Chained to You

[Kuno]

CHAINED
TO
YOU

 

[Kuno]

What was justice but the construct of old men and women inflamed by democratic power?

Crooks governing crooks. They had lorded over each of them at their trials, a farce of a system where faceless peers had seen fit to judge them. They wielded their decisions over a man's life and death like a child brandishing a toy: thoughtlessly. Brutishly. Unlovingly. They - these men and women who were bred of the same stock and breed and creed as them. Who were they to pass judgement on those they deemed their lessers? It was a unique conundrum of law and order.

The forty or so men gathered in the county jail's yard certainly felt they had been slighted by the rough hands of democracy. Prison sentences were a poison best served cold, and the fall's cold chilled like the years that had been handed to them. They made an odd rabble, this diverse group of individuals. Murderers rubbed shoulders with embezzlers, and the rapists eyed petty tax frauders with waning interest. Some saw a few years on the horizon spent behind the walls. Others only imagined walls...forever.

Ferngreen Penitentiary awaited them. They were chained in pairs. The guards hadn't given much thought on who was chained to who; violent offender or not, no one was stupid enough to pick a fight so fresh off the lot. There was still the glimmer of early release for good behavior in their eyes, and the only ones crazy enough to risk that were on another bus entirely.

The driver had heard there was a serial killer on that other bus.

"No way," one of the prison guards scoffed. "We would have heard something about that!"

"I'm telling ya, it's that guy. The one with the- with the- ya know, the neck biter."

"No way."

"Man, I heard it on the news this morning."

The news. Was this another commodity to be missed behind bars? The prisoners could not help but wonder, some turning to take a last look at the lot behind them.

The men sat in pairs; or rather, they were forced. Chained at the hands to their unwilling comrades, odd duos filled the dark grey padded seats, some eyes filled with dark fury, others blank and empty, already resigned to the fate that awaited them.

Prisoners 320 and 407 held a different air about them. They lacked the hardened grit of seasoned inmates, but one could not take their reserved positions lightly. There was an edge to prisoner 320 that any criminal could suss out by sight. And 407, while bearing the straightened posture and flawless, clean cut features of a richer man, held a chill to his eyes that did not waver in the face of lawlessness. He was perfectly reticent, and he stared straight ahead, not deigning to say a single word to his unfortunate companion.

 

[MiharuAya]

As the metal prison bus roared to life, the low droning hum of the engine mixed with the hushed voices of the vehicle's occupants. While some sat in melancholic silence, others chatted nervously to the others around them.

When the transport sped down the interstate, it attracted curious glances from the passengers of other cars. The bus was painted a dreary grey, matching the somber ambiance of the newly convicted that filled the seats. With thick black letters running along each side, it was a desolate reminder of their final destination.

While time passed, the weather began to grow bleak. The sky turned dark as it filled with clouds, droplets of rain fell to the ground. The sound of soft pitter patters reverberated off the metal roof.

Cameron leisurely leaned against the chilly window. With vacant eyes, his mind was lost in thought as he stared out the window with a sullen expression. Ever since he was caught, all he could do was contemplate the reason for his capture. But, as he followed the series of events in his mind, only a single mistake was found. He trusted someone.

The anger and betrayal still boiled deep within him. His mind raged with thoughts of revenge, fueled by the annoyance at himself for being such a fool. However, with a deep sigh, he knew that he needed to push those feelings aside. With his sentence, he would be spending the next half decade inside a concrete box with dangerous criminals. Before he could consider revenge, he needed to focus on getting out alive.

While he was undoubtedly on edge, on the surface he purposefully kept a calm demeanor. To show even a minuscule sign of fear would mark you as weak. And in prison, the weak become targets. Even though Cameron was at a disadvantage, with both his lack of intimidating appearance or violent inclination, he had something that most of these thick headed criminals lacked. Cleverness. His brain had gotten him this far in life, surely he could outsmart the barbarics of prison culture.

All he needed to do was watch his back, and keep the upper hand. If he lacked brawn, then he would simply make some friends. The first step of his plan was to gain the favor of the toughest looking guy around. And, as luck would have it, he happened to be sitting right next to the man.

Cameron casually tilted his head, glancing at his seatmate with a blasé expression. With heavy lids, he scanned the man up and down before settling on his sharp gaze. He looked the man up and down before settling on his sharp gaze. "So…" Cameron began with a friendly voice. "I guess we'll be here a while. I thought I might as well introduce myself. I'm Cameron," A relaxed grin appeared on his lips.

As the blond went to shake the man's hand, the chain tugged at the others arm. "Ah, sorry." He apologized. "I still need to get used to this." With a lighthearted chuckle, Cameron rubbed at his sore wrist.

@Kuno

 

[Kuno]

He went to the bar. Emily was there, and so was Antonio. They were sitting in the private room at the back. The lights were low and dim; Antonio had already ordered a drink for him, and the ice had melted.

"On me." Antonio's gold-capped teeth flashed in the light.

Adam took a sip. The drink was strong; he felt his head got fuzzy. Maybe he should have eaten first.

Where had it gone wrong? Where had he made his fatal, naive mistake?

His eyes stared ahead, the back of the grey padded bus seat bleeding away and coalescing into memories. Memories of that night, that night before it all began.

Rewind. Rewind. Rewind…

She coiled around him like a vine. Adam sat limply, his eyes fluttering as she pressed kisses along his collarbone. Antonio sat back with a smile, enjoying the show. Enjoying the sight of Adam in that state.

How long had he felt that way?

"You still wanna talk business?" His words came from far away, and Adam felt the drink clear from his head enough to sit up straight, nodding slowly.

Antonio's lips moved. Words came out.

No, that wasn't right. Something had happened in between then. Did Emily say something before the drink? She laughed - or rather, she snorted, at some joke or the other. It hurt to think of her like that. To have met her and known her in the few scant moments of joy she'd had, not knowing that only a few hours later -

Blue eyes dulled into grey stared forever into the dark of his room. Her lips were pale, her eyes sunken. Blood soaked the sheets beneath Emily's head, forming a macabre halo about her black ringlets. The smell of death lingered in his noise as the police dragged him from the bed.

Stop. Rewind. Rewind. Find where it had gone wrong...He was missing something, something in that dinner with Antonio -

The movie reel was interrupted by a voice at his side. Funny how the mind worked; Adam had successfully erased both his chainmate and the rest of the prisoners from his senses entirely. Reality, as it was wont to do, intruded into his maddened thoughts, breaking through the meticulous search of his memories. He hadn't wanted to be bothered. But somehow he was grateful for the small distraction.

"I'm Cameron."

Adam looked askance. The chains clinked as Cameron attempted to shake his hand.

In another world, in the not so distant past, Adam would have taken the hand with a firm shake. Now he only stared blankly, confused at this show of civility amongst the scum of human society.

"Adam," He answered slowly. What typically followed was nice to meet you. But they weren't at corporate offices or a garden party. This was a prison bus. There was nothing nice about it. Damned more so were the innocent among the criminals.

"They'll be off soon enough. The chains." He spoke with a confidence he didn't feel. What did he know about prison? They might keep it on him forever. He was a murderer in their eyes.

Adam's jaw tightened at the thought.

 

[MiharuAya]

When Cameron introduced himself, he wasn't entirely sure if he would receive a response. With just a few quick glances he snuck, the man had an undeniable cold aura surrounding him. While some prisoners were attempting to look tough or were chatting nervously, this person was withdrawn and aloof. It was as if he wasn't sitting on a bus heading to prison.

But, it was this exact standoffish demeanor that attracted Cameron's attention. It wasn't the man with the biggest build or the most scars and tattoos that determined someone's status within the prison. Instead, it was the person who gave off the aura that they would do whatever it took to survive behind bars. And, this man certainly had that quality.

As the man replied with his name, Cameron gave a slight nod in lieu of a handshake. It was frustrating not having full use and freedom of his hands. His boney wrists had turned red as the cold metal rubbed at his skin with every slight movement. As he was learning, it was the little things that he used to take for granted that would be the hardest to adjust to. Freewill and body autonomy had become a luxury that he could no longer afford.

"Yeah?" He asked, tilting his head curiously at Adam. "Have you been before?" With his casual voice, Cameron was attempting to gather information as inconspicuously as possible. Cameron was still trying to size him up, and determine if he might make for an advantageous ally to acquire. Though, he was also just nosey.

 

[Kuno]

Adam was still living in the before. He saw that now; Cameron's question - innocuous, atypical, even expected - registered strangely in his mind. It was something he'd never been asked before, and something he never thought he would be asked.

Have you been before?

To jail. To prison. Where the scum of the earth resided, lawless men that bent the rules of the land to their own benefit. He, Adam Castille, an esteemed bank accountant, a man who hadn't so much as gotten detention in school or a ticket in traffic, was being asked if he'd ever been to prison. He, Adam Castille, was sentenced for the murder of a woman he had never met.

The reality of the moment weighed like a two ton yoke on his neck.

He was going to prison for a murder he didn't commit. He, Adam Francisco Castille -

"No, I've never been. I'm just stating the obvious."

He said it sharp enough to cut skin. The fire in his eyes couldn't be missed as his head swung abruptly to finally look fully at his chain partner. Cameron was a shrimp of a guy, with glasses for God's sake. He wondered what this man could have possibly done to get thrown on a bus with murderers and thieves and drug dealers.

They would eat him alive. Adam suddenly felt pity for him, and the heat of his gaze cooled.

"Sorry. I'm not -" He paused. He was about to state the obvious, but he went on, "I'm not in the best mood. I don't know anything, alright?"

 

[MiharuAya]

The question was innocent-sounding enough. As bright sapphire eyes peered up through glasses at Adam, it would have been impossible for the man to know the conniving thoughts running through Cameron's mind.

With the harsh response, Cameron could figure he must have touched a sore spot. Though, he supposed he shouldn't be too surprised. Anyone would be upset at the situation. Cameron could certainly identify with the feeling.

Cameron's body language shifted, leaning further away as his skin pressed against the cold metal frame of the bus. "Uh, no...It's my bad.'' He responded as he raised his uncuffed hand in defense. "Sorry...I guess it's probably not something anyone would want to talk about right now..." A light chuckle reverberated in his throat, his free hand lifting to nervously rub at the back of his neck

When the others' gaze softened, Cameron was able to slowly relax, a deep sigh escaping past his lips. Even though he liked to act nonchalant, he also didn't want to receive a fist to the face. Despite Cameron's initial assessment, with Adams claiming to be a first-timer then was this all just a waste of time? It was almost a disappointment. But, one more question would tell him everything he needed to know. The only problem was that Adam didn't want to talk.

The apology was unexpected, though Cameron casually accepted. "Nah, it's fine. I get it." As he glanced towards the window, he quietly watched as the rain poured harder along the road. After a few moments, his curiosity got the best of him. "I don't suppose you'd be in the mood to tell me whatcha in for?" He asked, tilting his head back towards the man with a lifted eyebrow. "Not much else to do to pass the time…" He reasoned, shrugging as idle fingers danced on his legs.

 

[Kuno]

As the conversation lulled into blessed silence, Adam's thoughts drifted back to his cursed memories. To Antonio, the glitz and glamour, the girls, the party. He just didn't understand; when had the switch happened, he wondered? Who had the sleight of hand to pull off something like that? Adam was a city kid; he would have noticed fingers in his pockets, but...in his drink?

The drink. The goddamn drink. What if-

"Huh?"

Cameron's words had him turning to regard him sharply. What did he say? Had he just asked him something?

Then it came to him.

"Hey, look," Adam said firmly. "Look...Cam- Cameron? Whatever. Look, this isn't a goddamn field trip. I don't know you, you don't know me, you shouldn't want to know me, ok? I mean look around you -"

Adam gestured around the deathly quiet prison bus, the tense silence deafening in its answer.

"No one is talking. Because no one gives a rat's ass about each other. Alright? Just keep to yourself. You're better off that way."

 

[MiharuAya]

The sharp glace struck him like a dagger and Cameron instantly knew that the man's tolerance had run out. As the admonishing words flowed from Adams's lips, Cameron leaned away from him. His bare skin rested on the cool window while the rain pelted the side of the bus,

Cameron lifted his hands defensively, "Ah, sorry. I was just-" While Adam's gaze swept around the bus, Cameron's eyes followed. The entire vehicle was silent, as the occupants mourned their former lives. "Fine, fine…" He relented with a sigh, his hands returning to his lap. With pursed lips, he let his head rest against the window to sulk.

While he gazed out, the sky was filled with dark grey clouds which seemed to spout unending rain. The heavy drops washed over the windshield, causing a blurry waterfall that even the windshield wipers seemed to have difficulty clearing. As it became dark without even the illumination of the moon, all that was visible were the faint distant headlights.

"Man, it's really starting to pour…"

 

[Kuno]

Indeed, the rain was akin to a heavy storm. Dark and murky like the depths of the sea. The clouds swirled ominously, and the bus driver strained to see through the unyielding rainshed.

"Damn weather," He grumbled to himself. Of all the days to have a prison drop-off. Momentarily, he glanced away to increase the windshield speed.

Fate, as it so happened, occurred even in the tiniest span of a moment.

A blink less, a move more, a turn later, a few raindrops less - he might have caught it. Natural driving instinct would have kicked in, and Dennis the prison bus driver would have swerved around the nearly invisible black Charger coasting along the lonely highway. Then Adam would be off to serve his life away, and Cam would serve his own time. Justice, broken as it was, would be served. And the world would move on in its inequity.

But sometimes life gave out second chances. Which meant Dennis the bus driver didn't see the car.

The cacophonous screech of glass breaking, metal grinding, and tires squealing was met with the violent shock of inertia. One moment the prisoners were staring ahead; the next, their bodies were thrown forward as the bus lifted bodily into the air, spinning from the sudden impact against the flattened passenger car. The world spun again and again. Noise was momentarily absent; they were floating, weightless, caught in the balance as the bus rocketed above the street. And then the pseudo-astronauts made a landing.
Hard.

It was dark. The rain fell steadily against the battered hull, the bus inert on its side several yards from the rear-ended charger. Within, the forms were still. Some began to move after a few heartbeats, slow yet sure. Others lay frighteningly still.

Adam Castille was one of them.

 

[MiharuAya]

As Cameron stared out the window, he watched as the dreary scenery passed them by. It was pitch dark outside, with the only illumination coming from sparse streetlamps and the headlights of other vehicles. He found it depressing, that in these last moments of freedom he couldn't even appreciate the view. This is the worst, he thought to himself.

A sudden roaring of a horn broke the silence, but it was too late. With an abrupt jerk, Cameron's body flew forward into the seat in front of him. "Fuck!" He shouted, his eyes slamming shut while his body tensed. In an instant, everything had turned into chaos and they were simply along for the ride.

As the bus spun, glass and metal debris flew through the air smacking into anyone in their path. The bodies who once sat uniformly in their seats now flung through the air with their chains as a leash. With the screams having gone silent, the bus became deathly quiet.

When the bus landed, the smell of burning rubber and blood filled the air. A few low groans rang out from in between the seats, however, it was the sound of heavy raindrops pounding the hissing bus which woke Cameron from his daze. As he blinked his eyes open, his vision was blurring as his head thumped to the beat of his rapid heart.

"Ngh…" He moaned, moving his hands to try and sit up. Though, as he moved, he found that he had landed on something firm. Yet, not the hard metal or shards of glass that one might expect. His weary gaze peered down, landing on the very unconscious Adam.

"Hey, are you okay?" Cameron asked softly, rolling himself off of the other's body. Although Cameron felt every muscle in his body ached, he was more concerned with the person chained to his arm. The brunette climbed closer to the man's face, trying to get a better look at whether he was breathing or not.

"Don't be dead. Don't be dead. Don't be dead." He mumbled to himself as he gazed down at Adam's lifeless body. With a trembling finger, he poked at the man's face. The thought that he might be laying next to a dead body was terrifying, his breathing becoming increasingly labored as the moments went on.

 

[Kuno]

Someone was playing the drums in his head.

That ludicrous thought was the first bit of coherency to come to Adam's conscious mind. Well - that, and the overwhelming pressure at the front of his skull. And the cold wet of rain on his temple.

Rain.

Rain?

"Don't be dead."

A voice thrummed somewhere beyond his subconsciousness. Was it...was he talking to himself? It kept repeating, the barest murmur in his head. Then something prodded his cheek. Adam's head lolled a bit, rolling away from the intrusive touch.

And just like that, he felt it all at once.

"Oh God."

With a groan, his eyes fluttered open. Immediately, he squinted as the scant light assaulted his throbbing skull. He was lying in an odd position; his left arm was wrenched back behind him, and his legs were akimbo, awkwardly jutting over and across the top of the bus seat. He shifted, wincing as his arm dragged along something that sounded suspiciously like glass.

The world had turned in his slumber. The floor was the ceiling, and the broken window was his dangerous head cushion. The rain was getting in that way; his head hung out just barely, and he could feel the prickle of raindrops on the crown of his head. His eyes rolled to and fro, dazed, trying to marry what he was saying with what he last remembered.

At last, his gaze alighted on the blurry figure sitting next to him. He stared unfocused, blinking rapidly as the murky shape quickly morphed into…

Jesus. What was his name again?

"Mrhwat happeeend?" Adam slurred, his tongue unexpectedly heavy in his mouth.

 

[MiharuAya]

As the man's head rolled to the side, Cameron gasped. With worried eyes, he frantically looked over Adam's face as he tried to determine if the movement was due to him being alive, or because of his touch. It was still difficult to tell if the other was breathing in the low light, and even as he leaned close to listen, any breaths were drowned out by the hissing of the engine.

"Hey man, are you alive?" He asked his voice flittering into the open air of the upturned bus. The moments passed at an unbeatable rate. Cameron felt the ache of his body grow more intense, though his rapid heart rate and adrenaline were enough to keep him alert and focused.

The sudden exclamation from Adam caused the youth to jump, his eyes widening in surprise. "Holy shit," He had never been so relieved to see someone open their eyes, even if Adam still appeared rather dazed. "Man, I thought you were dead. I was totally freaking out. Jesus." Cameron rambled, his tense body leaning back against the side of the bus.

When Adam asked what happened, Cameron's brows furrowed with concern. "You don't remember?" His voice was hesitant, as eyes washed over Adam's figure. Cameron leaned forward, his hand gently touching Adam's head, his fingers brushing his hair in an attempt to see if his head had been hit. "We were going to prison, and the bus crashed." He explained in a soft voice. "Do you know your name? Or, what year it is?" He asked, having seen doctors ask similar questions on television.

"Uh, I don't really know what to do…" He mumbled, looking around for some kind of help. Though, as he peeked his head out of the bus, he caught sight of some other prisoners. "Hey!" He called out, but his voice quickly cut off. Cameron watched as the pair of prisoners pulled an unconscious body from one of the crashed cars, and drove off.

An idea lit a fire inside of him.

"Hey, let's get up. We gotta get out of here before the cops show up." Cameron shakily pulled himself to his knees. Although his body shook in pain, he wrapped an arm around Adam's back to help him lean up. "C'mon, you're alright, right?" His tone didn't indicate that his words were a question, but rather that he was trying to be reassuring.

 

[Kuno]

The longer he kept his eyes open, the more clear his surroundings became, albeit the headache unfortunately lingered. He tried to stay focused on Cameron's words.

"The bus crashed," He echoed, his words less garbled.

Had it? Well, it had to have happened, obviously. He was staring up at the damn bus floor. Adam tried trawling through his last memory. All he remembered was looking at the back of the padded grey seats and Cameron saying something, and then he said something back, and then--

God, his head hurt.

His prison mate clearly thought he'd gotten a concussion or something. Adam squinted at him in puzzlement as he asked him what year it was, and his name. He wanted to say he was fine, but as another invisible nail was driven into his head, his eyes closed. Death, surely, was sweeter than this.

Maybe this was a good thing. A prison accident would land him in the infirmary and delay the inevitable: having to mingle with the general prison population. He could take it easy for a few days first; a pseudo, manufactured "slow" transition into America's penal system. Hell, he'd tell them he had a broken bone or something too. Anything to stall the eventual process of being, you know, processed.

"We gotta get out of here before the cops show up."

Adam's eyes flew open. "What?"

He hadn't even considered the other opportunity this gave them: the chance to escape.

But to what end?

Fortunately for the both of them, Adam wasn't in any sort of condition to do much thinking. As Cameron helped him, he sat up as well as he could, shards of glass falling away from his back and arms. With a grunt, he pulled himself slowly out the window. Fat raindrops fell over him as he dragged himself from the wreckage.

When he stood, momentarily the world tilted. Without thinking, he grabbed Cameron's shoulder to brace himself, and he blinked in the rain, trying in vain to orient himself.

"We need to figure out where we are," He began, bleary vision turning to his cuffed companion. "Need to…"

He paused as the word escaped him. Frustrated, he held up his arm, yanking up Cameron's arm with him. "We need to get these off."

 

[MiharuAya]

The moment that the words left his lips, it appeared that Adam had the same urgent realization that Cameron had. This was their chance, and neither wanted this opportunity to slip through their fingers. As Cameron helped the other to a sitting position, the sound of glass falling from Adam's body made him wince. It really was a miracle they were alive.

As Cameron crawled out of one of the busted windows, the full extent of the crash became more obvious. The front of the overturned bus was crushed, folded into itself like an accordion. While smoke billowed out, a dark liquid seemed to pool around the metal carcass. Although in the dark of night Cameron was able to tell himself that it must be fluid from the engine, he wasn't a fool.

When he heard Adam grunt behind him, he turned to offer the man a hand. But, as Adam grabbed onto his shoulder, he exclaimed "Whoa, easy there." An arm wen to wrap around Adam's broad back. Although Cameron doubted he could do much to stop the other from falling, he let Adam lean into him for some balance.

"Right…" Cameron answered in agreeance. He glanced up and down the road, squinting into the rain as he looked for any signs that might indicate where they were. Other than a mile marker, it appeared that they were out of luck. With the rain clouds blocking the moon, Cameron wasn't even able to tell which way was north. "Were probably about an hour outside the city, but...I don't know."

The yank on his hand was abrupt, his arm lifted in a swift motion as he mumbled a quiet complaint, "Ow…" Cameron peered up at the other with a sulky expression, pulling his arm back down. "Yeah, we do." His voice was slightly annoyed.

 

[Kuno]

"Sorry."

Adam lowered his arm and his gaze. He could already tell that this chain would be the bane of their escape. Nevermind the inevitable pursuit of police, their frenzied attempts to fly under the radar, finding shelter and food - the stupid chain would hinder all of this. They would get absolutely nowhere in public, much less be able to split up with this yoke on their necks.

The ex-accountant looked ahead. The time was on their side; in the pitch of black, they could remain largely unnoticed as they made their escape. And yet their location served as a dual-edged sword. It was an isolated stretch of road fringed by sparse forest; a good cover, yes. But also a convenient trap of its own if they couldn't get their bearings.

Adam swiveled abruptly, throwing another apology as it jerked Cameron's arm with him. The bus had been heading north, a fact he'd only known because he'd googled where the prison was before his final verdict. It'd been a strange night then. Somehow knowing where his prison was had comforted him; to know it had truly existed in their plane of space had made the revelation abruptly…Real. He'd needed that reality check.

"Alright," Adam sighed. "I don't know how far north we are, but Pensley's close if I recall correctly. We can cut through the woods first and-"

And what? Find a home? Find a home that magically had a saw and absent owners? Or follow the road and bet on what got them first: an early morning driver or the police?

"Let's just move," He said, looking askance at Cameron. With that, he advanced towards the inky black of the treeline, the chain clinking and lengthening between them.

 

[MiharuAya]

When Adam suddenly turned, jerking Cameron's arm for the second time, the brunette let out an exaggerated groan. His gaze cut to Adam, giving the man an annoyed expression. Cameron was quickly losing his patience with this chain, but with several deep breaths, he reminded himself to calm down. Right now, there was nothing either of them could do about the restraint, and starting an argument wouldn't help them escape. So, at least for now, he would hold his tongue.

As Adam mentioned that they were near Pensley's, Cameron asked, "How do you know?" He glanced around, wondering if he had missed an obvious sign. But, he came up empty. "Actually, it doesn't matter…" He added, feeling the need to get out of there rather than stand around and ask questions.

Even before Adam had directed them to start going, Cameron was already moving. "Yeah, come on." He threw his head over his shoulder as he spoke, pulling on the leash binding them together. Although Cameron's pace was quick, as they entered the forest it became much more difficult to walk.

The darkness was making it hard to see, with hardly any light from the gloomy night sky able to piece through the thick canopy of trees, all the while they were being pelted by rain. With each step, they were attempting to navigate through the dense underbrush of bushes and fallen trees.

It wouldn't take long for Cameron to trip on a branch, and nearly fall flat on his face. "Shit!" He called out, grabbing a nearby tree trunk for support. "I hate nature," He grumbled, wiping his hands off on his pants.

 

[Kuno]

In the cloying darkness, the woods became a Lovecraftian labyrinth.

The rain was coming down harder now. Adam kept moving forward, stepping, stomping, and at times blindly stumbling forward, passing through deceiving shapes in the dark. In spite of his stoicism, he was scared. Anything could have been waiting in the woods, and who knew what they would encounter further on, if anything at all. What if they were just running straight towards the center of a never ending forest? What if he was wrong and Pensley was the other way? What if–

"Whoa!"

Cameron fell, nearly yanking Adam down with him. He teetered forward before planting himself firmly. "Watch your step," He hissed, his heart beating frantically in his step. With a quick tug, he righted both of them.

He didn't blame him. The ground was ever shifting in the shadows; still, Adam said nothing conciliary as he moved them forward again, albeit he was more careful with his steps.

Time passed in relative silence. It was unclear how long they'd been on their dogged march before Adam suddenly halted Cameron with a hand.

"Look," He said.

Through the gloom, beyond the spindly branches rose a building shaped much like a barn. It stood alone; no home or vehicle sat besides it, and the interior of the barn was completely dark.

Adam stood a moment in silence, contemplating.

They needed a place to stay for the night. More ground, of course, would be easier to cover at that time, but they also risked getting lost – or worse. Adam did not pretend to be some forest extraordinaire, and Cameron looked like he had never had a camping night in his life.

A barn could also mean tools. Something lit up in Adam's eyes.

"If I give you a boost, you think you could look in the window?" He asked, turning to look at Cameron.

 

[MiharuAya]

As Camero let Adam help to right himself, he didn't bother with any words of thanks. The youth instead focused on taking his next few steps, planting his feet solidly in the shifting mud. While the rain pelted his face and the overwhelming darkness, it was a crapshoot on whether he would have sound footing beneath each new step. But, they just had to continue in hopes they weren't about to fall down a steep hill camouflage in the underbrush and shadows.

Cameron kept his head down, his eyes squinting at the ground in front of him. He had been so intent on not breaking his legs, that he hadn't even noticed the barn in front of them. When Adam stopped and pointed out the building in front of them, a wave of hope rushed through him. For the first time in what felt like hours, things were looking up for the pair.

"Yeah, I can do that." He answered Adam's question confidently. Although he wasn't one to break into buildings, he was limber enough to at least look through a window. Cameron just hoped that there wouldn't be anyone inside, or around to spot them.

When Cameron slowly stepped out of the forest and into the clearing around the bar, he kept low to the ground. His body was sore from the crash, but he didn't want to get spotted. While he approached the barn, his eyes continued to glance around. Though, it was still difficult to seem more than a few meters in front of him,

Once they reached the barn, Cameron crouched under the window. He peered over at Adam, waiting for the man to give him the cue. "Are you ready?" He asked, looking up at the window once more. It occurred to him that Adam likely wasn't in the best shape to be climbed on, as he was hit in the head. But, it didn't seem that they had much choice. So, Cameron made a mental note to try and be careful.

 

[Kuno]

In lieu of answering, Adam merely a motioning gesture with his hand for his partner to get closer. Not that there was much ground for Cameron to cover to get to him; they were chained to each other, after all. Kneeling on the uneven ground took a bit of effort. The gesture took him back years, back to simpler times when the sun was always shining and the only thing he'd ever had to worry about was getting back in home for his mother's tapas.

His mama. Nancy Castillo. He wondered how life was for a single mother of two, with one child a convicted murderer?

The former accountant's knees hit the ground, and he grunted as his head throbbed in uncalled for protest. Carefully, he placed his hands in front of him, swatting the chain out of the way as it slapped around them both.

"C'mon, let's go," Adam urged.