The Bird And The Worm (Violentine)

Chapter Eleven: Collarbone

The air seemed to brush through every metal bar; whistling its way into sending shivers down her spine.

She wasn't going to get another chance to do this.

Clementine's fist clenched at her side, shoulder aching in place as she took a deep breath, doing her best to calm herself.

Her fingers grazed the rusting metal door, ears perking at the squeak of the hinge as she pushed it open. Her gaze lifted off the floor, heart sinking into her stomach.

One of the raiders.

Dark sweatshirt. Dark hair. Stubble. Empty hands and rough looking knuckles.

A gulp.

Her head turned to her right, shivers running up her legs and leaving bumps across her arms.

Two more raiders.

One with dark skin, a military jacket, and a bit of a beard. The other, a woman. Blonde. Muscular.

The few exchanged glances, Clementine watching their stances tense as they took notice of her. Her heart pounded; assuring her they could probably hear it if they took just a few more steps.

She caught sight of the dark haired male clenching his fist out of the corner of her eye, not turning to him and ducking at the punch he soon threw.

She was doing this.

Her left hand raised, shoulder burning as she grabbed hold of his shoulder long enough to keep him down, right fist swinging up and colliding with his face.

The two on the right got to her next, the male raider being the first. His fist raised, aiming for her head, Clementine taking note of the woman just behind him and ready to get a hit in herself. With a quick duck under the man's arm, Clementine swung her right fist into the face of the woman; grabbing the man's arm as he threw another punch and using what strength she had with her body weight to flip him over her side. One punch. Two.

Before she could get in a third punch, the dark haired man grabbed her from behind, spinning her and shoving her back against the hallway wall. One punch. A hand at her throat, cutting off air. Another set of hands grabbing onto her left arm, holding, sending searing pain down her spine. Her right foot lifted, toes kicking into the brunette's knee, left arm tearing free and landing a punch that sent him to the floor.

The woman on her left grabbed her shoulder, using her fist to mark up her face. Another punch. Half bent over, out of breath, burning, Clementine grabbed onto the womans legs and pushed; flipping the woman onto her back and falling herself onto her side.

She couldn't breathe.

Her lungs begged for air, whimpers of pain leaving her mouth as she did her best to breathe; anything to satisfy the ache in her chest. The padding of palms against the floor in a hurry to stand made her mind race, chest aching and eyes rising to find the two men stumbling back onto their feet.

Her ears seemed to ring, her own heartbeat taking the place of any sound after that. Her hands grabbed onto the walls, knees sending her stumbling forwards until she was standing.

A fist hit her stomach, causing whatever air she had managed to get in to go right back out. She weakly made a fist with her right hand, aiming for the face of the man who had just hit her, only to nearly fall on her face as she missed. His knee came up, hitting her in the gut, sending her stumbling into the wall, fist hitting her temple.

Her brain electrified, sending signals to her hand that she hadn't even noticed until her knuckles were buried in the flesh of his cheek, eyes watching him fall.