Suffering: Male Reader x TWDG (slow updates)

Chapter 54: Whispers Of An Escape

You wake up to the door of the cabin splintering in two as it falls off its hinges. You look to see Beta, an angry look plastered on his face despite the gruesome mask on top hiding most of it. "You two, up, now."

You didn't need to be asked twice. You hop to your feet and glance towards Charlie who does the same. Beta points to the dead deer that lay in the middle of the single roomed building. "Drag it with us." He throws a rope at you and you tie it around the deer, slowly tugging it out of the cabin and into the fresh, non dusty air. It wasn't until now that you realised how dirty the cabin had been.

Outside stood a dozen or so Whisperers, makeshift spears in hand. "We are heading back, don't talk." Beta turns to the others, "That means you too. I want silence."

The walk back was entirely uneventful, even the arrival which, unlike at Fort Summer where you'd be greeted with applause for hauling back a deer, you were met with complete disinterest. It was as if you were all completely invisible; though you wish you were, it'd make it so much easier to escape.

As everyone began to split up and someone took the deer from you, Beta put a rough and calloused hand on your shoulder, startling you slightly. "Gamma," he hissed the name as if he was deeply offended by the word he just spoke, "Alpha wants to see you at her tent." He nodded towards the far end of the camp, where the best, most comfortable tent stood alone.

You nodded and began, with Beta's hand firmly upon your shoulder, heading towards your meeting with Alpha, unsure what to think. On your arrival you saw Alpha pacing up and down, looking slightly stressed.

"Ah, Gamma, you're back." She seemed relieved by your presence.

"Um, yeah. We got trapped by guardians and had to wait in a cabin; otherwise we'd have lost the deer."

Alpha sighed and walked into her tent. "See, the problem was," she rifled through her stuff, seemingly looking for something. "You were with Charlie, and he. . . well, he's tried to run away before. We were 'concerned' that he may have tried to drag you into one of his escape attempts."

Your heart froze slightly but you tried to stay calm and composed. "Oh not at all," you said shaking your head, "I would never betray you."

"Good," she replied with a suppressed snarl. "A-ha, here it is," she produced something small and black: it took you a second to recognise it.

"Your skull mask," she said with a smile. "I took it from your stuff," she held it out to you and you take it graciously, glad to have it back.

"Thank you, I -"

"I want you to burn it."

You frown, your head in a whirl as you slowly repeat her words in your head.

"I-want-you-to-burn-it."

That mask, the mask you've had for what seems like an eternity now. The mask that was your face, your identity in the Militia. The mask that gave you the name Ghost. That mask was your past, present, and future. But you aren't Ghost now are you?

You are Gamma.

For now anyway. You'll have to commit, there's nothing you can do if you don't want to arouse suspicion. If you don't want to die.

Alpha points to a small campfire down by the main part of the encampment.

"Burn it."

You nod in reply and walk down towards the fire. You can feel her gaze burning into the back of your head, hotter than the fire you're approaching. It felt like a walk of shame. You reached the fire and looked longingly at your mask. Its sentimental value was high, but your need for survival was greater. You always feel a bit exposed without wearing your mask, though technically you have a new mask anyway: your Whisperer mask.