The Walking Dead: Return to Paradise Part Two

Chapter Ten: Fallout

Minnie lay in bed staring at the ceiling through the wooden slats on the top bunk.
A cup of tea sat on the nightstand, steaming. She had barely touched it, too wrapped up in her thoughts.
Her arm hung in front of her in a sling. It felt constantly swollen. If she moved it at all, she was met with searing pain.
Minnie did her best to look out the window. The sun was still high in the sky. She had been confined to her room to rest since she returned from the Delta camp and it was already driving her insane.
Being stuck in a room with her thoughts was about the worst thing she could think of.

***

Minnie cradled her wounded arm, the blood-soaked fabric of her sleeve squelching.
She stumbled through the snow, seeing the silhouette of the school standing out against the clear night sky.
Shivering, she approached the gate.

"Don't come any- Minnie?" Willy said, relaxing his draw on the bow.

The boy jumped down from the lookout tower and unlatched the gate, pulling open the newly reinforced door.
Willy called for the others to come into the courtyard.
Minnie just stood there, her ears still ringing from the shootout.
Ruby ran up to her, first aid kit in hand, followed by Asim and Tenn.

"Oh my god, what happened to you?" Ruby said.

Asim looked at her and froze in his tracks.
He knew. He knew exactly what had happened.
Minnie couldn't meet his gaze. She stared down at the snow covered ground, feeling a tightness in her throat.

"Minnie..." Asim paused and sighed quietly, "let's get you inside."

Asim and Ruby both helped her up the steps of the admin building. She sat on the sofa and Ruby removed her coat.
Minnie winced as strands of fabric that had been stuck inside her wound were yanked free. 
Ruby examined the wound, dabbing at it with a wet cloth.
Minnie heard heavy footsteps before Louis and AJ ran into the room.
Louis' face fell when he saw her covered in blood. Minnie hadn't seen her reflection but she was sure that she looked as bad as she felt.

"What happened? Are we being attacked again?" AJ asked frantically.

"No. Minnie's been shot. You're safe. Don't worry, AJ." Asim replied.

"Minnie? How'd this happen?" Louis asked.

The redhead looked across the room at him. She was starting to crack. Minnie had been barely holding it together for the last two hours walking back home.
She could feel tears brimming in her eyes.
Louis' shoulders dropped and his eyes widened.

"What did you do?" He said slowly.

That was it. That broke her.
Tears flowed freely down her face and Louis had his question answered.

***

A knock at the door distracted her from her guilt-filled rumination.

"Come in." She croaked.

The door was pushed open and Tenn walked in carrying a bowl of something steaming.
Minnie smiled weakly as her brother pulled up a chair next to her bed and placed the bowl on the nightstand next to the tea.