Weapon Of War (Clementine x Louis)

Chapter 23: Unstitched Wounds

     3 weeks had passed since James first arrived. He was staying at a hotel in the city but made regular visits to the school to see Clementine and AJ. The students had finished up final projects that needed to be handed in before the semester officially ended.

    Clementine's group of friends were sitting in the music room decorating the Christmas tree that the teachers had set up. Most students went home early for the holidays. Some of their friend group included.

    "Hey Clem!" AJ bounced over to Clementine. "Look what I made!" He had a gingerbread man ornament dangling from his finger. "I made it with Tenn in art!" He proclaimed popping the T.

    Clem slid it off his finger and admired it. She remembered making things like these. Over the past 3 weeks she gained the ability to freely walk. She was even jogging now. Sure it hurt from time to time but it was nothing she couldn't handle. "Let's put it on the very front of the tree. Sound good goofball?"

He nodded with sheer excitement. He bounced over hanging it on a stray branch. "Looks good little man," commented Louis. He wrapped an arm around Clem.

The two had gotten closer over the past 3 weeks. Their friends were relieved that they were finally able to show affection in front of them.

    It was Christmas Eve so the remaining students decided to sleep in the music room that night. Everyone placed their presents under the tree before they went to bed. "Do you open a present before you go to sleep?" Clementine asked. AJ was sitting in between her legs on the floor.

    Violet looked at Louis. "Not normally but," they nodded to each other. "We can make an exception," She finished.

    Clementine grabbed a present for James. It was small box. AJ gave Clem a box as well. Violet gave one to Louis while he gave one to Marlon who gave one to Violet and so on.

    Everyone opened their gifts. James took his time with his. The small box contained a pocket watch. "This is..."

    "He gave it to me to give to you if something were to ever happen," James eyes became glossy. She was never given the opportunity to give it to him.

    "I thought this was gone," He reached for her pulling her into a hug. "Thank you Clementine,"

    "Clem open mine!" Exclaimed AJ pushing the box forward.

    She opened it slowly. Inside was a strand of photos. They were of AJ and her spanning from when he was a baby to now. "AJ I love it,"

    "A lot of people helped me but they said I could take credit for it." Clem gave him a side hug.

She leaned her cheek on his head. "Your not supposed to say that part goofball,"

"Oh! Well then your welcome! It was all my idea!" He corrected. He got up and ran over to his and Tenn's new art supplies that they were given.

It had been a peaceful evening. Clementine couldn't have asked for anything better. Under the circumstances she wanted her time to be spent with the people that had given her a new life. One without bloodshed.

    Once everyone settled down into their beds the usual chatter and busy noises that occupied the music room were gone. It left her head quiet. She watched as her new found family slept peacefully.

     As quietly as she could she got up and walked out of the music room. The constant clicking of her leg proved difficult to silence.

Miraculously she made it out without waking anyone. The vacant halls reminded her of the abandoned buildings out in the field. They gave off the same feeling. The feeling of longing and loneliness. The closer she came to the main door the more apparent her breath was becoming.