Abide » Alden

*UPDATED* 19. Closer

"They don't give a shit about you." Kevlar stoked the fire as he sat across from Paesyn.

The brunette was tied up to a tree, with Callie asleep on the other side. "That's not true," Paesyn asserted. Though, to be honest, doubt was startled to settle. She didn't know how long she was out here and there was no sign of a search party. Were they really that far out that neither Hilltop nor Alexandria could find them?

"That's cute," Diablo stepped around the tree to place more wood by the fire, "that you still believe that."

Paesyn glared at him and turned to glare at Kevlar as he smirked. "Don't worry, she doesn't. Not anymore."

She rolled her eyes. "What do you want? You kidnapped both of us... so why are you trying to manipulate me?" The rope around her was starting to feel too tight.

Kevlar nodded as he put together the words in his mind. "Let's just say we think you're important. We want you on our side."

Paesyn knitted her brows together. What the fuck? "What about Callie?"

—

"Thank you..." Kevlar took the freshly killed rabbit from Paesyn.

"Paesyn." She shouldered her bow.

Kevlar shook his head. "Nah." He led her back to the camp. "You're different now, need a new name."

Paesyn mulled it over. She was different now. She's no longer Hilltop's puppet. She could do whatever she wanted now. Kevlar and Diablo supported her in a way Hilltop never did. "You guys picked your names?"

"Hell yeah." Kevlar grinned. "My first name was for a pussy. I'm not a pussy anymore, so now I'm Kevlar."

"My name before was for a scared kid that couldn't kill for shit." Diablo grabbed a branch too long to fit in the fire. He broke it in half. "Now killing is what I'm best at."

Paesyn nodded in his direction. She felt that she identified with these men and their stories. Who she was before could have never survived if she didn't transform into who she was today. And who she was today was better than who she was at Hilltop. She was her own woman now. She didn't have to answer to anyone, including Kevlar and Diablo.

"Don't worry," Kevlar sauntered over to the fire to start skinning the rabbit, "You'll find your name."

Paesyn smiled and joined the men by the fire. Callie muttered weakly from behind the tree. She hadn't earned her freedom yet. "Paesyn."

"Hush." Kevlar ordered. Callie obeyed.

Paesyn didn't know how long it'd been since she met these men. Her hair did grow longer, but that didn't give her an accurate timeline. For all she knew, it could have been a few months to half a year. The nights were getting colder, so maybe fall was coming.

—

Kevlar and Paesyn had gone out on a supply run. Diablo stayed back to watch Callie. The two went to an abandoned Walmart. The place would have most likely been picked clean, but they had hope to find at least something of value to them. Both Kevlar and Diablo had immense survival training from a friend of theirs a few years back. Unfortunately she had been killed before Paesyn met her.

Both survivors had their weapons drawn as they snuck through the broken doors of the store. There were seldom walkers that they swiftly took out. "What are we looking for?"Paesyn whispered.

"Anything we can use. Let's start with food and make our way down." Kevlar pointed to one end of the store and Paesyn followed.

Like they suspected, there was almost nothing of value. They did manage to find a couple of snack foods and a jackpot case of water. They loaded it up to then work towards the other end of the store. Paesyn spotted the clothing section. "I'm gonna go over here, you keep an eye out for supplies."