TWDG\\II-South State

FOUR

Clementine
Violet and I were girlfriends. Girlfriends in an apocalypse. I liked Vi. And not even that, I really loved her with all my heart. And that was something I never would've expected to have in a world like this.
It started with the night with the stars; then the dance we shared. To that galactic decorated pin that I still wore to the fabric across my chest.
After the raider's attack, I went on to want more. And Violet could see that I did, too. So, with further remorse, she saw the one night with the meeting in Marlon's old office that I was just having a shit moment.
'Aj won't know."
Violet said.
''It'll just be between you and me."
And I obliged.
That night, was the most awkward, but fulfilling thing I had ever done. I had lost my innocence when the dead started walking but my self purity was out of the window when I woke up in the morning. And I was happy about that. It was a pleasure to have my innocence crushed by Violet.
But then when we left the school, other things got in the way of Violet and I.
I wasn't telling her I loved her anymore. I wasn't holding her like I used too. I could never get comfortable with these things, because I just...everytime I wanted to show my affection toward her, something happened. Somebody got hurt. Somebody got lost. Somebody needed something. I guess I just got too caught in hoping to have a real relationship, that I forgot about the fact that we were running from something, or someone. All the fucking time. I just never got the time.
And then Gabe showed up.
I had liked him before; he had been in my position. He waited a long time for somebody to come back. Somebody he relied so much on. Somebody who's back story, or whereabouts hadn't been explained. Which in his case was his own Dad. For me, it was Kenny. And for right now, it's a lot of people.
Gabe had always had a tendency to be a coward, and a snitch, something that even myself as a survivor wouldn't stoop that low for. Yet, I found myself spilling my guts to Gabe, and eventually kissing him. Something I would've wanted to do absolutely it four years ago.
And I was honest to Violet. I told her what was on my plate. Just a kiss. A kiss that triggered no emotions.
Except that's what I keep telling myself.
I know Violet and I are no longer in the picture together; that makes me guilty.
The kind of guilty when I rephrase on what I've done, and the back of my neck goes hot and prickly, and I flush bright red.
But I tell myself that it's the apocalypse. I have no time for that, especially right now that we are currently held prisoners at a murder encouraged area; something I don't want AJ to be exposed to. But maybe he already is.
...
A sharp kick in my side made me flinch, swear forming underneath my breast line. I look up to see an unfamiliar man. He scowled at me.
"Wake the fuck up." He muttered. I looked around to find AJ, Louis and Ethan gone. Violet had just been led out the corner as I scanned the room. I rolled my eyes, and hobbled up right, leaned up against the wall. The man sighed with impatience as I took hold of my leg, and tied it securely to my stump. I let the leg of my jeans roll across my situation, and started the follow the man out of the building.
The outside of this place was well done, I'll admit.
It was set securely with the scrapped walls surrounding many tall buildings. At this point, I heard moaning, rotting walkers around the walls, trying to get the luxury in here. I saw outposts faced out from many of the scrapers, and old roads here or there. I saw curious guards stride past with many rifles. But as I walked, I realised an antsy, and unattained feed coming from everybody.
The man, who wore old tracks and a long sleeved shirt sighed as he pushed open a short, perhaps three story built cabin centre faced of South State. This was Administraion. From where I was, I saw Violet in the distance.
There were piles of raw chopped logs, and a man handed Violet an axe.
"Come on, dipshit!" The man leading me spat, and I walked inside.
An instant wave of warmth hit my face.
It sure was getting cold.
The inside of the building revealed a tatters decorated state, with peeling wallpaper, and stained carpet. I walked past a bare desk, and followed this man into a room.
I was faced with Jerome.
He had trailing, bloodied scars that trailed just over his chapped lips, his blinded hair shovelled and tossed. He exhaled through nose at my presence, and the man left the room respectively, closing the door behind him.
"Sit." He said, and gestured one of his bandaged hands to the chair. I sighed, and sat down, my hands folding on my lap. "What's your name?"
"Clementine." I said, and frowned.
"Clementine." He nodded. "Ah, yes! You're the one who raised...AJ, was it?"
I kept silence.
"Nice job with that kid." He said, and looked at a unnamed place to my left. I turned in my chair to see where he was staring at, only to find just the crusted mint walls. "Anyway. I guess you're aware that you killed half of my people, and even took one of my armed and skilled, Cian."
"Ye-es." I said, and shrugged. That was a wrong thing to do.
Jerome immediately stood up.
"Clementine. That community stood around longer than that kid's years. That was the place where many families created a home, an area." Jerome gave a hostile, flaming stare. I roll my eyes.
"You guys kidnapped us! And separated AJ and I!" I said. "And the vibe you were giving off told us that you weren't going to treat us well."
"How would you know?" Jerome walked behind me. "You weren't even there for a day!"
"Did I want to be?" I ask, and continued to stare forward. "It was obvious a break through of walkers could tear your community apart, which was well demonstrated that night."
"Don't fucking test me." Jerome said, and sat at his chair again. "You don't know me. You don't know what I've been though. What I've seen. All you know if I hold grudges, and I pay them back as cruel as they can get."
Silence.
"Take Wynn for example. Have you seen her around?" Jerome asked, raising his eye brow. He grinned beneath that.
"No..." I said, and swallowed. This monster killed her.
"You already seem to know what I did to her, right Clementine?" Jerome asked.
I nodded, the bile in my throat rising.
"Wynn was a good friend; she just took on too many responsibilities. It made her crack. It made her weak." Jerome began. "She just let on too much water, on a ship that was bound to sink in the first place. Better to shipwreck it at any point before it gets too messy."
"You asshole." I snap. "That was your friend. And you just....ended her."
"Tell me,Clementine. You've probably had to kill somebody before. More than one person, maybe." Jerome snickered as my face fell. "Who?"
I breathed out, and shook my head.
"You don't have the right..." I say, and force the tears back. "W-why would--"
"I said who, Clementine." Jerome pressed sternly.
"My friend." I began, and stopped the shakingness in my hands. "He was bitten. His final request, was for me to end him."
"Bitter emotions, I see." Jerome said, and had to strain my thought spiral out of harmful thoughts against him, but it's all I could think about.
I shrug. "Happens."
"Anyone else?" Jerome asked. I shook my head. "Liar."
I look away.
"My friend, Kenny." I said, and sighed. "He was attacking this other woman. I shot him."
"So. You've had experience." Jerome sighed. "You know how hard it is to put an end to somebody's life. You know the life sentence."
"I do." I said, my voice shaking. I didn't know what I was thinking. I was letting Jerome get into my head.
"Good." Jerome sighed. "I don't want to kill you and your friends. I just want you to keep them in line. Don't make them stray from this place. It'll grown on them. And that kid, AJ. Kids like him will thrive in a place like this."
"Will you ever let us leave?" I ask.
Jerome shook his head. "That's like finding gold and throwing it back with the rest. And where would you go? Places like this are rare. Keep that in mind the next time you have plans on destroying it."