Madness (Completed)

Escaping

I run down the sidewalk towards the front exit, careful of my rout. Once I get to the borders gate I start to climb up and over the large bars. As I do so, I feel exhaustion sneak up on me, which is strange considering my short distance. I carefully drop to the ground and instantly pull out a knife to begin to carve. I go to the closest tree I can see and carve a small mustache that resembles the one Mark drew. I then start to run forward as quick as I can. I start to break into a sweat and breath heavily out of exhaustion. I lean against a nearby tree and slide down it, becoming in a sitting position. I pull out my knife once again and begin to carve. After a few hours, my message is finally done and carved in the tree. I look in over in the darkness of the night and read it again.
"Mark, Jack, Wade and Bob, its Violet. I'm alive and am going strait forward from this place. I love you all and miss you guys already. -Violet."
I smile just thinking that they might read my message. I look up at the sky to see where the moon is. The moon is in the middle of the sky, it's still so much longer until dawn will come and allow the guys to come searching for me. I stand again and begin to walk once again, I want to be far away by the time morning comes, can't risk them taking me back. The walking is exhausting and I can already tell I'm getting hungry and thirsty, but I can't waste my resources, not yet. I see a bright light come from between a few tress, it appears to be a type of fire. I approach the fire slowly and carefully, keeping in the shadows of the night. I see a woman and a man sitting together on a log in front of the fire. I hear their voices and stop in my tracks, making sure to stay silent to listen.
"I know Maddie. We will get to them, I know we will." A male voice says. Maddie. That name, it is so familiar, but from where?
"Yeah... I just, I'm so worried about them." A female voice says sadly.
"They wrote your name. They are alive. We saw it on those signs, they are looking." The male voice says. That's where I recognize that name from. I had seen it carved and written on different signs and buildings everywhere. Whoever this girl is looking for, they have wanted to find her too.
"I know. It just worries me. You should sleep, I'll take first watch." The female says. I have had many nights where I would volunteer for first watch and stay up every night, sleepless for days at a time.
"Okay. Wake me at dawn." The man says laying over on the log. Maybe these people can be trusted, then again, I haven't had the best luck meeting people. I'll have a better chance of survival if I have friends, why not? I step forward a few steps and instantly the female stares directly at me, the barrel if a gun in front of my face. I raise my hands in surrender, showing that I am harmless for the moment.
"What's your name?" The woman asks, keeping the gun pointed at me and her finger poised on the trigger.
"Violet. I'm guessing you're Maddie?" I guess. The woman nods slowly.
"What do you want?" Maddie asks, keeping herself tense and ready to strike me at any moment.
"To meet you. I am looking for friends too. I think its safer in numbers." I explain honestly.
"I don't believe that. People these days are more dangerous than anything. You should go and look for your friends, I can't help you." Maddie says sternly, but I can see fear in her pale blue eyes.
"Yes, you can. Let me stay with you for the night. I will tell you about myself, I can share my supplies with you, I can hunt. I can make snares and catch game for you, just please, let me stay, just for tonight." I say, trying to bribe her with my abilities. Maddie sighs and slowly lowers her gun to her side.
"Fine. Sit over there, I'll let you hunt in the morning." Maddie says gesturing to a log next to hers. I nod and sit down at the place she designated. I rest my bag against the log and keep my crossbow on my lap for quick use.
"So, who are your friends?" Maddie asks, turning completely to face me. I doubt she trusts me at all.
"They are good guys. They have kept me safe so far, but I ran away." I say, dreading to go on.
"Why'd you run?" Maddie asks curiously.
"We were trapped in a town. The people there wouldn't let me go, so I ran and told them to find me. I've been carving into tress so they can find me." I explain, very vaguely.
"Clever idea. My friends and I were separated near the start. We've been looking for each other ever since." Maddie explains with a sigh.
"I've seen your name written everywhere, was that them?" I ask.
"Yeah. It doesn't help much though, because they don't write anything to tell me where they are or going. I wish you luck finding your friends." Maddie smiles sweetly.
"You too, I'm sure you will find them." I say repeating her smile.
"Thanks. Who were you? Before all this happened I mean." Maddie asks curiously.
"I was put into an insane asylum because my mother didn't want to deal with me anymore. Then a worker there, who is one of the friends I'm looking for, helped me get out of there." I explain, reliving every moment in my mind.
"I was heading to my wedding. The car I was in was attacked and that's when this all started. My fiancé is the one writing those signs for me, still looking I guess." Maddie sighs heavily. I would not have thought she'd be old enough to get married, but then again, I look much older then I am, it could be possible.
"How old are you?" I ask, trying to prove it to myself.
"I was 19, now I'm probably 20. What about you?" Maddie returns the question.
"16, but I think my birthday passed recently. So, I'm just gonna go with 17." I say. Maddie's jaw drops in shock.
"That's a joke, right? You look in your twenties. Not in a bad way, but really?" Maddie asks shocked.
"Yep. I've been told that I look older than I am." I say simply.
"That's crazy. How many friends you got looking for ya?" Maddie asks.
"4 or 5, depending on who wants to leave the town to find me." I explain, think back to how much Felix seemed to enjoy looking at the sights in the town.
"Well, that's more than mine. Just my fiancé was looking as far as I know. But he could've met friends." Maddie explains. I can tell she misses him from her tone and body language.
"You'll find him, trust me." I say comfortingly. In the back of my mind the idea of Mark and Jack never finding me looms behind me, terrifying me and sending chills through my body.
"Well, you should sleep. I promise I won't kill you or anything... That sounded worse than I wanted. But, go ahead, sleep, I can keep watch." Maddie chuckles.
"Okay. Wake me if you get tired." I say, leaning against the log and resting my eyes softly. I slowly drift off to sleep, beginning of have a lovely dream.

I lean against a tree to rest from a day of running. I begin to carve one of Jacks 'septic eyes' into the tree. I sigh heavily, thoughts of loneliness and desire running through my mind. I start to carve the tail of the eye when I hear footsteps approach me. I quickly turn away from the tree and point my knife towards the noise defensively. I then see the familiar face if Jack run out from behind trees. I jump up and run into his arms, tears beginning to pour out of my eyes. Jack runs his fingers over my back lovingly. I feel another few more arms wrap around me, protecting me from anything that may happen.
"I'll always protect you, you know I will." I hear all of their voices whisper to me in unison.

I open my eyes slowly, seeing the fire dying since the last time I had seen it. Maddie sits on the log, running her fingers through her friends hair. She looks down at him, watching him sleep comfortably. I wish I could do the same for my friends. I wish I could watch over them and run my fingers through their hair ad they slept. But I can't.