In the Willows

Chapter One: Take Me Home

You have been riding for what seems like forever, empty trees fly by you as you try to stay awake. Gripping the handlebars of your Triumph Bonneville T100 a little tighter, you speed down the windy sparce road. Snow starts to stick to your clothes and goggles.

"God dammit." you say to yourself wiping away the snow covering your field of view.

Memories swiftly come into mind as you try even harder to stay awake. Muffled voices keep you company as you ride. Suddenly your flying through the air facing the ground.

"What the...."

Everything is in slow motion; darkness surrounds you when suddenly a loud crack and immense pain resonate from your back. You let out a silent scream holding your back. Adrenaline takes over and you stand up surveying the damage. You can't find your bike for starters. The only thing around you is your baseball bat, Swiss Army teardrop monosling backpack, M27 rifle, and GM22 silenced .22 pistol. You quickly grab all the supplies you can find and make it up the embankment slowly.

You look down the embankment, 'Thirty-foot drop onto a fucking rock.'

You fall onto your knees, "Dammit, not now."

Picking yourself up off the ground, you continue using your bat as a cane. You walk for what seems like hours in the freezing West Virginia weather. Well, you honestly don't know where you are, but with the travel time it's possible you are in the middle of West Virginia. In the distance you see illumination coming from a large building, large gates and a brick wall fortification. Trudging closer to the building, your vision becomes blurry. Two figures emerge from the gates and slowly approach you.

You hold up your hand and begin to speak when your knocked on your ass and a sharp pain engulfs your shoulder.

"S-Stop moving!" a timid voice says as they continue to move forward.

You slowly sit up as the figures make it to your position.

"Take it, I-I can't deal with weapons." said the dread headed boy.

"Fine." said the girl snatching the weapon away from him.

"So, what now?" said the dread head, "What if he's Delta?"

"I don't think so, but I don't trust it." said the girl, her voice harsh.

You hold up your hand to ask for help, but are met with a hard swing from a blunt object. Everything goes dark.

You sink into the ground, the blackness surrounds you fully as you seep farther in.

Lower

Lower

Lower

Then nothing, hovering in the pitch inky darkness that is your unconscious mind you drift.....

WAKE UP

You shoot awake in an empty room. You try and get up but are met with sharp pain all over you body. Letting out a silent cry, you lay back down. Looking around you notice your right hand is cuffed to the bed and your right shoulder is wrapped in bandages. Your bag is sitting on the bed across from you with a space heater sitting close to your bed. Then you realize you only have your boxers on.

'Fuck.'

On the desk you see a pencil, slowly you reach for it. Overcoming your unbearable pain, you achieve the makeshift weapon and tuck it next to you. You let out a sigh and then you hear the door being unlocked. Making sure you have access to the weapon two people enter the room, one male and female. Suddenly it clicks, that's the motherfucker who shot me. You stare daggers at the boy, and he notices, quickly looking away and hiding behind the girl with him. The girl takes the chair at the desk next to you and takes a seat. You study her features carefully; soft golden honey eyes catch your attention first. A hardened demeanor behind soft, glowing orbs. Short curly hair tied to the side and a hat with a large letter D that has seen better days. She's short, but has the ability to pounce on someone with the skills of a lioness protecting her young. She slowly looks down your exposed frame and sees the tattoos and scars that run down your body. She guides her eyes back to you and looks into your eyes. You both hold your stares until she finally speaks.