TWDG\\II-South State

TWENTY-TWO

AJ
My neck stung and burned, the tip of the blade has just caused tiny damage. Louis and I were in Jerome's office. Louis was sat to the ground, over time Jerome had chained his leg to an old air vent in the corner, his arms lied behind his back.
I, on the other hand, was tied to a chair, my legs tied to the chair's wooden legs, my arms twisted at the back.
Jerome angrily paced, the shot gun in his hand. Louis was passed out against the wall, his tired face leaned against the air vent.
"I don't know what to do with you kids." Jerome spoke to himself. "I give you all these chances, all these opportunities! You guys destroyed my life! You destroyed my family!"
Jerome angrily kicked the wall, his foot leaving a large dent in the already peeled wallpaper.
"I should just kill you, kill Clementine. Kill Louis. Kill everyone." Jerome sighed as he sat down at the desk. "Everyone just stabs me in the back. And it's like, what the fuck did I ever do?"
Silence followed.
"Maybe you shouldn't keep us trapped here." I quietly suggested. "And you shouldn't kill our friends."
"Oh shush." Jerome snapped. "I thought you guys were a danger! What the fuck was I supposed to think?!"
I didn't say anything after that. Jerome stood up, and walked over to me. My strained neck tilted up to see him pull out his knife again.
"But before I figure out what I'm gonna do, I'll just find my karma myself."

Clementine
I was back in the cell. Except this time, we were all separated. Violet was in the cell next to me, Ethan across. Ethan had his hands chained to the wall above his head, his face dropped down.
There was no light down here; over time, it had gotten dark. And cold. Oh, it was so cold!
I shivered, and cried. I want AJ. I want AJ back. I don't know what Jerome is doing to him!

We had been beaten. The seperate guards stormed in, weapons in hand, and inflicted pain across all of us. I can't even check to see my injuries, beside the burning feeling that was only coming from my amputated leg. I lost my prosthetic...I'm back to crutches, I guess. My hands were tightly tied with tough bindings, and I swear I could feel liquid from my wrists.
I sighed, and more tears dropped down my face. They dropped over my probably bruised and broken nose. They dropped over my cut lip, and I felt my stomach writh in pain constantly. It felt like my ribs were broken, maybe. It disturbed me to think that broken bones could impale the insides of my stomach. I leaned forward, wanting to vomit.
But since I'd have very little to eat over the past few days, nothing came out. Bile only built up in my throat.
I heard the cell cage doors open, and a torch light filtered in. I flinched as a person walked in. A guard.
He switched on the lights to the cell, the brightness of the room making me squint. I shut my eyes as I hoped he would leave. I don't want another beating.
That's when, my eyes focused to a familiar and daring figure. Gabe.
He leaned by the door of the cell, his eyes filled with concern and worry.
"Clementine!" He spoke. "Oh my god!"
I only managed a smile. My head hurt like a bitch as I moved forward.
"What...what did they do to you?!" He exclaimed.
"What do you think, Gabe?" I spoke, and sighed. "Get Ethan out. And Violet, first, okay?"
Gabe shook his head. "But..."
"Please." I said. "I'm not going anywhere."
Gabe nodded, and went to Ethan's cage first, fiddling through the set of keys he had found at the door of the containment building. He tried everyone, Ethan barely opening his eyes to acknowledge Gabe. Gabe opened the door, and walked in. He tried picking up Ethan's limp body, but Ethan only murmured as communication. Gabe carried him out, and layer him down on his side, Ethan stretching his arm out on the cold ground.
"Oh my god!" I heard Violet speak as Gabe unlocked her cage next. Violet seemed completely stable to walk out, except her lip and the side of her head was bleeding, a blue bruise forming at the bridge of her nose. Violet leant next to Ethan to help him as Gabe began unlocking my cage.
I shut my eyes as he did. We might not live through the night at this rate.
As the cage opened, Gabe leant down over me, his knees bending.
"Clementine." He spoke, as he began trying to untie the rope around my bloody wrists. As he did, I leant up and kissed him. It was a hasty kiss against his sweaty lips, and he only looked back at me in surprise. I pulled a smile, and nodded at my wrists. He nodded, and untied me. He stood up.
My leg wasn't attacked to me, so I took the hand that Gabe held out towards me. Gabe then put her hand underneath my real leg and stump and carried me out.
"Is Ethan okay?" I croaked. Violet shrugged, and Ethan moaned, gripping his stomach, which had blood leaked through his shirt.
"Shit." Violet muttered. "He must've been stabbed."
"We gotta get him to the truck." Gabe suggested. "Clementine?"
I nodded. "Violet, you know where the garage is. Take Ethan, and show us there."
Violet nodded and scooped up Ethan's body, his hand falling from his lap.
We began moving, the motion of Gabe carrying me as we left the cells into the cold wind, snow falling heavily. I swore, and shivered as we walked quietly through the night.
We saw a few lights in the distance of the town. A large garage stood int he distance, looking lonely and separated from the other buildings.
"Is...I-is that I-it?" Gabe asked through chattering teeth. Violet nodded, and we began making our way there.
I felt the snow fall onto my beaten face as we arrived. Violet used one hand to open the door, revealing a dark room. Through the silhouette from the moon, we saw about six or seven pickup trucks.
"Wow." I spoke.
"We can't turn on the lights." Gabe spoke. "Too much attention."
We walked in the dark, and we stopped at the nearest car. Violet opened the door, the keys in the ignition. Gabe opened the door, and placed me in the back.
"Okay." Gabe spoke. "I'm going to find AJ. He's probably in that office thing."
"I want to come." I said stupidly.
"No." Gabe said. "There's no way you can."
"I'll look after Ethan." Vi spoke. "And I'll take some of the supples on the shelves. Well meet you back here."
Gabe nodded, and turned to leave. I gripped his arm. He turned to me. I leaned forward and hugged him.
"Stay safe. Bring AJ and Louis back." I ordered, and Gabe nodded. And then He left.