Author's Note: I just posted a Jarlos bromantic one shot, Movie Night. It kinda sucks, but if you're interested in reading it you can find it on my profile. You can also check the status of upcoming chapters on my profile at any time.
The next day, Anya awoke to find Kendall muttering to himself, using a piece of wood to write on the floor, no doubt planning out how they were going to escape. Knowing better than to disturb him, Anya found her own stick and sat in the corner, drawing her own picture in the dust and dirt that covered the floor.
Anya didn't look up again until a fair amount of time had passed. Kendall was still hunched over, drawing in the dust. Now, however, Anya saw that blood had leaked through his t-shirt.
Without saying a word, Anya stood up and dragged the heavy water bucket over to Kendall. She lifted up his t-shirt and undid the makeshift bandages. She then began to clean off the blood.
"What are you doing?"
Anya froze.
Kendall turned around to face her. "What are you doing?" he asked again.
"You were bleeding again," Anya explained.
"No, I mean…the song you were humming. What was that?"
Anya looked confused. She didn't remember humming anything…unless…
"You mean this one?" She began to hum an old lullaby that her mother used to sing to her at night and whenever she was hurt or scared.
"Yeah, that one," Kendall said, relaxing, "I like it."
Anya blushed and resumed her humming as Kendall continued to think up an escape plan.
Two days later, Kendall had created an escape plan. He sat down and explained it to Anya.
"Do you think it will work?" she asked, her knitting her brows together worriedly.
"It has to," Kendall said firmly, "You should get some rest. We need as much strength as we can get tomorrow."
When Kendall woke up the next morning, he found Anya staring up at the tiny, dirty window, positioned high on the wall, closer to the ceiling than the floor.
"You ready?" he asked her.
She nodded.
The two of them got into position; Kendall held the heavy bucket of disgusting water that had sustained them for so long in both hands, standing right next to the door. Anya stood behind him.
All there was left to do was wait.
Kendall had no idea how long they waited. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, heightening his senses. The sound of his own breathing was all he heard. He could feel each droplet of sweat as it dripped from his face.
Suddenly, he heard a noise. He tensed. The door swung open and his body instantly reacted. Kendall poured the bucket's contents on his captor and ran, Anya close at his heels. Someone must have sounded the alarm, for in less than a minute Ethan's whole army of drug dealers seemed to be trying to grab them. Kendall used the bucket as a weapon, swinging it at anyone that got in his way.
"This way!" Anya cried, grabbing his hand. She led him down a hallway. Kendall could see the door he'd come in when Ethan had first brought him here.
And, just like that, they were out.
Kendall staggered, dazzled by the brilliant sunlight. After a moment, Anya ran to him and grabbed his wrist.
"Come on!"
The two of them continued to run, escape the only thing on their minds. They didn't care if they ever made it back to the Palm Woods or not. They only knew one thing—they couldn't let Ethan recapture them.
"I think…we're safe," Kendall panted after what seemed like forever. They ducked into an alley and Kendall immediately dropped to the ground, his trembling legs unable to hold him up any longer.
"Come on, Anya, we've been running for hours. There's no way they're still chasing us," Kendall said as Anya peeked out of the alley, looking to see if they were still being pursued. She took one last look around before retreating back into the alley and curling up next to her boyfriend. Before either of them could say a word, they were both fast asleep.
When Kendall woke up, his entire body ached. He could barely move, let alone walk back to the Palm Woods. Wherever it was.
Nevertheless, Kendall dragged himself off the ground and made his way to the sidewalk to try and figure out where they were.
Chestnut Street. Kendall had never heard of Chestnut Street.
So getting home might be a problem, but that didn't matter. Kendall and Anya no longer had to stay in a tiny room in a dirty warehouse filled with illegal substances. They no longer had to drink filthy water or eat rotten, moldy food that was potentially laced with drugs or poison. They no longer had to live in constant fear, never knowing when Ethan might decide to hurt them.
They were free.
Kendall went back and laid down next to Anya, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close before falling fast asleep, a faint smile on his lips.
"Come on, James, let's go!" Carlos shouted for the fifth time that morning.
"I told you, I'll be out in a minute! I just have to finish doing my hair!"
Even Logan was starting to get a bit anxious. "It's not like anybody's gonna see you, James, let's go!"
"All right, all right," James said, finally coming out of the bathroom, "I'm done. Let's go."
"Remind me again why we didn't take the van?" James demanded after two hours of walking around LA.
"Because it'll be easier to see them on foot," Carlos said.
"But we'd cover more ground in the van!" James shot back. He was hot and tired and his hair was practically dying in the heat.
"Just shut up and look, James," Logan said, fed up with his friend's complaining. He just wanted to find his friends.
"KENDALL!"
Kendall's eyes shot open. His muscles tensed as his breathing became heavier. There was no way he was going to allow anybody to take him back to the warehouse.
"Carlos, what are you—KENDALL!"
He sprang up, bucket in hand, ready to strike anybody that laid a hand on him.
Kendall froze.
In front of him stood his three best friends.
The bucket fell from his hand and he looked at them in shock.
"What…how did you…"
Suddenly the air was being squeezed out of him.
"You're not dead!" Carlos said as he sobbed into his chest.
"I can't believe we found you!" Logan said, almost as if he was in a daze.
"Where's Anya?" James asked.
"Right…" Kendall turned around and pointed to the ground, "there."
Her eyes flickered open. Terrified, Anya let out a squeak and scrambled away from the group, backing herself into the corner.
"It's ok, Anya, it's just us," James said as Kendall went to her, speaking quietly so only she could hear. After a moment she nodded and allowed Kendall to lead her back to the group.
"ANYA!" Carlos shouted, wrapping her in his arms.
"Carlos, don't—"
A bit uncertainly, Anya returned the hug, trying to keep the fear out of her eyes.
Kendall pried them apart.
"We should be getting home," Kendall said, putting his own arm protectively around Anya.
"Right…about that…" James began.
"We're kinda lost," Carlos blurted.
"Lost?" Kendall asked faintly.
"I told you, I'll figure out how to get back with my phone," Logan said as he fiddled with it, "We'll be back in no time.
Suddenly James shrieked. "Kendall! Your hair!"
"What? What's wrong with it?" Kendall panicked, feeling the top of his head.
"It's…it's…disgusting!"
Rage welled up inside Kendall. Did James have any idea of what he'd been through? His hair was the least of his worries.
Before he knew what he was doing, Kendall pounced at James. Logan and Carlos caught him and held him back, but that didn't stop Kendall from trying to claw at his face.
"Kendall, stop it!" Anya cried.
Kendall stopped.
His muscles relaxed and he took a deep breath, trying to wrap his mind around what he had almost done. Carlos and Logan loosened their grip on him.
His head spun. Everything was happening so fast…first they had escaped, now James, Carlos, and Logan were here…and he had just tried to maul James…
Kendall's eyes rolled back into his head as he fell to the ground.
Anya let out a little shriek as Logan bent down to help him.
"See what you did?" Carlos demanded, turning toward James, "You just had insult his hair."
"Well so-rry," James said, "It's not like it was my intention to make him pass out."
"Relax," Logan said, "It's just the stress of the past few days catching up to him. Besides, he's already waking up."
Kendall sat up and looked around, confused.
"You alright?" Logan asked him.
"Where's Anya?" Kendall demanded.
"Right—" Logan looked around, trying to find her.
"Here I am," said Anya softly, appearing at Kendall's side. He relaxed.
"Hey, Logan, you figure out how to get home yet?" James said, ignoring Carlos' angry glares.
"Oh, yeah. Kendall, you ready to go?"
Kendall smiled. They were finally going home.