Confrontation
A clap of thunder echoed through the school, practically shook the foundations, Louis woke up suddenly due to the noise, he felt his heart pounding and pounding in his chest, he rolled over to lie on his back and put his arm over his eyes trying to relax. It was raining cat and dogs outside, it was expected that it was a storm.
— Clem! Clem! — AJ's shouted outside — Where are you?! Clem!
Louis got worried, he jumped up thinking about the girl's safety, he grabbed his coat and went out of his room, put it on; on his way out, he saw Ruby, Aasim, Willy, Omar and Mitch in the hallway.
— What's going on? — Ruby asked.
— I don't know — said Louis starting to run to the exit with everyone else behind him, they saw that the door was open, so they went out too, they stood at the doorway and saw AJ in front of Marlon.
— Does that kid have a gun? — Aasim asked terrified, they all ran to get closer to them.
— Where is Clementine?! — AJ shouted pointing at Marlon, once close, Louis tried to talk to him.
— AJ, put the gun down — he asked as calmly as possible, everyone surrounded them, surprised and terrified, what the hell was going on?
— Get this fucking psycho away from me! — the blonde ordered angrily, nervously, Louis frowned, what had happened to his friend to put him like this? It's like when a teacher had caught him in something shady.
— Where is she?! — AJ raised the gun a little more, Louis saw a strange expression on Marlon, one he had never seen before.
— She…— the blonde started to say, he looked confused, scattered — she's in the basement... she... She murdered Brody! — he shouted angrily, Louis felt all the blood go to his feet. Clementine a murderer?
— What?! — Willy asked incredulously, no one moved, Mitch was the only one who did it.
— Wait a minute — he said looking at Marlon with great attention — Is that blood on your face? — asked the young man, a lightning struck at that moment, making them notice the red drops on the boy's face, Louis's head was starting to hurt, Marlon was just backing away.
— Why would she kill Brody? — Ruby asked.
— Did you see when it happened? — Omar asked this time.
— Is she a walker now? — asked Willy, Louis noticed Marlon as if cornered, while he still couldn't process everything.
— Stop that bullshit, Marlon! — Clementine's furious shout was heard, she came up behind them, he felt some relief although he still was not sure of anything, nothing.
— Clem! — AJ called her with joy.
— You killed Brody — she said advancing ignoring AJ — you hit her so hard, her head split open— they all looked at Marlon, he kept retreating.
— That's a lie!
— What's going on?! — asked Violet who was just arriving next to Tenn.
— I saw you kill her! — Marlon pointed to Clem, Louis saw how the girl's gaze was filled with fury — look at her hands! She's covered in Brody's blood! — everyone looked at her hands, including herself, as if she hadn't noticed that, Louis stepped back without wanting to believe it.
— Oh my God — Aasim said.
— What have you done? — asked Tenn almost crying, AJ lowered the gun a little, something that Marlon took advantage of to throw the boy to the ground and take the gun from him and then raise it into the air, Louis stifled a scream when he saw AJ on the ground, he bent down to grab him by the shoulders and fortunately, he didn't attack him like he had done with Ruby and Marlon.
— Are you okay? — he asked helping him up.
— We saved their lives when no one else would! — shouted Marlon waving the gun making everyone back up. Louis stood in front of AJ — We fed them, we gave them shelter! And this is how they thank us?! Threatening us with guns and murder! — Louis knew Marlon so well that he knew something had happened to have him in that state of mind, when his friend got scared or caught in something shady he would get angry, scream, hit, that was one of the reasons he was sent to the boarding school in the first place — well, FUCK THEM! — ended up pointing the gun at Clementine who remained fairly calm but with a defiant position.
— Marlon! — shouted Aasim.
— Oh my God! — said Omar.
— Okay, kill me! — said the girl approaching the gun and bringing it to her chest. Louis felt a pit in his stomach — but what are you going to give to your raiders friends when they come knocking on the door?
— What is she talking about? — Aasim asked, he seemed to be one of the angriest.
— You won't do it because you need us alive!
— SHUT UP! — shouted Marlon on the verge of tears and screaming at the top of his lungs.
— Brody told me! — Clementine began to address everyone — Marlon would give AJ and me to raiders in exchange for safety! — everyone made a shocked expression, Louis felt nauseous, how would his friend be able to do something like that? — the same way he did with Sophie and Minnie!
— What?! — they all asked in unison, Louis stepped back a little further. Was that why his friend was so reluctant to let him fall in love with Clementine? Because he would hand her over to some unknown subjects?
— Oh my God, Marlon! — Ruby shouted.
— I told you to shut up Clementine! — Marlon pointed at the girl again.
— Let her talk! — ordered Aasim.
— Brody told me the whole truth, that's why Marlon killed her! — everyone looked at Marlon with a frown, except Louis who still didn't know what to believe, would his friend really be capable of something so vile? A clap of thunder rang out as Clementine gave the blonde that icy stare.
— Oh come on! — shouted Marlon walking still pointing the gun at everyone, they instinctively stepped back — we met those "raiders" because here the lady wanted to leave the safe zone — Clementine watched him all his way with her arms crossed, it was obvious she wasn't afraid — what a coincidence, right? It's a shame I don't believe it — say Marlon in a mocking tone, Louis looked down, they were putting him in a very difficult situation, it was his best friend, but it also give him a stomach ache to see a gun pointed in Clementine's face — think when adults abandoned us, I motivated you, I made you have courage again — said Marlon, making them all lower their head in shame, as if they had done something wrong — so… who are you going to believe? The newcomer and her little lunatic or his friend? — the last sentence was said putting the gun right in front of Clementine's face, the girl didn't flinch, but the others were terrified.
— Well… she helped us get food — said Omar shyly.
— And what good is food if a bunch of assholes are going to come to take it away from us? — replied Aasim.
— Just saying.
— Hey, this is fucked up — said Willy, stepping back a little.
— Guys, we don't know her, I hate to say it, but it's the truth — said Ruby moving away from Clementine as if she had a contagious disease. At that moment, the girl turned to see Louis, who immediately felt the intensity of her gaze.
— Louis! — she called his attention, he panicked — don't let him do this!
— Ah… — he answered hesitantly — no, I'm not going to get involved — he raised his hands trying to get out of the situation.
— What? — she asked, Louis felt a pang in his chest, he could sense disappointment, betrayal in her tone of voice.
— Listen... I really like you, I really do… — he said, taking a step forward but he felt Marlon's look, a dominant look that made him keep silent for a moment — but don't ask that to me... I'm sorry — he continued looking down, he didn't have the courage to face her — you're alone — he could see beside him how AJ also saw him with a gesture of disappointment in his eyes.
— So you're going to let him shoot me, just because you don't want to get involved! — she claimed angrily, he clenched his fists because of how bad he was feeling — you're a coward — he looked up hurt — I thought you were more than that — he could notice some pain in that sentence, but no more pain than the one he felt when he heard it, he closed his eyes trying to put his ideas in order, to think well what he was about to do.
— Shit… — he said to himself, then he took a step forward and looked at his friend — Marlon… Come on, man… drop the gun — he said as he took a few steps.
— Louis! — shouted Marlon making him stop — She. Killed. Brody. — he said slowly but forcefully — we can't just let her go.
— Clem… — Louis' head hurt more, the situation he was in was fucked up, he didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to think — I gotta trust Marlon… I just… I gotta — he said not very convinced. Should he really keep trusting him? — I always have.
— Trust him? — Clementine asked with an offended tone — after he fooled you with the twins thing? Funny, Brody trusted him and now she's dead! — she said bluntly, that made him react, they were supposed to be best friends, and instead of telling the truth even to him, he hid everything only making things worse, Marlon didn't deserve his trust, he had to do something.
— I said shut up! — shouted Marlon again, Louis saw how he was about to shoot, Clementine just closed her eyes accepting her end, but he wasn't going to allow it, with slow but sure steps he stepped between the gun and Clementine with arms up, he felt his heart pounding in his chest, and his mind magnified the gun barrel making him step back a little, a bolt of lightning struck just at that moment allowing him to see Marlon's expression of fear — You don't know what you're doing, man...
— Come on, man, just drop the gun — Louis demanded, he felt how Clementine peeked over his shoulder, he moved so that she was behind him again — that's how adults solve things, not us — he continued trying to calm him down.
— Come on, Marlon, back off, you have to be reasonable — Aasim asked him, Louis noticed that he together Omar, Mitch and Violet started to surround the blond, the fact that he had stepped forward had motivated them to do the same, he stayed in front of Clementine to cover her since Marlon started to point the gun at everyone.
— You don't understand… — he said pointing the gun — you don't understand anything… I just want to protect you! — everyone backed away for fear of a stray bullet — to each and every one of you!
— How is waving a gun in the air going to protect someone?! — asked Clementine coming out of Louis' protection area — Brody is dead, Sophie and Minnie are gone — Louis went back to the girl just in case, he wasn't going to let Marlon to threaten her again — you are no good to protect.
— How many times do I have to tell you to shut up? — he raised the gun again, Louis pulled Clementine behind him again — I made the right call, save the lives of everyone in this fucking school! And if they come back I'll do it again! — he shouted trying to reach the girl over his friend.
— Excuse me? — Ruby asked offended.
— I didn't know we were interchangeable — shouted Aasim.
— You sure turned out to be a fucking idiot! — shouted Mitch.
— You told me they had died! — shouted Tenn angrily, this was the only thing that stopped Marlon.
— I had to save the rest of you, okay?
— You handed over my sisters — said the boy approaching — why would you do something like that? I trusted you — Tenn started to cry.
— Easy, because he's a coward — said Clementine with her arms crossed.
— Clem… — said Louis in suplication, his friend was already beaten up enough.
— I wanted to get them back… Plan some kind of rescue — said Marlon finally lowering the gun — really, Tenn, I tried but… I was too scared.
— So… you killed Brody because she knew?
— I didn't want to — said Marlon starting to cry. Louis and Clementine let their guard down — I wanted to save them all, Sophie… Minerva.
— Listen… — Clementine spoke again starting to walk, Louis with his arm prevented her from going any further, apparently his presence was, not calming exactly, but preventing Marlon from insisting on pointing the gun at the girl — let's make things right, we can still fix this.
— We're going to help you — said Louis — we're family, aren't we? We're all that left for each of us — he and Clementine looked at Marlon, the blond dropped the gun and brought his right hand to his face.
— I'm sorry for having betrayed you all — said Marlon looking at all of his companions they could hear him sobbing as he spoke, Louis saw him so vulnerable — I think it would be best if I left.
— No, it's not necesary for you to leave — Clementine said approaching, she looked at Louis and he thanked her with his eyes — only that you wouldn't make the decisions anymore. I think we can do that together.
— Really? — asked Marlon crying — would you give me another chance?
— I think you're sorry so... — Clementine said before a shot rang out, from behind, Louis saw how blood came out of Marlon's forehead, splashing Clementine's face. His body fell on top of her, who tried to hold him up before giving in to the weight and letting him fall, once Marlon was on the ground, Clem looked at her hands once again full of blood that dripped from the young man's head without understanding what happened, she, along with Louis and the others saw AJ with terror with his gun in hand and smoke coming out, by the look on Clementine's face, Louis imagined that she was in shock, as much as he and the others.
— What? — asked AJ somewhat confused — I aimed for the head.