Chapter Text
Minie could still feel the empty space of shaft in her shoulder. The bolt, ironically made by her own hands, left a wound that hadn’t much healed over the last few days, but her stomach seemed to have had it much worse, forcing her into a depressive anxiousness at the mere thought of talking to Tenn, Violet, or god forbid Louis.
Not that he could talk back, she vividly remembers his screams from when his tongue was violently removed. Thankfully Assim and Omar kept their heads down and out of sight, not that they could do anything from behind their bars.
Their previous position reminded her of her own, locked in a basement, the smell of blood and mold constantly assaulting her nose. Atleast some sunlight could be seen, even if she could barely see it given the tight lock and chain on the cellar door.
She thought of Lilly, what she put her through, what she put them all through. She wasn’t wrong, for the most part atleast. The world needed a strong hand to guide it, to command it so that civilization could exist, no one could deny that, but they did. Ruby, Violet, Mitch, Willy…Clementine, Clementine did. She wasn’t sure what Lilly saw in her so much, maybe the qualities of a leader. A leader that protected, a leader that put their own neck out, a leader better than Marlon.
He was a coward, it was kind of a shock to hear he was dead by a child’s hands, but given the boys rising death toll it couldn’t be too surprising. All the ways she planned to get her revenge, for selling her and Sophie out, for giving them away to be used, even if for a good cause.
Was it though? Was it so good that she and her sister were turned into child soldiers? The world isn’t fair, she sighed. Hiding away in this forest wasn’t much better, living like animals, barely having a roof over their heads. She missed the hot showers The Delta had, even if they were barely five minutes.
Society needed to exist, to progress, and force was needed to keep it all together, but she wasn’t so sure that Lilly needed to be so firm in her power. If she just let her talk to them, they could’ve been convinced instead of kidnapped, convinced instead of stabbed, muted and shot. Not all leaders are perfect, she mused.
Atleast she was away from the war, away from…Sophie, her memory. Violet looked so hurt when she said it, Tenn was so hurt, what she did, what she had to do. She had no choice in the matter, but they didn’t seem to understand that. They tried to get away and Sophie didn’t want to go back, no matter the cost. Or did she? The only thing she could do after Lilly ordered her death was beg.
Minie’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud rattle of chains, followed by a wooden creak and an increase of light further down the cellar.
She wanted to speak, order them to let her out, beg for forgiveness, something, anything really. But she didn’t make a sound, the rope around her limbs still securing her to that chair.
Past the distant shelves, “He died there,” a voice said, Minerva recognizing it to be Tenns friend, Clementines kid, AJ. “Abel, Ruby said he had internal bleeding or something. We stabbed him so he didn’t turn.” He spoke out louder this time, ensuring if Minie could hear him.
Her mind drifted to his and Lilly’s argument on the deck, how they had beaten and bruised him before killing him. “He begged.” He stated a little quieter, before movement and rattling could be heard once more, the distant sunlight fading from down the cramped cellar. She could hear murmurs, from the boy and someone else, likely someone worried about him being near her by himself.
Looking to her left in the dim light, she recognized what he was talking about. In a dark room further down, she could see a small and dried pool of blood in the doorway. Abel wasn’t a great man by any means, an asshole really, rarely looking out for anyone other than himself. No one much liked him but he was reliable. Not that it helped him here.
Why the boy came down to speak on him was beyond her, probably to multitask while getting some of their stored equipment. The only other person to have even seen her since she got shoved down here was Omar and Ruby, bringing her small meals and ensuring she had time to…relieve herself.
It wasn’t that embarrassing, they were made strip naked and plunge back at The Delta, now that was embarrassing, some bullshit military training she could guess. Atleast they somewhat cared for her as a person here rather than a soldier, if barely.
She heard a distinctive yell from the outside, one high pitched and young. Willy probably, given the daylight it was probably approaching the evening, meaning everyone was getting back from their daily duties. Further murmurs ricocheted off the concrete walls, more feminine this time, and near the cellar door. Clack, clack, clack, someone was standing right by it, on the cracked concrete slab everyone seemed to trip on.
It was silent, if only for a minute. Minerva waited for seemingly forever before the door was opened, it’s chained being unlocked in moments. Light again poured in, with slow and deliberate shuffling coming down the hall. Clack, clack, clack, and there they were. Clementine.
~
“Hey goofball!” Clem stated aloud, the cheerful boy rushing her and hopping into her lowered arms. Before she could ask about his day the boy grabbed the bucket of fish and ran off, his face expressionless. Confused, she prepared called out before a hand touched her shoulder, “He’s been kind of quite today, even when he was dealing with Tenn, he was kind of…out of it.” Assim stated plainly. “Any reason why?” She asked concernedly, getting a thoughtful glance from the boy. “He talked to Minie.” he responded.
She was pissed, not only did AJ start a conversation with the mentally ill murderer in the basement, but she had clearly talked back. She intended to go to AJ first, but and Tenn were nowhere to be found, his seemingly disappearing after handing the fish to Omar. Just in case, she would check the cellar first.
Approaching it, uncomfortably so given her crutches were a bit lopsided on the grass, she stepped onto the concrete entrance only to find it locked tight. Thinking further, the boys had likely ran off to one of their rooms, chatting and playing as they usually did. She was prepared to turn around and look there, but she stopped before she did. Staring at the cellar door further, she realized she hadn’t talked to Minerva since her capture, the wandering woman being brought in reluctantly by James and leaving promptly after.
She wasn’t exactly in the best condition, instead of fighting off the walkers by the boat as was expected, she looked to have made a run for it. Getting lost in her delirious state after being shot and thrown around by a bomb, the bolt still in her shoulder. She wished James stuck around a little longer, hoping to talk about their fight regarding AJ in the cavern, him clearly not reciprocating.
All she ever said to Minie when she was apprehended was to not resist, before promptly locking her in the cellar, not that she helped at all, the blood loss from her missing leg had stopped her from such. Her strength had seemingly returned though, allowing her to help with various duties around the place, including fishing with her girlfriend.
She bent down and unlocked the chains on the thought of Violet. Minerva may not be the person she once was, but she’d be damned if she just left her to suffer in a mold covered cage. Violet needed her back, as a friend, even after all the mourning she clearly was hurt by the fact the Minie she knew seemed to be gone.
In fact, Violet had asserted that Minie was gone after talking to her before the attack. Not that she agreed with her own assertion, Clem could see it. The door creaked open and she climbed down slowly, her crutches shakily putting her down on the cold floor. Her singular boot held her steady as she made her way down the hall.
She slowed her approach to the doorway, peaking in to see if the girl was even awake but spotting only her bright blue eyes on her own. They both were silent, not even their breath was audible for what seemed like forever.
Clem shifted over, stepping into then leaning on the doorway. “Hey.” She stated, eyes still locked with nervousness permeating them both. “Hi.” Minie responded, her face expressionless. Clem slid down carefully, leaning her crutches on the other edge of the doorway as she breathed in and sat.
They both tried to start, opening their mouths to pronounce lost syllables and stopping suddenly. Minie, seeing Clem's hesitancy, blurted out suddenly “I’m…I’m not, I’m uncomfortable.” looking to the floor in what appeared to be anxiety and anger.
Perplexed but getting an idea, Clem didn’t answer, only getting up slowly and shuffling over to the girl without her crutches. She grabbed the side of Minie’s chair as she leaned in, suddenly and violently pulling the back of it towards her, Minie now facing a wall. She fidgeted with the ropes, just enough to lighten their harsh grip and give a little circulation back to the girl only to be pushed back in her old position with Clem leaning over her with a glare, previously neutral expression and nervousness gone in thought to one of the main reasons she came down here.
Clementine breathed heavily, her sigh blowing a bit of Minie’s hair back and up, despite her sitting she still almost matched Clems standing height. “What did you say to AJ?” Clem ordered more than asked in a firm voice. Minie, not immediately responding, had Clem suddenly yanking the bottom of her chair up, leaving the redhead with a slight falling feeling. “What. Did. You. Say.” She again spat.
Matching Clems sudden anger with her own, she only stated “Fuck-” before being suddenly lowered from her chairs front raised position to the floor. It was done with enough care for her to not hit her head but still whiplash the girl. Clem leaned over the girl, hands on the now skyward front of the chair, “Do you want to eat tonight?” she stated, a monotone expression returning, remembering she still needed to befriend the girl for Violet's sake.
Clearly annoyed and having her senses returned, “I didn’t say shit, he came down here and rambled then fucked off, why the hell are you both-” she got out before her chair was yanked up again. Clem surprised herself, realizing she had somehow kept her balance while throwing around a girl nearly twice her size, without even flinching mind you. Taking a moment to be impressed, she then leaned in again, ensuring Minie only had time to listen rather than talk.
“Do you love Tenn?” She asked, seeing a mix of shame and shock on Minie’s face before continuing, “He loves you, his sister, his only sister.” She layed on, remembering the girl's speech about how Sophie had to die, hoping to pile on memory after memory in her mind. Minie looked ready to bite her with anger, a scowl forming and a sharp breath being brought in, but before she could say anything Clem suddenly grabbed her shoulders.
A shout was heard down the hall. “Clem?!” A feminine voice sounded, concern evident. “I’m fine!” She shouted back, Minie holding back any sort of argument she would’ve had moments before, anger turning to anxiety. Steps were heard quickly approaching, Violet seeming to sprint through the junk and trash littering the dark floor.
Before the girl reached them, Clem had managed to quickly hobble over and grab her crutches, knowing she would be mad for visiting the girl alone. Stealing a glance at the girl, Clem saw Minie looking and away from the doorway, her expression hidden by the large mat of hair she had.
Leaning out and glancing down the hall, Clem was nearly headbutted by Violet, sudden shock having them both suddenly jump to avoid the collision. Her impeccable balance was gone it seems, as she suddenly landed on the floor with a harsh thud and pain in her ass. “Clem!” Violet shouted, quickly walking and leaning over to them, pulling her back to a standing position as Minie continued to look away in Clem's peripherals.
She chuckled, “Why’d you run over like that?” Clem asked with a grin on her face. “Like what?” Violet retorted with worry lacing her voice, “Oh, uhh...Omar wanted me to tell you that dinner’s ready.” She shot out, avoiding Clem's unspoken accusations.
The blonde shot a plain glare at the captive, the girl's face still unseen, then pulled Clem's right hand, “We both know cold stew is shit.” Vi said with a smile, ignoring the other girl's presence and apparent fear of Minerva. “Assim said you were looking for AJ?” She asked, almost mumbling, as she started to tug at Clem, slow clacking echoing down the halls as unfinished words were left unspoken.
~
Minerva listened as the pair talked, making their way up and out of the concrete enclosure, not closing the wooden plank of a door behind them. She knew that Omar would be bringing her food soon, and how she would practically be held at gunpoint as she did so, likely with Assim or Ruby flanking him at all times.
They were scared of her. Violet…Violet was scared of her, scared of what she would do, what she would do to Clementine. Could they blame her? She nearly got them all killed, not that she didn’t know attacking heavily armed people on a fort of a boat was a good idea.
Not that it was a good idea to leave everyone to Lilly’s control, Louis was proof of that. Clementine was better than Marlon at the least of things. She sighed loudly, the distant light had been fading over the last few minutes without her noticing, the evening setting in gradually.
Clem hadn’t said much and had more to say, what was it? She looked so determined, even desperate for her to get her piece out, to spat basic bullshit questions like if she loved her family, then add on some greater point.
Violet, it was probably something about Violet. She wasn’t clueless, the love of her life had clearly moved on, moved on to that brown eyed bitch. Yeah, she was thought dead for a year, but falling for the first loud and thick headed girl that came along? Atleast her type was still the same.
That fuck really liked to take things huh? Take her revenge on Marlon, take her position in the Delta, take Violet…take.
“I don’t have a place in Ericssons anymore, this isn’t my fucking home.”, she thought, more saddened than angry, knowing she couldn’t take it back especially with how they think of her.