The Walking Dead: Return to Paradise

Chapter Two: The Minerva Situation

"They're back!" Wily's voice echoed through the trees.

Clem and Violet could see the smoke of the campfire, letting them know Omar had begun cooking already. Everyone was sitting down waiting for the food to be ready, Louis was in a heated discussion with Ruby and Asim, AJ and Tenn were watching Omar throw herbs into a large pot with great interest and Minerva was sitting alone again, staring out at the tree line.

"Hey! The scavengers have finally returned, what'd you girls find?" Louis stood up and dramatically waved his hands around.

"Shit all." Violet said flatly, taking a seat with them.

Clementine took the rifle off her back and showed it to the group.

"This is about it, figured it'd be good to have for emergencies."

"Very cool. Noisy, but very cool." Louis nodded.

They chatted until dinner was ready, the subject varied from personal anecdotes to arguments about whether or not somebody could keep a walker as a pet.
Omar finally brought over his concoction, a stew with chunks of meat from the hunt earlier that morning. Clementine saw Tenn bring a bowl to Minerva who still had no interest in dining with them.
Once they had all finished, Louis pulled out his card deck with as much pomp and ceremony as humanly possible.

"Tonight's game is blackjack," he said while dealing out two cards to everyone at the table.

"What's that?" AJ asked.

"It's real simple, little man.."

Louis gave AJ a brief rundown of the rules of blackjack. Once he seemed confident, they continued.

"What's the twist?" Clem asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Twist?" Louis said, puzzled.

"Come on, there's always a twist with your games."

"Ok, you got me. AJ and I found something while we were out, first to win five rounds gets it."

"It's really cool!" AJ could barely contain his excitement.

The prospect of winning something 'really cool' had given Clem a newfound focus on the game. She peeked at her cards, a five and a three.

"Hit me." She told Louis.

She added the new card to her hand, a jack. She decided to stay.
Once Louis had gone around the table, they all turned over their cards.

"Looks like I win." Violet said smugly.

"Oh we're just getting started." Asim dramatically cracked his knuckles and tossed his cards back to Louis.

Clem's luck was getting better, she had won three hands, Louis and AJ had won once and Violet and Asim were tied at four.
They had been playing for a long time, Clementine considered inviting Minerva to join them but she was nowhere to be seen.
The hands were dealt, Clem looked at hers; a pair of kings. She was practically guaranteed the win this round, everyone turned their cards over.

"Ace and a queen." Violet said,  smiling at her cards.
Louis applauded and stood up from his chair.

"A deal's a deal. Wait here while I go get it."

He left the table and entered the dorms. AJ was sitting opposite giggling uncontrollably.

"What's so funny, goofball?" Clem asked.

He narrowed his eyes and grinned.

"You're gonna love it, Violet."

Louis returned carrying something he had wrapped in his coat. He placed it on the table in front of Violet and dramatically unveiled it. On the table sat a kukri machete, the sheath was made of battered leather with a steel tip on the end.