Compound

Chapter 8

Jack's POV

"Oh fucking hell. Brice is gonna go ballistic."

"You're telling me." I heard a loud thunk. Like knife on tree. I hope. We walked carefully (I'm afraid to damage Maddi.) to where we heard the noise, Nic with a gun in his hands. Ethan groaned. He was pinned to the tree by a knife through his thigh.

"I think I'm stuck. It's a long knife." Brice came up behind me.

"Hey. Maddi's not all scratched up. What happened to her?"

"Well, you see-"

"Well we found her-"

"And I guess Riley-"

"... Raped... Her..."

"He what?"

"Yeah...."

"I SWEAR TO GOD IF I EVER CATCH THAT SON OF A BITCH!!" He grabbed the knife in Ethan's leg, and ripped it out. He screamed and fell to the ground. Maddi jerked awake, and she also screamed as Brice moved her hair out of her face. She smacked his hand away, and curled into my shirt. He recoiled in horror.

"Why the hell can he touch her!?"

"He's gay." Ethan and Nic said at the same time.

"That's true."

"What does that change!?"

"Uh, she was raped by a 250 pound male like, 10 minutes ago."

"A straight 250 pound male." He groaned.

"Maddi, I know you're upset but could you not grab my arm like that? You're hurting me." She let go, revealing tiny bleeding nail marks. "Thanks."

"Where's Connor and Ryan?

"Oh. Well damn. That could be important."

"Wait, who's guarding camp?"

"Matthew."

"He fell asleep before we left..."

"Oh. Shit."

"OW! RILEY! GET OFF ME!" Ryan yelled from a distance. "Connor! Help me!"

"Uh uh. I got Jack's adopted children to feed."

"What!? OW! You don't have kids!"

"Yeah. But imma have a little girl. Imma name her Macy." We slowly approached them through the trees. Riley had Ryan pinned to the ground. Ryan barley dodged his knife and threw him off.

"Ok I know I'm strong and shit but I'm holding Maddi right now I can't do anything." Nic slid his knife out of his belt. He walked up behind Riley (Standing), and hit him with the hilt of the knife. He slumped to the ground. He attempted to pick him up, and dropped him again.

"I can't carry him. Who's gonna carry him?"

"Why don't we just leave the asshole here!?" Brice said.

"So he can go back to terrorizing us? I know, that, but.... he's still my friend. Who's gonna carry him."

"Jack's the only one." Maddi mumbled into my shirt.

"You can't walk."

"Says who?"

"Says me. Who do you want me to hand you to?"

"I WANNA WALK!"

"YOU ARE NOT WALKING." She twisted out of my arms and flung herself on the ground. She stood shakily, before I caught her.

"I can't walk." She said as if the idea had never been suggested. I swung her back up.

"Who's allowed to touch you?" I said, sighing.

"Nobody."

"Then how the fuck do you suppose you're going to get there."

"Walking."

"MADDI. YOU CANNOT WALK, AND I CANNOT CARRY YOU. HOW ARE YOU GETTING THERE. I DON'T HAVE A GUYS TO CARRY YOU." She started sobbing.

"I-I can walk! I know I can!"

"Maddi. You have to let someone carry you."

"NO."

"Why?"

"What the HELL do you mean WHY?!"

"Maddi...."

"FINE! But not Brice, not Ethan."

"HEY!" They said in unison.

"And not Ryan!" I passed her over to Nic, and hefted Riley off the ground.

"HOLY FUCK." I yelled, almost dropping him. "WHY IS BROOKS SO HORRIBLE HE'S SO NECESSARY." We started trudging back to camp.