Ashes (Clementine X Male Reader Book 2)

Aftermath-Interloper

Nine months after the fall of Salvation...

"Drink this." Brooklyn hands you a cup. You're spending the end of the day in the bar like everyone else. That doesn't mean you're done for the day. You still have a pistol and a couple of knives around your waist.

"What is it?" You smell the drink. It has a strong smell, but you're unsure what it is.

"Just drink it." She insists.

"You first." You tell her. She has her own.

"Fine." She takes a drink and then breaks into a coughing fit. "Holy shit." She holds her chest. "It burns."

You look down at your cup. You're not sure you want it. "Fuck it." You take a drink. You don't like the taste, and once you swallow, you realize she's right. It burns as it hits your throat, and then it hits your stomach oddly before hitting your chest. You, too, can't help but cough. "I don't like it." You set the cup on the table and push it away. "I'm done."

"I don't blame you." She puts her cup down too. "We shouldn't get in the habit of drinking anyway. It wouldn't help anyone if we were getting drunk and the community was getting attacked."

"It's nice to have some at the end of a long day sometimes." Don sits down at the table with you, bringing his own cup of alcohol. "But drinking too much will kill your liver. It's probably better not to drink it at all because we can't replace those anymore."

"What does a liver do?" You ask him.

"It's like a... Filter. If it can't filter right, it wrecks your body." He takes a drink. You wait to see him cringe or start coughing. He does neither. "One every once in a while won't hurt, though."

"You should write a book or something to make sure we don't lose all that knowledge when you die of old age." Brooklyn raises a good point while also teasing Don.

"Maybe." Done ignores the second part of her comment and takes another drink. How does he do it so effortlessly?

"Hey." The barkeeper, Tim, joins the table, sitting down.

"Shouldn't you be busy?" Brooklyn asks hostilely. Tim is a bit of an asshole.

"Someone came in talking about someone they've never seen in the community. They think it might be someone from another community here to meet with us about trading." Tim has his uses. He hears a lot of stuff. "We haven't let anyone in."

"Any idea where?" You're already standing up.

"No. Could be anywhere." Tim leaves the table. You don't want anyone getting worried or overhearing anything. Don stays at the table, setting his drink down. He might have someone to treat later.

You and Brooklyn step outside. The streets are mostly empty, it being night. The people are either in their homes or in the bar. "Let's check on Linda first." Brooklyn leads the way. If this person is from Anarchy, they'd be after Linda. If it's just one person, they may not try anything, but if they get away, knowing Linda is in the community, they'll spread that information. Then you'd have a bigger problem.

Brooklyn knocks on Linda's door. Linda opens it after a few moments. "Yeah?"

"Someone is here, snooping around. We don't know where they are but we wanted to check on you. It might be nothing, but it wouldn't hurt to worry about it." Brooklyn and Linda continue talking, and you're too distracted to listen.

Someone down the road is hiding behind a building, barely peaking out. It's unsettling having them watch you. You stare at them before they disappear behind the building. You keep your eyes fixed on the spot. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you spot them popping up on the other side of the building. It's a horrible way to watch someone after you've been spotted.

From this distance, they couldn't see or hear anything. They may have already gotten what they need and are just watching to see what else they can find. "Go inside with Linda." You've got your hand resting on your pistol. Is there more than one?

Brooklyn starts to open her mouth and then stops, looking in the same direction as you. "Be careful." She closes the door without asking any questions. She knows you spotted something and that questions would just waste time.

You start walking toward the stalker, and they dart behind the building again. You break into a sprint, worrying they'll lose you while you can't see them. As you round the building, you see them heading into a construction zone. The wall is currently being expanded, and a few more houses are being built.

They slip through a hole in the wall. You curse under your breath and shimmy through behind them. There's nowhere for them to run and hide, the community being in an open field. You're surprised they made it to the community without being seen. It is dark.

You pull your pistol out when you feel you're far enough away from the community and put a shot in the back of their leg. They fall to the ground screaming. You plan to get information from them.

When you've nearly gotten to them, you watch them reach to their side and pull something out. You stop and raise your pistol. You don't want to shoot them. You need information. They quickly raise their gun and fire. You're unsure where the bullet goes, but it doesn't hit you. You put a shot through their head before they fire again.

"Damn it." You holster your pistol and crouch next to them. You search them to see if they have any useful information on them, but you don't find anything.

You're left with a dead body and no idea who they were or where they were from.