if we survive

s i x t e e n

r o r y

If Colman hadn't of been cleared to start hunting we would've been spared from so much. Colman didn't speak after we left the neighborhood with a few cans of food. We decided to go ahead and head back to camp with the little bit we'd found. I led the way back, I knew these woods like the back of my hands.

"Wait, look." Colman whispered suddenly. She grabbed my arm and pointed northeast ahead of us where you could barely make out a ragged green tent. She silently placed an arrow on her bow and took a few small steps towards the tent. I followed with my hand on my gun. "There's footprints in the mud, someone lives here."

"Someone lives here so we should just leave them be." I said and tugged on her arm.

"I just want to take a look." She whispered and pulled away from me. I sighed in defeat and followed closely behind. The closer we got to the tent the more my gut told me turn around but Colman kept forward. She lifted the tent flap, inside I saw carefully organized supplies. Freshly cooked meat and clothes were laid out on a short table. Suddenly, before I could react I felt an arm wrap around my throat and hold me in a chokehold. I felt my gun being pulled from my holster and heard the thump of it being thrown onto the ground. I couldn't move, he had me where I couldn't defend myself.

"Who the hell are you." A deep voice growled into my ear causing me to physically cringe away. Colman turned and saw me, her eyes widening as she raised her bow.

"Look, we weren't going to take anything, we were just curious. We don't want any trouble." I mumbled and tugged on his arm wrapped around my throat. The guy took a step forward, pulling me with him closer to Colman. She pulled back her bow string, ready to shoot to kill.

"Let him go." She said dangerously. I'd never seen this look in her eyes before, she held so much sympathy for what she was about to do. The world around us fell into slow motion as Colman released the arrow and shot it directly into the person holding me's throat. The shot was clean and the arrow went all the way through his neck and stuck in a tree behind us. She dropped to her knees and stared at the man's lifeless body. She let out a string of dry sobs before looking up at me.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't know what to do. He-He was squeezing the trigger so I-I just let go." She rambled and dropped her face into her hands, running her fingers into through her blonde hair. I dropped down beside her.

"It's okay, you did the right thing. You saved my life and yours." I felt the need to hug her but I ended up just putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Killing a human isn't justifiable." She shook her head and looked at me. "I've never killed a human before."

I nodded and rubbed her back. She shakily stood without another word and picked up my gun, placing it in my hand. She picked up the man she'd killed's gun and shoved it in the back of her pants line. She wiped her eyes. I raided the camp, shoving the clothes, meat, and weapons into my bag before following Colman back towards camp.

"Are you okay, Col—"

"I'm fine." She cut me off without even glancing my way. I knew she wasn't fine but I wasn't willing to force her to talk. We made it back to camp quickly.

"I'll be with Ethan and Carlee." Colman mumbled and turned to walk towards the garden where Carlee was working. I found Zac, Eliza, Asher, and Jade all huddled by the fire. Jade was telling them stories, Asher and Eliza weren't listening but Zac was so intrigued he didn't notice when I sat down beside him.

"What are tonight's stories about?" I asked ruffling Zac's hair. I took Asher from Jade's lap and started bouncing him on my knee.

"I was just telling Zac how Uncle Ashton saved you when Asher was born and how he didn't think twice before risking his life for the people he loved." Jade smiled. She'd started referring to Ash as Uncle Ashton to Zac and Eliza as well as Asher. She was happy when she was around the kids and she loved telling them stories.

"Remember when I told you the story of when I was taken away from my family before the monsters showed up?" I asked Zac, he nodded. "Well every day when I was away from my family I'd think about your Uncle Ash and he was how I kept going. He saved my life without even realizing it. He will always be a hero and I want you to always remember him as one."

"Did you ever go places when Anon was taking care of you? Would he let you see Uncle Ashton?" Zac asked curiously. I never liked this topic but Zac was intrigued so I answered his question by shaking my head.

"He kept me in the medical cabin for years, he protected me. He's protecting us, even if you never meet him he'll protect us." I told him and glanced at Jade. She had sadness in her eyes and hugged Eliza against her chest.

"Anon's good?" Zac looked at me with serene eyes. His heart was pure, just like mine was when Anon destroyed it.

"Um, sure." I nodded and wrapped an arm around Zac. He rested his head on my chest as Jade continued with the story she'd been telling. I didn't pay attention to it. My mind was somewhere else.