Ashes (Clementine X Male Reader Book 2)

Rage-Cold

I'm cold.

Naked, covered in sweat, and cold. Not, I'm freezing to death, cold. Just, I'm fucking cold, cold. You know?... I'm uncomfortable, and I can't fix it. It's like an itch I can't scratch. All over. And it makes me shiver... I think he wants it that way. Maximize suffering for... What? Taking care of Marina. Honestly, the dude should be rolling out a red fucking carpet for me and Y/N. Instead, I get my own room, that's cold as hell. And dark. It smells like shit and piss. I wish I at least had a bucket. Instead, I just have to stumble over to a corner and relieve myself. Then, I stumble as far away from it so that I can limit the smell. I don't think it helps.

My whole body hurts, too. I'm starving, so stomach pain. I got shot, so shoulder pain. I've been beaten a few times, so that's all over. My periods didn't decide to take a break either, so... I just hurt all the time. And I'm cold.

I haven't seen Marina or Diana since we got here. When did we get here? How long has it been? I wonder if they're still alive... They have to be, right? I miss the people that didn't do this to me. I bet Y/N hugs me and cries when he sees me again. Or... Maybe not. He's got to worry about Marina and Diana first. And if they don't play this right, William will kill me.

Maybe I should be trying to get out of here... Nah, fuck that, I can barely walk to my pissing corner, let alone escape and travel back to Ericson's. That shit is weeks away on foot. I'd have to worry about two kids, too. They'll come for us. I just have to rely on them. They'll get us out. They'll do it in a way that I make it out, too.

Or maybe I'm just crazy. I am talking to myself. Maybe I'm dead already, waiting for William to take me out of this room to shoot me in the back of the head.

I miss Marina and Y/N.

God, I hope I see them again.

-

I don't know if that's a good sign. I just slept. Did I pass out from a lack of sleep or... Man, am I really dying? No, I'm just tired. Do you know how hard it is to sleep on this floor?

Uh oh. Footsteps in the hall. I wonder who's coming to bless me with their presence today. I bet it's William. It's usually William.

"Haha, see, I knew it." I point at him. "Man, I wish I could kill you."

"I'm sure you do." Some people enter the room.

"Oh? Don't think you can take me by yourself. Really, if I wasn't like this, I could kill you all."

"This can go one of two ways. You'll cooperate, or you won't." William tells me.

"Damn, you're stupid. How the fuck am I not going to cooperate?"

"So you'll cooperate?"

I think, out of the two of us, he's the crazy one. How am I going to resist? "Sure. What do you have in store? More torture? More ra-"

"Just... Stop talking." William sounds frustrated.

"Oh, it's time to kill me, huh?"

"Grab her." William walks out of the room, and then... Well, I don't know. Everything is fuzzy now; my head hurts, and I'm on my side.

-

I open my eyes, which I didn't expect. The room has light. It burns my eyes, but it's nice to be able to see again. Why is the room so nice? I'm in a bed? I've got bandages wrapped around my body.

I use the strength I have to sit up. There's water and food on a table next to me. Clothes at the foot of the bed. What's this all about?

Whatever, I'm not going to wait to find out. I eat the dry ass food and drink the water before someone can come and take it from me. Damn, it was so good.

When I'm done and I begin to relax in the bed a little, William enters. I raise the bed cover to block my chest, not that it matters. He glances at the empty tray next to me.

"Do you need more?"

"Spiked it or something, huh?" I'm not feeling any different, so probably not. It tasted alright, too.

"No. Do you need more?"

"What do you want?" I don't trust any of this. The last time someone did something like this to me, I became a slave.

He shakes his head and sits in a chair. "How do you feel?"

"Like you give a fuck." Why's he acting nice? He's a piece of shit.

"Marina asks about you a lot." He starts. "And, I thought... I don't know. Maybe if I let her see you, she'd... Talk."

"Ah, you wish your daughter would talk to you."

"Yes."

"You want advice?"

"Yes."

"Kill yourself. Take us back to Ericson's and kill yourself. She hates your fucking guts, and it's not even because of us. It's entirely your fault."

"My fault?" Shocked? Why would he be shocked? It's obviously his fault.

"Duh."

"I've only tried. I haven't... I."

"Killed Linda, but not before abusing her and raping her."

"I did not kill Linda; that was you." He accuses but doesn't deny the other things.

"Your people chased her into a herd where she got bit trying to protect Marina. Then Y/N killed her. You also forced us out of our community. Took her from her dad, and you've been torturing me."

"She has no way of knowing I've been torturing you," William says.

"She's six, not stupid. Father of the year, here."

"What does she like? Can I get her something?" William asks.

"You're really not catching on. I told you, she's not going to come around. She wants her dad back, and you're not him."

"I am."

"You're just some guy that'll be dead in a few weeks. She doesn't give a fuck about you. I bet she's even trying to figure out how to kill you herself."

William stares at me. I guess he's trying to look intimidating. It doesn't really work for him, honestly. "You'll stay in this room. All day, every day. We'll keep you alive. And I'll let the girls come visit you."

Oh?

"But if you try anything. I'll lock you back in that dungeon, and I swear to god, you'll wish I never pulled you out of it in the first place."

"So scary."

"Y/N won't be coming to save you." William stands up. "Your group won't make it here."

"Damn, man, I think you're underestimating how far he'd go... You took some important people from someone who's never had anyone. Everything short of killing him won't be enough to stop him. Oh, and imagine Clementine. You took her daughter, too."

"We can handle a few people."

"My advice still stands. Kill yourself. You'd be better off."

He starts walking out.

"Make sure you come get me if you do. I'd love to watch."