You and Clem were sitting on one of the beds, you pulled your legs up and pulled them close to your chest while Clem just sat there in silence, staring off into space. AJ was, repeatedly, kicking the wall in anger. All three of you were waiting in anticipation for the results of their results.
"AJ, stop. You'll break your toe or something." You said to him after a few moments of him kicking the wall. But he continues to kick the wall. "Come here, sit down." Clem said to him. "No!" AJ replied. "It didn't work! I did what you two said, and they didn't even care!" He said as he stops kicking. "I know that I was bad, but-but they don't wanna let me fix it!"
"AJ, breathe. Remember what we do when we're mad?" You asked him as he goes back to kick the wall. "C'mon. You don't wanna be loud, do you?" Clem asked him. "What do we do when we're mad?" AJ stops kicking and clenched his fists to his side. "We stop, and think, and, um...." he replied as he shakes then he turns to you two and said, angrily. "I'm still really, really mad. I know I'm not supposed to get mad. Or sad. Because, then I do dumb things."
"And you have every reason to be upset. We'll deal with it together. Okay?" You said to him, calmly. AJ takes a deep breathe and said. "Okay." As he exhales. "We stop, we think, and we....breathe." Clem said to AJ, who takes a few deep breathes.
"Feel better?" You asked him and he glares over at you two. "You're still mad, huh?" You said. "And, uh, I think I'm sad, too." He said as he gives you two a sad look. You set your legs down on the floor as AJ walks over to you two and sits between you and Clem. Both of you hug him.
"I did what you guys told me to." He said. "We know. You're a good listener." Clem said to him. "I wanted to make then all feel better. It didn't work. Why'd you guys tell me to do it, if it didn't work?" He asked you and Clem, sadly. "We don't know that it didn't work. They might've voted for us to stay." You said, hopeful. "I don't know. They seemed pretty mad." AJ said.
"Violet was on our side. Maybe she'll persuade the others." Clem said to him. "Yeah, maybe." AJ mutters. "I don't wanna go." He said as he looks up to you two. "We know, buddy. We know." Clem said. "I like knowing where we are all the time. The bed, the food. I like the other kids. Not all of them, but Tenn, and Louis, and Violet." AJ said when you guys hear three knocks.
The door opens and Violet and Louis walk in. You three stand up as Violet walks up to you guys but she was looking down. That's not a good sign. You thought. "We took the vote. You have to leave." Violet said as she gives you guys a sad look. "Don't we get to vote? I vote that we stay." AJ said. "That's not how it works." Louis said to him.
"Maybe it should be." Violet said to Louis. "You don't have to like it." Louis yelled at her. "Good, cause I don't." Violet snapped at him. "Fine, I get it. We'll learn to live with your decision, somehow." Clem said, annoyed.
Violet turns to you guys in shock.
"Seriously, that's it? You two know that this is fucking wrong, and you're not gonna fight it at all?" She asked, angrily. "What's the point? You've already decided." You yelled. "Yes, we have." Louis said as AJ looks down at the floor on the verge of tears.
"So fucking stupid." Violet mutters.
"You said you'd go along with it, if we voted fairly." Louis said to her. "It's bullshit, and you'd know it if you weren't so used to burying you head in the sand." Violet growled. "Oh, I'm burying my head in the sand? Hate Marlon all you want, but you can't tell me AJ isn't dangerous, too." Louis said as he points at AJ, who looks up at him in fear. Louis, realizing what he said, looks over at him then frowns as he turns his head away.
"We'll wait for you to pack up, then Louis and I'll escort you out part the safe zone. We'll make sure you get to the road safely." Violet said. "Thanks for making sure that we--" Clem started to say until AJ yells. "No! Don't thank them! It-it's their fault we gotta leave! They're gonna get rid of us!"
"Get him under control." Louis said to you and Clem. You turn to AJ and said. "AJ, breathe." And he does what you said and calmed down. "Where's Tenn? I gotta say goodbye." He said to Violet and Louis. "He was really upset about the vote, and he's not talking to anybody. It's best to leave him alone when he's like this, but...for the record he wanted you to stay." Violet informed him and AJ smirks a bit.
"Wait. Does AJ still have that gun?" Louis asked. AJ goes over to Clem's backpack and pulls the gun out. Louis looks down at it in then holds his hand out. "Hand it over." He said and AJ looks up at him then to you and Clem. "Give it to him." You said and AJ nods. "Here, you can have it." He said as he hands the gun to Louis. Louis looks down at the gun and his hand begins to shake. "Fuck." He mutters and he pockets the gun.
"There, happy? Can we go?" Violet asked him, angrily. Clem grabs his bag and his hat as you grab your sword and placed it on your back then the five of you headed out.
The sun was starting to set when you guys walked through the forest, nobody speaking a word. You look behind you as you see Violet and Louis about a hundred yards away from you and the boys. "Will we get another car?" AJ asked. "Probably not. We got lucky before." Clem said. "So, we're walking." AJ grumbles. "My shoes are gonna break."
"Well, we'll have to hope they hold out." You sighed. "My feet are gonna bleed again." AJ whines. "We'll tear up a shirt and tie them up, if we have to." said Clem. "It's not so bad." Louis said and both you and Clem turn your heads and glare at him. His eyes widen at this. "I mean, you've done this before. Probably pretty good at it by now. Almost like going home for you guys."
"Yeah, and it almost killed us." You remarked. "You saw how fucked up we were after that car crash." Clem growled. "Swear." AJ said and you chuckled under your breath at this.
Finally Violet stops and said. "We're here." All of you stop and turn to her. "The road's that way." She said as she gestures to the left. Then she turns to Louis. "Anything you wanna say before we go?" She asked. Louis looks over at you and the boys for a moment. "I've said plenty." He said. "Thanks for trying to keep us." AJ said. "You're welcome. I wish you could stay." Violet replied to him.
"If you really feel that way, take us back. Don't let them kick us out." You said to her. "I can't, (y/n). Half of them are convinced you guys are as bad as Marlon, or worse. If you guys came back, someone else might get hurt. I-I can't risk it. I'm sorry." Violet said then she walks away.
Louis looks at you three for a moment then he starts to think. "I must be stupid." He sighs and he walks over to you three. "I can't leave you out here unarmed." He said and he pulls out AJ's gun and kneels down. AJ walks up to him and takes the gun, slowly, out of Louis's hands. "Thanks." Clem said, appreciatively. Louis nods then he turns and walks away.
"Let's get going. The sun'll set soon." Clem said as he looks around. "How do you know?" AJ asked him. "I don't know. I can just feel it." Clem replied as you guys start walking again.
"How?" AJ asked again. "There's this cold that settles on my skin. It happens right before a storm, too." Clem replied. "I don't feel that." AJ said as you smile. "You haven't been on the road as long as us." You said, gesturing between you and Clem.
"Guys? Will we be okay?" AJ asked you two, nervously. "I don't know." You replied. "Neither do I. (Y/N) and I'll do everything to keep you safe." Clem said to AJ. "I'll keep both of you safe, too." He said, smiling.
You three walk for a few moments when a loud gunshot rings out in the forest. "HIDE!" you yelled and the three of you run up and hide behind trees. Clem looks over from the trees and sees a figure walking a few feet away, carrying a gun. It was then he realized the figure was Abel.
"Now, come on out. I saw three of you in the road. How long you think you can hide?" Abel called out. "Oh shit." Clem mutters. "That's the man from the train station?" AJ asked. "Yes." Clem replied. "The one Brody was scared of." AJ said. "Yeah." You replied as Clem pulls out his knife. "Stay here, both of you." He whispers and he runs out and attacks Abel, knocking his gun out of his hand.
Abel grabs his arm and the two struggle until Clem kicks his legs out from under him, making him fall. "Tough little bastard, aren't you?" Abel said to Clem. "Just walk away, and we'll let you go." Clem ordered until he felt a gun barrel nudge the back of his head.
He drops his knife and raised his hands as Abel stands up. Then Abel shoves the end of his gun into Clem's gut, making double over while the person behind him shoves their gun into his back, making hin fall face forward.
Then someone placed their boot on the back of his neck, holding him down. He goes for his knife but Abel kicks it away. He looks over to see you and AJ hiding in the grass until both of you run out, AJ with his gun and you with your sword out. "I wouldn't you two!" Able said as he aims his gun at both of you. "Any closer, your friend might get his head blown off."
"Abel." The female figure said, warningly. You could only see the back of her head but something about her voice....Her voice sounded familiar.
Abel walks up to you two and said. "Good to see you again." Then he smacks you down with his gun. "Hey!" AJ shouts just as Abel knocks him down with his gun. "Don't!" Clem yells at Abel as he kicks you to roll on your stomach and grabs AJ by the arm. He places his foot on your back as he turns to his companion.
"I seen these ones before. Fighter, all three of them. You'll like them." Abel said to her. "We're looking for a kid, runs a community near here." The woman demanded Clem. "Marlon." Abel said. "He's dead." Clem replied.
"Well, shit." The woman mutters.
"This can still work." Abel said.
The woman looks down at Clem and asked. "How about it? You want to take us back to your school, help us talk to your friends?" Clem looks over at you and AJ while you two look over at him in fear. "It's not our school. We don't live there." Clem replied and the woman shoves her booted feet against his neck. AJ struggles to get out of Abel's grip while you try to get out from under his boot but it wasn't happening
"I find that very hard to believe. Not a lot of kid communes around here." The woman said just as Abel pushes AJ's arm back further into his back while you tried to grab your sword but Abel goes and steps on your hand. You and AJ let out of yelp of pain as Clem watches in fear. "Don't!" He pleads. "Let them go! Please!"
"Sure, if you do like we ask. Otherwise, I'm happy to crack their heads open." Abel threatened. "You ever seen old fruit explode after you throw it at something? That's just how it'll look." Then the woman kicks Clem in the side of his head, making him roll on his back. "Clement!" You and AJ screamed as Clem shakes his head and looks up at the woman, only to realize that he recognized her.
"Oh, my God. Clement, it's you?" She said in shock as she lowers her gun. Then she looks over at you and her eyes widen at this as well. "Get your foot off of her." She orders and Abel does as he's told and she walks over to you and kneels down while you get up and look up, realizing why she sounded familiar. It was the face of the person you hoped to never see again, a face you thought was long dead.
"(Y/N), you too?" She said. "I...my name is Lilly. You guys probably don't remember me." And you glare at her as you go and spit in her face. "How can I forget you?!" You growled which earned a kick from Abel. "(Y/N)!" AJ and Clem screamed. "An answer I expected you to give." Lilly said as she wipes her face.
You look up at her and said. "I thought you died!" She looks at you and said. "I....came close." Then she holds a hand out to you. "What the hell?" Abel asked, confused. "Not now." Lilly said but you swat her hand away as you get up. Lilly glares at you then goes over to Clem and holds her hand out to him. He glares at her and gets up himself as well.
She looks between you two with intrigued. "Lee isn't with you." She said and both of you look away from her. "So he's dead, then. I'll never forget him leaving me on the side of the road to die. I don't blame him. I was clearly a threat to the group after I killed that girl." She said. "Carley! My mother!" You growled at her as you and Clem glare at her.
"Lee should've left you two behind, too. Might've have lived longer if he did. Same thing'll happen to you, if you repeat his mistakes." She said. "You're little boy there. Both of you will die protecting him. You two may be able to keep this up a while longer, but eventually he'll slow both of you down. A walker you didn't spot. A bullet you couldn't dodge. A desperate cry for help that brings the herd."
"Maybe, but you'll die first." Clem threatens. "Brave. But stupid. I'm surprised you two made it this far. You need a better plan than just killing your enemies." Lilly said.
"Fuck, we don't have time for all this." Abel said to Lilly. "We've got history." Lilly informs him. "Great, you know them, I know them. Point is, we've got a job to do." Abel said.
"We can help you two raise the boy, Clement and (y/n), but we need both of you to do something for us." Lilly said as she faces you and Clem. "What? Help you kidnap a couple of kids?" You asked her, angrily. "We don't need a couple. We need all of you." Abel replied.
"We'll take you back to the Delta to join our people. We have walls. We have working solar panels, and we grow our own food. All we need from both of you is to go back to your friends and convince them to come peacefully. No one will be harmed." Lilly said. "We're not Marlon." Clem said to her.
"Here's what I'll do. I'll take the little squirt here right now." Abel said as he shoves AJ's arm into his back again. You and Clem look at him in fear when you noticed something. In the distance, you saw Violet and Louis sneaking up. "That way I'm sure both of you'll play nice." Abel said. "Be smart about this, Clement and (y/n). It's an us-or-them kind of world." Lilly said as you see Violet aiming her bow at Abel and Lilly.
"Run!" You and Clem shout at them and they do as they're told but this makes Lilly and Abel turn in shock. Abel throws AJ to the ground and runs after them while you kick the back of Lilly's knee. She falls over and you go grab your sword, sheathed it, then both of you run to AJ. "Come on!" Clem yells and the three of you run away from them.
As you three run, you hear a gunshot and AJ falling over. You turn and run to him and help him up as you guys continue to run and dodge the oncoming bullets. "Oh shit." Clem yells as you two come up on a herd of walkers but you guys dodge them and run as far away as you guys could.
You look back but don't see Lilly or Abel anywhere. "I think we lost them." You said to Clem as you see a walker up ahead. You grab your sword and swing at its head the you guys run to look around for AJ, since you guys lost him during all that running.
"Guys..." you hear a voice say and you two turn to see AJ sitting and leaning against a tree. You two run to him only to see he had a gunshot wound on his stomach. You gaped as you placed your hand over your mouth while Clem's eyes widen in fear. Then he turns to see a few walkers coming. "Shit." He mutters then he turns to AJ, who holds out his small knife to Clem.
Both of you stand up and start taking out as many walkers as you could, Clem stabbing a few in the head and you slicing the top of their heads.
Until Clem comes up to one particular walker but the walkers grabs his arms. "No." It whispers and Clem's eyes widen at this. He let's out a yelp and you go over to him when the walker said. "Stop!" And he covers Clem's mouth.
"What the f..." you started to say when you stop running and the walker raises his finger to his lips. "Too loud." He said and he released Clem and starts to hobble like a walker. You and Clem exchange scared but confused look as you two run over to a tree. You watch the alive walker walk over a few feet, grab a large rock and throws it in another direction, causing the walkers to go towards the sound.
"Follow." He whispers as you and Clem stare at him again. Then both of you run over to AJ and give him worried looks until Clem goes to pick him up and carries him while you sheathed your sword and you guys follow your new savior.