A Family (x reader)

Escape

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You soon get ready and Mia helps you escape through a vent leading outside. It was very well hidden and the security hadn't found it. Mia guide you and you thank her before leaving. You promise her that when you find your family, you would suggest coming back here, to her. She is happy about that, but you can tell she is worried you're gonna die before you find them. You leave the Haven during the night and start on your journey.

The area around is secured by sections. It's Haven, the inner section, that are completely safe. The next area around is mostly safe, still a some zombies here and there, they are working on getting that completely safe too, but it's a big area to secure, getting to the end of this section takes a days travel. Where the second section ends, they're trying to building a fence, but it's not finished. It's like a big unfinished and uneven circle, with Haven in the middle. Outside the fence nothing is secured. There are bad people and many zombies out roaming the world. Luckily at this point, the bad people closest which was still far away, has given up on taking over Haven after many unsuccessful attempts and leave them alone. Haven had the numbers and resources to protect themselves.

(I'm having a hard time explaining how I imagine this place looks like, but I'm gonna try. I might have to make a drawing.)

...

When Knox walk into the canteen this morning, he takes notice of Mia looking sad and is sitting alone, like she used to do before she met you. He approaches her and asks where you are. Mia tries to not reveal anything, but she is looking suspiciously nervous. Frowning, he turns to one of the guards eating close by, telling him to search for you. He then turn back to Mia in a more serious manner and asks her again.

She was so worried about you that she relented and told him you had left. He doesn't believe her. She doesn't reveal how, just shrugs and says you only say goodbye and she hasn't seen you since last night before she went to sleep. After the guard comes back and confirms your absence, Knox sends out a team for you.

...

You have walked for a day, and you have almost reached the fence. But then you hear engines. And knowing the only vehicles in this section are from Haven, you run to hide.

If it wasn't for the zombie that happened to show up where you went to hide, and having to fight it, you could've stayed hidden. Dodging it when it first appeared, you accidentally knocked over a lamp. The noise of shattered glass made them find you.

You were just about to stab the knife in the zombies head when it's shot instead. With wide eyes you look up at Jackson, one of the guards your age. He tells you to come back with them but you refuse, so they force you.

...

Getting back to Haven, Knox asks you how you got out without anyone noticing.

"You mean how did I escape? Because that's what this place has become for me, a prison." You tell him bitterly.

Knox sighs. He couldn't deny it, at this point he is forcing you to stay, but he refused to let you die. You were the only one who has connected with Mia, she was happier after you came. Mia is technically under his care, but live with the other orphans in the daycare unit. She's the nephew of Knox's former second in command, neither the uncle nor Knox and his wife or anyone else here had managed to connect with her.

When the apocalypse started, her uncle was in his hometown to visit his brother, Mia's father. Her parents didn't care about Mia. Just having the daughter in the house, she basically had to take care of herself.

Her mother turned into a zombie and killed her father. Then her uncle got her out of there, he brought her with him to what would eventually become Haven. He died a few months ago, so Knox felt obligated to take care of her in whatever way he could. But he had a hard time connecting with the young reserved girl.

...

Knox keeps you under surveillance from now on and because you refuse to tell them how you escaped, he even cuff you to guard until you tell them. The guards get a scheduled list of when to take shifts on being the one you're cuffed to. They then have to go everywhere you go, the only time they uncuff you is when you go to the bathroom. And when you sleep, then you are locked in your room until a guard comes to take the first shift the next day. Those two places are thoroughly checked for any way to escape first of course.

You think this is completely absurd, so you let it go on for a few days, thinking they'll give up. You think that the people in the Haven would agree with you, but they all agree with the Knox, wanting you to be safe, worried you are a danger to yourself. They all meant well, they were just used to being in this place since the beginning and hadn't much experience with how to survive out there, they thought it was way worse than it really is.

You try to say that it's not as bad as I was in the beginning, but they have a hard time believing you and even if, they think the journey is too long and dangerous. Telling them you have a lot of hiking experience and have learned a lot of survival skills from Ethan doesn't help either. Everyone was affected by the suicide wave and no one believed anyone would make the journey you would have to take.

The only way you came here was because of the plane, which no longer work and there's not a good chance that Ethan will find a plane and a pilot. Even if, he wouldn't know where you are. You eventually give up on trying to convince Knox or anyone that you will make the journey, understanding that it felt too unrealistic to them here.

...

After a week with being cuffed to a guard you give in and show them the way you escaped. They seal it and unlock your cuffs. Knox is still concerned you will find a way to leave so he still keeps an eye on.

You work at the clinic and spend your time with Mia mostly. The others like you, but feel sorry for you, thinking it's absurd that you still believe your family will make it if they come for you. Only Mia believes in it. Over time you start to really care for her.

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