Escape

Chapter 2

When morning came Cronus poked his head in the attic. "Psst! Kan!"

Kankri was awake luckily. "Yes?" 

"Take this!" Cronus tossed a small key to Kankri. "It locks the attic. People might come by and check, probably today. I need you to lock it from up there and I'll take care of the rest. I'll give you a signal if there's someone here."

"W-what?? Okay!" Kankri took the key and put it in his pocket. Cronus started closing the attic "wait!"

"Yeah?" Cronus stopped and turned back around. "Something wrong?"

"...um..." Kankri couldn't say anything. He knew what he wanted to ask, but he just couldn't get the words out.

"You're hungry aren't you?"  Cronus softly smiled. Kankri nodded. "I thought so, chief. Don't worry, I'll go get you some." Cronus left after that.

Kankri turned to Karkat and gently shook him. "Karkat, you have to wake up. We're getting food."

Karkat grabbed Kankri's hand really tight as he curled up in the blanket, shaking.

"Karkat, it's just a dream. Wake up. Wake up! It's okay!" Kankri kept shaking his brother. It didn't help as Karkat started mumbling. "Karkat! Wake up!!"

After a second Karkat snapped back into reality and hugged Kankri. He didn't say anything, just quietly cried as he clung to Kankri.

"It's okay...shh..." Kankri pulled Karkat into his lap as he gently rocked back and forth.

"It's not okay!" Karkat pushed himself away from Kankri. "And don't tell me that once everything is settled it'll be okay!! We aren't going to be okay! This is not okay!"

"Karkat you need to calm down! I know it's not okay at the moment, but it will be okay! Please!" Kankri was still trying to calm his brother when Cronus came up.

"Here." Cronus placed the food on the floor. "Lock the door when I leave and don't make a sound. They're around the corner." He left on that note.

"Who's here?" Karkat asked grabbing the food.

"Bad people. We have to hide." Kankri got up and locked the door on the ground. He picked up Karkat and sat away from the door. "Just, sit still and be silent."

Karkat nodded as he ate the bread. He stayed as quiet as he could, holding onto Kankri.

Downstairs there were many voices flooding the area. One of them was Cronus. He was trying to keep everyone calm. "I'll show you everywhere you're askin'. It's alright." Cronus chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry I seem so off, my little brother's sleeping still." Footsteps came up the stairs and close to the ceiling door to the attic. "See?" Kankri and Karkat heard from below them. They began to worry. "We don't have an attic."

"Oh, we're sorry for bothering this early in the morning. Your father will be returning later today, but only for a moment." One soldier said before they took their leave.

Cronus let them out and quickly ran back to the attic. He pulled off the cover he placed over the attic door. "Kankri!" He yelled out.

The clicking sound of the lock came soon after. Cronus grabbed the door and pulled it down. He climbed up to check on the two. "Okay, they're gone now. They shouldn't be back, but my dad's a soldier... He might not like that you're here. When he comes back I'll say something to see his reaction. Don't say anything. He won't be here for long. He's coming for a couple days then leaving." He explained.

"What if he doesn't want us here? What if he finds out?? Cronus this is dangerous! You shouldn't be keeping us here! We can leave." Kankri didn't want Cronus to get in trouble with his dad or the government.

"He won't! Don't worry about it, chief! It'll be fine. Let me handle it." Cronus reassured him. From downstairs a door closed. "Stay here! Stay quiet!" He ran downstairs and greeted his dad. "Hey, dad!"

"I'm only here for a minute. Where's Eridan?" Orvil asked as he placed things down and walked into the kitchen.

"Uh, he should be up in his room. I haven't check on him today... Do you want me to? I can go get him." Cronus was about to run back upstairs.

"No, wait? What were you doing upstairs then?" Orvil asked looking blankly at Cronus.

"Oh, I was just in my room." Cronus shrugged. "Um, I actually have a question." Orvil looked up. "So, the Vantas's? Have you caugh-"

"They don't concern you! They aren't people anymore. I don't care if you were friends with Kankri, you aren't anymore!" His voice was raised as he cut in.

"I was just wondering if anything had happened to-"

"They aren't people anymore, Cronus!! Why the hell do you care so much?"

"Where are they is my question!" Cronus finally got to say what he wanted.

"I don't know where the other two are, but Silas is in a camp." Orvil spoke more calmly.

"Oh, that's all I was wondering." Cronus shrugged leaning against the wall.

Orvil grabbed something before leaving again. "I'm going to watch the camp, I won't be home for a few weeks. They've also moved me to go fight when I'm done there after a weeks. You're in charge of Eridan until I return, don't worry about the cost of anything. If something goes wrong go find one of the soldiers." With that last note he left.

Cronus shut the door, before groaning loudly. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!" He sighed and walked back to the attic. "Okay, he'll be gone for a while. You should be fine."

Karkat was curled up in a ball in the corner. Kankri was trying to get him to come out of the corner. "Karkat, please. We'll be alright... I'm sure he's...- I'm sure he's alright...please."

"No!! He's not!! I know he's not! They've probably killed him! You've seen what they do! You know what they're doing to him!" Karkat said through gritted teeth and tears.

"You heard..." Cronus said coming up the small latter. He sat beside Kankri and sighed. "What...what do they do?"

"You know what they do!!! Your dad fucking works there!! He's probably the one killing my dad!! You know exactly what they do! Why did you even bring us-"

"Karkat!" Kankri quieted him. "I'm the one who brought us here and we don't have to stay!" He sighed and turned to Cronus. "They do awful things, Cronus...I mean...awful things. This-this isn't the first time we've been in this situation..."

"What do you mean? You've...you've been in a camp?" Cronus couldn't say anything. He couldn't think of anything. He'd never experienced anything like that.

"No! Almost though... We were put on a train that took everyone to a gas chamber... When the guards were distracted, we got out." Kankri pulled his knees to his chest. "...we could've been killed..."

"Kankri..." Cronus pulled him close to his chest. "I won't let you die..."

"When you get into the camp. They take everything you have. You're shoved into small huts full of sick people. There's no food. You're forced to work. You slowly die. Sometimes, they randomly kill you. Other times they experiment..." Karkat began explaining as he hid his face. He was crying, but trying to hide it.

"Karkat, please..." Kankri gently pushed Cronus off and grabbed his brother. "Stop...you don't need to do this to yourself..."

"Why not?! That's where we're going to end up anyway!" Karkat shoved Kankri off and stormed away.

"Karkat! Karkat!!" Kankri got up and grabbed his brother, before he went down the ladder.

"Let me go!! I'm just going to die anyw-" downstairs, there was a knock at the door. Everyone got quiet.