A Shred of Hope (The Walking Dead) (The Final Season Retelling)

14. Pieces of a Puzzle

"Minnie...? Your friend?" Clementine asked, bewildered.

"But how...?" Louis couldn't process the fact that his friend stood before him, very much alive. "You got out?"

Minnie shook her head. "No. I got caught." Tears stained her eyes. "And-"

"Clem!" AJ yelled.

Clementine fired. The man roared in agony as he clutched his shoulder, his pistol dropping with a thud. He had been trying to reach his weapon that was tucked into the back of his pants. She and AJ had spotted him slowly pulling it out when everyone's eyes were focused on Minnie.

"You fuckin' bitch! You shot me!" The man howled as blood flowed through his fingers from the wound.

"Ed?" Minnie's face took on a shocked expression as she stepped away from the man.

"You shouldn't have gone for your gun then," Clementine said, calmly. "AJ pick up the gun." She waited till he had picked it up.

"Fuckin' hell!" Ed groaned from the pain.

"It's a flesh wo-"

The headlight of the car suddenly shattered with the sound of a gunshot accompanying it. Deciding it was time to make his escape, Ed threw caution to the wind and took to his heels, racing towards the forest.

"Get behind the car!" Clementine yelled at them as they leapt to cover. Peeking out, she spotted the burly man standing near the fence of the house.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he yelled, firing another bullet at the vehicle as Clementine returned to safety.

"Who the fuck is that?" Clementine asked.

"That's Tom," Minnie replied. Her voice was quivering.

"What are you doing here?" Louis asked Minnie.

"Louis! Not now!" Clementine flinched as a bullet ricocheted off the car. "Where's that other man... Ed?" She tried to spot him in the trees.

"He's gone. You shot him," Minnie said in disbelief.

"He would've shot us and we're not dying today." She tried to catch another glimpse of their attacker. "We need to get to the trees first."

"What's the plan then?" Louis asked.

When I say run-" Another bullet. "I want you guys to head straight for the trees, okay?"

"What about you?" AJ questioned.

"I'll be okay. Don't stop. I'll be right behind you."

"I can help provide cover." He looked resolute.

"No, I need you to go with them. Keep the gun with you, alright? Don't use it unless you really have to." She gave him a quick smile before she looked out the other side of the car and fired at the man. He cursed loudly and jumped behind the fence. "Now!"

Louis and AJ made straight for the forest as Clementine used her gun to keep the man at bay. Minnie found her legs give up before she even started running. She looked torn about what to do.

"Why didn't you go?" Clementine asked.

"I.... I don't know," Minnie replied, her voice ebbing with confusion. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Like it or not, you're already a part of this. There's no point staying behind here anymore. We'll go together." The bag that had caused this entire occurrence sat nearby on the ground where she'd left it. Clementine reached for it, pulling it towards her.