Young and Young at Heart (The Rewrite of The Walking Dead Game: S2) [TWDG/TWD]

48. Behind Closed Doors

"And you said debating that high and mighty faggot in front of everyone was a good idea," reminded Bill in a biting tone. "And he made you look like a fucking idiot."

"It wasn't like that, he—"

"You ever suggest something that stupid again, and you'll be leaving here next. You hear me?"

"Yeah... I hear you," answered a nervous Gene.

"And like I was saying, the school is shaping up to be a real bad idea. Not a single one of them worth the cost of feeding them. Except Adam. I wouldn't mind having a few more kids like him. Does what he's told, doesn't complain, and keeps his eyes and ears open. Well, as many of them as he has left."

"You shouldn't think of Adam as ideal. He's clearly traumatized—"

"We're all traumatized," retorted Bill. "Except maybe Gertrude's useless brat. All her hemming and hawing and she'll probably get herself killed on her first time out."

"Well that's why I've got George lined up for tomorrow. So that doesn't happen."

"Well, I guess that's one thing the big ape is still useful for, scaring people straight. But these damn kids just ain't worth the trouble."

"Look, I know the brothers aren't exactly rising to the occasion. But Ed really liked Sarah and—"

"And what? Dumb broad couldn't remember a screwdriver sitting in her pocket," commented Bill. "Even if she wasn't an idiot, Ed's gonna what? Train her for years just so we can have someone half as useful as him just in time for us to not need either of them?

"And that Clementine girl, she's the most useless of them all. She doesn't know anything, can't do anything useful, and she's got a rotten attitude. Little fucker nearly kills Connie, then has the nerve to ask for her worthless shit back right to my face. Spoiled little ingrate thinks people actually give a fuck what she wants." Clem felt her heart sink as she listened to Bill's characterization of her.

"Didn't Byron say she was the best shooter?" asked Gene.

"We already got plenty of people who can use a gun. What we need are more people we can depend on or someone who knows something important the rest of us don't, like the mad woman you got running the greenhouse. Not an entitled brat whose only talent is shooting a gun. That's just a recipe for trouble. Plus, we already have one of those. Her name Bridget."

"How much trouble do you really think someone like Clementine could really cause?" asked Gene.

"Not much, but that's more than I'm willing to risk for someone as worthless as her. Byron told me about how she didn't speak up when she found that bullet in her gun, like she was plotting something."

"I think you're overreacting. She probably just wasn't expecting it."

"Then she's incompetent, and that's almost as bad."

"She seems pretty capable for a nine-year-old."

"Yeah, for a nine-year-old," repeated Bill. "That's liking saying pretty capable for a damn baby. Kids aren't all that capable, so unless they're dependable like Adam, they ain't much use."

"You gotta think of it as a long-term investment. People need something right now to make them believe in a future, and they don't see that in Adam. But they do see it in having a couple of kids who actually act like kids. Gertrude and Cookie both like having them around. I like having them around. Hell, even Tom said he enjoyed his time with them, and he's on the crew.

"We have to think that one day, things are going to get better. If we lose that, we got nothing to shoot for."

"You see, that's one thing you and I have never seen eye to eye on Gene. You think if you found out this really is the end, that there be no point in going on. But the way I see it, it'd be a little like knowing the day you die.

"It'd be a shock at first, but once you've accepted it, it'd be liberating. Living like there's no tomorrow doesn't sound like a bad way to live, and if there really is no tomorrow, then you got no reason to not live when you think about it. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah..." spoke Gene in a dejected tone. "I just don't think most people would feel like that. For them, keeping a couple of kids around might help keep their spirits up."

"Yeah, but how many damn kids do we need? The way I see it, you really only need one for what you're talking about."

"Which one?" Gene asked, sounding uncomfortable as he did so.

"Well, I haven't decided yet," said Bill. "Let's finish up your classes first, then we'll see which one can be our little beacon of hope to the hopeful."

"And the others?"

"Let 'em fall where they may." Clementine listened closely as someone walked out of the container. She also thought she heard Gene sigh, but she wasn't sure.

"You coming Gene?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Clem watched as the light shining through the cracks of the locker dimmed. She heard the doors slam close and the locks click into place, and then nothing. She was alone in the dark again, yet she still didn't move. She remained in the locker, waiting and listening for anyone else.

Clem didn't know how long it was until she finally summoned the nerve to push the locker open. She hesitated, almost expecting someone else to enter, but no one came. Clem climbed onto the safe, then onto the locker, and back out onto the top of the container. She surveyed the area, then sat down on the edge of the container and leapt down. Clem hurried back to the pen and went right towards the opening.

"Hello?" whispered Clem. "Christa? Carlos?" Clem reached through the hole, then heard someone approaching from the other side.

"You okay?" whispered Nick.

"Yeah, I got the guns."

"Pass them through." Clem removed the guns and stuck them through the slot in the fence. "Okay, now you." Clem saw Nick and Carlos's hands pull on the fence to widen the gap, allowing Clem to slip through. As her head came through the opening, Clem felt a set of hands grab her under the armpits and pull her through. Clearing the gap, Clem found herself in Christa's arms.

"Thank God you're all right." Christa held Clem tight. "You were gone so long I thought something must've happened to you."

"I'm okay," assured a weary Clem. "I'm just... tired." Christa set Clem down and handed the girl her hat back. As the pair moved back into the rest of the pen, they saw Carlos lift up one of the empty mattresses and place the two guns underneath it.

"Tomorrow evening we'll be rid of this place. Until then, everyone just keep your heads down," instructed Carlos in a hushed voice as he lay down on the same bed.

Clem found her way back to her bed, where Sarah was still sleeping peacefully. She very carefully climbed back into bed, taking great care not to disturb the older girl. As she settled in bed across from her friend, Clem noticed she seemed to be smiling, which Clem found comforting.