Project V (Clementine X Male Reader Book 4)

Dad

Marina

I'm a little girl again, crying in daddy's arms because I had a nightmare or because of the monsters outside that threatened to kill me every day. I'm tripping over myself, running to him, trying to find safety because daddy can do anything. He's invincible. He could never die... He died.

Mom's crying over his body, face on his chest. She's sobbing, but, to be honest, I can't hear it. I can see her, surrounded by black that just seems to be closing in around me. I feel like I'm going to pass out. If only I had come out here. I could have helped him. I could have done something. I could have...

I stumble backward and nearly fall, but I catch myself. Aj is next to me now, holding his arms out to me. I push him away and keep backing up. I don't need your sympathy. I need Dad. But I can't get him back. He's gone. So what do I do? What would he do?

He would kill them all.

I turn and run. Through the trees, past our crashed car, through our small village, we had to ourselves. I go until I find one of the groups—thirteen people in total. I recognize a few of their faces. That's how I know who they are. They don't see me until I've already killed one of them. They don't have their weapons until I've killed three. They don't have any chance by the time I've killed ten of them.

I stay there for a while. Surrounded by their bodies. Covered in their blood. I hate them. I hate every single one of them.

Clem: Marina.

I turn around. I meet her eyes. I finally break. She comes over and hugs me. Tells me that it'll all be ok. But it won't. It will never be ok. I will hunt them all down and kill them for what they've done. They took him away. They took Dad away. I don't care how long it takes to find them. I will never see him again because of them.

But he's right here, his arms wrapped tight around me. I'm crying into his chest; he's lying his head on the top of mine. He's stroking my hair. He's hugging me. Dad is hugging me... He's dead. He's here.

How?

I don't know how long we've been here. I can't really hold myself together. I've cried until I feel weak.

Dad: Hey,

His voice is so soft. He pushes me off him and holds me by the shoulders. If this wasn't Dad, he wouldn't sit here with me for this long. It's dark, and I know we still had a few hours before sunset.

Dad: how about you take me to your home? I want to see what you've done.

I wipe my eyes.

Me: How are you-

Dad: Let's go somewhere else before we talk about that.

I nod.

Me: Ok.

He smiles.

Dad: Your friends were worried.

I didn't think of them.

Dad: I waved them off. They went back inside your walls forever ago.

Me: Everyone knows what happened then.

He stands up and holds out his hand.

Dad: That's ok. It's not every day someone comes back from the dead. I'm sure they'd understand.

I take his hand, and he helps me up. He rests an arm across my shoulders, still taller than me.

Me: Have you...

Dad: What?

Me: Mom. Have you seen her?

Dad: We'll talk about everything later. But yes. I have seen her.