The Survivors

Chapter 6

I’d heard enough stories about these men to know that you didn’t want to be caught by them. As Cara, TJ, and I were hauled off to the pen, I was very glad I kept weapons hidden on various places on my body. Leo was holding a roaring Ashton back, and Nikki sat quietly near the fire, eating her own portion of food. TJ and Cara held my hands so tightly I began to lose feeling in them. They had luckily left our packs on our backs, but we couldn’t reach them with our hands bound to the post. If I was alone, I would’ve been kicking and screaming, hoping they killed me. But I wasn’t alone, and I couldn’t leave them to these men’s mercy. From what I understood of snatching, they’re usually brought in groups. We had about fifteen people here. These guys would get they pay they seek so desperately. I had to help these people. They were like me, just trying to survive and these men had to interfere, as if living wasn’t hard enough without avoiding guys like them. I watched as Ashton was gagged and bound, and I felt my walls crumble. This guy was fighting his brother, his only family left, for people he didn’t even know. For us. At that moment, I knew we were a family. And nothing could change that. 

A couple hours later when Ashton had finally quieted down (after seemingly endless beatings) and the camp’s occupants had retired to their tents, the blonde man approached our pen. “Its Olive, right?” he asked warily. I studied his face silently, trying to decipher why he was over by us. Then he whipped out a switchblade and began to saw at the ropes tying me to the wooden post. “No,” I whispered forcefully. I jerked my head towards Cara and TJ. “Them first. Then Ashton.” He hesitated but began to cut their ropes. When the last rough thread snapped on Cara’s bindings, she slid a knife from my boot and sawed TJ’s hands free. I watched the blonde man untie Ashton, but he didn’t get up. He slouched against a tree limply. His lip was swollen and growing bruises covered his skin. Cara cut me free and I rushed to his side. “Ashton, get up.” I shook him hard and he groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Once I saw that he was waking up, I crept back to the pen. I cut an older woman free and handed her another of my knives. With four of us working, it took only a matter of minutes to free everyone. They thanked us quietly and fled to the surrounding forest. A girl that looked to be around thirteen stayed. She neared me cautiously, as if I were some spooked wild horse. I guess I probably looked like that. A bit wild, scared out of my mind, sounds like me. The girl approached me, silent as the forest around us and asked, “Can I come with you?” For some reason, she reminded me of myself. Albeit a younger me, but the way she stood, how she looked me straight in the eyes daring me to say no, but hoping to God I wouldn’t. And alone. She was alone, and what better company than us? So I said yes.