Chapter Text
The throbbing in Clementine’s head was what woke her up. Well, that, and the obnoxious slap across her face.
“Wake up, bitch.” She heard someone say, venom in their words. It was Lilly. Clem could’ve recognized that voice anywhere.
As her eyes slowly opened, Clem attempted movement, only to find her hands were firmly restrained above her head. Though still regaining consciousness, she could tell where she was and what was happening; the boat was mostly sunk, bits of it still burning. She was sitting on the ground, tied to some kind of pole. Around two dozen people worked frantically, finishing off the horde and setting up tents and tables.
Her eyes finished scanning and landed on a very, very angry Lilly.
“You ruined everything. The entire fucking mission, RUINED by some brats!” Lilly spewed, staring right into Clem’s eyes.
Clem glared back, not backing down. “Yeah, that was the idea. Where are they?”
Lilly’s face turned into a sick grin as she scoffed, “Oh, I’m sure they went back to that little school of yours.” Lilly squatted down in front of Clem, leaning her face in close. “Seems they forgot some precious cargo in their rush.”
Clem huffed, saying, “Sorry to tell you, but not everyone leaves their own behind. They’ll be back.”
Lilly smiled again, a pit of anxiety planting itself deep within Clementine’s stomach. “You know? You’re right. They could come back. But for now, you’re mine.” She stood, leaving air for her words to sink it. She walked over to a crate, a few weapons laid on it. She picked up a baseball bat.
Clem wouldn’t give Lilly the satisfaction of seeing her afraid, even though that was exactly what she was. Was this how Abel felt? Even though she had tried to be as merciful as possible, she knew he must have been afraid.
“And trust me, I intend to make the most of our time.”
Lilly tossed the bat in her hand, back and forth. Deciding how she wanted to use it.
Clem’s attention turned towards a man, leaning against a nearby post, uglier than Abel with yellowed teeth and a lanky body, as he spoke, ”Don’t hurt her face too much.”
Lilly chuckled, looking back at the man. “Of course. Keep her all prettied up for you.”
Upon hearing the words, Clem had to process what they meant. She knew that sort of thing happened to people. It had happened to AJ’s mom. But never could it happen to her, right?
Lilly looked at Clem’s pale face, the way she trembled like a small child. “We have a lot of men here who are awfully far away from their wives. I’m sure that you will fill that role just fine for them.”
Clem had had enough. “You’re a gutless bitch. I can’t wait to see the day you realize that you’ve lost. The day that I put a knife in you’re fucking head!” Clem was pulling against her restraints, kicking at Lilly, doing everything she could to show her she wasn’t afraid, despite the fact she was.
Lilly smiled, looking down at the girl tied up. “You know, Lee would be disappointed in you. You’re pathetic.”
Fuck. Of course she had to mention Lee, she knew it pulled her heartstrings. Clem stopped fighting, trying her best not to get emotional. No. She’s wrong. He would be proud.
“Larry would be disappointed in you. You’re a murderer, a horrible excuse for a human being. You’re even worse than he was, and he was one of the worst people I knew. Not only that, he was a bad father who-”
Clem exclaimed, dizziness filling her head, adding to the throb. She felt blood running down the right side of her head, sticking to her hair and neck. She couldn’t think straight.
Lilly grabbed Clem’s chin, forcing her to look at her. “If you ever talk about my father again, I’ll cut your tongue out.”
She shoved Clem’s chin down roughly, the back of her head hitting the metal pole she was tied to.
Lilly got up, dropping the bat on the crate and walking off for a moment. Despite the pain in her head, Clem attempted to regain her composure. How do I get out of here?
She looked around, trying to find any sharp object she could use to cut the ropes holding her down. A rock, a shard of glass, anything. But she found nothing.
Clementine thought, looking at her surroundings. If she could break free, she could make a run for the bushes, then escape into the forest. From there she could just head to the school.
Or, she could send a signal to the others. Maybe if they saw she was alive they would come. Surely, they would come anyway, right?
Before Clem could ponder the question any longer, Lilly came back. This time, she looked pleased with herself, smug as usual. She glanced at Clem, before going over to the crate.
Lilly looked over them, finding some interest in a sledge hammer. She picked it up, making sure Clem could thoroughly see the object before walking over to her with it. She squatted down in front of Clem, finding joy in the hesitance in her face.
“I’m gonna level with you, since we were family once. You have two options. First, you go back to your friends, and convince them to come with us. It might make all of this worth it.” Lilly gestured to the wreckage behind her. “Or the second. I use this hammer, and make sure that you won’t be able to go back to your friends.” Lilly held the hammer menacingly close to Clem’s face.
Clem didn’t even consider it for a moment. She would never ask her friends, her girlfriend and AJ, to go with them, let alone force them to. She would rather die.
“Go to hell.” Clem gritted out, maintaining eye contact.
Lilly looked at her, silent for a moment. Then she chuckled, “Get me something to gag her. We don’t need her to attract more walkers.”
A bead of sweat ran down Clem’s cheek. She could do this. It’s just a little pain. She just had to endure this, and then before she knew it everyone would show up and save her like she had them.
A woman that looked to be in her 50’s jogged over, a ripped cloth in her hand. Lilly took it, grabbing Clem’s hair and holding her head against the pole. Clem fought, but the more she did, the tighter Lilly pulled her hair. Lilly pried her mouth open, shoving the cloth in.
Lilly held the hammer tightly in her hands, smiling. Clem looked between the hammer and Lilly, praying to God that something would prevent her from using it.
Looking back, Clem thinks she might not have prayed hard enough.
Lilly raised the hammer above her head, swinging it down as hard as she could against Clem’s shin. The sound of bone splintering and shattering filled the air, and Clem’s muffled screams followed them. Lilly’s eyes remained focused, not a single decipherable expression on her face. Clem fought back the tears trying to fall from her eyes, opting for screams and yells that accompanied the throbs in her lower leg.
Lilly raised it again, Clem shaking her head frantically, pleading for her not to. And with nothing but a blank stare, Lilly slammed it down, even harder, against the same spot. More cracks filled the air, as well as louder screams. This time, she couldn’t hold back her tears. Clem tried to keep it to a minimum, not wanting to give Lilly the satisfaction of seeing her cry, but her efforts came to an end whenever she looked down at her leg, seeing it quite literally dented. The entire calf was caved in, and twisted to an unnatural angle. The damage stopped just before her knee cap.
She threw the sledgehammer to the side, walking back over to the table. She found the knife she had earlier, and walked back over to Clem. She sat down in front of her, daring Clementine to look at her. And when she wouldn’t, Lilly used the blade of the knife to lift her chin, nicking her a bit.
She looked at the fear and pain in Clem’s eyes, the tears rolling down her face, and listened to the muffled sobs and cries coming from behind the cloth in her mouth.
Clem looked into her eyes, trying to find some form of mercy, or understanding in them. For a single moment, she thought she could see something close to sympathy. But just as fast as it came, it went, and her eyes were once again cold, lifeless orbs.
Lilly pulled Clem’s gag out, coughs and sobs more audible now. “I’m going to ask you one last time. We will take you to your friends, and you’ll convince them to come with us.” Lilly let the idea sink in, no more pain, no more throbbing, just her and her friends giving up and coming peacefully. Well, on their part anyway.
As much as it shamed Clementine to admit, even if for just a moment, she pictured what their life would be like if she agreed. A bed, clothes, food, water. Even if they were slaves who would be brainwashed and abused, they would be alive.
Her eyes hardened, her teeth gritted. But that wasn’t a life worth living.
“Fuck. You.” Clementine huffed out, with all the might left in her.
Lilly’s eyebrows raised, a bit surprised that Clem would be so spiteful in her current situation. She scowled, putting the gag back in her mouth.
Clementine prepared herself, both mentally and physically. The throbbing in her leg was still going strong, only amplifying when she adjusted herself on the pole.
Against Clem’s expectations, Lilly waved over a girl with red hair. At first, Clem paid no attention to her, but slowly she recognised who it was. Minerva.
“Go wait by her.” Lilly instructed, showing no remorse in her voice. Minnie did as she was told, her eyes glued to Clem’s injuries as she slowly approached her. It was truly incredible how much they had brainwashed her. Clementine wondered what her thoughts were, but as she observed the redhead’s blank face, she understood. She didn’t have any.
Lilly walked over, having finished talking to one of the guards. She reached for Minnie’s hand, and placed the hammer in it, then nodded towards Clem. “Have fun.”
Could this get any worse? Clem thought, mentally punishing herself for allowing them to get her in this position. She bit down on the rag in her mouth, knowing the pain that was soon to come.
Minnie raised the hammer, and with no hesitation slammed it down in the dead middle of the dent in Clem’s leg. Clem swore she heard a snap, and the pain that shot through every fiber of her being alerted her that her bone had finally broken off. She tried to keep all of her screams and tears at bay, knowing that the next swing would break her facade.
Once again, Minerva raised the hammer. But before she could bring it down, Lilly stopped her. Minnie looked at her, confused. Lilly pulled the gag out of Clementine’s mouth, dropping it on the ground beside her.
“The walkers are gone. Maybe her screams will bring those kids here.” Lilly suggested
Clementine wished she had better self control, but she was unable to bite her tongue as she yelled through her sobs, “You sick fucking bitches! I can’t wait until the day I get to watch the life drain from your eyes, you COWARDS! ”
Minnie’s eyes flickered for a moment, showing some sign of autonomy, but died again as Lilly huffed out, "Well, when that day comes, I will accept my fate. Hit her again, Minerva.”
And so she did. Minnie raised the hammer, slamming it down as hard as she could on the leg, this time splitting the skin open. Blood began to ooze out, and Clementine's screams filled the air. Some people had gathered around to watch, either a smile or frown on their faces.
Lilly took her bare hand, shoving it into the open wound in Clem’s leg, seeming to collect some blood. Clementine continued screaming, “STOP! PLEASE! FOR FUCKS SAKE!” She couldn’t stop crying, the pain was just too much. Like nothing she had ever experienced.
Lilly pulled her hand out, looking at the blood coating it. She tilted her head and rubbed it across Clementine's face, tracing tear lines down to her collarbone.
Clem grimaced, not liking the feel of her own blood on her face, especially with it being accompanied by agonizing pain. It felt as if her leg was on fire, like it was burning from the inside out.
The woman from earlier came over, tapping Lilly on the shoulder. She spoke in a hushed voice. “She’ll die if she loses any more blood. I have to stop the bleeding.”
Lilly stared at Clem, nodding. “Put the hammer back. We can finish with her later.” Minnie nodded, putting the hammer up, and glancing at Clementine before following Lilly into a tent.
The lady bent down, putting a tourniquet on Clem’s leg.
“You’re very strong. Showed a hell of a lot of courage just now.” The woman said, her voice low and head down.
Clem sniffled while looking down, her voice shaking. “Didn’t feel like it.”
The lady tightened the tourniquet, sending an apologetic look to Clem as she winced. “I am Lucy, the doctor. I was taken from my home too, and I wanna try to help you get back to yours.”
Clementine was surprised, but she tried not to let it show. She let out a small whimper of pain. “How?”
Lucy shrugged, beginning to stitch the gash in Clem’s leg up. “I don’t know yet. Give me until tomorrow at least to come up with a plan. I’m trying to get you out of here in a week at most.”
Relief washed over Clem, knowing that a week was the most she would have to spend in this hellhole. She mouthed a ‘thank you’. Lucy nodded, finishing her stitching and walking away.
The man who had made the remark about her face before was eyeing her, a disgusting glint of lust in his eyes. Clementine wanted to vomit even looking at him, let alone knowing the thoughts running through his head.
The man smirked, and walked over to her. She got herself ready for whatever sick things came out of his mouth.
He squatted down beside her, way too close for comfort. Clementine kept glaring at him, her eyebrows furrowed.
“That leg of yours must be hurting. Your little head too, poor thing.” He put his hand on the top of her head, Clementine unable to do anything except grimace. His hand trailed down to the left side of her face, playing with some of the loose hair there.
He leaned in even closer, his face a few inches from Clementines. She tried to back up, but only got about an inch before the pole stopped her.
He smiled, his gross and rotted teeth showing. “You’re really pretty, you know that? Girl like you shouldn’t be wasted.”
Clementine had had enough, “Fuck off. I’m not interested.” She grimaced, putting as much power into her voice as she could muster.
The man frowned, grabbing her hair and pinning her head against the pole behind her.
“Tell me, have you ever been with a real man? One that knows how to please a girl?” He looked at the scared look on Clementine's face, and the shame in her eyes. “Oh, you must be a virgin then.” The way that Clem’s eyes averted his and she gritted her teeth told him everything he wanted to know. “That’s alright, I’ll make you into a fine woman. Matter of fact, why don’t I just take you back to the cages right now and-” The man was cut off by Clem raising her good leg and kicking him in the balls.
The man doubled over, holding his crotch. He whimpered, rolling around on the ground. Clementine grinned to herself, satisfied with the pain she inflicted.
“You… you little bitch! I’m gonna fucking kill you!” The man stumbled up, taking his knife out. He raised it, but just before he could swing, Lilly grabbed his arm.
“You really wanna kill the only fuckable thing in a 100 mile radius?” Lilly interrupted, seeming to be serious about the question.
The man thought for a second, before putting his knife away. Lilly nodded, taking note of the disgusted look on Clem’s face.
“Soon.” The man said, walking away with a furious glare on his face.
Clementine looked down, trying to think. Was that man really about to do that to her?
Lilly came back over, two men following her. They were young and muscular. couldn’t be much older than herself.
“Put ‘er in the cages. Take the restraints off once she’s in.” She commanded. The boys obeyed. Clem tried to fight them, but the combined strength of them both with the throbbing throughout her head and leg was enough for them to easily overpower her. One of them threw her over his shoulder, hitting her crippled leg in the process. She exclaimed, “Fuck! Be careful!”
They ignored her, and carried her through the array of tents, placing her on the floor of a cage reminiscent of the ones from the boat. They cut her loose, turned around, walked out, and locked the door.
She huffed, dragging herself over to the wall. Every little movement hurt, but she managed to lean against the wall.
She couldn’t believe her circumstances. They were insane, absolutely absurd. She couldn’t even remember how she had managed to get caught. All she remembered was trying to get on the carriage with everyone, but just as she went to hop on, something spooked the horses and they took off. With everyone on it, except her.
Suddenly, loneliness overswept her. It had been a while since she was alone, usually having A.J. by her side. And she most certainly did not miss it.
In order to keep from crying, she closed her eyes, trying to get some rest. Eventually, a dreamless sleep overtook her.