What Once Was

Friends O' Mine

        1871, January 7. Ano has been gone for 3 days now. I went lookin for him in Baton Rouge but no one has seen em. I know that gang took him though, im going to find him. I suspect Mary was a trap, gosh.. I don't know where to start looking, i reckon the southern roads. Ill start there, and work my way up back to new orleans.

Marcus has been looking for Ano for 3 days, he wasn't south of New orleans, and he hasn't sent a letter. There has been many recent cases of people going missing on the way to Baton rouge, and that gang has a camp round' there too. Marcus almost definitely knows that gang has him but he doesn't know how to find them.

1871, January 6 or 7.. I was captured by a gang... Gosh i feel so stupid. My brother was right, and now im stuck here, they took everything on me. I stole this book and pen, maybe i could document my last moments. Their camp is this cave sort of? It's somewhere beyond the swamp i passed. I got lost and was ambushed by this gang, i don't know who they are, but im definitely not nowhere near Baton rouge. I should've turned back when i saw the swamp. The worst part is my brother probably thinks im near Baton Rouge, he'll never find me. Im stuck here, some gang camp in a cave. They locked me in a makeshift cage, its made of sticks that i could probably break out of but theres 8 guys around me with lever actions ready to blow me to something that resembles a mushroom. I feel so hopeless, and stupid. I always hate feeling hopeless, feeling like theres no way to live. Like taking away the one thing i can control, but its my fault, so i guess they didn't. Damnit i should listened to mark.

      1871, January 8
       Marcus knew he wasn't going to find Ano in Baton Rouge, but he also didnt know he was past the swamp by New Orleans. Marcus always knew Ano was stubborn, even after the attack he still wanted things his way. He always got it too, Marcus couldn't get past his little face, so innocent. So not though. Even during the hard times Marcus always let another get his way, even if he couldn't. It was different now though, Ano was reaching his teenager phase, extra stubborn, extra not very smart. Ano had already gone through 6 girls, all ending terribly. Marcus was never a people person, he like things to himself. His true friend was his horse, lenny.

1871, January 9

Marcus decided to go up past the swamp, feeling desperate. He hasn't seen his brother in so long, he feared the worst. The fear crawling up his spine, like little spiders, ones he'd only felt once. The creep of the swamp infected even his horse too, Marcus could feel him shaking, but he persevered. It was midnight now; his lantern went out. It was almost pitch black. Marcus couldn't tell if the chills on his back were actually spiders anymore. He thought he was in the water, he could hear swishing, and movement. He stepped down from his horse but it was solid ground. Marcus was captured by the rinde's, and he was reunited with his brother.

1871, January 10

        Marcus woke up, Some wooden cage he could probably break out of, but theres 8 armed guards. Marcus was stripped of everything he had, all left was his clothes and his hat.

Ano: "Marcus! Your awake finally.."

Marcus: "Ano..? This is where you've been? Damn it- I told you this would happen."

Marcus: "After we DO get out of this. Cause we WILL. You are never ever ever ever EVER running away again."

Ano: "yeah ok.. Im- really sorry for getting into this mess."

John Rinde: "Awww what a cute reunion! Sorry to cut it short but before you inevitably die, id like for you to meet these Friends O' Mine. Before you try to suede us with your sob story, we've done worse then kill 2 worthless, incompetent, people. We've ruined entire family's, wiped bloodlines for the sake of it."

Marcus: "I don't care what you've done, but im getting out of this. And if not, i will wait for you to turn up in hell, and ill kill you all over again."

John Rinde "Yeah keep talkin.."

Marcus really didn't know what to do, but he was determined to at least get his brother out, getting out of the cage was really no problem, it was probably there just for noise. He couldn't sneak out, the cage would alert them, so he had one option. To shoot his way out, would be problematic, with only six bullets, assuming he hit them all; he can kill 6 guards, leaving 2, so he'd either need another iron, or somewhere to take cover. Ano, though dangerous, had to be apart of it. It would be more dangerous than if he wasn't. If he could get Ano a gun he could take the last 2 and then some. Marcus thought about his past experiences, how did he get through? How did he get here? Why was he here. It was for Ano, sure. But why did he do it? Marcus didn't know, he didn't know what drove him to be here, or why. He saw an iron on the table though, it looked really different, but he couldn't tell what was different, but it was. He'd have to get closer to see it. Ano looked sad, not scared. He didn't think he'd get out of this mess, but Marcus knew that he was. He was going to do everything he could to get Ano out, and safe. So he can live a life past this, so he can finally be free from this. There was no dust to be kicked up. Only sorrow, and despair.