if we survive

t w e n t y t h r e e

r o r y

I wasn't going to let Ash talk to Benji. There was no way I'd trust Benji around him so I decided to get Ethan to look at Ash's friend's wrist. Ethan was quiet and never asked questions so I wouldn't have to explain why I'd locked my brother in a room in the man that kidnapped me's cabin. The only risk was him finding out Colman was locked up too. Ethan was the type of kid that was so quiet you forget he exists sometimes, but when you've done something slightly wrong to his friends he'll start a riot. He's only sixteen, I could handle him if needed but I really like Ethan so let's hope I don't need to do anything irrational.

I stepped into the medical cabin and closed the door behind me. I looked up to see Benji staring at me with a bottle of pills in his hand about to place them in the correct cupboard. He eyed me suspiciously when I hesitated to speak.

"Is Ethan here?" I asked trying to keep my voice as casual as I could. Benji pointed to the door leading to the backroom. I nodded and ran into the back. I found Ethan examining bandages at the very back of storage. The backroom of medical was where we stored leftover food, medicine, and weapons.

Ethan caught my eye and smiled. "Hey Holden, what do you need?" He was so kind I hated myself for dragging him into this mess.

"I need you to check up on someone. He's at Anon's cabin." I stated and as soon I said Anon's name fear crept into his eyes.

"Why are there people at Anon's? Most of us don't even know where his cabin is. What's going on?" He cautiously read my expression. "Are  these people bad guys?"

"What? No." I shook my head but Ethan could still tell something was wrong. Hiding my emotions was never something I was good at.

"You're nervous and sweating, are you sick?" Ethan pressed the palm of his hand on my forehead but I pulled away from him.

"I just need you to check up on someone, that's it." I stated. Ethan nodded still giving me skeptic looks. I turned and walked out of the backroom with Ethan following at my heels. Benji was still putting pills away but gave me a skeptical glare once again as Ethan and I left the cabin without a word.

***

I didn't bother to knock when we arrived at Anon's. I walked right in and for the first time all day the cabin was quiet. Ashton had finally stopped screaming curse words. The girls hadn't made a peep since we closed the door, I almost got worried about them but when I tried to check on them earlier as soon as I opened the door Maven tried to tackle me to the ground and choke me. I wasn't making that mistake again. When we arrived at Ash's door I turned to Ethan to set some ground rules.

"Do not ask any unnecessary questions, and if they tell you anything that doesn't relate to medical reasons you need to tell me immediately." I said. Ethan just nodded. I unlocked the door and opened it, allowing Ethan to go inside first. Ashton had been laying flat on the floor but had twisted to where he could shoot glared at me.

He looked at Ethan and knit his eyebrows. "Who are you? I asked for Benji." He turned to me.

Ethan's eyes widened and looked at me. "This is your brother. You said people, you didn't say your brother."

"Yeah I'm his brother and he kidnapped me because he couldn't stand defeat." Ash stood and stepped up to Ethan. "You're Colman's friend, I saw her talking to you when I showed up here earlier."

My heart skipped a beat and I jumped in between Ethan and Ash before Ash could tell him that Colman was here. "His friend has a broken wrist, just look at it and we can leave."

"His name is Adrian dipshit and you're not touching him." Ash poked my chest and moved around me to where he was facing Ethan. "If you do anything to him I'll strangle you." He threatened Ethan. Ethan just nodded and stepped up to Adrian who'd sat silently on the mattress in the corner.

"He doesn't know that you're holding Colman here does he?" Ash asked me quietly like he didn't want Ethan to hear. I ignored him and changed the subject.

"Are you and Adam close? Is that why you won't let me explain myself? Is he your new best friend, last time I checked that's what you considered me." I asked and glanced at Ethan and Adrian. Ethan was cautiously wrapping Adrian's arm.

"Does it really matter? All you need to know is that I didn't scream in the woods for nothing, they'll be here soon." He said and gave me one last death glare before kneeling down beside Adrian. I rubbed the bridge of my nose in frustration. I watched Ash subtly lean toward Ethan and say something I couldn't make out.

"Okay! We're leaving. His arm is wrapped and checked on, let's go Ethan." I said. Ethan gave one last look at Ash and Adrian before following me out of the room.