Chapter Text
It wasn’t unusual for Clyde to have nightmares. Maybe it used to be once. But every night, no matter what, there was always something. As if his mind couldn’t help itself to remind Clyde of the bad things he’s done. Whether the nightmare was reliving the night he killed his mother, whether it was sitting in the hospital watching his dad’s life drain from his body as Clyde wished he did more to help.
Death was common in South Park. That was something that took Clyde a while to figure out. The town killed its citizens with ease, no matter age, no matter status, a lot of people died here. Clyde could never wrap his mind around why it was so common, anyone he's met out of the city has never dealt with as much death as hands-on as the people of South Park.
What sucked about it all was the fact that death hit his own life so quickly. He was only nine when his mother passed away, due to his own actions. Something he can never forgive himself for. He was thirteen when his father left as well, only four years after his mom. It sucked. It hurt. Nobody could understand the pain Clyde has been through.
From there, his dad remarried after his mom died. To Eric Cartman’s mom, Liane. So once his dad met the same fate as his mom, making Clyde an orphan, Liane decided to adopt him. Clyde couldn’t tell if it was because she took pity on him or because she had no other choice. But for a couple of years, he was grateful for it, even if living with Cartman hasn’t been the greatest.
Eventually, she got worse. Clyde didn’t know what he did. But she got stricter with him, becoming mean, becoming the monster Clyde knows today.
At first, it was her getting angry at him for not doing well at school which resulted in her locking him in the basement. That wasn’t too bad. Then it was him sneaking out late with Craig and maybe that was a mistake, maybe he shouldn’t have done that. But they were fifteen and they didn’t do anything crazy or bad, he and Craig simply just went to the lake to skip rocks. Her reaction to that was to take his phone. That seemed normal.
But then the big bang, the crescendo, the one thing that made her end Clyde’s entire life. Was when he got in trouble at school for something Cartman did. Clyde couldn’t remember what exactly it was, but he remembers Cartman pinning the blame on him, he remembers going to the principal and having no room to explain himself. He remembers Liane coming and pulling him out of school, telling him that if he wasn’t going to take school seriously there was no point in him going.
So now of course he has nightmares nightly. Who wouldn’t? The past seven years have been awful. He couldn’t understand what he did, maybe it was karma getting back at him for leaving the seat up.
There wasn’t much sound around Clyde. He lived in the basement of the Cartman’s, which was nice and big and spacious. Besides the pile of boxes, that are full of Christmas decorations.
This place felt like a prison to Clyde, the metal walls that lined around and kept in the cold of the South Park air making it practically freezing. The mattress on the floor was given to him after he and his dad had moved in, his dad had promised to get him a bed frame, but he never did.
Then there was a vanity, its worn white wood and round foggy glass mirror stationed on the wall next to his makeshift bed. It used to be his mom’s. He remembered it looking much nicer when she had it.
The drawers that used to hold his mother’s makeup and jewellery now held junk that Clyde threw in there, mostly memories that were given to him by friends, he had kept some of his mom’s necklaces in there, and even added his dad’s watch after he passed. The vanity had a chair that came with it, in the same colour white, it was thrown out after one of its legs broke when Craig was sitting on it not too many months ago.
Clyde pulled off the thin green blanket he had over him, shifting it over and getting up. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, and the quietness was eating at his skull. He had to get out of here.
He grabbed his red jacket off of one of the boxes in the room, pulling it on himself. Then he grabbed his dad’s old satchel, decorated with different pins and buttons. Clyde was ready to get out. He knew exactly where he wanted to go.
The stairs always sounded louder at night. As Clyde went over to get up slowly, escaping out of the basement and into the kitchen, exiting through the back door.
The night’s cold air sent a chill down Clyde’s back as he made his way out of the backyard, letting the street lamps along the road direct him.
South Park was dangerous at night. Most places are. But Clyde kept his bag packed with different essentials in case something happened. Night time was the only time Clyde was able to be free, and he wouldn’t let someone take that from him.
The snow falls around Clyde as he makes his way closer to his destination: South Park Graveyard. It wasn’t open to the public at this time, the place was actually locked. But Clyde was pretty good at getting over fences and into places he wasn’t meant to, “it’s because you’re so short,” he can hear Craig’s voice in the back of his mind as a response to how proud Clyde was of his breaking and entering skills.
The graveyard was scary, especially at this time of night. If it wasn’t for this being the only place Clyde could see his parents, the kid wouldn’t ever come here. He gets up to the fence of the graveyard and looks around. Across the street were a couple of shops, which were currently stranded, giving the area a much more creepy feel. Clyde felt chills down his back, unsure if he was scared or just cold.
He grabs one of the chain links in the fence and slowly starts to climb it, getting to the top. He then switches over, dropping down.
“Oof,” Clyde lets out, as he falls on his back, hearing something crack. “Shit.” He whispers. He lays there for a second, his body fighting to stay down. He never had usually hurt himself from jumping off fences.
Clyde scrambles to get up, but he feels a huge pain in his ankle as he tries, tears welling in his eyes as he tried to stand and fight through the pain. It was then as he got himself to finally stand up that he sees a flashlight and someone running towards him in the distance. There shouldn’t be anyone else here, Clyde thought to himself.
“Is someone there?!” The person’s voice calls before their light shines directly into Clyde’s eyes. “Clyde?”
“Uh…” Clyde pauses, as the light is taken out of his eyes. He blinks, trying to see who is there. Then seeing the blonde hair and orange jacket, puts two and two together, “Kenny?”
“Are you okay?” Kenny asks, “I saw you fall.”
“Despite losing my dignity, I think I’m fine.” Clyde states.
“What are you doing here?” Kenny asks.
Clyde’s eyes go over to his parent’s grave, Kenny looking over as well.
“Oh.” Kenny says, “but why are you visiting them at night?”
“I don’t know.” Clyde shrugs, “It’s just become a routine. How come you’re here? The only person I ever see here at this time is Butters.”
“Uh,” Kenny pauses, Clyde could tell he was trying to think of a response, “it’s a good smoking spot?”
Clyde raised his eyebrow, knowing that was a lie. “Really?” Clyde asks.
“I mean yeah, why do you think Butters always comes here?”
“Because he’s a creep.” The shorter replies.
“Fair.” Kenny chuckles, the moonlight bringing out the small creases in the corner of his eyes as he does. “Nice Mysterion pins by the way,” Kenny says, pointing to the satchel Clyde had.
“Thanks,” Clyde responds, “he’s my hero.” the brunette shivers, “I guess I better go. It’s going to be a blizzard apparently.” He says as he takes a step. There is a hinge of pain that goes from his ankle to his whole body and he falls over, Kenny catching him in his arms.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kenny asks, “I can walk you back.”
“I’m fine-“ Clyde says, trying to step away from Kenny, tears again forming in his eyes, “I think it’s just sprained.”
Kenny keeps a grip on Clyde’s waste, and Clyde wants to cry. He’s so embarrassed by this situation. “I’ll take you back.” He says, this time as a statement instead of a suggestion.
“How are we even going to get out?” Clyde asks, Kenny doesn’t say a word, slowly walking over to the gate. He reaches for something in his pocket, his hands then go over to the lock, whatever he had unlocks it and then pushes the door open.
“I have dumb friends that get into dumb situations,” Kenny states as if he knew what Clyde was going to say.
They slowly make their way to the Cartman house. Kenny even helps Clyde get inside and down the stairs.
“Do you need any more help?” Kenny asks, “I can get you some ice.”
“No need,” Clyde says, getting into bed, “Thanks, Kenny.”
“No problem, I’ll check on you in the morning,” Kenny says, going over to the steps, “Keep your ankle elevated. If it’s swollen you may need to go to a doctor.”
Clyde rolls his eyes, “I’m okay Kenny, really. Go home.”
Kenny shakes his head, “Fine, fine.” He says going up the steps, “See you in the morning!”
“See you!” Clyde responds as Kenny exits out the door.
The room became suddenly quiet, and Clyde lets out a sigh as he lays down under the covers.