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Captive

With her free arm, Enid grabbed her knife from her belt and was about to stab her captor when she heard the cock of a hand gun near her head.

She froze.

The third man from the creek stood to her left with his arm outstretched, a revolver in his right hand and a knife in his left. Enid quivered. All she could think about was how she could possibly get her best friend the help he needed. Her breathing raced almost as fast as her heart.

Her captor seemed to notice this and reassured her with a cackle, "Oh, don't you worry, Hun. We're gunna take real good care o' you and your little boyfriend there, too."

She squirmed, but the man's grip just tightened. She wasn't sure if she was more frightened or angry.

"There ain't no point in squirmin', doll. You ain't goin' nowhere," the man with the gun advised.

When she thought she could no longer move without attracting too much attention, she sighed and tried to speak.

"Mmhhhpph!" Enid's muffled, shaky voice coughed.

"What was that, sweet pea?" the second man acknowledged.

"Eh, let 'er speak," the other approved.

The grimy hand loosened and fell away from Enid's mouth.

"What do ya want, baby girl?" the third patronized.

Enid burned with anger at this.

"I'd like it if you wouldn't call me those names," Enid began.

"Alright, sugar," the second man in leather jeered.

"C'mon, Jarod. Stop that now. Let the girl speak."

The second man, or Jarod, huffed. Enid continued.

"What are you going to do with us and where are the rest of you? I saw six of you at the river, but I can only see two of you now."

"Oh, don't worry about them. They're just out lookin' for you," the third answered. "When we chased after you, you were too quick for most of us, so we split up, hopin' to find ya'll faster."

"You haven't answered my first question," Enid reminded with more confidence in her voice.

"Well the truth is, we haven't decided yet," the second man informed. "Tom, we should holler to the others to let 'em know that we have the kids," Jarod pointed out to the third man, Tom.

Tom nodded and lowered his gun to whistle at the others.

Meanwhile, Enid was looking at Carl to see how he was doing. There was still a fairly small amount of bleeding. Carl's breathing had slowed, and his face was nearly white.

"Please," Enid interjected. "Please. You can take me and do whatever you want. Just please let my friend go, or at least help him."

Jarod and Tom looked at each other and burst out laughing. Maybe they were laughing at the idea that they'd actually help someone like Carl, or maybe they laughed because Enid's boldness had thrown them off guard. Whatever the reason, she didn't find it very funny.

"Ok, missy," Tom laughed as he scratched his nose with the tip of his knife. "We'll fix up your friend here and send 'im on his way. But before we let 'im go, we're gunna question the both of ya."

"I can't let them find out about Alexandria," Enid thought. "I'm never going to get out of this!"

The snapping of twigs and the crunch of leaves were heard before the other four men arrived.

"Look what we got here," one smirked.

"What're we gonna do with 'em, Doc?" another inquired.

"I say we ask 'em some questions. It'll be a good, ol'-fashioned interrogation. You know, like the ones in them Old Western films?" Tom laughed as the others joined in. "Firstly, Pete, you go and fix up that boy over there. Take a needle and thread. Oh, and Pete? Make sure you tie 'im up first."

The first man from the group, Pete, walked over to Carl as Tom started up again.

"So, let's get started. What's your name?"

The now more-angry-than-scared girl cursed at them.

"Now, that's no way to talk to someone you've just met, pretty lady," Tom demeaned.

"It's Enid," she said with as much annoyance in her tone as she could muster.

"Enid, hm? That's a pretty name. Whatdaya think, boys?" Tom winked. "Alright, Enid. What's your boyfriend's name over there?"

"What do you care?" Enid murmured as her eyes began to fill with hot tears.

"Fine then. I'm going to guess," Tom smirked. "Let's start with...Daniel!"

Enid kept her gaze down and her jaw locked.

"Henry."

"Chandler."

"Carl."

At this, she glanced up with hatred.

"Ahh. Carl," Tom smiled wickedly. "Let's get on with this questioning," he continued. "So, you two look pretty clean. Where you holdin' up? You gotta camp or somethin'?"