Ericson's Containment Facility

Chapter 4

Turns out the dinner wasn't hot, as promised, instead it was cold potatoes and broccoli.It was plain but Clementine was still grateful, she hadn't had two meals in one day for...Years, so of course she would be.

But the others weren't so pleased with the lies told.After all, that's why Mitch got taken away, screaming about how unfair the place actually was.How many times would they promise hot meals and safety to vulnerable travellers just to have them be let down and beaten?How many times would they promise happiness in this concrete chicken coupe just for people to be dragged away, screaming, drowning in angry tears?

She was told something else too.

Clementine was shocked, but she wasn't new to the ways of torture in the apocalypse.There were many, some more dreadful than others.

Sure, there was beatings.
Sure, there was threats.
But nothing, nothing, could compare to the pain of memories.
Memories of loved ones being hurt,
left behind,
eaten alive by walkers,
All because it was your fault.

Clementine questioned the situation but not many spoke.Yet she could guess, based on everybody's sorrowful expression,  that the best thing to happen really would be for Mitch to get killed, as morbid as it seemed.

Nobody really spoke for the rest of the meal, the teens sat there, quietly eating, swimming in their own thoughts plainly.

Eventually, after about half an hour, everyone was kicked out by guards through another set of doors.But these led to somewhere prettier.

A green field, with two benches and tall, threatening walls was where the doors led to.A guard called "thirty minutes" before slamming the creaky, metallic doors loudly.The orange cringed at the sound, she still wasn't used to such loud noises, slamming a door on the outside would get you killed in a matter of minutes.Clem just wasn't prepared for the change.

Soon, small groups formed at the picnic benches and no spaces were left.Clementine was ready to start patrolling the towering walls when a male voice called from behind her, stopping her in her tracks.
"Clemmy-clue~"

Recognising the kind voice, she turned slowly, snapping a quick. "Don't call me that."

Louis waved off her comment, lowering his voice as he speaks his next words "wanna join us for a mighty game of......"
He pats his hands against his knees childishly for a few seconds before whisper-shouting
"cards!"

Clementine snorted at the kiddish behaviour, but nodded at the invite, how could she say no to his goofy smile?She had to admit, Louis really did try to make people laugh, and when someone laughed, he laughed.He was......Genuine.

The tall boy led her over to  where the other teens she had met sat.There was Minnie, who sat cuddled up with Violet, Marlon had his arm around Brody's shoulders and there were two new people along with the read head from earlier.Clem had soon learnt that the girl's name was Sophie and she was Minnie's sister, hence the two looking so similar.

Either way, Sophie had brought along two more people with her.One being an Indian boy who introduced himself as Aasim and a pretty ginger girl called Ruby.They seemed friendly and greeted Clem kindly, Ruby with a southern accented "hey there" and Aasim wth a polite nod.

Clementine sat between Louis and Violet, as he pulled out a deck of cards from his long trench coat sneakily and started shuffling them quickly.After a few moments, Clem decided to speak.
"What're we playing?"

Louis looked up with a devilish smile before spreading cards into multiple piles to everyone.
In a deep, you're-about-to-meet-your-doom voice he replied.