Always ~ Violentine

1 ~ I Need You by My Side

"AJ, get back to the school!"

"No, I'm not leaving you. We either go back together, or we don't go back at all."

"AJ, listen to me. There's no time. Just go!"

"I said, no. You said rule one is to never go alone. If I leave, you'll be by yourself and won't make it. I'm staying, now look for a way out of here."

"God dammit AJ... fine. The only way out is to fight them then."

"Fight them? There's like a dozen of them!"

"I can't fit through that vent, but you can. AJ, I am trapped. You can escape, but I have to fight my way out. Please AJ, if you won't do it for yourself, at least do it for me."

He didn't have time to decide.

"Clem, they're breaking in!"

"Get ready, kiddo." One down. Three down. Six down. Last two. Dead.

"AJ! Any bites?"

"No bites."

"Holy shit.. I can't believe we managed to take them all down."

"Told you."

"I guess. But you still should have left, AJ."

"Left? You would have died! I helped you!"

"I know, kiddo. I know. It was still very dangerous, and you're still young."

"Can we just go home?"

"Yeah, let's go."

I started walking, not realizing AJ had went back for his backpack.

"Clem! Help!"

I bolted back to the room only to see AJ with a bite in his neck and a walker against him. My body turned weak. My mind went fuzzy. He fell to the floor, almost choking on his own blood. He looked at me and gave me a half smile.

"Guess one was hiding under the bodies and we didn't realize."

"No, no, no! AJ... my goofball. This can't- No!"

I screamed in fear and denial, hovering over his limp body.

"You know what you.. have to do."

"I'm so sorry, goofball. I was supposed to take care of you.."

"You did, Clem. You taught me so much. You're the best caretaker in the world."

I just sat there, holding the boy in my arms. I couldn't believe his maturity at such a young age.

"I love you, Clem."

"AJ.. I love you, too."

Uncontrollable tears streamed down my face. I could barely breathe as I slowly raised the gun at his head, my finger on the trigger.