𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
[ in harms way; part one ]
━━━━━━━━━━
Kassidy was standing in front of a tree, staring at a butterfly. She kept watch for Clementine and Sarah as they went to pee. She put her hand in front of the butterfly and it crawled on her hand. It almost made her forget about what went down at the ski lodge until the ugly man in the camo jacket called them out.
"You about done over there?!"
Sarah nodded in response, "Yeah, we're finished!"
Clem and Sarah came up behind Kass and Sarah smiled, "I'm glad you guys came with me. It's pretty scary out here. I know they made you come with me, but it was nice of you anyway."
"We're friends Sarah. Friends have to watch out for each other," Clem told her.
Sarah smiled softly, "Yeah, we are. Well, Kassidy, if you need to pee, me or Clementine will keep an eye out for you too."
"Uh...okay... I guess," she muttered, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.
They walked back over to Troy, "Everything came out alright, girls?"
They looked at the man in disgust and confusion, his expression looking slightly embarrassed that he had worded it that way.
When they got close to Carver, Kass noticed he had a radio, "Well, we're on our way. ETA, thirty minutes out. Make sure everyone's prepped. Emotions could run high. Carver out." Carver looked up at Troy, who tied Sarah's hands together, "If I found you waisted our fuel by keeping the fucking heater going, you're walking back."
Troy nodded, "Of course, boss."
"I had a radio just like that," Clem spoke up.
Carver looked over at Clementine in confusion, "Really? Well, what happened to it? Cause you can't have this one."
"I used it to talk to my parents."
Carve scoffed, "That's why you're looking at this one? You wanna call Mommy and Daddy?"
Clem paused, "...They're dead now."
Carver leaned over to Clem's level, "Well, I can tell you this. Everyone's parents are dead, kid. Don't make you any special."
"Leave her the fuck alone, you psycho son of a bitch!" Kass snapped.
Carver looked at her, surprised, and stood up, "Watch your mouth, first off. And secondly, it isn't very nice to listen to others' conversations. Didn't your parents teach you that?"
She only gave him a death glare at what he had said. He walked up to her and smacked her to the ground, her yelping in surprise.
"No, stop!" Sarah pleaded.
Carver snarled, "You don't wanna test me, girl! I'll pass every time!"
Kass stood back up and gingerly held her face, which had a big red mark.
Carver glared, "Tie up the girl and throw them in with the rest of them."
Bonnie tied Clementine's hands together and Troy opened the truck door, holding the rest of their group. Troy aimed his gun at them and directed to get in the truck. They hopped in and Kenny immediately noticed the hand print on his daughter's face, "The hell did he do to you? Hey! Did he hurt you?! Hey, HEY!"
Troy closed the truck door and they continued on their journey to Carver's place.
25 Minutes Later.
The group sat in silence as the truck drove down a bumpy road. Everyone was scared of what was gonna happen. They stayed silent until Kenny spoke up, "We have to act fast and get outta here! Kass, Clem, find something sharp for us to cut these bindings off!"
Rebecca sighed, "What's the point in doing that, Kenny?"
"Did you not hear me?! I said we need to get the hell outta here!"
Clem sighed, bowing her head, "Why bother Kenny?"
Kenny and Kass scoffed as the man said, "What was that that just came out your mouth just now?!"
Clem shook her head, "Kenny, that's not gonna do us any good! Even if we get these off, then what?"
Kenny glared slightly, "We are in a big hole right now! We need to find some way to get the fuck outta this hole!"
Carlos looked over at him, "Kenny, calm down. They took everything from us. We just need to keep our heads straight."
Rebecca nodded her head in agreement, "He's right. You don't know Bill as we do."
Kenny scoffed, "Okay, So now he's fucking Bill? All I've heard was Carver, Carver, Carver! Oh, I see what this is, y'all are just getting a ride home and you tagged us along for the ride! Is that what this is?!"
"Say that again, old man!" Nick snapped.
"I'd stay out of this, boy!" Kenny glared at him.
"Mister, I ain't no boy!"
"Oh right. You're a man," he quipped sarcastically.
Rebecca huffed, "You don't understand! He's different... He's worse!"
Kassidy snapped her head in the woman's direction, "What do you mean he's worse? Cause me, Clem and Dad have seen some bad things before. How is he any different?"
"He's a goddamn psychopath now!" Kenny snapped angrily.
Carlos shook his head, "You've got no idea what you're up against!"
"Oh, he gave us a pretty good idea of who he is back at the lodge! I'm trying to help!" Kenny defended.
Carlos just scoffed, "I'm sure Walter really appreciated your help!"
Kenny looked down in shame. Kassidy immediately turned on Carlos, glaring intensely, "You know what. Fuck you, Carlos! Get off of his ass."
Sarita looked appalled, "That's not fair! You're blaming him for the actions of a madman!"
"I am pointing out that regardless of intent, there are consequences to rash actions. Something that he seems to be misreading as capitulation."
Kenny quickly covered up his shame with a scoff, "I don't know what the fuck you're saying, but I know it's bullshit! We have to do something!"
"Kenny," Sarita sighed.
Rebecca shook her head and scoffed, "You can't reason with him."
Kass was confused as to why Ollie was saying nothing the whole ride and looked over at him. He was pale and shaking while staring ahead, a hand over his scar.
Kenny looked over at Clem and his face switched to an excited expression, "Oh shit. Jackpot!" He got up and walked over to a sharp part of the truck. "Y'all don't know what you're talking about! If we get cooped up in a kennel like a bunch of fuckin' dogs, it's over!"
"You don't know that," Rebecca argued.
"Well, have you been a prisoner before? Because I've been imprisoned by a bunch of fucking cannibals!"
Kass and Clem shuddered at the thought.
"We've all been prisoners! Why do you think we left?" Carlos asked.
"Stop fighting!" Clem exclaimed, "Please..."
"Dad's right...we have to do something. We can't just sit here," Kass spat.
Kenny scoffed, "How is it the kid is the only one that sees what's goin' on here?"
Carlos glanced in the girl's direction, "Kass, the adults are talking."
"Is that what this is?" she snarled, baring her teeth and leaning in close.
Kenny finally got his bindings off, "All right, now we're talkin'," he stood up.
"Carver will be on the other side of that door with ten people," Carlos told him.
Sarah started crying. Rebecca scooted close to her and hugged her. "There there, baby. It's gonna be okay," she soothed.
Kass held back a scoff when she heard more cries. Who else would be crying? She turned and looked at Ollie, who scooted closer to Rebecca. He was...crying. She saw Nick glance at his younger brother worriedly, along with the rest of the group.
Rebecca continued to soothe him and Sarah.
Carlos only sighed, "At this point, I think Luke is the only hope we have left."
Kenny scoffed in amusement, "If that was the case, he'd be helping us by now."
"Who knows what he's dealing with? Anything can happen out there," Rebecca said, defending Luke.
"I'll tell ya what happened; he abandoned us."
Nick looked away from Ollie and glared at Kenny, "You don't know that."
"I know he ain't here," he snapped.
"He may not be around, but he wouldn't just leave us," Rebecca shot back.
Clementine looked up at Kenny, "He'll help us."
Kass just sat in her spot, thinking. He would... Right?
"Oh, yeah? When? After that crazy fuck's killed us all?" Kenny snapped, raising his voice. Clem flinched.
"Dad..."
"Hey, look, girls..." he got cut off when the truck hit a few more bumps.
"We're getting close..." Carlos spoke softly with widened eyes.
"All right. Let's do this," Kenny said confidently.
"They have guns! What exactly do you expect to 'do'?" Rebecca asked, scoffing.
"I'm gonna punch the first son of a bitch I see. Then I'm gonna take his gun and shoot the next son of a bitch I see!"
"Just sit down!" Carlos snapped.
"Shut up, Doc! This ain't your call!" Kenny snapped right back at him, looking down at the girls. "Hey, if something happens, just try and help the best you guys can, alright. Just don't, you know, get yourself hurt or nothin', but any help'd be good."
The truck made beeping noises as it slowly started to back up.
Kenny frowned softly, "Clem, look at me."
She looked up at him.
"You trust me, right?"
Clem nodded, "Y-yeah, I do."
Kenny smiled then turned to look at his daughter, "Kass?"
The girl looked offended that he'd think otherwise, "Of course, Dad. I'm with you."
"Okay, good. Now you have every right to get scared. But don't let it take you over, okay? Now, get ready to–" The truck suddenly stopped and Kenny slammed against the door, hard.
Kassidy gasped and Sarita exclaimed, "Kenny! Are you okay?!"
He groaned as he sat up, "Oh. What hit me?"
Kass stifled a laugh, "It was the door, Dad. The door." Just as she said that, the truck door opened and on the other side of it stood Troy, Bonnie, and another woman.
"Alright, everyone get off your asses and on your feet."
They walked out of the door when Troy noticed Kenny without his restraints. "The fuck?! How did you get your restraints off?! Come here!" Troy tied his hands back together and closed the truck door.
They were being escorted through the base. Kass looked at the wall, reading 'Howes Market'. They went through a door and Kass hated to admit, but they'd turned the market into a fortress. There were at least 30 guards, as far as Kass could see. Working lights, shelves that were full of food and the intercom was working as Carver spoke a speech through it. She didn't pay any mind to it and continued walking with the others.
They walked a little bit more until Troy spoke up, "Carlos, we need you for something. Come on."
"Can it wait till morning? We are all very exhausted."
Troy scoffed, "Just come the fuck on." Carlos and Troy walked off from the rest of us.
Sarah gasped in panic and slowly stopped walking, "Wait, where are you going? I need him! I need my dad! He...he looks after me!"
Troy walked back up to her with an angry expression and gestured the gun forward.
Clem looked back at Carlos as he was being escorted by more people. She looked at Sarah, the girl shaking in fear. "He'll be back."
"When?"
Clem was about to explain when Kassidy spoke, "We don't know, but he'll be back."
Sarah merely sighed and nodded, "Thanks, guys."
They soon came across a garage door. Bonnie unlocked it and looked back at them, "Don't be messing around by the fence. Bill can see you."
Kass looked back at the office where Carver was as he continued to give his speech. They walked in and there were a few chairs by a fire pit, reinforced walls, and beds.
Troy came up and untied the group from their restraints. "Y'all best get some rest, 'cause there ain't gonna be much for you tomorrow. You're gonna be workin' hard," he smirked.
Kassidy looked over at him, feigning excitement, "Oh, yippee. When do we get our paycheck?"
Troy just laughed at her and walked off.
Kenny looked at Kassidy with a look that said, 'That's my kid, alright.'
"Hey, guys," they looked over to see a one-armed Indian man.
Rebecca gasped, "Reggie?" She went up to him and hugged him. "Oh, Reggie, I'm sorry. What did they do to you?"
"It could've been worse. I'm lucky to be alive," he answered.
"I'm sorry, man. It's my fault," Nick muttered with a shameful look.
"No, it's really not. I would tell you if it was. This happened well after you guys left."
As they continued to talk, Clem looked at Sarah and Kass did the same. "Who's he?"
"That's Reggie. He helped us escape the first time."
"Why didn't he go with you guys?" Kass questioned in confusion.
Sarah just shrugged, "I think maybe he was supposed to... Then he fell, and everybody kept running. I know he had both his arms then."
One of the guards walked up to Alvin, "Hey, Alvin. Bill wants to see you in his office."
Alvin looked confused, "What for?"
"No questions. Just move it."
Rebecca gasped. "No, please just let us sleep for one night," she begged.
"It's alright, Bec. If he wanted to do something, he would've done it by now. I'll be fine," Alvin walked with the guard out of the rest area as Troy walked up to Reggie.
Reggie smiled, "Oh, hey Troy."
He scoffed, "Now listen. Don't go fucking up now! Bill says that your real close to being let out of work to join the others. You make sure everything is nice and quiet tonight, I'll let Bill know that you were really helpful. Got it?"
"Yeah, you can count on me! Thanks, Troy," he said, grinning.
Troy shook his head at him, "Don't mention it."
Rebecca, Nick, Ollie, and Reggie stood a few inches away.
Rebecca widened her eyes and laughed, "Oh, right. Let me introduce you guys. We were with them when we got caught. This is Sarita."
Sarita smiled, "Hello."
"And that's Kenny."
Kenny smiled, nodding his head, "Heya."
Reggie looked over at Clem and Kass, "Hello there. Who might you two be?"
"My name's Clementine," the younger replied.
Kassidy just looked at him for a few seconds before Clem elbowed her side. She hissed in annoyance before turning back toward Reggie, "Oh, right. I'm Kassidy."
"Very nice to meet you two," they shook hands with the man. Reggie looked around for a second, "Where's Carlos?"
Rebecca sighed, "Bill's already got him working."
"Oh well, that's good. Where's Pete?"
They fell in silence after his question. Poor Pete. The girls hardly knew the man, but they could tell he was a good man.
"Hey, can you guys save it for the morning!? Some of us gotta get up early." They looked over to see an African American man sitting up, looking at them angrily.
"Right, sorry!"
He laid back down and shoved the pillow over his head.
"That's Mike. He's a bit of a dick when he's tired. But he did save me, so I put up with that shit."
As he continued talking, Clem looked over and saw a woman in a brown leather jacket staring at them. She had some dirt marks on her face and a messy buzz cut.
"You see her, too?" she asked Kass, who was also staring back at the woman.
The teen nodded and turned to Reggie, "She's watching us."
"Hm? Who? Oh, her. Okay, so she's really fucking weird! We found her outside the camp covered in guts and all that nasty shit. She also freaks me out sometimes too," Reggie explained.
"It's probably best not to stare," Rebecca said to them in a hushed voice.
Reggie turned back to the group, "Now, look. I know how you guys feel right now, but it's not that bad here."
Rebecca looked back at him, bewildered, "Reggie..." she said in an unamused tone.
"That's bullshit, Reggie! And you fucking know it. He's a psycho," Ollie finally spoke up, shaking with rage or fear– Kassidy didn't know.
"I'm being serious! Where else are we gonna find food as we have? We got all the canned good stuff and with the greenhouse coming along nicely we can make fresh food. The buildings getting more secured. Well, it's mostly through hard labor but Troy says it's only temporary. We even got the solar panels working! When was the last time you had electricity, huh?"
Sarah spoke up, "Well, we just came from a lodge with a wind turbine an–"
Reggie cut her off, "It's not a competition. I'm just saying we're building something great here. A real sanctuary. Bill is gonna make it happen."
Clem looked over at Kass who gave her an, 'Are you believing this bullshit?' face. She shrugged back at her.
"This place feels like a prison, more than what you call a 'sanctuary'," Kassidy spoke up with a scoff. "Don't make yourself seem crazy in your first impression."
"Carver killed our friend, Walter," Clem said.
Reggie gave them a shocked expression, "Look I don't know what happened. But maybe he had a reason–"
Kenny scoffed, "Reason?! His real reason is that he's a crazy motherfucker!"
"...Okay, Listen. I'm getting really close to being let back into the group. When it happens, I can help you all be more comfortable. I'm just not wanting to get into any more trouble. Can you guys just not cause any trouble? I'll make it up to you after when I'm let back in. Maybe even help you get out."
Kenny scoffed, "Well, if Carver's such a nice guy, then you've got nothin' to worry about."
Reggie sighed, "We can talk about it more tomorrow. Just have a nice quiet night and sleep well."
Rebecca shook her head, "I can't believe what I'm hearing!"
"Look the fact is, they could've killed me when I helped you escape. But they didn't. Bill's given me a second chance at this. I'm sure he would do the same with you."
"Reggie. I don't wanna a second chance... I want to leave here with my family. That's it," Rebecca snapped.
"Your family is safer here," he answered quietly.
Ollie looked about ready to cry and Rebecca about to blow up in his face, when she gasped and clutched her stomach. "I need to go and sit down."
Ollie walked over to her, "It's gonna be fine... Come on..."
Sarita walked toward her as well, "Of course. Sarah, can you go find us some water?"
Reggie pointed somewhere, "Yeah, there are waters over by the bench."
Everyone walked off to do whatever. Which left Clementine, Kassidy, and Kenny still standing by the door.
"Man, fuck that guy! I don't think we can trust him," Kenny exclaimed.
Kassidy nodded in agreement, "I know! He's clearly been brainwashed!"
"I mean, clearly he's already drunk too much of the kool-aid," Kenny added to which Kassidy laughed.
"I think he's just scared," is all Clementine answered with.
"We're all scared. It ain't an excuse to sound like a nutcase," Kenny argued.
"Yeah! It doesn't mean you have to follow orders from a man that keeps people in a damn prison!" Kass agreed.
They walked with Kenny away from the door to discuss more about the escape plan, "You kids just find us a way outta here. See if there's anything to exploit in here. We're in a tight spot."
"What should we look for?" Clem asked.
"Anything that they don't want us to know about."
"That Troy asshole's not here. So this is our chance to find something," Kenny told them before walking over to Reggie to distract him.
"Okay, I'll check this side of the area, while you check the other side," Kass said, turning toward Clem.
"Got it."
After a few minutes, Clementine and Kassidy walked back up to Kenny, who had finished talking with Reggie. "Well, did you kids find something?"
Kass shook her head, "Nothing from my side."
"What about you, Clem?" Kenny asked.
Clem shook her head as well, "Not really. The fences are pretty secure."
"Goddamit! I was hoping you would. These old eyes of mine are slowly getting useless," he sighed.
"I bet they are, old man," Kass said to her father, grinning.
Just then, the door opened up behind them, revealing Carlos and Troy. Sarah got up and ran to Carlos. "Alright, enough of the hugging bullshit! Y'all get to sleep! And I see one of you walking around, I'll put a bullet in ya!"
Troy was about to leave until Rebecca stopped him, "What about my husband?!"
"Oh, he and Bill are having a 'chat'. Now get to bed!" He slammed the door shut and Rebecca ran to her bed, crying. After that, they all went to their cots.
Clem was next to Nick, who was below Oliver, Kenny was on the other side of her and Kassidy was sleeping on the top bunk above.
Kenny sat up slightly, "Some people aren't to keen on leaving. It's up to all three of us to find a way out. You up for it?"
Kass merely laughed, "What kind of question is that? Of course, I am Dad."
"W-we'll do our best," Clem answered.
"You kids will do just fine. I knew I can count on you guys. Now get some sleep okay. We're gonna need it," Kenny said before turning on his back.
Kassidy shifted her position and shut her eyes, drifting off into a dreamless sleep.