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the apocolypse had started just over five years ago. will lost his daughter anna in the chaos at the start of it all, and he had spent the last five years dedicating his every waking moment to finding her.
right now though, anna isnt the first thing on his mind, food is. he hasnt eaten in days, every place hed looked in had been empty, and now he was hungrier than hed ever been before.
he was weak, he was tired, and be wanted to give up.
but he couldnt.
he couldnt give up. he had to find anna. he had to know she was ok, even if its the last thing he ever does.
his feet slowly drag across the dirt path as he walks. hes not going in any particular direction, hes just looking for any sign of food, of hope.
he continues slowly dragging himself forward, until he sees smoke in the distance.
smoke that was coming from a chimney. smoke that was coming from people.
he could cry in excitement. there was people! there was food! he could survive!
his excitement quickly died, though, as he remembered that this was the apocolypse, people werent very freindly.
most sane people wouldnt just take in a random man stumbling onto their doorstep, they would want to preserve their recourses.
but, they still had resources.
and if they wouldnt give them willingly, will would just have to take them himself.
as he got closer, he realised the smoke wasnt just coming from one house, it coming from multiple. there was a whole village there.
while this did mean more food, it also meant they had more defences, one of them being a ten foot tall wooden fence surrounding it.
will could get over that though .
he had to get over it.
☆
after looking around the fence for what felt like hours, somehow managing to avoid every camera and trap along the way, he found a hole.
a hole just big enough for him to squeeze through.
and it turned out, that hole was right next to their supply shed.
fucking idiots
will made his way to the shed, there was no one around to see him, he diddnt even have to sneak.
again, fucking idiots. were they asking to be robbed or something?
after getting to the shed will found it wasnt even locked. he almost laughed at how stupidly easy it was to rob these people.
he opened the door, and was met with a beautiful sight.
rows upon rows of food.
not just canned food, actual food.
his eyes went wide with excitement, and he quickly made his way to the shelves, grabbing as much food as he could and shoving it into his backpack.
but it couldnt be that easy.
why the fuck would it be.
in his excitement, will had forgotten to close the door.
and now, there was a very terrified looking child infront of him.
he quickly pulled the knife he always kept with him from his belt, pointing it at the childs neck.
"youre gonna let me leave, and youre not gonna tell anyone got it?"
wills hands were shaking.
he was scared.
either way, with no response, he continued:
"got it !? cus im the one with the knife here and i wouldnt think twice about slitting your throat-"
"YEAH! yea i- ive got it- just-"
the child was cut off by the sound of footsteps aproaching the shed
"jack? you good in there bud?"
will and the child-jack-looked at eachother for a moment, before will made his move first.
he grabbed jack by his shoulders, spinning him around so he was facing the door, and moved his knife so it was pressed against jacks neck.
a man with long blonde hair walked into the shed, his eyes blowing wide with fear as he took in the scene before him.
"what-"
"dont move. im gonna walk out of here unharmed, with all this stuff, and youre gonna let me, otherwise the kid gets it" wills voice shook with barely concealed fear.
the man slowly nodded, and will started making his move towards the door.
only he never made it there.
instead, he was met with something hitting him in the back of the head, hard.
oh. guess there was another entrance
☆
he woke up in a cell.
concrete walls, an iron door.
his wrists were bound behind him.
fuck.
he had just wanted food, but instead had somehow ended up as a fucking prisoner.
fuck fuck fuck fuck-
his thoughts were interupted as someone approached the door.
the door creaked open, revealing a man with long dark hair that was mostly covered by a blue beanie, staring down at him with a look of pure hatred and disgust.
"get up. we're going"
"going? going where?"
"no questions. just get up."
will noticed the gun strapped to the mans belt and decided it would be in his best intrests to listen to him, so he did.
he slowly stood up, his vision being dotted with black spots as he did so. the mix of not eating for days and getting a concussion were probrably to thank for that.
as soon as he was stood up, the man pushed him towards the door.
"dont speak. if you do ill gag you"
will swallowed and slowly nodded his head.
the man pushed his head down so it was facing the floor, and began to roughly push him down the corridor.
after a while of walking they reached what will guessed to be a town hall.
his eyes were still staring intently at his shoes, but the loud chatter throughout the room gave it away.
the noise stopped as he entered though, and he looked up to see all eyes on him.
before he could take any of it in though, he was being pushed to the front.
as he was pushed through the crowd he noticed just how many people were there, and the number of people seemed to be even bigger when he was actually at the front.
there was at least forty people there. and they were all staring at will.
he swallowed thickly as his eyes scanned over the room, all eyes on him, everyone with matching looks of disgust and anger.
the man that had taken will from the cell pushed him up onto a small raised platform and shoved him down so he was on his knees.
wills face burned red in embarrasment.
he doesnt care what happens to him, all he wants is to be out of here.
he could still feel all the eyes trained on him as he turned his head down to stare at his knees.
The eyes never left him as the man pulled a microphone stand up onto the platform, starting to speak about wills fate as if he wasnt even there.
everthing that was said went over his head, he diddnt want to hear an entire room of people decide wether he deserved to die or not. he wouldnt let himself listen to that.
he was brought back to reality when the man stood beside him shook him roughly, and he found that the room was once again silent, with everyones eyes still trained on him.
"ill say it again then, if you havent been listening," the man paused, taking a deep breath in "would you please provide us with your side of the story, and give us a reason why we shouldnt kill you for what you did- or what you tried to do"
oh. they wanted him to speak. that was nice, he assumed they would just kill him.
he stood up, which wasnt easy with no hands but he did it anyway, and walked over to the mic as the man stepped back.
he cleared his throat. whiny feedback rang through the speakers. he winced.
"uhm. i- im not sure what to say i-"
"why were you stealing food?" someone in the crowd shouted
"and why the fuck would you threaten a child??" someone else shouted. a few more people began to shout, before they were silenced by something the man behind him did, will diddnt see it.
"i- i know this may sound cliche- or whatever- but i was just desperate, every place ive gone to the past week has been empty, and i was just-and still am-fucking starving. i know that may seem flimsy but um- im not sure what else to say i- i was just really hungry and i really needed that food-"
"why steal it? why not just ask?" another nameless face shouted from the back of the crowd
"i just assumed you- you wouldnt be freindly" will stared down at his feet.
the man behind him stepped forward again, speaking into the microphone "any reason why we shouldnt kill you?"
"i- um- i have a daughter- i lost her, at the start of it all and- i just need to find her. im not even trying to survive for myself i just- i need to know shes ok and i need her to know im ok-"
will looked up, a few of the faces in the crowd had softened, taking on a look of pity. but still, some looked unfazed. particularly the man with long blonde hair that had walked in on him in the shed.
right as will looked at him, the man spoke.
"if youre doing this for your kid- who we dont even know is real by the way- why the fuck would you threaten mine?"
will winced at this before speaking again "im sorry- i know i shouldnt have, but again i was desperate and- and i just needed a way out, i wasnt planning on hurting him"
"you drew blood though."
the man gestured to the group of kids over to the side, all talking amongst themselves and playing with old toys. wills eyes were drawn to the blonde kid from the shed, and noticed that he had a small plaster on his neck, right where will had placed his knife.
once again, he winced. he truly hadn't meant any harm, seeing that he had hurt the child- however little the damadge was- hurt him.
his attention was quickly drawn away from the child though, as he looked over to the little girl he was talking to.
and slowly but surely, will realised just who that girl was.
the long dark curly hair that was tucked into a bright red beanie, yellow jumper that looked far too big on her because it was, and her flute sat right next to her, because she couldnt go anywhere without it.
this was anna. his daughter.
without even thinking will jumped off the stage and started running towards her, she was right there! he had found her, after all these years, he had actually found her!
but he had forgotten one crucial thing. he was a prisoner, meaning he couldnt just run off, because that would look exactly like he was escaping.
within seconds his legs werent beneath him anymore, and his head hit the floor, making the world spin around him. there were at least three people on top of him, one of them was kneeling on his goddamn ribs. all of them were pinning him down, they were shouting but he couldnt tell what was being said.
but before he could even start to process any of it there was a needle in his neck, and his world went dark once again.
☆
he woke up in the same cell he had woken up in before, his hands still tied tighly behind his back.
he blinked his eyes open slowly, adjusting to the light in the room.
memories of what had happened slowly came flooding back, the town hall, the speech, anna.
anna. she was alive, and she was here.
will knew where she was, for the first time in five years he actually knew she was ok, and was in the same place as her.
he could cry with relief.
but instead, he wanted to cry because he knew he would have to fight like hell to get to her, and he diddnt even know how long it would take.
she was right there, but she still felt so far away.
will brought his knees up to his chest, resting his forehead down onto them, and started to cry.
he stayed like that for what felt like hours, but was probrably just one hour at most. he only stopped and lifted his head when he heard the door creak open.
it was the same man with that stupid blue beanie. will felt like crying all over again.
"youve been crying? over what?"
will opened his mouth to speak, but the man diddnt let him.
"i dont actually care, i just came here to tell you that we decided youre just gonna stay here until we figure out what to do with you. your stunt with trying to run away definately diddnt help your case, so youre lucky if it ends up being anything good" he paused for a moment before adding "why did you do that, anyway?"
"my daughter" wills voice was hoarse, his mouth dry.
the man raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean?"
"she- you have her. i saw her. and i need to see her again."
the man laughed "you really expect me to beleive that shit? youre not getting out of this no matter what you try" the man turned to leave, but before he could will spoke again.
"her name is anna. shes the one with dark curly hair, and she has a flute that she carries around with her. she- she has a birthmark on her arm, i couldnt see it earlier because she was wearing that massive yellow jumper- thats mine by the way- but its shaped like a flower and-"
the man turned, no longer looking angry, but rather shocked.
"i- youre not lying?"
will shook his head frantically "im not, i swear i have more proof- "
"i dont need it. i beleive you."
will went to say something more, but before he could the man had already left, with the door shut and locked behind him.
will stared at the closed door in shock for a moment, before that shock changed into excitement at the realisation the man was probrably going to get anna.
will was about to see anna again.
a wide grin plastered itself on his face as he continued to stare at the door, practically shaking with excitement.
it felt like way too long before the door was opened again, and unlike will was expecting, it was only the man in the doorway, with no anna.
"wheres anna?"
"youll see her soon. just stand up and follow me"
oh. okay then.
will stood, once again struggling, and began to follow the man.
as they left the cell, the man turned to him and told him to look down at his shoes and to not look up until they were there, and that he would guide will.
at least he was kinder about it.
will followed his instructions and they started walking. will wasnt really paying much attention, the only thing on his mind was anna. her face when she saw him. the hug he was about to give her. he was hardly containing a smile just thinking about it.
the walk seemed so much shorter with will so caught up in his thoughts, and soon enough they were outside again.
the man placed his hand under will chin, tilting it up and looking directly into his eyes. will doesnt know why, but he felt his heart sqeeze at that moment.
blue beanie (will had decided he needed a nickname so he would no longer have to think of him as just "the man") quickly moved behind him and began to untie the binds around his wrists, and as he did so he started to speak.
"so. phil and anna are in there- phil is annas da- or i mean current legal guardian. she knows theres a suprise but she doesnt know what it is." blue beanie finishes with the binds and moves around to be facing him again "and dont think youre getting out of anything because of this. it changes things, sure, but youre still a prisoner. got it?"
will nods, fidgiting with his hands. he doesnt even pay any attention to how his wrists were burning from being rubbed raw. his only thought was that anna was right through that door. she was right there! and will was about to see her!
blue beanie smiled, "you can go in now. ill stay outside."
wilbur smiled wider than he had in years and ran through the double doors, seeing the blonde man from the shed- apparently called phil- and right next to him, anna.
will stood for a moment, waiting with baited breath for the sparkle of recognition in annas eyes.
the room was dead silent, the only noise that could be heard was wills heavy breathing as he stared right at his daughter.
and then, the best thing wills heard in years, a short but so so sweet
"papa?"
will sobbed, and ran straight for her, she dropped her flute from her hands and ran to meet him in the middle.
he fell to his knees infront of her, crying into her shoulder as he felt his own get soaked with her tears.
he was finally whole again. after all these years, he was finally with her once again.
he could stay in this moment forever. it almost felt like it was forever.
but it was only a few minutes, and eventually, they pulled apart.
now will was face to face with his daughter, and the love in her eyes that he knew he matched with his was so beautiful, she was practically glowing. he scanned over her every feature, taking it all in.
"youre- youre here- oh my god youre here-"
anna sobbed again, and pulled will back into another hug.
and like that, they were they only people in the whole universe. nothing mattered but the fact they were together, and they were both whole.
whatever happened from here on out, it diddnt matter, because they had eachother.