#vilotine

Through the pitch black surroundings, Clem could make out one voice that echoed around her body. She could feel the arms of the person holding her tightly while she sobbed into their chest and she could feel the way their voice rumbled throughout their chest as they brushed hair behind her ear in a comforting manner.

“Sweetpea?” Clem’s eyes flew open as she looked into his eyes, Lee’s eyes, as he smiled comfortingly at her. His voice rumbled through his chest as he opened his mouth to speak and Clem could feel it through her fingertips resting on his chest, “You were having a nightmare.” Clem looked around her surroundings and recognized the old camper, the one where sick Duck resided in, the one where Kenny still had some hope, the one where all of those people were still alive. Looking back at Lee, Clem took in a deep breath and rested herself back into his arms in an attempt to enjoy the moment one last time. “I was having a nightmare,” Clem whispered out as she shut her eyes and focused on the feeling of being held by Lee, “I got bit and... And... I don’t really remember anything after that.” Clem could feel Lee’s body shift after hearing that she had a nightmare about being bit, she could feel that he was upset about it. “I will never let that happen, Sweetpea.”

Clem could feel the cold sweat break out all across her skin again so she pulled herself away from Lee to look down at her arms. She was older again, her body was shaking, and the bite... The bite felt like it was on fire on her wrist. As she looked up she saw she was in a different place, this time she was in that old station where Lee asked to be cuffed, but this time... She was the one cuffed and AJ stood over her. “Where’s Lee?” Clem hoarsely whispered out and with a feverish mind glanced around quickly in an attempt to find the man. AJ didn’t say anything, only stood over her with his little gun being held tightly in his hands for he was aiming at her head. He was shaking and crying, Clem could hear his little whimpers slip past his lips as he lifted his finger on and off of the trigger of the gun.

“You have to do it AJ,” Forgetting about Lee, Clem focused on the little boy towering over her. She lifted up one of her hands and gripped the gun, pressing it against her forehead as a smile formed on her lips, “I love you, goofball.”

The gunshot startled her and she could feel her eyes fly open as she struggled out of someone's arms.

Falling to the ground with a groan and a heavy thud, Clem heaved in breaths into her lungs in an attempt to cool her burning body down. “Clementine?!” She could recognize the little voice calling out to her and she could feel his hands grip onto her weak, hot arm. Looking over, her eyes met with the real AJ’s, not the dream AJ. A shaky smile formed on Clem’s lips as she sighed, her weak arms wrapping around him in a crumbling hug. “I’ve missed you, goofball,” Clem barely whispered out as she savored the moment of AJ being in her arms, probably for the last time. “Clem, we have to go!” Violet, this time, cut through her foggy mind as she gripped onto her other arm to tug her up.

Small bits of memory started to bubble back into Clem’s hazy mind. They broke into the camp and got back AJ but shortly after finding him, she passed out. Someone must have gotten her and dragged her out of the place shortly after she passed out, and she was grateful for that. Clem, stumbling to her feet finally, clung onto Violet’s shoulders with her arm and allowed herself be practically dragged away. She could hear the commotion behind her, gunshots and groans from walkers loudly echoing around them and the musty, humid air hung heavily on all of their skin. Thankfully, it didn’t take all of them long to find a place to sit and calm themselves from the previous situation.

They all sat near a dirt road, the sky turning dark as the sun set somewhere they couldn’t see due to the dense forest surrounding them. Clem sat next to Violet, her head resting on her girlfriend's shoulder as she rested her eyes, they were burning due to feeling extremely dry and she couldn’t help but cry to rid of the sensation. AJ sat on her other side, his hand holding tightly onto Clem’s who held his hand back loosely. They all knew what was coming next and it was approaching much faster than they all liked. Clem, however, smiled at the moment as she opened her eyes and looked over to Violet.

“I just remembered the time when I met Lee,” Clem’s voice hoarsely groaned out as she felt AJ’s hand tighten even more around hers. Violet, turning to look over at her now very pale girlfriend, smiled sadly. Violet’s lips quivered as her smile desperately wanted to drop into a frown, but she held it strongly as best as she could. Clem turned her head slightly to look into Violet’s eyes, and though she felt nothing but a burning sensation throughout her body, she smiled more and leaned over to place her lips on Violet’s cheek. Violet felt her body start shaking as tears now threatened to slip down her face, she was struggling hard to hold them back, however, Clem saw right through her. “It’s okay to cry, you know I love you,” Clem’s free hand cupped Violet’s cheek, her weak and weary smile quivering along with hers. AJ, who hung his head low, let out a choked sob and let his tears slip down his cheeks. Clem, now turning to focus on him, squeezed his hand as best as she could and inhaled deeply. She was now crying with them, she couldn’t hold it back any longer.

The three sobbed and cried together as they huddled closer to one another in an awkward sitting embrace, but none of them complained. None of them had any more words to share, none of them were ready to say goodbye, but it was time. Clem was ready but at the same time not, she didn’t want to leave but she knew all would be well without her. Especially with AJ and Violet taking care of one another. Violet and AJ stood up, both looking at each other with puffy, swollen faces from crying, and then they both looked down to the one person they both loved so very much. Clem looked back with her eyes half-lidded and a small smile, she parted her lips to say one last thing but her body convulsed and she broke out into violent coughs and gasps.

“I can’t do it,” Violet whispered out as her hands covered her face, “Clem, I’m sorry.” She kneeled down and kissed Clem’s lips one last time. Violet could taste the blood that Clem coughed up on her lips as she pulled away, but as she looked back into Clem’s eyes all she saw was a girl content with what she has done with her life. Violet pressed her forehead against Clem’s, both of their eyes closing as Violet whispered out, “Goodbye, love.” Violet then stood up and turned away. She started to walk off but paused, she wanted to turn around and look back, but she didn’t. Her hands clenched and she shook her head as she pushed herself to keep walking.

Now AJ stood over Clem, shaking and crying as he looked down to the girl who he has known all his life. She smiled back to him, her dreary eyes watering up as her lips parted to suck in more air. It was quickly becoming more and more difficult to breathe in, but Clem still struggled and tried. AJ pulled the gun out from his waistband and raised it up to Clem’s forehead, the barrel of the gun nearly resting right against her sweaty skin. He was now sobbing, his finger shakily lifting on and off of the trigger as his eyes flooded with tears. He almost couldn’t see Clem anymore.

She raised her hand and grasped the barrel of the gun, her hand pulling and resting it against her forehead as a shaky and small smile quivered onto her lips, “You know I love you so, so much and you know you have to do this, AJ. This is the last thing I ask of you to do.” AJ nodded his head, a croaking sob wracked through his body, “I love you, too, Clem.”