The kiss lingered between us, soft and quiet, until a gust of wind rattled the windowpanes. Rain pattered against the glass in a sudden downpour, the temperature dropping just enough to make me shiver.
Rhett pulled back slightly, studying my face. "You cold?" His thumb brushed over my bare shoulder. "Got another blanket in the wardrobe if you want it."
"Yeah," I admitted. "A bit."
Without hesitation, he slid out of bed—not even bothering to cover himself—and crossed the room to yank open the wardrobe. I watched as he grabbed a thick wool blanket, his movements efficient despite the dim light.
He returned just as quickly, tossing the blanket over us before climbing back under the covers. The added warmth was immediate, and I instinctively curled closer to him.
Rhett's arm settled around me again, his fingers tracing idle patterns along my spine. "You ever killed before?" he asked suddenly, voice low.
I shook my head. "No."
He nodded, jaw tightening slightly. "Good. As long as I'm alive, I'll do my best to make sure you won't have to."
The weight of that promise settled between us. I didn't know how to respond, so I shifted the subject instead.
"You know I dated Minerva," I said. "Everyone here knew. But... what about you? Ever been with someone before?"
Rhett shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Not like what you had. Dated a girl named Mary for like, two months. She died at the start of the outbreak."
I blinked. "You were nine."
Another shrug. "Like I said. Not serious. Just dumb kids playing around."
Before I could respond, a sharp crash echoed from outside—followed by shouting.
Rhett and I froze, locking eyes.
Then we were moving, scrambling for our clothes as the commotion grew louder.
We barely had time to process the shouting before we burst into the courtyard to see AJ pointing a gun at Marlon, his small hands trembling but his aim steady.
"Where's Clementine?!" AJ screamed, his voice cracking with panic.
Louis stepped forward, hands raised. "AJ! Put the gun down!"
Marlon's face was twisted in fury. "Get this fucking psycho away from me!"
"Where is she?!" AJ demanded again.
"She's... she's in the basement!" Marlon spat. "She murdered Brody!"
A ripple of shock went through the group.
"What?" Willy gasped.
Just then, Clementine emerged from the shadows, tossing a flashlight to the ground. Blood streaked her face, her expression hard.
Mitch recoiled. "Is that blood on your face?"
Ruby looked sick. "Why Brody?"
Aasim's voice was tight. "Did you see it happen?"
Willy's hands shook. "Is she a walker now?"
Rhett's grip on my hand tightened as he pulled me slightly behind him, his body tense like a coiled spring.
"That's bullshit, Marlon!" Clementine snapped. "You killed Brody! You hit her so hard, her head split open!"
Marlon's face contorted. "That's a lie! I saw you kill her!"
"What the hell is going on?!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos.
Marlon pointed at Clementine. "Look at her hands! She's covered in Brody's blood!"
Aasim paled. "Jesus Christ, Clem."
Tenn's voice was small. "What did you do?"
Rhett stayed silent beside me, his fingers laced with mine, his grip almost painful.
Marlon suddenly lunged, shoving AJ to the ground and snatching the gun from him. Louis quickly helped AJ up, his face ashen.
"We saved their lives when anyone else would've kept walking!" Marlon roared, waving the gun wildly. "We fed them, we kept them warm! And this is how they thank us?! Guns being pulled and murder! Well, fuck them!"
Willy looked horrified. "What the fuck?"
Mitch stepped forward. "Marlon?"
Omar muttered under his breath. "Jesus Christ."
Clementine didn't back down. "You shoot me, and what do you offer up to your raider friends when they come knocking?!"
Aasim's head snapped toward her. "What the hell is she talking about?"
"He won't do it because he needs us alive!" Clementine continued, her voice sharp. "Brody told me Marlon was gonna give me and AJ up to raiders in exchange for safety! The same way he gave up Sophie and Minnie!"
Ruby gasped. "Oh, my God!"
Marlon's face twisted. "Shut the fuck up, Clementine!"
Aasim stepped forward. "Let her talk!"
"Brody told me the truth," Clementine said, her voice steady despite the blood on her hands. "And that's when Marlon killed her!"
Marlon let out a strangled laugh. "Aw, come the fuck on! They only met up with these 'raiders' because Clem insisted they go out there! Quite the coincidence, isn't it? Shame I don't believe in those!" He gestured wildly. "Think about how scared we all were when the adults left! I pulled us out of that fear! I gave us all courage again! Who are y'all gonna believe, huh?! Johnny-come-lately and her little fucking lunatic?! Or me?! Your friend?!"
Omar hesitated. "She did help us get food."
Aasim crossed his arms. "What good is food if a group of outsiders is gonna come along and take it? I'm just saying."
Willy rubbed his face. "Man, this is fucked up!"
Ruby's voice was quiet. "We don't know her, y'all. I hate to say it, but we don't."
Clementine turned to me, her eyes pleading. "Violet, you have to believe me."
Before I could respond, Rhett snapped.
"Don't bring my girl into this!" he snarled, stepping forward. "You've been here, what, two days?"
Clementine's jaw tightened. "So you'll let Marlon shoot me? Seriously?"
Rhett paused, then shrugged. "Guess so."
I shook my head, pulling my hand from his. Before he could stop me, I stepped between Marlon and Clementine, my hands raised.
Rhett cursed and immediately moved in front of me, shielding me with his body.
Marlon scoffed. "Violet and Rhett being difficult. Why am I not surprised?"
"Put down the gun," I said firmly. "Now. We're gonna do this the right way."
Aasim nodded. "Stand down, Marlon. Be reasonable."
The group slowly closed in around Marlon, their expressions a mix of anger and betrayal.
Marlon's hands shook. "You don't get it. You... you don't understand at all, do you? I'm trying to protect you! All of you! Every fucking one of you!"
Clementine's voice was sharp. "How does pointing a loaded gun around protect anyone?! Brody's dead! Sophie and Minerva are gone!"
Rhett muttered under his breath, "You didn't even know them."
Tenn's voice cracked. "What about my sisters? Did you protect them?"
Clementine glared at Marlon. "You suck at protection!"
Marlon's face twisted. "Shut your fucking mouth! I made the right call! I saved the lives of everyone in this fucking school! If they came back... I'd do it again!"
Ruby recoiled. "Excuse me?"
Aasim's voice was icy. "I didn't realize we were so fucking expendable."
Mitch spat on the ground. "You're a dick."
Tenn's eyes filled with tears. "You told me they died."
Marlon's shoulders slumped. "I had to save the rest of you, okay?"
Tenn's voice broke. "You gave my sisters away. Why would you do something like that? I trusted you, Marlon! THEY trusted you!"
Clementine stepped forward, her tone softer now. "He was in a tight spot. He did the wrong thing, but he thought it was for the right reason. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't have to pay for it."
Tenn's tears spilled over. "We all trusted you."
Marlon's voice was barely a whisper. "I know... I know... I wanted to get them. Stage some kind of rescue. Honest, Tenn. I just couldn't. I was... I was too afraid."
Tenn swallowed hard. "You killed Brody because she knew?"
Marlon nodded, his eyes hollow. "Mm-hmm. I didn't mean to. I didn't want this. I wanted to save all of you. Sophie, Minerva. I didn't want to hurt them."
Clementine took another step. "We can still fix this, Marlon. It's going to be okay. We can make this right."
Louis nodded. "We'll help you. We're all family here. The only one any of us has left."
For a moment, it seemed like Marlon might listen. His shoulders sagged, and then—
He dropped the gun.
"I know I betrayed you," he said quietly. "All of you. Just let me leave. You'll never have to see me again. Just let me become... a bad memory. Just give me that. Please."
I opened my mouth to respond—
"You don't—"
A gunshot rang out.
Marlon's head snapped forward, a hole blown through the back of his skull.
Silence.
Then—
AJ lowered the smoking gun, his face eerily calm.
"What?" he said, like he hadn't just executed someone in cold blood.