TWDG//

TWENTY-ONE

I feel like I shouldn't have said anything like that. Or that in particular. I sigh, and sit up on my bed, and bury my head in my hands. I should never have said that. Clementine has risked a lot for me, and I know that. I sigh, and slip off my shoes and socks, and hide underneath the covers. I just lay there, in raw daylight, and sleep off my worry.
...
"AJ." I wake up to see Javi. Except his cheek is purple and bruised, and blood surrounds a cut. "Lawson told me to bring you to the hall." His expression is tired. I wince, and climb out of bed, sliding my shoes and socks on as Javi waits at the door.
"Have...you spoken to Clem?" I ask.
"She's down in the cage, but she won't talk to anyone." Javi answers, as I walk out into the hallway next to him.
"It's my fault." I say, staring down at my feet. "She's..wrong, though. These people seem to offer us a lot."
"No, AJ. They are offering you a lot. And for what? Killing a man." Javi shakes his head. "Clementine isn't wrong, AJ. As far as I'm concerned, she's right."
I sigh. "Maybe. But...they got us here to work, because the war ruined them. They can't treat people they need badly."
"AJ, there are over a hundred other people living here. No one cares about one person dying. No one fucking cares." Javi sighs as we walk down the stairs.
"Javi, they--"
"Offered you a place?" He asks. "No. Don't take it."
"Why? I could help you guys--"
"You can't." He says. "They're separating you and Clem. Forever."
I stop short. "But I...they can't...she's like...my Mum. I didn't even get to apologise!"
Javi raises his eyebrows. "I'll...apologise to her for you."
"It's not the same. Why can't I help?!" I say. Our walking begins to slow.
"AJ, listen, and don't tell anyone about this." Javi bends down, and looks me in the eyes. "One of the soldiers is a good friend of Gavin's. She's...trying to find a way to get us out. Just...if anyone takes you away, don't ask if they are apart of the outbreak. Just...be prepared."
"When?" I ask.
"We don't know. Any time we can." Javi stands up. "Don't tell anyone. Okay. If someone does come up to you to get us out of here,  they'll say they are taking you over to R32. Okay?"
"Okay." I say, as we approach the hall. "R32."
"Be ready, okay, AJ." Javi nods, and walks the other direction. I nod.
...
I walk into a wide stretched room, with a small skylight in one part of the roof showing afternoon, and a large table loaded with ammunition bullets, rifles, guns and any kind of bio powerful weapon. I stop short.
"Hey, AJ, right?' Asks a man who was walks forward, slipping on a bullet proof vest over his chest. "Jerome said we got assigned a kid."
"What the fuck? Is he on drugs again?" Asks another man with bright red hair. "I'm Owen."
"I'm AJ." I said. "What is this place?"
"This is where verified soldiers go before their shift." A woman with long black hair says. "Which doesn't include you."
"Yeah, it does, Victoria." The first man smiles. "Jerome said we had a new recruit."
I slowly walk over to the table, and begin to slip on a puffy vest, and start loading one of the guns, clicking the safety off.
"Woah, you're good to go." The woman says. "I'm Vicky. That's Wîll." She points to the other man.
I nod, and stare at my feet, ashamed as we walk out into a wide set edge, with chain link guards. I stare out into the trees to see our truck parked in the same place it was before. I see several walkers.
"Don't shoot the walkers unless there's too many. Shoot at any person who comes too close." Wîll says, cocking his rifle, and aiming it directly out into the blue. "You'll learn."
I nod, and do the same.
...
What I said to Clementine wasn't right. She didn't have to look after me. But she did. I realised that.
But...about the plan...I just didn't think it would work. I took a look at the amount of guards they had locked down in this place, and the weapons and the security. It was just too far fetched. Maybe Javi would've told me a bit of information about the plan, so I could take a look of what the chances were.
And I didn't like what involved with knowing something so important; It made me jumpy that at any second we could be breaking out.
I sighed as soon as I came back from the shift; Three weeks. Why only three?? We can never have a happy ending, can we?
The people were nice, and happy and cheerful, but it wasn't like home. If my friends though that it was torture, than I think it is too. Even though I told Clem that she was wrong.
Home. I didn't even know what that was anymore. I sat on my bed, and cried. About what, I don't know.
I just wished I had another encounter with my "Mum." Now that was a good night. I took out Tenn's photo, and cried harder.
Today was to rough, it makes it hard to believe only yesterday, I was only doing normal work.
Even though I insisted on going to dinner, Jerome just handed me a bowl of boiled vegetables to eat right then and there. I wanted to apologise to Clementine, but I think Javi is right. They're trying to separate us. I ate my dinner, thinking about this, my throats dry as I swallow the vegetables. But they can't do that!
If people are really led to believe that I'm her real son, any logical person wouldn't do that.
Except there aren't any logical people here.