if we survive

t w e n t y o n e

r o r y

moments earlier

Not many people knew where Anon lived, most of the survivors didn't even believe he existed. I've known him for five years and my life would be very different if I didn't. You never hear about eighteen year old men being kidnapped, it's just unlikely so they always assume you've run away. I didn't run away. Anon never let me accuse him of kidnapping, he'd grab me by the throat and threaten me if I ever disrespected him. He did protect me though, he kept me alive in the apocalypse and I'm thankful. This man changed me, he manipulated me in ways I can't explain. Eighteen year old me was so much different, I wasn't always bad.

When I reached Anon's cabin I lightly knocked on the door three times. Within seconds, Anon's bearded face peaked through the crack of his door. He opened the door wider when he saw me and waved me inside. He closed the door behind me a silently lead me into his kitchen. Anon was a tall guy, he was skin and bones with no traits that really stuck out. His hair was brown and always messy, even before the apocalypse he would never tame his hair.

"What do you need, son? This better be good." He said to me, leaning against the counter.

"My little brother was here and he lives with Adam Harrington from Camp Beta." I began. Anon and I had names for all the camps around us, our camp was Camp Alpha, Adam's camp was Camp Beta, and the camp the woman that killed Mika came from was Camp Omega. "Ash took Colman, sir."

"Colman? Our hunter?" He asked, I nodded. "I could send some Omega residents to go after them, but I make no promises they won't be harmed."

"Just don't kill Ashton, and we have a deal." I shrugged. "And, if you don't mind, can you bring all of them back here? I want to talk to Ash."

"How many are with your brother?" Anon asked.

"Him, Colman, and two of his friends from Camp Beta."

"I've only got two rooms that lock from the outside, they'll have to be split into pairs." Anon turned and led me down a hallway where two doors were set side by side on the left side of the hallway. Anon opened one door and inside was a single mattress on the floor and a thin blanket bundled up in the corner. "This is where the campers that I don't trust out there stay, it's not nice but it could be worse."

"As long as my brother is safe, I want you to send someone to get them." I stated. Anon nodded.

***

I sat outside of Jade and I's tent holding Asher about an hour after I left Anon's. Jade was resting inside so I was watching Asher. Asher wasn't a bad baby, he was an angel. He only cried when he was hungry, he never got into things he shouldn't, and he was just as comfortable around strangers as he was around me. Suddenly, Jade burst out the tent wiping her eyes. She shoved a walkie talkie into my palm and took Asher from me.

"You really think Ashton will be willing to talk things out after you sent someone to kidnap him? Just leave the kid alone Holden, he's not hurting anyone." She sounded angry and disappointed. Before I could reply my walkie came to life. "Holden, I got the kids. They're annoying so get here before I kill one." I sighed and stood up.

"I know, I don't want to hurt them I swear. I just need to make things right with Ash, then if he still wants nothing to do with me I'll leave him be." I promised. She didn't buy it, I knew what Jade looked like when she was skeptical. "I swear." I pecked a kiss on her cheek and one on Asher's head before running all the way to Anon's cabin. As soon as I stepped into Anon's cabin I saw Ash and his friends being pushed down the hallway by disguised Camp Omega campers screaming curses and demanding to be let go. Ash was covered in black blood that dropped down his neck and soaked the collar of his green shirt and dried red blood stained the side of his face from where I hit him. He finally met my gaze.

"You asshole! What the hell is wrong with you?" He screamed at me but Omega campers shoved him harshly down the hall and basically threw him and the kid that had the screwdriver into the first room then pushed the girls inside the second one. I stood beside Anon watching the Omega's take each weapon they had and anything they could use against us. Ashton glared daggers at me the whole time. The rooms were identical, an old ripped mattress sat in the corner with a single pillow that was also gross and old. There was a single window on the far wall but it wasn't large enough for anyone to slip through.

"What are you planning to do? Keep us here until for the rest of our lives?" Colman yelled at me with her eyes burning with anger.

"Holden," Ash's voice brought my attention away from Colman and back to him. He looked sincere, somehow he didn't look angry in that moment. For a moment I wanted to tell the Omega's to let go of him but then he spoke again. "If you hurt any of them, I'll kill you."

The Omega's tossed Ashton and his friend to the ground and rushed out of the room before they could run out and slammed the door shut. The other's did the same with the girls.

"I can sedate Ashton long enough to get him outside to talk to you tomorrow. The other kid's wrist is broken so he won't be able to stop me." Anon said and waved the Omega's away so we could speak without them near.

"No, I'll come back tomorrow and try to talk with him. No drugs needed." I said and Anon nodded.

"I will kill you!" Ashton's voice rang through Anon's cabin but I forced myself to ignore it and left the cabin with zero regrets.