Chapter 38- No

- Clementine's POV

I closed my eyes, I couldn't help but wonder what it'd feel like. Would I feel the thing enter my skull? How would AJ react? Louis? Would they even be okay? "I'm sorry." I heard him say, just above a whisper. That was the last thing I heard. Well...until I realized that high-pitched sound was my own scream. My eyes shot open feeling a sharp, unimaginable pain in my left leg. I saw Louis with a look of determination, and then I noticed the axe lodged inside my leg. "What the f*ck, Louis?!" I screamed, holding my thigh with my cold hands. He looked guilty. And hurt beyond belief. But he ignored me, pulling it out and swinging down again. Tears streamed out of my eyes as he looked to me a moment, then back to the injury he'd created. One more swing. I felt something shift. It wasn't a good feeling, either. The boy (somehow) created a small fire in the fireplace, heating the axe directly on top of the hot wood. He ran up to me, cupping my face and squeezing my hand. This pain was unbearable, why the h*ll was I still alive?! "Clem, I'm sorry. I can't let you die." He said, feeling my temperature. I noticed the worry in his eyes as he looked over me, leaving the wound open for now.

Louis grabbed the axe, now almost glowing red. He was...I didn't want to think about it. "Clementine, listen. This is going to hurt, okay? Grab into something, try not to scream. I promise, you'll be okay soon." With that he pressed the burning axe to my leg, searing closed all the veins and really the whole thing. I cried, trying to suppress the screams that threatened to leave my mouth. It'd be too loud if I did, as much as I wanted to. The tears didn't stop, but I was definitely awake now. I watched him work, pressing it against what remained of my leg. It was then that I noticed the bottom part - the part with the bite - on the ground beside me. I gagged seeing it detached from my body. This was unnatural. My vision went blurry watching Louis look between my face and my leg, focusing but also distracted. His face was the last thing I saw.

- General POV

Louis looked up just in time to see Clem's body slump against the wall. His heart sank a little further, mind overwhelmed and screaming everything that would be. That could happen because he did this. Finally the boy finished, running to a cupboard and pulling out some old medical bandages. Ruby made them store it in there, for emergency. And Louis knew this was an emergency. He avoided looking at his girlfriend's leg, which lay on the ground beside them as he wrapped the bandages around her stump. It still bled through, but it slowed the process. He took off his coat in a hurry, wrapping it around her, to try and even out her body temperature. She was freezing cold. The boy looked around, not quite sure of what to do. He hadn't thought this far yet.

Louis picked up the smaller girl, holding her close to his chest and breathing heavily. "Okay, Clem. Just like old days. Let's get you home." He whispered, more to himself than anything as he went out of the shack. There weren't usually many walkers around the area, so it'd be easy enough. He watched her face, drained of colour as they walked. Listening for the groans of the walkers, or even voices. Those would be helpful right about now. Clementine groaned a little, eyebrows furrowing as she tried to figure out what was going on. "Ngh...L...Lou?" She squinted her eyes open to see him, focused on the trail ahead. "Shh, it's okay. We're almost there, I promise." He said back, glancing down quickly. He wished he hadn't, seeing her sickly state made him even more upset and anxious. "Wh...no...no, put me down." She struggled slightly in his arms, trying to free herself from his grasp as he kept walking down the gravel road. "Why?" He asked, confused. "I...I'm bit. Remember? Do...don't...I told you...you have to kill me." The girl, still confused and scattered, closed her eyes as it was too painful to keep them open. Louis' jaw clenched at the words. That's what would've happened, had Abel not had his arm cut off and been okay. That's what sparked the idea.

"No. I cut off your leg. You're going to be okay." Louis shook his head, watching as her expression became confused. "My leg's gone?" She asked in a raspy voice. It sure didn't feel like it. "Yes. I promise baby, you're okay." He squeezed her a little tighter, traps coming into his sight. "We're almost home." The boy said excitedly, subconsciously walking faster to get there. Clem only snuggled into her boyfriend's chest, just deciding to trust him. As hard as trust was. "Willy! Violet! AJ!" Louis yelled as he started jogging, still holding her close so she wouldn't bounce. A figure appeared on the watchtower, almost immediately going back down. He heard yelling, and saw the gate open. They were going to be okay.

"What the h*ll happened?!" Violet asked, taking in the sight of the other girl. "She got bit. I cut off the leg." Louis said quickly, looking around for Ruby. "You what?! Louis, you realize that could've killed her, don't you?!" The blonde argued as they walked inside, everyone crowding around in shock. "Well a bite surely would have. At least she has a chance this way!" Louis yelled back as tears stung his eyes. He loved her, he'd confessed it. Losing her now would be too devastating to handle. "Clem!" AJ cried as he ran up, eyes full of worry and fear. "What did you do to her?!" He nearly screamed as he tried to grab her. "AJ, I saved her life! She got bit, I cut off the leg." He explained, yet again, to the young boy, who now only focused on her. He seemed to get the idea.

They group got her inside, on her bed as Ruby started to tend to the wound. Most had decided to wait outside by this point, not wanting to see the stump or just wanting to wait. Louis and Ruby made AJ wait outside, they didn't want him exposed to that. Even though he was a tough kid, seeing his mother figure in this state...it'd crush him. "You did a brave thing, Louis." Ruby shook her head in disbelief, unravelling the bandages. "It was that or death." He only said back as he held her hand. The girl had fallen unconscious once more, thankfully for them. "But still. I'm just...glad y'all are okay." The redhead spoke quietly, looking up to the taller teen momentarily and giving a weak smile. "I can tell you right now though, Clem's gonna be okay."