Chapter Sixteen
It doesn't take long for us to reach the clearing in the woods. We're a good twenty meters away, but the woman holding out her gun is clearly Maya. I can't see her expression, but her voice is now ringing out through the forest.
"I'll kill you! All of you! And once you're dead, my son will come back to me. He can't be dead, he just can't!" She screeches, all the while keeping the gun in her hands.
Vince turns to Bob.
"See? She's lost it man, she's gonna kill us all!" He hisses worriedly. Bob holds his hands up, "Shh, keep your voice down. Listen, we're gonna have to do something, I just don't kno-"
"I'll go talk to her," I say, instantly regretting it. Bob and Sasha stare at me.
"Now who's the crazy one?" Sasha says, forgetting to whisper.
Maya spins around and is silent for a moment.
"Who's there? Who the hell's there?! I swear, if you don't come out right now I'll kill one of them," more silence.
Maya strolls over to Wednesday and drags her by her hair to the edge of the clearing, putting the gun up to her head.
"If you don't show yourself I'll kill the kid," she snarls, pushing the gun up against Wednesday's head.
She whimpers and tries to get away. Maya keeps a firm grip of her arm with her free hand.
"If you aren't out here by the count of five I'll do it," she says in a chilling whisper.
"One,"
She isn't really doing this, is she?
"Two,"
Oh no.
"Three,"
I'm really starting to panic. Should I go out, should I stay here? Is Wednesday going to die either way?
"Four,"
This has gone on too long. I'm going to have to give myself up.
"Fiiiv-"
"Stop!" I cry out, stepping out from the bush and walking towards Maya. She looks surprised.
"Clementine! What are you doing out here?" She asks in a strained voice.
"Please, let the kid go, Maya. Do you really want to see another child die?" I plead desperatley.
She frowns for a moment. Thinking I might be getting through to her, I keep talking.
"I know losing your son was awful bu-"
"Do you have any idea how painful it is to lose a child? Do you?! I should have protected him better, I should never have left him with an idiot like you! It was all your fault! I'll kill you!" Maya points the gun in my direction, but I can see her finger trembling.
"Listen, you don't have to do this," I say in a calm voice.
To my surprise Maya then collapses in a heap. Tears are streaming down her cheeks and she's sobbing loudly.
"You don't understand! Nobody will ever understand!" She cries in a wretched voice.
"I think I do." A voice says.
I turn around. Kenny's walking towards us. Maya turns to look at him, her eyes red and puffy.
"Listen Maya ... I had a son once. Kid not much older than yours, called Kenny Jr. We called him duck though 'cause nothing fazed him. Like water off a ducks back. I loved him, but man was he a stupid kid. Always runnin' round in circles, jabbering on about somethin' or other. After he died I kinda just shut in on myself. Tried to act like it was all fine and dandy but it wasn't, and everybody knew it. I ain't gonna bullshit you, it don't get much better, but it don't get wose neither. You have good days and bad days, but you can get through it, that much's for sure. You just need friends, good people. Look around you. No one's gonna blame you for what you've done. Just give me the gun and-"
