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– I am gonna fucking kill you!
– I knew you would…
– Piece of shit…
Jane fell to the ground. Kenny grabbed her knife and jumped on top of her, aiming for the heart. Jane was barely holding him off.
– Clem… Help… – she said as helplessly tried to push Kenny away.
Clem was lying on the snow, with her wound reopened and bleeding again. "I have to help her. I need to stop him.." – she thought to herself. She picked up a gun that fell from her pocket and aimed at her friend. She knew she only had a few seconds. But she just couldn't do it. And then… it was over.
Clem approached the scene in front of her. She looked at Kenny covering his face, she looked at Jane's lifeless body, and the pool of blood forming around it. Then she looked at her gun again. A thought came into her head, a thought that scared her so much that she instantly pushed it out.
"No… I shouldn't be like him."
It seemed as if Kenny was ashamed of what he had done. Still, she could barely recognize her friend in him.
– AJ... he's gone, Clem. She... she just... How could she do that? Oh, Jesus. He's gone. He's…
– You didn't have to kill her, Kenny!
– I'm sorry, darlin', but I did.
And then they heard AJ cry in the distance. And everything became clear. Clem rushed to the car and found the boy hidden inside, alive and well. Kenny followed.
– Oh my God. he is alive Clem! Let me look at him!
Kenny reached out to AJ but Clem stepped back.
– Stay away from me!
– Clem…
– You just killed her! You killed Jane!
– She was nuts, Clem. A disturbed person that had her own agenda, and was looking out for herself.
– You are wrong, Kenny… I think… I think she was trying to show me something. To make a point…
– A point about what? – Kenny looked at her, puzzled.
– A point about you.
– Me? Clem, come on. You know I would never, ever hurt you. And at any point she could've stopped what was happening by saying he was fine. She wanted a fight, Clem!
Clem looked back at the rest stop. Jane hasn't reanimated yet, but Clem could never forget watching the knife go through her heart.
– You're… dangerous, Kenny.
– Clem, please…
– We're leaving.
– You… – Kenny paused for a second. – Fuck, Clem! You know I am not like that!
– Now I know what you are like.
With those words, Clem turned around and started walking away, still holding AJ in her hands. Kenny wanted to go after her, or yell something back, but deep down he knew - she was right. He failed her. He failed AJ. He could no longer trust himself to look after them. So he just stood there, watching her walk away into the blizzard, until her silhouette disappeared completely.
Clementine was sitting in the abandoned bus she used to stay at before she joined the New Frontier. It was one of those restless nights where she could just sit there staring at the wall for hours.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps. Somebody less experienced could've mistaken the sounds for an animal, but not her. Clem knew - a human was approaching. She stood behind the door, with a knife in her hand, ready to defend herself.
– Clem! It's me!
"Ava? What is she doing here?" – Clem thought to herself. Taking into account how they parted ways, it would be unwise of her to come here, alone. But Clementine decided to entertain her and opened the door.
– Hey there… Jesus, what's with the knife?
– A precaution.
Clem put her knife away.
– Why did you come here, Ava? Haven't you taken enough from me?
– I just wanted to check on you, that's all.
– Well, I am fine! Now leave, – Clementine was having none of it.
– Wait, Clem. Listen… I just wanna talk to you, okay? I know how pissed you are. Spitting on David really got that message across. But believe it or not, I am actually sorry about what happened. It wasn't easy for any of us.
Ava came closer.
– How is AJ?
– He… he is gone, Clem. Died last night. I am sorry.
Clem looked down, holding back tears.
– Thanks… for telling me, I guess. At least now I won't hold on to false hope anymore.
Ava came closer but Clementine stepped back.
– His death is still on you! If you would've just given him the medicine, he'd still be alive!
– I understand why you think that way, Clem. But trust me, there was no point! He was already too far gone. He was never gonna make it… It was just never meant to be.
Clementine looked Ava's straight in the eyes.
– I suppose we'll never know, won't we?
– Yeah. I guess so…
Clementine stayed silent for a few moments before speaking again.
– Just… Just go already. I've had enough of you for one evening.
– It's nighttime, Clem.
– Whatever! Just leave me alone!
But Ava stood still. Clementine started to get impatient.
– Alright, Ava. What the hell do you want?
– I've talked with David. About.. About you. And I managed to convince him to change his mind. He will give you another chance. You can come with me, back to your home, Clem.
– Are you serious?
– Yes! You don't need to stay here anymore. He is ready to accept you. No pre-conditions.
Clementine felt as if her blood began to boil.
– You people… You get AJ killed, and now you dare to ask me to return? All because David "forgave me"? Are you out of your fucking mind?!
Ava approached Clem aggressively, rolled up her own sleeve and held up her arm.
– When you join the New Frontier, you become part of it. Forever. This, – she pointed to the mark on her wrist, – is for life! That's what I told David yesterday, and that's what I am telling you! All of us are a family, Clem. And you're one of us!
– Yeah, right… I should totally go with you now that you reminded me about a burned drawing on my hand, – Clementine was at her limit, – Give me a fucking break, Ava! If I go with you now and then I get sick, who is going to decide if I am even worth spending resources on? Family, is that how you put it? Spare me the bullshit… None of you cared about us, you only care about yourselves. That hasn't changed, otherwise AJ would be alive right now, or at least you would've given him a chance… So why don't you just leave me alone already?
Ava was hurt by Clem's words, but chose not to push it.
– Fine. If that's how you want it to be… But remember, you'll always have a home at the New Frontier. And Clem? Can you promise me something…
– If this is about David, I…
– From the first time we met, right here, surrounded by absolute hell, you and AJ were a light in the darkness; hope for a better world! That's who you are. Promise me you'll never lose that light. Please... It's what makes you special, Clem. It's what keeps the rest of us going.
Clem looked at her in silence, thinking about the answer. Finally, she spoke:
– You're wrong. There is no more light in me left.
– Clem, I…
– If I see you again, I'll kill you, – she said coldly.
With those words, Clem turned around and closed the door. Ava stood there for a few minutes, hoping Clementine would change her mind, and then disappeared into the night.
It was a busy day at Prescott. A caravan just came in, and many residents were eager to trade their valuables. The bar, on the other hand, was surprisingly calm. Clem was hoping she could relax a bit there, maybe play some cards with Conrad and Francine. But just as she entered the room, she heard a voice that made her heart jump.
– Pour me another one!
Clem looked at the bar table in front of her. There was no mistake, it was definitely him.
She thought about leaving the place, but at the end chose to approach him. After all, she didn't have anything left to lose.
She sat at the table near Kenny and looked at him, but he was too focused on his drink to notice. So, she decided to speak up:
– Hello, Kenny.
Kenny's eyes widened as he finally noticed her.
– Shit! Clem, it's you! I… I never thought I'd see you again.
– Yeah. Me too…
A smile appeared on Kenny's face.
– Wow, you have grown so much since the last time I saw you! So, how's it been? It looks like you've got–
– AJ's dead. I… couldn't protect him.
Kenny's mood turned sour again. He looked down at his drink again.
– How… How did it happen?
– He got sick not too long ago. I tried to get him the medicine, but I got caught. They kicked me out. I wasn't even there when he died.
– Fuck… I just… I don't know what to say. I am so, so sorry, Clem…
– It is all my fault. I… left you. Took him away. I should've known I wasn't ready. I tried my very best to look after the boy. But it was all for nothing in the end.
– Don't say that, darlin'. If anybody is to blame here, it's me–
– You don't need to do this, you know? – she interrupted him, – I… learned to live with the guilt.
– No, Clem. Please listen to me. I found Wellington.
– So, it really did exist? I guess that's just another proof of my poor judgment.
– You don't understand. When you left, I was at the verge… I even thought about, you know, ending it all… I always do my best to push these thoughts away, but… This time, I just couldn't.
– What stopped you? – Clem asked.
– I realized that, if God wanted me dead, I would've died back when I was tryna save that shitbird, Ben. Since I was still alive, there must've been a reason for it.
– Kenny, do you still believe in God, after everything that happened?
– I don't know what I believe in anymore. But there has to be something… Some meaning to all of it. Anyway, I decided that I have to keep going. And so I did. Then I met up with another group. There was this guy, Randy, he has a wife and a boy around your age with him. They were looking for Wellington too, so we teamed up. Eventually, we found the place, but… they said they weren't accepting new members.
– So, it was all for nothing?
– Let me finish, darlin'. The three of us managed to convince the guards to at least take the kid in. We all thought he would be safer there. But we were wrong. The family and I stayed in the area, because we were still hoping that we could be accepted someday. Plus, they could visit their boy from time to time. And then… Wellington got raided. Some people attacked it, I don't even know all the details. But when we went there, there was nothing left. We walked among the ashes, looking for survivors… Nobody made it out, Clem.
Clem didn't respond, so Kenny continued.
– We found the kid's body too. The family was devastated. The mom was crying her eyes out on our way back. But the father stayed completely silent. I found 'em next morning. They hanged themselves on a tree near our house. I guess they just… gave up on life. Point is, had I brought you there, you and AJ would've both died in that raid. And I don't know what I would've done with myself if that happened.
– Wellington wasn't a paradize we hoped for…
– Yeah. So, don't blame yourself for what happened. At least you gave Alvin years of life he would've lost had we followed my plan instead. But I suppose even that wasn't enough to save him…
– So, perhaps there was never any chance to begin with… I guess, it was just never meant to be.
– Yeah. I guess so…
Kenny took another drink, then continued.
– Well, as I said, if anybody is to blame for what happened, it would be me. I lost control, pushed you away. It should've never happened to begin with.
– I… don't think so, Kenny. You and me, we were family. A real family. It's not about blood, or some kind of mark, it's about the connections we make with each other. Family… It's worth dying for. And… You don't just give up on family. You were in a dark place. But instead of reaching out, I got scared and left you alone. That's on me!
– What's the point of stayin' with me when I can't even protect my own people? Katjaa. Duck. Walt. Sarita… They are gone, because I couldn't protect them.
– I got people killed too, you know. Lee. Chuck. Ben. Omid. They are dead because of me. And I didn't think about it that way back then. But I realize it now… We aren't that different in that regard.
– Still, I can't help but blame myself for what happened with Jane…
– It doesn't matter who's to blame! What matters is, what we do next. Because the way I see it, we can either walk away from each other now, never to see each other again. And then you can drown yourself in alcohol if you want, or whatever the hell you do in your free time these days. Or, we can actually do what family is supposed to do: stay together and fight for each other, until the very end. So, what's it gonna be, Kenny?
For a while, the two sat in silence. Then, he finally responded:
– I think that's enough drinking for me.