A boy woke up in tears for the umpteenth time that evening. Just hours ago he was with his parents at home. Then the home invasion happened. Within the matter of minutes those he cared so much about were murdered right in front of his face; both screaming "Run!" Or "Get out of here Ani!" Followed by a small whimper of "I love you." The voices rang inside the boy's head as e woke up one more. There were others awake in the room with him. All were way older, vicious as a wolf win scars all over their faces. One in the corner looked at the boy in pity. The poor child didn't know where he was, or how.

"Stop crying." The man muttered, his face harsh but his voice soft. "You must stay strong; this is not a place for those who break."

Another man started to chuckle to himself.

"That boy is going to be torn apart. Only men survive in this damned City." The first man hissed.

"Give him hope. We do not know of what happened to him." The first man said.

"Hope, so he can die thinking it was going to be okay?" The second mused. "Perhaps he'll die along with the other kid here... Silence. It's our turn to leave now." With that, both men left the dark solemn room leaving the boy alone with another person although younger. The boy didn't even look up, not to see if the other person was awake or asleep. He just kept crying silently to himself as his head hung low.

(Sorry if this post is weird and doesn't make sense)

Edited August 17, 201510 yr by Aqua7KH

Ani nodded slightly and sat down at one of the windowsills. Upon sitting down his stomach growled painfully. Ani hasn't eaten in days and he didn't even realize how hungry he was due to the recent events that just took place. He looked down into the floor, not really bothering to ask for food. Honestly he didn't care if he starved or not.

"I just..." He uttered. "Want to go to sleep..."

"Alright Ani. You can lay down on that mat right over there and get some rest." once Ani had laid down, he walked up next to the makeshift bed and sat down. he figured he'd just sit up against the wall and think for a while. a lot had happened that day, and he was yet to process it all. sara was dead, and now he was in the company of some young kid he barley knew. It wasnt like he didnt know how to make it along side another person, he had done it with his girlfriend for a while, but he worried a bit if ani could keep up. after all, he was still very young. but Ken couldnt just leave him. Ani probably wouldnt make it long if he did, especially not if he just lost his parents. Besides. ani seemed like a good kid. Ken decided some companionship was a good thing, especially after he just lost sara. sara. for the first time since the attack, the thought of sara caused him real pain. he winced when her smiling face fought his way into his thoughts. He cried a bit then, and few tears rolled down his cheek. she was the morning light in this long night of pain that was this city. He looked over at Ani. There was his new light. he would guide this kid through the nightmare they shared until morning light shined. and as that hopeful thought crossed his mind, he whispered "Goodnight bud" and then he nodded off.

Ani nodded slowly, staring hard at the ground as he approached the small mat to finally get some rest. He was just utterly exhausted mentally and desperately needed some rest. He didn't even have the energy to cry anymore, let alone react to anything that was going on.

"Mommy..." He whispered, before his eyes fluttered to a close and sleep took him.

In the morning, Ken would awaken to find Ani sitting on his lap, with his hands at Ken's face.

"Y-You were crying..." Ani muttered quietly. "So I wiped your tears away like my parents do when I'm sad..."

When Ken opened his eyes, he saw Ani looking up at him with a caring look in his young eyes, his hands up to his face. Ken smiled. "Thanks buddy. I appreciate that." He stood up and shook his head to get himself righted. He clapped his hands together. "Okay! time to get some food in us." He looked around to see what he had. There was some bread and some peanut butter, as far as breakfast food went. "Peanut butter toast it is." He grabbed the food, some wood, the trusty campfire stove he found in the rubble of a strip mall, the flint, and marched out back. He knelt down to start the fire, and said "Thank god for peanut butter. Non-perishable protein." Protein was the hardest thing to find, and really important in keeping your energy up. He crisped up the bread as best he could, and spread some peanut butter on it. He held a piece out to Ani. "Here ya go, friendo. Sorry its not much, we'll find something good for later." He munched on his own peanut butter toast. wonder what we should to today. he thought.

Ani frowned as Ken got up. The young boy was still worried for his elder. Upon seeing him shake his head, Ani stood up and gave a mighty stretch. He was still a tiny bit tired, but he was okay. His mind felt blank. The events of the day before hasn't processed in his brain yet. He still didn't realize that he was an orphan, or the gravity of it all.

Ani followed Ken about like a lost little puppy. Whenever Ken went Ani was behind him. Ken cooked 'breakfast' for the two over a nice warm fire. Upon being handed the toast, Ani sat down infront of the warm fire and allowed its rays to illuminate his face. He took a bite out of the toast and frowned.

"Will they... Look for us?" He asked Ken, looking up at him with his seemingly constant worried eyes.

Ken munched on the toast, and said "No, i dont think they'll come out this far. They probably looked around the area where we got out and then told the sentries to watch for us, but i dont think they'd keep up the search for this long. I think were safe." He shoved the last bit of toast in his mouth and washed the peanut butter down with a swig of water. "Here, you must be thirsty." He held the canteen out to Ani. 

Ani smiled and took in a sip of the water. Ani felt as if he hasn't drank in days. The finally he had water in his system and food in his belly. With all what was going on he was famished and dehydrated.

"Thank you." Ani said with a smile. As he finished drinking, Ani stretched and made a mighty yawn. For the first time he felt relaxed. He almost felt as if... He could go back home to see his parents.

"That's good... I don't want to run any longer." Suddenly, Ani winced and cluched tightly at his shoulder. Now that the adrenaline wore off he felt full force the bullet that he took in the shoulder. "A-Ah...!"

Ani cried out with his hand over the wound on his shoulder. "Shoot" Ken lunged forward and knelt down to make sure he was okay. "You alright bud? Let me see it." He pulled anis hand off of his wound. thank god it wasnt bleeding. "Its alright man, your just gonna feel it for a minute. Sit down" He let ani catch his breath and sit on his own. He sat down across from him. "let me know if something fells wrong, but your arm should feel better soon."

Ani nodded as Ken took care of his arm. For a small kid the boy at least was able to handle pain somewhat. With everything that happened within the past twenty four hours, pain was the least of his worries.

Ani continued to hold his arm, slowly easing his breaths. "I'm... Okay."

Ken sighed. He was gonna have to do this sooner  or later. "Alright, im glad youre okay." He paused. Sadness hung in the air. "CAn you tell me what happened to your parents?"

Edited June 8, 20169 yr by TheGuide

Ani went silent at the questioning of the events the day before. He didn't know if he could answer it. But he had to. Ani took a small breath, trying his best to lock away all the emotions in his heart.

"My parents..." He uttered, hugging his legs and closing his eyes tight. A lump formed in his throat. "We were eating dinner in my papa's shelter in the outskirts of the city. It's fortified... But bandits were able to break in... They..." His voice cracked. Ani clenched his fists. "They killed them... And took me. My parents kept yelling at me to run... But I couldn't. I couldn't leave them.

Ani went silent at the questioning of the events the day before. He didn't know if he could answer it. But he had to. Ani took a small breath, trying his best to lock away all the emotions in his heart."My parents..." He uttered, hugging his legs and closing his eyes tight. A lump formed in his throat. "We were eating dinner in my papa's shelter in the outskirts of the city. It's fortified... But bandits were able to break in... They..." His voice cracked. Ani clenched his fists. "They killed them... And took me. My parents kept yelling at me to run... But I couldn't. I couldn't leave them.

he walked over and sat next to Ani. He put his arm around the young boy and said "Im sorry man. Thats terrible." He didnt know what to say. He thought for a minute about telling him about sarah, but that wasnt going to make ani feel any better about his parents.  

Ani stared hard at the ground. Honestly it couldn't even register in his head what happened. He didn't even feel like crying; he couldn't. Tears couldn't just well up in his eyes. He felt like later he would wake up and it was all over. Or at the very least, go home to find his parents waiting for him. But he knew that wasn't the case.

"I'm just a kid..." He uttered softly. "The guys back at the truck said the world was going to eat me alive."