Age of Silence [#Wattys2015]

Lone Rescue

Chapter 3

Alexene

I stayed between Cody and Finn just in case they fight with my bow by my side.

"What happened to your jumpsuit?" Cody asked.

I replied, "It ripped when I was attacked by the ghouls."

He scratched the back of his head.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I never knew about the ghouls."

I sighed.

"Since I pity you, you're forgiven."

"Don't give me that attitude just because I apologized you ass."

Our group made their way to the northern area, so we could get to the Statue of Liberty where Compound 86 is.

Yards away from us, I see a small base camp. They had this black smoke that rose from the fire they burned.

"Levi," I wondered aloud," Is that a... town?"

Levi was like a geologist, so she keeps our compass and map with her walkie-talkie for our communication. Each member has a walkie just in case we get lost.

"I..." Levi murmured," This can't be. I never seen this camp befo-"

A bearded man smacked Levi to the floor. I aimed my arrow at him, but someone from behind grabbed my arms. More men came to hold the boys who fought.

"Let go of me!" I shout.

I pulled myself up to reach my knife in my belt, but the man behind me knocked me unconsciously.

I could feel being dragged.

I wake up hung up with my hands in a tight knot in a dim room with candles. I was maybe fifteen feet off the ground. Around me were bodies that were hanged too. None of them were in my group, thankfully.

"Hello?" I called out.

My voice echoed. I was a bit weak waking up. My wrist was knotted on the rope hanging from the ceiling.

"Get me out!" I call out.

I couldn't free myself. I found a hanging dead body next to me. It's fresh, which made me jump. I realized that my bow was in the corner with my quiver and arrows. I looked the body above me.

The man had a knife in his pocket, so I tried to reach for it. I was too far away. I swung back and forth until I grabbed the knife. The knife was close to slipping, but I kept a grip on it.

I heard men coming from the opening. This is when I noticed that I was in a cave because of the surrounding rugged rock floor and walls. I could see a tiny hole in the ceiling that let in sunlight, but dim candles and torches lit this room. I pulled myself together and started cutting. I heard men's muffled voiced throughout the room.

"Come on... Please." I whispered.

The rope broke from my weight. I fell down to the floor, but I felt a sharp pain on my torso. I let out a cry of pain. I looked down at my stomach. The cave floor had arrows sticking straight up. One of the arrows went right through me. The arrow was metal and had rust on it. Fortunately, it didn't hit any organs.

It hurt like hell. I was shaking, but I placed my two hands on the arrow and started to pull it out. I whimpered, so the men won't hear me. Each centimeter of the dirty metal felt like sharp glass cutting my insides. One last pull and I got it out. I panted from the pain.

I got up and made my way through the bodies on the ground and to my bow and arrow. I heard footsteps from a tunnel. I grabbed my backpack from the rock. I found a box of matches, which I took.