't-" She began, tears breaking free from her sore eyes.
"It's okay. You don't have to be sorry. I miss him too, even though it's only been a few hours." He admitted. "I wish I'd been there. Maybe if I had, I could've done something. But when that big guy started chasing me, I didn't know what to do. I just... ran."
"It's not your fault, AJ."
"It's not yours either." He pointed out. "Was Louis in pain when he... went away?"
Clementine thought back to that moment in the toy store. The blood. Louis' weak cries as she was dragged away. The moment he stopped moving. "No, he passed peacefully." She lied.
"But... that guy said he's a walker now." AJ whispered, his own eyes becoming misty.
"Anton just assumed. While Nate wasn't looking, I made sure Louis didn't turn." She stated, knowing full well that Louis was a walker now, wandering the streets of Opal Creek, alone and forgotten. Hopefully he would get lucky and a wandering survivor would put him out of his misery. Alas, he would never receive a proper burial.
"I'm glad he didn't suffer." He said, seemingly believing her lie. Perhaps he was just pretending to. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."
"Here, he wanted me to give this to you. I don't know what it is." She said, struggling to reach into her front pocket with her tied hands. Thankfully, she was just barely able to retrieve the sheet music and hand it to AJ.
AJ laid the paper on the floor and with great effort, managed to unfold it. "It's all the fun facts he wanted to tell me!"
"Fun facts?" She questioned, eyebrows fully raised.
"Yeah, he said he'd tell me a new one everyday."
"Ha, really? He would've run out in like a week." She chuckled.
"I figured he would. That's why I thought he'd start making stuff up... Just so I wouldn't be sad."
"Sounds like a very Louis thing to do." She whispered, melancholy seeping into her heart.
"He was always putting us first..." He trailed off, tucking the sheet music away in his own pocket. "And that's why you shouldn't give up, Clem. Louis wouldn't want that."
"AJ-" Clementine attempted to inject, but AJ cut her off.
"Louis would want us to escape! To live!"
"AJ, I- I can't. I'm exhausted. I need some rest. Please just give me time. We'll talk about this later, okay?"
"Okay, Clem." He agreed. He edged closer and snuggled up against her. "I'll protect you while you're asleep."
"You don't have to do that." She protested, her eyelids drooping.
"I want to."
"Thank you, AJ. Thank you..." She whispered, closing her eyes. Only sleep would allow her to escape this nightmarish reality.
Spiderweb cracks kissed the fabric of reality. They blossomed at an alarming rate, before the entire world shattered into tiny fragments. Clementine helplessly watched these glass shards tumble into a swirling black abyss. Within these pieces she saw moments in time, but one in particular ensnared her mind and forcefully dragged her back to the past.
Piece by piece, the world began to reform with Clementine at the epicenter. Bug infested floorboards with a beaten dusty rug stretched under her feet and rotting walls erupted from the ground, encasing her in a tomb. Her young adult brain was thrusted into the body of her sixteen year old self. Disoriented and light headed, her amber eyes darted around and observed her altered surroundings. She was sitting on a hardwood stool within the music room of Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth. Louis sat close beside her, their knees pressed together.
Clementine's stomach dropped and her heart leapt into her throat. Louis? You're not dead! She longed to speak those joyful words into existence, but no sound left her lips.
A heavy fog descended, clouding her mind and erasing recent memories. Wait… What am I saying? Of course he's not dead.
"Kzzzt, Earth to Clementine, do you copy? Everything okay up there?" Louis asked, intentionally muffling his voice by cupping his hand over his mouth and speaking into an invisible microphone. His brow was knitted with amusement but also small traces of concern. "You look like you're channeling every fiber of your being into whittlin'."
She glanced down and noticed the knife clenched in her sweaty palm. Her gaze then shifted to the boy's beloved piano, where their initials resided - neatly carved into the fall board. Right, I was going to add a finishing touch. Come on, Clementine, get it together.
Her watchful eyes finally settled on Louis. Pale silver moonlight cascaded through the broken window, kissing his rich skin and dancing along the strands of his hair. He resembled a ghost. Why did the mere sight of him almost reduce her to tears? He was here. He was real. He was alive.
…Wasn't he?
Clementine's lips twitched, gingerly forming a half smile - why did it feel so forced? "I'm fine. Think I just lost myself for a second there." She answered, soothing whatever worries he harboured over her prolonged silence.
"Glad you found your way back." He quipped, sporting a wide toothy grin. "You've been gripping that knife so tightly, I thought you were going to stab me. You done tattooing the piano?"
"Not yet." She muttered, jerking her head away in a futile attempt to hide the red blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Alright, well, try not to take an eternity with your masterpiece. I know you can't rush art, but you're pushing the limits a little bit."
Trembling from an adrenaline cocktail of excitement and terror, Clementine leaned forwards and carefully carved a plus sign between their initials. Once completed, she moved on to the main event; putting a love heart around the previous markings.
"Clem!" AJ's voice erupted from the hallway, shattering the quiet atmosphere.
Clementine dropped what she was doing immediately. The knife fell from her hand as she jumped off the stool and raced to meet AJ at the music room door. "What is it, AJ, what's wrong?"
"The raiders, they're here! Ruby spotted them from the lookout." He replied breathlessly.
A pang rattled throughout her chest. "Alright. Go gather everyone up, I'll be right there." She instructed, failing to hide the tremor in her voice.
AJ offered her a firm nod. He then spun around and sprinted towards the nearest exit, eager to fulfill his duty.
She had to vacate to the yard post haste, and yet… She was lingering for a dangerously long time. Despite how insignificant her love heart was in the grand scheme of things, she couldn't help but lament about how she had left it unfinished. It would seem that her carving had captivated Louis as well. The boy picked up his discarded knife and studied her creation, attempting to decipher meaning from those abstract lines, like he was translating hieroglyphics.
Eventually, he tore himself away from that activity and approached Clementine. "Nice half moon." He complimented. Did he truly believe that or was he cracking a joke to lower the tension? She dare not ask.
Moving swiftly on from that sly comment, he brushed his coat tail aside and rested his hands on his hips. "They picked a great time to interrupt." He sarcastically remarked, shaking his head in dismay and tussling his dreadlocks. "There was something really important I wanted to tell you."
"I'm so sorry, Louis, but we'll have to put a pin in it for now. We'll talk later, okay?"
He exhaled a heavy sigh. "You better not die then."
"Same goes for you."
A throbbing headache suddenly overwhelmed her. The walls seemed to be… pulsating. In the blink of an eye, her environment changed.
Countless blazes roared, the blistering heat threatening to scorch her exposed skin. Sandy brown brick walls wrapped in barbed wire - once intended to protect them from invasion, but only succeeded in trapping them in close quarters with the raiders - prevented the raging inferno from spreading to the forest. Towering skeletal trees dominated the outside perimeter. Each one was convulsing, their trunks mirroring the movements normally demonstrated by snakes. Their branches, which resembled clawed hands, scratched the night sky and threatened to capture the helpless moon. Abel, who had cushioned Clementine's fall from the headmaster's balcony, howled and writhed in pain, his leg severely broken and blood gushing from the open wound. A thick, ominous red mist trickled over the battlefield and engulfed everything in its wake. She could taste copper on her tongue.
An odd rhythmic sound dominated the choir of noise.
Thump. Thump. Thump. The school. The forest. It was alive. Every single organism was connected through one heartbeat. Its pulse was steady, but that did not put her at ease.
Was this a memory? Or a nightmare?
Abel's harrowing screams ceased as his eyes rolled back into his skull and fainted. Lilly stepped into view and aimed her rifle squarely at her. Ice rippled through Clementine's veins and her stomach twisted into knots.
Lilly's hands trembled, fond memories of Clementine and their brief time spent together at the Travelier Motor Inn Motel squirming through her brain. "Shit, this should be easy."
Thump. Thump. Thump. The heartbeat was becoming more rapid with each passing second. For a moment, she was convinced that a geyser of blood would erupt from the ground.
"I'll see you in hell." Clementine snarled.
"You'll be there a long time before I show up." Lilly spat back.
"I don't mind waiting."
Lilly exhaled a shuddered breath and her hands steadied, casting her fond memories into the ether. She no longer pictured Clementine as the innocent little girl, who whispered secrets into a broken walkie-talkie and created colourful leaf rubbings - but rather, a nuance that needed to be gunned down. She pressed the barrel to Clementine's forehead, her finger hovering over the trigger. The teen shut her eyes tightly and braced herself for the inevitable. Perhaps in death, she would finally know peace.
Violet let out a primal scream and charged towards Lilly. But the raider was quick to react and blindly fired in the direction of her attacker.
A shot that, despite the odds, managed to hit its target.
The bullet ripped through Violet's stomach. She was blown back by the force, causing her body to collapse and a sickening thud to echo across the terrain.
"VIOLET!" Louis screamed. He managed to dodge the raider he was scuffling with and rushed to his friend's side.
Violet lay on the ground in excruciating agony. She let out a choking wet gasp, as blood filled her mouth.
Louis dropped to his knees and squeezed her hand tightly. "I'm here, Vi, I'm here, you're gonna be okay."
Clementine attempted to crawl towards Violet, to hold her hand in her final moments, but it was too late. Violet exhaled one final breath and her head rolled to one side. Her dull, glassy eyes stared vacantly at the night sky, almost as if she was gazing wistfully at the constellations and vast cosmos.
The heartbeat stopped.
Louis was frozen solid, staring at Violet's dead body in shock. A few seconds passed, before an anguished scream erupted from his throat and he buried his face in her blood soaked shirt.
Lilly stepped behind Louis and tutted at the scene before her. "This is your fault, Clem. She didn't have to die. Neither did that boy. If you had just come peacefully, no one would've been harmed." She taunted
Clementine's eyes darted around the battlefield, searching for the other children - praying that someone would swoop in to rescue herself and Louis from Lilly's clutches. Alas, Omar and Aasim had already been loaded into the horse drawn carts. The others would likely be rounded up soon.
This was a fight they could not win.
Lilly pressed her rifle into the back of Louis' head. He didn't notice, just continued to weep. "How many more of your friends have to die before you give up?"
"Stop, okay?! Just stop!" Clementine pleaded. "You win."
Lilly squeezed the trigger and Louis' head popped like a balloon. Flecks of his blood coated Clementine's face. "NO!" She screamed. "That didn't happen last time- you never killed him!"
Last time? Why did I say that? …How many times have I relived this moment?
Another headache overwhelmed her, drowning out those internal thoughts. The world became distorted one final time. They were in the toy store, surrounded by water pistols and gigantic teddy bears. Louis' blood stained the cracked tile floor.
"I didn't." Lilly dismissed her claim. She stepped on Louis' corpse and approached Clementine. She leaned in as close as physically possible and whispered the horrible truth. "You did."
A sharp pain in her abdomen startled Clementine awake. Upon opening her sleep crusted eyes, the young woman was assaulted by bright beaming sunlight, which partially blinded her. A shadow slipped in front and blocked the harsh glare. That's when she realised she had been kicked - by Nate, no less. Ugh. She groaned internally. I hoped I'd never see you again.
Although, she must have been awfully naive to believe he would just disappear off the face of the earth.
"What do you want?" Clementine growled.
Nate didn't seem at all intimidated by her rough tone. "Boss wants to see you. So get up." He commanded, whipping out his glock and aiming it squarely at her chest. Dry blood still glazed the barrel. Why hadn't he cleaned it? Was he too lazy or was it part of an intimidation tactic?
"Can't come near me without a gun in your hands?" She scoffed. "Afraid I'll attack you again?"
"Cute." Nate said with a smirk, demeaning her taunts to nothing more than playground insults. In comparison, a yapping puppy would be more effective at gaining a volatile reaction. "Now get moving, I haven't got all day."
Begrudgingly, Clementine climbed to her feet, despite her stiff legs protesting. Pins and needles rippled across her lower limbs, eating away at her skin like wild fire. AJ - who had been awoken by their discussion - stifled a yawn and stood up too.
"Um, where at all did I mention you in that fucking sentence?" Nate addressed the boy in particular, with far more aggressiveness than necessary.
"But I thought-" AJ began, hoping to explain himself.
"You thought wrong." He interjected. "The boss only wants to see Clemster. Not you."
"Why can't he come?" Clementine asked, perplexed by this odd demand. "Your boss needs to know that we're a package deal. Same goes for whoever you sell us to."
"This isn't up for debate. He stays, you go. End of story."
A defeated sigh escaped her, before she turned to face AJ. Fear swam in his dark brown eyes. Was he scared of being left alone or her unknown fate? She drew closer, yearning to hug him, but her hands were bound. "I'll be fine." She reassured him.
"You don't know that." He whispered, his voice quivering.
"Hey, don't get upset. I'll be back before you even know it."
"This is all very touching, but can we go?" Nate groaned.
Clementine ignored him. "Be a good boy, AJ."
After exiting the barn, she forced herself not to look back, fearing that the sight of AJ in distress would break her spirit. Once the doors were closed and locked tight, she felt safe enough to steal a glance at Nate, who was muttering to the guard. She waited for him to offer some instructions, which he obliged. "I want you to walk in front of me. Never leave my line of sight, got it?"
"Whatever you say." The young woman mumbled, with a halfhearted nod serving as compliance.
The two barely walked a few feet, before they stopped alongside the marsh. Clementine often believed that anything she deemed frightening at nighttime, would vastly improve once touched by daylight. However, high visibility seemed to make these unique circumstances even worse. She could see far more drowned walkers, as well as their mushy flesh dissolving due to prolonged exposure to the water.
"Can you swim?" Nate asked, whilst shoving Clementine towards the edge of the dock.
She yelped, and almost fell head first into the dark depths. Succumbing to a panic induced state, her mind concocted horrific images - the most vivid hallucination being a walker rising from the shallows and sinking its teeth into her neck. Before that possible hazard could become a reality, Nate grabbed her arm and yanked her back to safety. "Relax, I'm not gonna push you in. As funny as it would be."
His mouth was uncomfortably close to her face. The scent of stale tobacco and cheap booze made her nose shrivel up. Nate shared a striking resemblance with Abel. She vividly remembered a similar stench wafting from that raider's lips, when he pinned her to the headmaster's desk. The only difference was, Abel's mouth reeked of rotting teeth.
The knowledge that Abel was buried six feet underground was rather comforting. It made her lips twitch into a crooked smile. Hopefully, if the stars aligned in her favour, Nate would suffer a fate far worse than his doppelgänger.
Finally, after lingering for far too long, he released his vice-like grip on her arm and pushed her away. "Come on, slowpoke."
They moved eastwards, weaving through abandoned rides, with Nate giving occasional directions, until they passed a large, bustling restaurant.
Benji's Burgers. That was the name belonging to this three-star establishment, according to the sign above the double doors.
She counted around fifteen heads inside, enjoying the spoils of their heinous acts.
Surely there should be more of them? A small group couldn't possibly maintain such a huge base. Then again, how many mouths could their business feed?
Perhaps she could glean some more information from Nate. He was quite talkative yesterday, after some coaxing from Anton. Fortune favours the bold.
"How many people live here?" She questioned, looking over her shoulder at him.
Nate stared unblinking. Was he attempting to remember the exact number or trying to rattle her? "Twenty eight." He answered, after missing several beats. "Do you want me to list their names too? Tell you who's the biggest threat? How about I explain all the patrol routes? I'll even show you the nearest exit."
"I was just asking." She muttered, her eyes flickering back to Benji's ecstatic face - the cardboard beaver frozen in place before he could bite into a delicious burger. Anything to avoid Nate's unflinching gaze.
"Sure you were." Nate scoffed. "I'm not an idiot, y'know."
"Coulda fooled me." Clementine spat back, flashing him a smug look.
She fully expected him to reward her snide remark with physical abuse. However, she certainly didn't predict that his expression would morph from annoyed to admiration. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But if you keep asking stupid questions, then you'll end up in big trouble." He cautioned. "Because I like you, I'll let you off with a warning this time."
I guess he's not as dumb as he looks.
Finally, they arrived at their destination. A small tucked away corner of the amusement park, where an unused information booth resided. There was a single pamphlet left in a small plastic display case on the desk, which was covered in a thick layer of dust. In close proximity was a beaten up pickup truck. The vehicle had certainly seen better days - its tires were deflated and the windscreen smashed. It didn't seem like a place where their leader would dwell.
Perplexed, Clementine turned to Nate for answers. "I thought you said we were going to see your boss?"
"Did I say that?" He wondered aloud, his eyes becoming unfocused as he scoured his recent memories. "Oops, I lied." He uttered nonchalantly with a full-body shrug. He proceeded to walk over to the dilapidated vehicle and hopped into the truck bed. "I actually wanted to show you my sweet ride. I used to travel the open road with this old girl. I met a lot of folks. Made some friends. And enemies."
The young woman's eyebrows were raised beyond their previous limits. "And I should care because...?"
"Thought a woman with your good taste might like it."
"I don't give a fuck about your scrap heap!" She snapped, enraged by his attitude. How fucking dare he act this way towards her, after all the suffering he had caused.
"Hey, don't say that, you'll hurt her feelings." Nate mockingly whined. His attention shifted to his beloved truck, as he stroked the grimy, dust coated metal. "It's alright, girl, she didn't mean it." He soothed, the blue paint flaking off and coating his hand.
Clementine whirled her head around, trying to find someone- anyone , to provide some normalcy to this increasingly insane situation. Unfortunately, she appeared to be utterly alone with this unhinged man.
"Come sit with me." Nate urged, his sickening gaze resting on Clementine once more.
She refused to move an inch.
Her noncompliance was met with a gun. "Sit." He instructed, snapping off the safety and gesturing at the empty space beside him.
Her heart raced as she reluctantly edged closer and sat down in the truck bed. In one swift motion, Nate produced a knife from his pocket and cut off her restraints. "Take a load off."
Clementine stared at her unbound wrists in disbelief, unable to fathom why he would make such a dangerous move. With her mind still reeling, she barely registered his next sentence.
"You're into rum, huh?" He asked, showing off the unfinished bottle she and Louis had shared one night prior. "I like your style." He continued, leaving no room for her to answer. He flicked the cap off and took a huge swig of alcohol. "Ah, this is the life."
Once Nate had his fill, he thurstated the bottle into Clementine's hands. Tears welled in her eyes, as memories of Louis came flooding back. Was this some sort of sick, twisted game to him?
"Why did you bring me here?" She questioned, her voice fragile and small.
"I wanted to cut you a deal."
"A deal?"
"You see, Clemster, being shipped out is the last thing you and your boy want. You'll probably end up doing manual labour; growing food or reinforcing their base." He explained. "They might make you into a soldier and force you to fight their battles."
The mere word 'soldier' caused a petrified expression to overwhelm her features.
Nate noticed. "And from the look on your face, I can tell you've dealt with that shit enough already. I could put in a good word for you with the boss. You could join our crew."
Clementine frowned, disgusted by his proposal. "You want me to help you with human trafficking?"
"It's better than the alternative." He said with another shrug, as if they were discussing trading marbles and not human lives.
"There's always a third option. You could let us go."
Nate belly laughed. "Not gonna happen."
"So what's the catch?" She quizzed, eyeing him suspiciously. "You're not doing this out of the goodness of your heart. Yesterday you were gleefully holding me hostage. You took pleasure in kicking me whilst I was down."
"Me and you will have a little arrangement." He replied, his lips curling into a coy smile.
"Arrangement? "
"When I tried and failed to get some sleep last night, all I could think about was you. You're like a worm, coiled up inside my head. You've attacked me not once, but twice. Anyone else would've thrown in the towel after they'd been caught. But not you. You're different." Nate paused and stroked the scratch marks on his cheek, which were beginning to scab over. There was almost a fondness in his eyes. It was frightening to think that he found sentimental value in her murderous threats. "I reckon there's a fire roaring inside you. And I'd like to be burnt by it."
"...Wha- what are you saying?" Clementine dared to ask. The icy dread, crawling up her spine like a large, hairy spider, made her voice quiver. Whatever confidence she had was long gone.
"I'm saying, you remind me of myself. And I find that very attractive." He replied, his hand settling on top of her own. Clementine's entire face wrinkled in pure disgust. "You're a bit young for my taste, but you can't be too picky these days. And don't get me wrong - I think you're fucking psychotic, but then again, I've got a few screws loose too. We'd make some real magic together. Shit- It's been so long since I had some tail. So be warned, I'm out of practice. But I'll find just the right way to please you."
"Get off me!" She screamed, pushing him away but falling out of the truck bed in the process. The bottle of rum cascaded to the ground, landing with a soft thud. She instinctively reached for the top and smashed the lower half against the rear bumper. Shattered glass flew off in multiple directions and rum soaked her trouser leg as well as the sludgy earth. "S-stay back!" She commanded, pointing the broken bottle at him as she scrambled away.
Nate stood up and advanced towards her, unphased by her desperate threats. "What's wrong, Clemster? You don't want a piece of this?" He questioned, sounding somewhat hurt by her rejection. Perhaps it was another act.
Without warning, he shot at the broken bottle, causing it to disintegrate. Clementine yelped in alarm and Nate used that brief window of opportunity to force himself upon her. "Oh, I see. You don't wanna be unfaithful to music maestro. What was his name? Leo?" He wondered aloud. The only answer he got was her violent thrashing and kicking. He leaned closer and whispered directly into her ear. "Don't worry, he won't mind. Walkers don't get jealous. Walkers don't feel anything."
"Nate?! What the hell is going on?!" Jazz's voice boomed.
Nate begrudgingly relinquished his grip on Clementine and rose to his full height. "I was just showing the new fish my truck." He casually lied.
"Jesus Christ, Nate, you're like a filthy mongrel in heat!" Jazz cried, revolveted by his actions. She surveyed the chaos and eyed the broken glass. "She could've killed you!"
"I had it under control."
"Bullshit!"
Shaken but determined, Clementine carefully reached for the nearest glass shard while the two were bickering. She winced as it sliced open her hand, but she maintained her steel resolve and tucked it into her back pocket.
Jazz shoved passed Nate and hoisted Clementine to her feet. Once she was standing, Jazz bound her wrists with rope.
"His name was Louis. Never forget that." She snarled at her attacker.
"Leroy, got it." He replied, still insisting on riling her up.
"I'll make you pay for what you did to him. To us."
"Can't wait! But my offer still stands, Clemster. Think about it, won't you?"
She shook her head. "My answer will always be no."
"You say that now, but sooner or later, you'll be begging for my help."
"In your dreams." She scoffed.
"I'll escort you back to the barn." Jazz interjected, grabbing Clementine's arm and leading her away.
Nate left her with some parting words. "Nice chatting with you, Clemster. Catch you later."
Jazz shoved Clementine into the barn and immediately slammed the door shut.
"Clem!" AJ cried out and rushed to her side.
"Hey, goofball." She greeted, almost reduced to tears at the mere sight of him.
"You were gone for so long! I thought I'd never see you again!"
"Well, I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."
"What happened? What did they do to you?" He asked, noticing the haunted expression on her face.
"Nothing I couldn't handle." She brushed off his concerns, not wishing to recount the dreadful experience she just endured. "Do me a favour and reach into my back pocket, please, AJ? I brought you something."
Hesitant to let his concerns slide, AJ nodded in agreement and reached into her pocket. "Be careful taking it out." She cautioned.
The young boy delicately pulled out the glass shard and handed it to her. "Managed to snag this while no one was looking. We can use this to cut ourselves free and escape."
Louis... I couldn't save you. But I can still save AJ. I can still save myself. Watch over us, won't you? From your own star. I bet yours is the biggest and brightest of them all. Maybe even a Red Giant.
I'm sure Violet and the others are up there with you. Will you say hi to them for me? And tell them... I miss them, a lot.
She lifted the glass shard towards the heavens, where it caught a small, solitary sunbeam and refracted rainbows. AJ scooted over and basked in that colourful display, whilst a ghostly hand touched her back. She felt someone's ice cold breath just behind her ear. "When the time comes... When you're old and grey, I'll be waiting for you, my darling sunshine." Louis whispered. Was it truly him or just her imagination running wild yet again? "I love you." He uttered.
Clementine whirled around, almost expecting to see him there. The Louis she knew, in spirit form, surrounded by an eerie, dim green glow. But nothing occupied that empty space, only floating dust particles.
Her amber eyes became misty. "I love you too, Louis." She choked up. "Now and forever."