𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗪 | 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗜𝗜
❝𝖨'𝖫𝖫 𝖥𝖨𝖭𝖣 𝖸𝖮𝖴!❞
𝗜 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗔 𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗞, looking out at the New Frontier’s camp, most of them sitting around the campfire, a few standing guard at the edge of the clearing and only Doctor Lingard sleeping on a cot under the fabric of the tent. I nodded my head, beckoning for Clementine to creep over next to me, AJ in her hands, eyes red with tears and his breathing sounded sharp and painful.
Clementine: We’re gonna get you the medicine you need, AJ. We don’t care what they say.
Emma: You’re gonna be okay, cowboy.
The voices floated over from the fire, but I ignored them as I sneaked over to the tent that Doctor Lingard was sleeping in, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t wake up while we did this. I beckoned once again to Clementine once I saw the coast was clear and she joined me in the make-shift infirmary.
She put AJ down carefully, her eyes flitting back and forth between the people around the campfire, Lingard and the guards around us. Taking out the piece of paper that Lingard had given to us before, saying it should have helped AJ, I was about to read it when AJ burst into tears again, quietly sobbing into his sleeve.
Emma: Hey, come on, AJ.
Clementine gave me a pointed look, like the one from the abandoned bus, and we got to work, joining together to hum him a perfect rhythm. After a few seconds, AJ quietened down, eyes still bleary.
Clementine: Just like that, little guy.
I nodded before looking back down at the piece of paper, reading the word “VANCOMYCIN” written in the doctor’s messy scrawl. It took me a bit of time, but after rummaging through the cupboard enough, I brought out a vial of what we were looking for.
Emma: Here it is. Oh, shit… It needs to be a shot.
I looked to Clementine who gave me a nervous look, but we both knew it needed to be done. Sighing, I took a syringe, making sure it was clean before inserting it into the file and taking out enough to help.
Clementine: Okay, hang in there, goofball. This is gonna get you better.
Emma: We’re gonna need you to be the strong boy you are, alright, cowboy?
I went to inject AJ, but there was the sound of a heavy breath and a rustle of clothes, and Clementine and I turned our heads, finding Lingard waking up, eyes red and bloodshot.
Lingard: Emma… Clem…
Clementine: Dr. Lingard…? What happened? Are you okay?
Lingard: I’m… I’m fine… Emma, please don’t. The vancomycin – that’s the last of it. It’ll be a waste on AJ. I told both of you, it could save someone’s life if used right. It’s too valuable to throw away.
Emma: You don’t fucking know that, though, do you?
Lingard: Sadly, I do. It’s my curse.
Clementine: Your curse?
Lingard: Knowing when someone’s gonna die. I’m sorry, you two… I tried everything. I really did.
Emma: But this could help him. It could save him.
Lingard: Nothing can help your boy now. Oh, kids. Put the drugs back, before anyone finds out you took them. You know what they do to thieves here. There’s still time…
Emma: No, no. You don’t know shit. We have to try.
I looked at Clementine and she had the same determined look as me. She turned to AJ, holding his small hand in her own, comforting him for what was to come.
Clementine: Come on, goofball. I need you to listen to Emma and be strong for us, okay? Shh. See? It’s not so bad.
I carefully injected the medicine into his arm, but as I did he started to cry, making me worry, but I kept my hand steady, pushing the vancomycin in before taking it out, smoothing over the mark on his upper arm.
Emma: AJ, shh!
But it was too late. There was a hurry of footsteps from the fire, and David appeared above us.
David: What the hell is this?
Lingard: They… I told them it was a bad idea!
David: You fucking high again? Pull yourself together before the others see you! Deal with the damn kid!
He then turned his anger to me and Clementine, eyebrows furrowed.
David: What the fuck were you two thinking!? You were told those drugs couldn’t help him! How could you both be so stupid? So selfish!?
I stood up, meeting his height with a hard glare, Clementine joining me.
Emma: You think we’d just leave him to die!? That boy is everything to us, David!
Clementine: We would do anything to keep him alive!
David: Except there’s nothing left to do! That waste? That’ll cost someone’s life down the road. Someone in this camp! Someone who contributes to our survival!
Ava: C’mon, David, they were just trying to help their kid.
David: We helped enough! We should have left them out in the woods a week ago!
Clementine: But look, it’s helping…
Lingard: It doesn’t work that way… You bought him a peaceful moment, nothing more. I wish I could tell you both it would save him. But that’s the reality.
Emma: Well, then… I don’t care. Even if it only helped him a little bit, it was worth it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
David: Without a goddamn thought for anyone else. We opened our arms to you; made you both one of us. This is how you repay us? By stealing? By putting yourselves before the group? You’re all done here. You broke our rules, Emma, Clem. Violated our trust. There’s no place for you two in the New Frontier. You’ve made that pretty damn obvious.
Clementine: We made the right call. One you refused to make!
David: Well, I’m making one now. Get your shit and get out!
Lingard: Maybe we should give them another chance…
David: Don’t fight me on this, Paul. You know what Joan would say if she were here. I’m sorry, you two. You brought this on yourselves.
I rolled my eyes, picking AJ up in my arms and taking Clementine’s hand in my own free one.
Emma: Come on. This was fucking stupid anyway.
His hand stopped me before I could walk away, however, the rest of the New Frontier blocked our path as well.
David: Uh-uh. He stays. Can’t take him with you. That ship has sailed.
Clementine: We’re not leaving without him.
David: Oh, no. “We” isn’t a thing either. You two are gonna be split up.
My blood rushed to my head, what the fuck was he saying?
Emma: Don’t you fucking dare say what I think you’re saying!
David: We’re keeping AJ and you two aren’t leaving together. You’re both two dangerous.
Clementine: You fucking monsters! Leave us alone!
David grabbed me as I tried to run away again, Ava taking AJ from my arms, handing him to Lingard and another New Frontier member dragged Clementine out of my grasp. I punched my fists into David’s chest, trying to make him let me go, but he kept his hold on me.
Emma: Fucking let go of her! You hear me!? Get your fucking hands off her!
Clementine: Get the fuck off! Leave us alone! Just let us leave!
David: Oh, you’ll both leave. But not together. In opposite directions.
Ava: David, come on…
David: No! Nobody gets to way in on this. This is how it has to be! This is their fucking punishment for being selfish shits!
Clementine: We were doing it for AJ! It was all for AJ! Please!
I struggled against David’s grip, punching as hard as I could, trying to get back to her, but I could feel myself being dragged away, my boots digging in the dirt. In front of me, Clementine was dragged back, too, her eyes filled with tears as she fought against the person who had grabbed her as well. At the last moment, I stopped struggling, reaching out my arm to her.
Emma: Clem! I’ll find you! I swear!
Clementine: I’ll find you, too!
Then she disappeared into the distance, her screams of defiance being heard, fading slightly. A small voice spoke as I let the tears fall, my arms falling limp at my sides, my whole body giving up as they took away my home… my family.
AJ: Clem… Emma…