TWDG//

THIRTY-TWO

Clementine
I wake up, dazed for a second and scowl.
"Right." I say, sitting up in my seat, and shivering against the wind roaring through the head window. Gabe was still driving, late in the day. The sky was purple. The old antique truck radio read 5:46.
"You're awake." Gabe says. I glare at him, even though he can't see me. "Given any thought?"
"To what?" I ask.
"Us." Gabe says, in an obvious manner.
"No." I said. "I was asleep. How's AJ?"
"Better, we took a break before. He seems cheery, but taking it easy, like Gavin said. His voice is going back to normal." Gabe replies. "Now, back to us"
"There is no us." I say firmly. "Why do I have to keep reminding you?"
"You can't say no to me." Gabe smiles.
He's not taking me seriously.
"I can." I say. "And I have."
I stare ahead. Night sky.
We've still been in the old abandoned highway, making turns a according to the map since yesterday. It's not like we're lost. It's just...like a ghost town. Then the headlights of the truck shine in something. Gabe notices too.
"Stop!" I cry, just as Gabe slams the brakes. I come forward. The truck stops causing the light to shine off the object. I open the door, and grab my torchlight. Gabe does the same. I hear the back of the truck door opening. I walk forward to a figure slumped across the road.
"It's probably a walker..." Gabe whispers, stopping as I move ahead. I slip the knife out of my pocket, and walk forward. I shine the torchlight on the small boy on the road. I jump back.
"It's not a walker!" I exclaim. Gavin approaches from behind.
"Jesus!" He cries. "It's alive."
The boy, brown skinned and fair haired leans upward, and covers the torch lights off his face with his hands.
"Stop!" He cries, his voice small. "I just...need some help!"
"What's wrong?" Cian asks. "Are you bit?"
The boy shakes his head. "I'm not bit, I swear!"
I notice a knife stuck through his jean pants, blood gushing from the side.
"You're hurt" I say, inching my self forward, and pointing to his leg. "What happened? Can you walk on it?"
The boy analysis established his injury. "I...I can't walk on my own. Can you help me?"
I look at Gavin, unsure.
"Please?" The boy asks. Gavin sighs.
"Get him in the back of the truck." He orders. Gabe and Cian walk forward. The boy smothers his cry as Gabe lifts both his legs slightly. Cian supports his torso.
In that bizarre moment, I realised that that is probably how I looked when Ruby approached the gate; With me and my chopped leg, and AJ and Willy carrying me, like Gabe and Cian are carrying this boy. I race behind them as we race to the back of the truck.
"What the fuck?" Violet asks as we lift him in. The boy groans.
"I don't need to stay..." He murmurs as Gabe steps out of the truck, and pulls the dorm down. Louis inspects his wound. "Just get the knife out, and I can leave."
I stand there, as AJ grabs the bandages and inches forward, eager to help.
I realise I was in the exact same position myself, so many years ago.
"Is he bitten?" Willy asks. "Why did you bring him in here?"
"He needed help!" I snap, leaning down next to AJ. The truck starts to bump along. Louis grabs the brown handing of the knife. The boy cries out loud, and covers his mouth. AJ hands him a lanky towel, the boy thrusting it in heaps into his mouth, tears rushing down his face.
"Still" Javi said. "We can't help every fucking survivor."
"He could turn; Look how serious that is" Violet says, pointing at the knife embedded deep into the boy's skin.
I grab the peroxide. "Who did this to you?"
The boy cries out, before holding the towel closer to his mouth. "Umm, my oldd groupp"
The boy was shivering cold.
"AJ, get your jacket." I demand, as Louis pushes the boy's head back, hands on the knife. He's gonna pull it out. AJ comes back, squeamish about the injury, and hands me a stained, grey but comfortable hoodie. I pull it over the boy's head.
Louis took a deep breath, and began to take the knife out. AJ looked away, as the boy's screams were muffled. I too looked away; The burning flesh along the cut where the knife was removed was bright red, surrounded by the dark figure of blood making my stomach contract. The boy gasped as Louis poured the peroxide into the cut, the bubbles sizzling as the boy cried out loud again.
AJ tried to talk to the boy, but he was too caught up in all the pain. I waved my hand at AJ to stop.
"He's in pain" I explained. "And...I don't wanna lie, but...your cut is quite deep. You'll need at least eight stitches."
The boy nodded. "It's okay...I've had way worse.."
I shuddered as I tried to think about anything worse than a knife stabbed into your foreleg. And then I remembered I'm the one who doesn't even have a leg. I take a deep breath as AJ reaches into the first aid kit and pulls out suturing string, and a clean metal needle. I rub my forehead.
"I'm sorry, I can't watch this." I say, leaning up with a groan, and walking away.
"Why did you help him?" Willy demanded as I sat down. "He'll turn."'
"No he won't." I say. "Jesus, Willy! Open your eyes, he's fine."
"Fine." Violet echoed. "Right. What have we come to? Saving Fine people, laying in the middle of the road with half their leg cut open."
"Shut up." AJ says. "You make everything ten times worse. All of you!"
Silence.
"Please..." came the weak boy's voice. "I understand, but t-thank you for helping me. But if you guys can't help me further, then I can leave."
"That would be appreciated." Gavin said. I gave him a glare. "Or, maybe you can stay for a while, and just heal up, so you can have a chance to survive when you go."
"Yes! Yes, thank you..." The boy murmured, and winced as the last stitch tugged on his skin.
"Dun." Louis smiled, stepping back.
The boy's leg was bandaged tightly, and he rolled down the sleeve of his blue jeans over it.
"Thank you." He said, hobbling upright with the help of AJ. "All of you."
"What is your name?" I ask, stepping forward.
"E-Ethan." He stammered, as AJ set him down beside his bed. AJ began rolling out another spare blanket beside him.
"Ethan." I repeat. "I'm Clementine, that's AJ. One over there is Louis." Louis waves at his name.
"Willy." Willy grumbled, rolling over on his bed. Ethan gave a scowl at his attitude.
"How long do I need to stay here for?" Ethan asks, obviously feeling unwelcome vibes.
I sigh. "About four days."
"Four." Violet scoffs. "Just so you know, kid, we don't have any food or water left."
"That's okay." Ethan grumbled. "I've been living without food or water for days."