Error 31

Embers Of Ancestry

Cedar's suspicions about being moved turned out to be right, It was dawn when Tony had saved her and it was early afternoon by the time they arrived back at the prison.

The teen had barely got through the front gate before she was scooped by Miguel, who was shaking heavily as he hugged her.

He released her a few moments later and looked at Tony. "Where the hell was she?".

"Son of a bitch had her locked up in some vacation home out in Union City". Tony replied, hands on his hips as he tried to catch his breath.

"Jesus". Miguel muttered as he looked back at the prison. "Boone, get out here!".

Boone came running out and stopped in front of Cedar with a worried smile."Can I get a hug?".

Cedar hesitated briefly before walking over and hugging the one eyed man tightly, she didn't know why he was suddenly so affectionate but she sure as hell wasn't gonna complain after the hell she'd been put through the last four months.

Once they parted Boone gently rubbed the pad of his finger over her scarred cheek. "You and I gotta talk about something important, Is that alright?".

"Am I in trouble?". Cedar asked, clearly terrified she was going to get scolded for getting herself kidnapped.

"No of course not, It's nothing you did, It's about me actually". Boone replied reassuringly, holding out his hand for Cedar.

"Oh". The teen muttered, taking Boone's hand and allowing him to lead her to the back of the old prison where a small lake sat.

Once they sat down Boone started tearing up blades of grass with his hands, seemingly trying to find the proper words to say.

"What does that symbol mean? Tony's got it too". Cedar suddenly questioned, looking at the skull & angel wings symbol that was burned into Boone's left arm.

"Alden Wright did that". Boone replied, clearly trying to look anywhere but at Cedar.

"What?". The teen asked in shock.

"Miguel and I did get separated from a horde but anything else I told you after was a lie". Boone confessed.

"A walker wasn't what scratched your eye out was it?". Cedar half asked, half stated.

Boone shook his head. "Once I had left the shop Miguel and I were cornered at, I kept walking until I got caught by a raider".

Cedar listened intently as Boone continued. "He took me to this underground bunker/tunnel system, That's where I met Alden".

"What did he want?". Cedar asked quietly.

"He said that as long as I worked for him, he wouldn't kill me". Boone answered, disgust clear in his tone as he spoke.

"Worked for him?". Cedar wondered aloud.

"Alden was a trafficker of whatever he came across, but the girls were his main profit". Boone explained. "After a few weeks his cronies came back with this woman, I tried to refuse but Alden threatened to kill me, then do her himself".

"So you raped her?". Cedar asked, starting to understand where this was going.

Boone exhaled shakily and nodded. "I tried to make it hurt less but Alden wouldn't allow it, not that I'm excusing what I did of course".

Cedar bit her lip as he continued. "It took that one time for her to get pregnant, and she eventually gave birth to a baby girl in February of twenty - sixteen".

"I was that baby, wasn't I?". Cedar asked bluntly, trying to keep herself neutral.

Boone nodded tearfully. "Once your mum gave birth, Alden had one of his older girl's raise you in his home above ground".

"My mother obviously escaped somehow, did you help her?". The teen inquired.

"I did". Boone confirmed. "It took six months, but I was able to get you and your mum out while Alden was out on a supply run".

"Why didn't you go with her then?". Despite everything he was telling her, Cedar couldn't bring herself to be upset at Boone.

"Your mum had a husband and two sons that needed her, and I needed to make sure Tony was alright". Boone went on, his cheeks reddening at the mention of the blond man.

Cedar smirked, It seemed the two men were fairly close, and now she had a sneaking suspicion of exactly why that was.

"Once I knew you and your mum were out of the way, I went back to the camp, where Alden was waiting for me". Boone shivered. "He had a crony called David pin me down as he destroyed my eye".

Cedar laid a hand on the traumatized man's arm as he went on. "David beat the shit out of me after and tried to shoot me".

"Tried?". The teen asked in confusion.

"Tony got him to leave me alone". Boone sighed. "We knew I wasn't safe, so we left that night and stayed together until an argument separated us, then you showed up".

"It was probably like seeing my mother all over again". Cedar muttered, now realizing why Boone treated her the way he did at first.

"A bit". Boone confessed before putting on a smile. "I still love you, always have and always will no matter what".

Cedar grinned back and wrapped her arms around her father, "I love you too dad".

They parted some seconds later and headed back around the front of the prison where Miguel and Tony were waiting.

"Are you two -?". Miguel was cut off by Cedar, "We're good Uncle Iggy, I know he's my father now".

Miguel gave a nod in Boone's direction as Cedar looked around. "Where's Auntie Ada? I thought she'd be happy to see me".

Tony looked down sadly as Miguel sighed wearily. "She's dead".

Cedar shook her head in disbelief. "What?".

"She felt so guilty about you disappearing, she got herself bit then shot herself in front of me the morning after". Miguel explained sadly.

Cedar just shook her head as Miguel reached out to comfort her despite his own grief.

The older man pulled away to take something out of his shirt pocket and hand it to Cedar. "She wanted me to give this to you".

Cedar looked at the strange object. It looked like a knife with a wooden handle, but it had a blunt deer bone in place of a proper blade.

After inspecting it for a few moments, Cedar pocketed the knife and silently leaned against her father, the events of the last few months still flooding her mind.