𝐍𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ➳ 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟮𝟰

❉

Ruth regained her consciousness, her eyes fluttering open to be staring up at a roof. She frowned, sitting up quickly. She felt herself restrained when a heavy couch shifted slightly beside her from her sudden movements. Ruth frowned, looking down to see her wrists bounded together and tied to the leg of the old couch. Groaning in annoyance, Ruth looked around the room. She found herself on the floor of a room that had multiple seating options, looked like a lounging area. There were double doors to her left and a single door in front of her. The walls were covered with rotting blue wall paper that would've looked pleasant years before the old mansion was abandoned. 

Ruth's attention turned back to the chair were her wrists were tied to. Ruth shifted her wrists, moving herself closer to the chair before attempting to rub the rope against the leg of the chair. Only she was interrupted when the door in front of her opened. Ruth stopped looking up to see an older man who fitted the description of Hosea Matthews. Over his shoulder was the woman she had seen earlier that appeared to be very distressed, only now she looked curious.

"Is it him? Is it Angelo Bronte?" The woman questioned quickly, inching closer once the door opened. Hosea looked over his shoulder at her and shook his head. "Not even one of his people?" Again, the man shook his head. The woman looked relieved yet upset.

"John'll find him," Hosea promised the woman softly. "Abigail, he will." He noticed her uneasy once more. The woman nodded hesitantly before disappearing after giving Ruth a final glance. As for Hosea, he returned his attention back to her.

"So, we finally meet," Hosea greeted, closing the door behind him. Ruth stayed quiet, watching him closely. He grabbed the wooden chair and sat down across from her, he had a different look in his eye compared to anyone else she had met. He had a comforting look in his eyes. "You know me," Hosea nodded. "I'm sure Leviticus informed you about all of us."

"Not all of you," Ruth corrected. He looked pleased to have a response of some sort from her. "You've got a whole family."

"You're quite the observer," Hosea announced with a slight grin. He then pointed to his own head. "Sorry about the hit by the way. As much as Micah deserves it, he is valuable to us."

"Sure," Ruth scoffed at the man. "So... do you know?" She asked him. "You're Dutch's closest friend and all."

"I know," he answered with a nod. "Of course Micah doesn't believe me. He thinks I've gone soft because of my old age, a few of them do," he announced, Ruth surprised to hear that. The two of them were quiet for a moment before Ruth broke the silence.

"That woman before mentioned Angelo Bronte? Who is that?" Ruth asked out of curiosity. Hosea sighed, she already knew whatever he had to say it was going to be a long story.