Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here

For Better Or Worse

Clem hadn't moved since Tavia had escorted her back to the pen. As soon as the gates opened she ran for the bunk beds, taking shelter against the wall and burrowing her head in her knees.

She felt as if she attracted bad things. No matter where she went or who she was with something bad always seemed to happen when she was around. She felt like a bad luck charm constantly making trouble for everyone else. Even back at the greenhouse with Troy, maybe if she hadn't laughed at him he wouldn't have done what he did.

It was all her fault, she knew it. Everything was her fault.

Many people tried to get her to talk, to ask her what was wrong, but she never replied. They just assumed she didn't want to talk when in reality she had no inkling that they were even speaking to her.

It wasn't until Becca and Sarah (who came over against her fathers request) appeared did Clem finally looked up. The girls sat in front of her Sarah being the one to lay a gentle hand on the girls shoulder. Clem looked at her, not saying anything just waiting to see if anything the girl was about to say was worth putting her energy into.

"You okay? We're all sitting by the fire eating, but you haven't come over yet." Clem only looked at the girl, her eyes trained on her lips, only catching a few words, but the words she did catch didn't make sense enough to form a sentence. At least not one good enough for Clem to reply.

Clem's silence stumped her but Sarah being the persistent person she was tried again. "Want to play a game with us? We could use an extra person."

It wasn't until Sarah pointed behind her to the others did Clem form some idea what she could be saying. She shook her head as a reply letting the girls know she had no interest in joining the group.  

Clem didn't reply, instead she continued staring at the girl hoping she'd repeat what she said.

Sarah turned around, pointing over to where her dad was sitting as she spoke. "My dad found candy land! I think it'll be fun to-"

"N-NO!" Clem spoke clear, her voice loud. She didn't mean to yell, but her day was not going how she had intended. To top it off, Sarah had turned her head when speaking to her.

"L-Lo-Look..."  She stuttered, her face red in anger. "M-Me..." She groaned in frustration before trying again. "L-Lo-Look a-a-at m-me!" She forced the words out of her mouth, the words coming out slurred together.

Becca and Sarah looked at each other, both confused at the girls sudden outburst. 

Becca frowned, "What's your problem?"

Clem shook her head her grip around her legs tightening. "D-Du-Du-Duck!" He understood, he was the only one who knew her secret, other than Kenny and Carver. He'd help her, she needed help.

"Okay, hold I'll go get him." Becca stood to go get him from his bunk bed. She looked over at Sarah confused, but Sarah only smiled before turning her attention to Clementine. She didn't know what Clementine was talking about either but she didn't want her to sit alone.

Becca returned with Duck who was rubbing his eyes after being woken up so suddenly from his nap. "Here I brought him to you, maybe he can help you out better than what me and Sarah can...?"

Clem's eyes trained on the girls lips, her eyes slightly squinting, which didn't go unnoticed by Becca. She put her hands over her mouth, finding it weird to see Clem staring at her mouth so intently. 

"What are you, a lesbian or something?" Becca joked. She chuckled, though no one laughed with her. Duck looked over his shoulder, shaking his head as if to tell her it was not the time to be joking.