Things That Are Lost

Chapter 10: New Enemies, and Old Friends

"I'm shocked that he's gone." Jane says. "I mean, he was a nice guy and...he didn't deserve to go out the way he did." "Did you care about him?" Clem asks. "About as much as the rest of the group, but to be honest...when I saw you fall in with him...I thought that was it. I thought that kid I tried to keep alive was gonna kick the bucket. I shouldn't have come back." "Well, I'm glad you did."

"I'm gonna find somethin' to clean that up." They hear Mike say. "Thank you...Thank you..." Arvo says. "I can't take this shit anymore." Mike says while leaving the room.

"Feelin' better?" Kenny asks, entering the room. "Yeah." "Hell of a day. But we gotta get movin'. If you're feeling up to it. I could use a hand out back with this truck. This house ain't worth a crap, but the vehicles ain't in bad shape. With a little luck we can get one fixed up and be outta here by nightfall." "Just....give me a minute." "I'll wait for ya out back." "I'll watch him." Jane says, referring to AJ. Kenny shakes his head and goes back outside. Clem gets up a minute later and heads out, mumbling. "It's just another boat..." To herself. "Clem." Jane says, getting Clem to stop and turn around. "Just..be careful."

Clem exits from the back of the house and walks up to Kenny. "What'd she have to say?" He asks, walking to the truck. "I know she was runnin' her mouth. What'd she say?" "You beat the shit out of Arvo." "I know...I know, Clem. But Luke..." "I don't give a shit, you can't do that." "Jesus, Clem, you know me. You know I'm not like that." "You scared me. You scared all of us, Kenny." "Scared YOU? You've done scarier shit in the past few days than I've done since this shit started. It won't happen again. That's a promise." Kenny stops next to the truck and looks to Clem. "What happened...it's over. But AJ needs us now. We gotta stick together on this thing, all right? Come on, let's see if the truck's gonna go." Kenny gives her the keys and he opens the hood to start working on it. "My daddy always had a half dozen wrecks he was fixen' up. He was a mean son of a bitch. But he taught me respect. Girl like Jane could learn a thing or two about that." "I like her. Just give her some time." "Maybe you're right. Hell, I didn't know what to make of Lee at first. Course, he helped me and mine more times than I can remember." "Jane helped us back on the road." Kenny ignores that comment. "All right, give it a turn."  Clem turns the key and nothing happens.

"We're so close, Clem. With a little bit of luck I can get this thing runnin' and then we can get out on the road and really make some distance. Wellington's got to be out there. All those rumors can't be bunk." "Sounds good to me." "We're gonna make it, Clem. I know it. All right. Turn it again." Clem turns the key ad again, nothing happens. "Did you turn it?" "Yes." "God DAMN IT." Kenny kicks the truck. "We'll get it working." "We gotta get movin' if we're gonna keep AJ alive. We're runnin' outta time. I gotta get this thing to start. Gonna try warmin' up the battery. Go on inside. I don't like leavin' him with that girl." Clem closes the truck door and heads back for the house.

She sees Bonnie sitting on the steps, smoking and sits next to her. "Want one?" She offers Clem. "Sure." Bonnie gives her the cigarette and she tries smoking, only to have a coughing fit and give it back to her. "Does the lack of an eye make you think you should smoke and drink?" Bonnie asks with a laugh. "Maybe." Clem responds. "You know...if you got yourself an eye patch for that eye...." "What about it?" "Nothing." "Come on. You have my interest." "Nothing, you'd just look like a character from a video game I used to play." "You played video games?" "Oh yeah, I was a real hardcore gamer for a while." "Really now? And who would I look like?" "There was this one character, he had his eye shot, so he wore an eyepatch over it, and he carried cigarettes with him all the time." "You're saying if I get an eyepatch, I'll look just like him?" "If you wear a bandana as well, then yes..... Do you remember when you saw me first? Back at the lodge? "Check her for weapons." I liked you from the start.... You ever done somethin' you regret? Even if it's somethin' you knew you had to do? Go on. You can be honest." "I try not to have any regrets." "Yeah? I wish I could manage that. You know... I'll say one thing about Luke. No matter where you end up, there's alway one bad seed rockin' the boat. But I don't think he would've ever been that guy. Lemme ask you somethin', Clem. When's the last time anyone did what you wanted?" "I don't really know what I want..." "Maybe you oughta start thinkin' about it. You know, I've been all over. Run with a lotta people. A lotta men. And listened to a lot of promises. Ain't one of them come true. I'm startin' to think there might be another way, you know?" Bonnie gets up and puts out the cigarette. "I'm gonna go take a piss." She walks into the forest.