Author's Notes:
I intend for this to be the last short chapter for hopefully a while. But I honestly can't believe that a little over one hundred people read the first chapter! I'm thankful for the support and the nice review from Ant and I sincerely hope that you enjoy this chapter.
"Nico!" Logan panicked, "Are you okay?"
Logan heard crows fly off due to all the commotion.
"Alright well if he's dead he's going to reanimate or if he's not he's going to be there until he either wakes up or gets eaten," Logan sighed, "And then eats me."
He contemplated screaming for help since if there were hunting traps it must mean people were nearby. He tried to untie the loop on his feet but the knot was too tight to untie and his knife was on the ground next to Nico so he continued to hold onto the rope with his hands so the blood didn't rush to his head.
Meanwhile, Anne and Mary came back from scouting the south and the east and said it was clear. They entered the shack and saw everyone had unpacked and set up their limited bedding. Anne looked around and saw a crossed-out V+M surrounded by a heart.
"Alright well looks pretty homey," Anne said.
Henry was on his bedding looking at the watch fully processing what had happened in the past few weeks. While Maren was stringed against the wall trying to break free until Anne called her out and Maren stopped.
"So Nico and Logan are still out?" Mary asked.
"Yeah," Henry sighed.
"How are you feeling?" Mary asked.
Henry looked at her and said, "We're on the run after we had a good thing going but Mare gave information to the bandits! They knew where to go for our supplies! They knew the people they should kill and then they kidnapped some and left the rest! My father died, my mother died and my sister was taken!"
Henry got up and left the shack while Mary followed him.
"Henry," she called.
Henry stopped and turned around.
"I know it's hard, but you have to remember we all lost something that day!" Mary said, "I think you may have forgotten how we each had a sibling with us! I get it you lost your mom and dad too, but that's no reason to be a little shit!"
Henry flipped her off and walked into the woods. Mary scoffed and returned to the shack where she proceeded to grab a snack from the crate of food.
"Guys please I need food," Maren begged.
"Well you could've had food if the place we were at hadn't been raided because you didn't give the bandits information," Hazel replied, "Oh wait you did so no."
"It was an accident I swear!" Maren whimpered.
"Either shut up right now or you'll be food," Bethany retorted.
Logan was still hanging from the tree but his arms were tired so he wasn't holding onto the rope anymore so the blood was rushing to his head. He'd occasionally call out for help, but would go unanswered. His vision was starting to go blurry as he called out one last time.
"Anne? Mary is that you?" Logan asked as he saw two figures. He couldn't quite distinguish them since his vision was blurry and before he could really look at them he passed out. The person inspected Logan before cutting him down as the other set Nico against a tree.
After awhile Nico jolted awake and looked around to see Logan unconscious right below the rope.
"Glad to see you've woken up," a guy said.
Nico held his head and turned to see a kid in a wool coat with long dark hair holding a chair leg with nails in it. Nico was looking at the chair leg when the guy spoke.
"I only use it if I have to," he assured, "So don't make me have to."
Nico stood up and the man raised his chair leg.
"Do you mind explaining what's going on here?" Nico asked.
"Well you see your buddy stepped in a hunting trap and judging by the bleeding gash on your forehead and the blood on the hilt of this knife seems to have hit you by accident on his way up," he said waving the knife around while chuckling.
"Well c'mon let's go," the man said.
"Wait go where?" Nico asked.
"To my group's camp silly," he chuckled, "Don't worry Aasim will get your friend here."
"Why would I go with you especially when I don't know your name," Nico replied.
"Well you don't have a choice," he said, "And my name's Louis."
Louis then grabbed Nico and placed a gun at his back while guiding him to the camp.
Several Hours Later
"Uhh guys Logan and Nico haven't returned yet, should we be worried?" Bethany asked.
"They'll be fine," Maren scoffed, "And if they aren't it'll be nice to have their food portions."
Bethany got up and started punching Maren.
"It's nice to know you have such concern for Nico," Bethany scowled, continuing to punch her.
"Bethany stop!" Anne commanded.
"Why should I?" Bethany asked.
"The noise will draw walkers and it's wrong to beat people even if they're bad!" Anne argued.
Bethany stopped and went back to watching the door leaving a bruised, bleeding Maren tied to the wall. Anne decided to give Maren some food so she untied one of the arm restraints and left some scraps of food.
Louis had taken Nico to the boarding school that they were staying at and guided him to a certain building. Nico looked around at the other people surprisingly they were all in their late teens. Nico looked around as Louis finally got him to the cellar door and guided him in.
"Don't worry Nico there are only two people who have died in here," Louis said.
Nico glared at him.
"Not that we killed them, it's just that a crazy guy killed one and another died of pre sustained injuries," Louis explained.
"Not really comforting, but I appreciate the attempt," Nico replied, "And if anything knowing a crazy guy was with you at one point is not particularly comforting."
"Well it was a long time ago," Louis remarked as he tied Nico to a chair, "Alright nice and tight. Someone will come to feed you at some point."
Louis left the cellar and closed the hatch leaving Nico in near darkness except for a flickering candle. A few minutes later Louis brought Logan down to the cellar and tied him in the chair behind Nico and once again left leaving them in the Cellar.
"I hope our friends are alright," Logan sighed.
"On the way here that guy mentioned a fishing shack and I think that's where we set up," Nico told him.
"Let's hope that they aren't a shoot first ask questions later kind of group," Logan said.
"I wouldn't like to find out so we've gotta get out of here," Nico replied.
"Well they've got guns and seem sure as hell experienced with knives," Logan remarked.
The candle soon went out and they were left in darkness.
"Now I know that what I'm about to say may seem unusual, but how about we just fill them in so when they find our friends they aren't shot or stabbed," Logan suggested.
"You really think that'll work?" Nico asked.
"I don't see you coming up with anything," Logan argued.
"They've been gone for almost twelve hours and it's dark outside," Bethany sighed, "They're not coming back."
"That doesn't mean that they're dead," Anne replied, "Everyone runs into trouble out there."
They heard multiple footsteps coming towards the shack and quickly hid in the scattered boxes throughout the shack. And as they heard the door creaking open and they heard a gun being cocked.
"Can't believe we found those two guys earlier," Aasim said.
"And I can't believe Louis thought they were camping in here they were at the hunting grounds not down here." a woman sighed.
Aasim bumped into the pillow and rug Henry used as a bed and said, "Maybe Louis was onto something…."
Anne and Bethany sprang from the boxes and pinned them to the ground and put guns to their heads.
"Where are our friends?" Anne asked.
"You mean the guys we found?' he asked.
"Yes," Bethany replied.
"None of your business," the woman replied.
"Violet let me do the talking," Aasim whispered.
Violet shot him a death glare as Anne and Bethany picked them up.
"Take us to your base," Anne commanded, "We've dealt with asshole kidnappers we'll do what we must to get our friends back."
"We're not like that," Aasim replied.
"Oh really? Are our friends in a dark basement tied up in chairs?" Bethany asked.
Aasim sighed and lowered his head.
"That's what I thought," Bethany scoffed.
Violet asked, "So what's your story?"
"We had a good thing going," Anne explained, "But someone from our community told our enemies what to do and they killed some and kidnapped the rest."
"We're not like that," Aasim replied, "We've dealt with similar people."
Just as Aasim finished talking they heard the sound of guns as bullets whizzed past their heads. Everyone started running while swerving through trees to not get hit. The bullets continued in an endless spray swerving to try and hit them while being supported by assault rifles.
"If you kids stop right now we'll put you out of your misery!" one of the shooters shouted.
Violet took cover behind a tree and managed to shoot one right in the chest and then resumed running. Aasim juked a walker almost getting a chunk taken out of his arm.
"Friends of yours?" Violet asked.
"I should be asking you the same thing," Bethany replied.
A bullet hit Violet's arm and she grunted tripping over a tree root. Anne helped Violet get up and continued running.
"The little shits are getting away," one of the shooters screamed.
"We're almost there!" Aasim exclaimed.
A stone wall appeared in the distance and Aasim screamed, "Open the gates, Willy!"
They dived through the gate as Willy quickly closed it.
"Who the hell are they?" Willy asked.
"No time to explain we gotta deal with these assholes," Violet exclaimed.
Bullets suddenly stopped firing in their direction, but yet the gunshots kept echoing, and a choir of bloodcurdling screams of pain echoed through the woods and a faint voice screams the words, "Fall back!"
"Alright well, it's time to tell Clementine the shit these guys have gotten us into," Aasim said jogging towards a building, "And Violet you gotta get Ruby to check out your arm."
"Wait, Clemen who?" Anne asked.
"It's Clementine and she's kinda the leader here," Willy explained.