The Runaways

Chapter Thirteen - The Sleeping Man

Elias

Before I'm able to react Remington grabs my arm and we run off after Cleveland who was heading back in the direction of the house we broken into with Corban and Reece. Me and Remington manage to pass him on our way out and begin making our way out of town. Other people are running away too. I have a strong feeling The Syndicates are here to ransack the town and kidnap more children to turn into slaves. God. It makes me so sick. The things I've gotten a glimpse of are inhumane. It makes me thankful I never had to deal with that when I was young.
Me and Remington are just at the exit of town when I look back and see Cleveland still following us. God dammit, can't this guy leave us alone.
"Guys wait!" Cleveland calls, "Wait please! Let me come with you! I can help you!"
"Sorry buddy we gotta go, good luck though," Remington calls back.
"No wait please! We have money!" Cleveland calls out.
Remington slows down and let's Cleveland catch up to us. We're now on the very outside of town, tall trees are now starting to give us cover and hiding us a bit.
"P-Please," Cleveland stammered, "We have about two and a quarter portions all together, a-and if we work together we can be stronger,"
"Two whole portions and a quarter portion?" Remington asked.
Cleveland nodded as he bounced up a bit fixing the position of his friend who was being carried on one of his broad muscular shoulders.
Me and Remington exchanged a look. Cleveland had about two hundred and twenty five dollars on him (if we were to compare it to past currency before the war). And since we didn't have much money ourselves that seemed like a good deal. But having two more people come along with us, with one most likely injured. It seemed kinda risky.
Besides, we don't know why these guys were doing. Trying to get some quote on quote "papers" from some other smaller gang. It seemed odd. But Cleveland did mention they should work together since they were both after the Syndicates. But why? What did those papers serve? And would it really be a good idea to have someone who's trying to get to the Syndicates come with us, people who are trying to stay away from them.
Then again this guy looked really nice...and innocent...and sad... he kinda reminds me of a sad puppy. Or a lost kid just trying to find his parents. Or he could just be a socio path.
Me and Remington looked back at Cleveland who was staring at us with pleading eyes, they were large and round and he looked so scared and helpless.
"I-I don't know man..." I start, "I mean you seem like a good person but our priorities seem to be opposite, I mean you sound like your trying to get to the Syndicates, we're trying to get away..."
Cleveland's gaze turns to a heartbroken look. I don't know why but I suddenly just felt so sad looking at him, peoples emotions never seem to affect me too much but now I just kinda wanna give the poor guy a hug. He just looks so sad.
"Well, I mean," Remington began, "I don't really see a problem with you two staying with us for a day or two. We won't be in town long anyways so I guess it wouldn't hurt for you guys to stay. Besides we'll be more safer that way,"
Cleveland started to smile again, "Yeah? You mean it?"
"Sure but uhh, you guys are responsible for your own shit. Food, blankets, all that crap." Remington said.
"Oh thank you! Thank you! I'd hug you but I don't want to drop Warren," Cleveland said excitedly.
"Good cause I don't like being hugged anyways," I grumble.
Remington rolls his eyes at me and then looks over past Cleveland gazing back at the town, "We better hurry if those Syndicates are gonna be here soon,"
"Right," Cleveland mutters. We start walking at a fast pace heading back to our house—well the house we broke into. Cleveland doesn't seem to worried about his friend...William? Was it? I don't know, I don't really care. I just hope the guy isn't hurt and gets all whiney and needs to be taken care of.
We make our way to the house and knock on the door. I catch a glimpse of someone pull back the curtains from the window on the side to see who was at the door before opening it. As the door opens Reece stands there giving us a confused look.
"Who the hell are these guys?" She asks, "Any why are you back so early? And also the lady woke up and kinda beat up Corban so we had to knock her back out again and—"
"Move," I say as I push past her. The others follow me inside. Cleveland immediately hurried over to the couch and gently and carefully sets his friend down.
"Is that guy okay?" Corban asks. His neck looks red and almost like it's about to bruise as well.
"Jeez Corb what happened to your neck?" Remington asked.
"That crazy psycho lady tried to kill me," Corban said.
"But I saved him," Reece boasted.
"Yeah, Thanks Reece," Corban said, surprisingly in a non-sarcastic way. Huh.
"Okay but who are these two anyways?" Reece asks.
"Well that tall guy is Cleveland and the guy on the couch is uh...Wilber? Something with a W?" Remington says.
"It's Warren," Cleveland says with his back turned to us as he looked over his friend.
"So uh what's his deal?" Remington asked, "Is he like bleeding or..?"
"Oh no he's okay, he's just asleep," Cleveland said as he turned around to face us.
"Oh..?" I say, confused, I really hope this guys not dead or something and this poor guy just thinks he's been sleeping this whole time.
Remington looks off to the side uncomfortably, "Right... Uh here Cleveland why don't you come outside with me so we can keep watch to make sure those Syndies stay away from this part of town," Remington then grabs Corban and pulls him over closer to whisper into his ear, thankfully I was standing close enough to hear it, "Keep an eye on the 'sleeping' guy I'm getting a bad vibe from these two, and that dude is either dead or is ready to attack us,"
Corban nods as Remington reaches out and opens the door for Cleveland to head out in front of him. After they leave Corban slowly makes his way over to the man who was 'sleeping' on the couch.
"Do you think he's dead?" Reece asks, "What do we do if he's dead? Are we supposed to tell that guy?"
"He's not dead," Corban says, "He's breathing but something doesn't feel right about this."
"What do you think his problem is than?" I ask.
"Hard to tell. I don't see any external injuries, but he could be bleeding internally. If that's the case there's no saving him, we'll need a real hospital for that." Corban explains.
"And the only hospitals that are even close to the ones back before the war are all in cities." I add on.
"Oh no... Well how long does he have? We don't want some random old dude to die on our couch." Reece says as she cringes.
"Well I mean it all depends what happened but Cleveland just giving me the information that 'he's sleeping' isn't gonna help me figure out what's going on. Elias you found these two how did that happen?" Corban asks as he looks over at me.
"Well me and Remington were in town just looking around, Remington got freaked out by a knife..." I should elaborate on that later. It isn't like Remington to seem so scared just by one knife. I mean sure it had connections to that gang he was talking about but it feels like there's more to it than that, "And then that Cleveland guy came out of nowhere with these guys chasing him. Then some dude pulled out that guy--" I say pointing over to the sleeping man, "--and was all like 'hand over the papers or we'll cut his throat' and Cleveland did and then the Syndicates attacked and he followed us."
"So he's been out before you guys saw him," Corban mutters as he thinks, "He could have a head injury." Corban starts making his way to the kitchen portion of the small house, just separated from the main room by a wall. He climbs onto the counter and opens the cabinets looking for something to eat.
"Anyways what the hell happened to you?" I ask, "You're neck looks like you've got some sort of monster hickey forming, but like, worse,"
"Oh man let me tell you! Okay okay so me and Corban are just sitting there all bored and then BAM! That woman just starts screaming and trying get out and it's the whole big mess!" Reece exclaims as she begins to explain to me what had happened, "And she unties herself and gets out of the chairs and is all like, 'what the hell are you doing in my house?' and then she goes and pins Corban on the floor and starts choking the shit out of him! And he almost died if it weren't for me that saved him. I hit her over the head with a really big book over and over until she was knocked out again. So yeah I saved Corn Cob, no biggie,"
"Corban you didn't try kicking her off of you?" I ask as I look at him as he opens up a can of peaches.
"I would've tried if--" Corban pauses as he slowly sets the can down and puts his hands up in fear.
I turn around to see the man who was sleeping on the couch a moment ago who is now standing behind me holding up a very large knife up pointed at us.
"Who are you?" He asks as he stares at us with narrowed eyes and an angry expression, "Why am I here? Where's Cleveland-- the tall guy with black hair, where is he?"
"Whoa whoa chill out man," I say as I back up.
"Look Corban! He's not gonna die on our couch after all!" Reece says excitedly.
"WHAT?!" The man exclaims.