There, in the distance, just beyond the treeline, a faint glow flickered — a fire.
Evan, Victor, and Vin lay huddled under a thick shrub, their bodies pressed against the cold, damp ground, eyes fixed on the campfire.
The warmth of the fire beckoned, a flickering beacon of comfort in the desolate landscape.
By the fire, there was a couple — a man and a woman, both looking like newlyweds, their joy so palpable it seemed to radiate from them.
They sat close, wrapped in conversation, laughing gently at some shared jest.
The man was dressed in a worn but well-kept tunic, the fabric faded by the sun but still sturdy.
His hair was dark and unruly, his face lined with the faint traces of a life lived with purpose.
Beside him, the woman had soft features, her eyes bright with affection as she gazed at him. She wore a dress, simple yet elegant, a stark contrast to the weathered garments of the men watching from the shadows.
They were eating, their hands reaching for bowls and spoons as they talked, sharing a meal as if the world around them didn't exist.
A pot hung over the fire, a thin steam rising from it, the faint smell of broth and stew wafting through the air, making Evan's stomach tighten in hunger.
'Damnnn...That smells so good.'
The food was a luxury, the kind of simple comfort he had long been deprived of.
They were seated on a patch of cloth, a makeshift table of sorts, as they savored their meal.
It was clear from the way they spoke — the easy smiles and gentle touches — that they were content, wrapped in the warmth of their own little world.
Evan's eyes flicked to the man and woman, his stomach growling softly in protest.
'I'm starving... I could really go for anything they've got.'
The hunger gnawed at him, the desire for food almost overwhelming.
Victor's voice cut through the silence, low and cautious.
"We should go ask them for some food."
Evan blinked, his brow furrowing in hesitation.
"Are you serious? We're prisoners with shackles on our wrist. They're not going to just give us food." Evan retorted.
Vin, who had been watching the couple with an expression of barely concealed greed, grunted.
"They won't help us, not like that. We're shackled, they won't risk it."
Victor's gaze never wavered from the camp.
"We're desperate. It's worth a shot."
Evan shook his head, his inner conflict raging.
' I don't want to hurt anyone, or do anything I'll regret. I don't want to take from them... but we're starving, and if we don't, we won't be able to move much longer.'
The thoughts twisted inside his mind like a knife.
'I need to get back to Maggie, I need to survive... but how far am I willing to go to do that?'
His gaze lingered on the couple. The warmth of the fire, the joy in their laughter, the simple kindness they seemed to share... it felt so foreign now, like something he couldn't touch.
Victor leaned closer, his tone dropping to a whisper.
"We can't survive on nothing. We need to eat."
"Well, How do we get them to give us food?" Evan muttered, his eyes narrowed as he considered their options.
Vin smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"What if we... take it from them?"
"Hmmm..." Evan murmured.
"What do you mean... take it?"
"Rob them." Vin added, his voice casual, as though the idea were no more than a simple suggestion.
"They're not going to give it to us willingly, so why not just take it?"
The words hung in the air like poison, and Evan recoiled.
' No, I can't do that. I've never... I've never stolen from anyone, and I can't start now.'
But the hunger, the gnawing, desperate hunger, drowned out the voice of reason.
" What else can we do?" Vin added.
Victor was already nodding, as if the idea had taken root.
"Exactly. We take what we need and leave. No harm done. We won't hurt them, we just need food."
Evan felt sick.
"You really think that's the best idea? We're in shackles. What if something goes wrong?"
Vin laughed, with dark amusement.
"What's the worst that could happen? They're just a defenseless couple, and we're desperate armed prisoners."
Evan's hand tightened into a fist.
"I don't want to hurt anyone. You hear me? We can't just... rob them."
"If you have a better idea, speak up. Because I'm ready to do this. We're running out of time." Vin commanded with utter confidence, which was surprising concerning the level of what he was proposing.
Evan hesitated.
He wanted to say no, but the truth was, he could see no other way. He glanced at Vin, whose face was already set in a grim smile, and then back at Victor, whose eyes burned with determination.
In a way, it was the only real option they had to survive.
Finally, with a sigh, Evan relented.
"Fine. But promise me, no one gets hurt. No violence."
Victor's expression softened, though there was a coldness to it.
"No promises. But we'll do it clean. I'll make sure no one gets hurt."
Evan wasn't sure if he could trust him, but he nodded anyway, his thoughts a swirling mess.
"I've never done this before. But what choice do I have?"
They moved forward, quietly, through the underbrush, their bodies low to the ground. The moonlight bathed the scene in an eerie glow, casting long shadows as they crept closer to the unsuspecting couple. The firelight flickered in the distance, and the couple's laughter grew louder, more intimate.
***
"I'm serious... your old man actually tried to slit my throat when he found out he couldn't buy me away from marrying you." The young man added with a playful cackle as he conversed with his lovely partner.
A sharp crack of a branch underfoot had alerted him to a presence behind him. His eyes darted to the darkness, narrowing.
"Who's there?" the man called out, his hand instinctively reaching for something at his side.
Evan's heart pounded in his chest as he raised his hands.
"No need to worry! I'm just a traveler, starving....Please, I just need a little food. I won't take much, I promise."
The man froze, his hand still hovering near his weapon.
"Who are you?" His voice was laced with suspicion as he slowly unsheathed his dagger.
"I'm no threat." Evan said quickly, trying to sound calm the tense situation.
"I swear, I mean no harm."
The woman's eyes widened, her lips parting in shock as she looked toward her husband.
"What's going on, darling?"
Before the man could respond, he heard a terrified gasp from his partner and as he turned quickly, he sighted Vin, his hand coming to rest on the woman's throat, a knife pressed dangerously close to her skin.
"Stay back." Vin growled.
"Stay back or I'll slit her throat."
Evan's breath caught in his throat.
'What the hell is this. They said no violence.'
"Please, we don't want any trouble." Evan said, his voice shaking now.
"Just food. That's all we need."
The man's face was a mask of fear and determination, but then, as if hearing something behind him, he spun around again — and there was Victor, stepping from the shadows, a stone in his hand, and his expression grim.
The man, turning from side to side at each prisoner, at last dropped the knife, his shoulders slumping.
"Fine." he said, as he raised his arms in submission.
"Take whatever you want. Just don't hurt my lady. Please."
Victor's voice was low, almost menacing.
"You got any rope?"
The man glanced at him, startled, but then nodded.
"Yes... in the carriage. Just don't hurt us..."
"Go get it," Victor ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Quickly."
The man hesitated only for a moment, then scrambled toward the carriage.
He returned shortly after with the rope, handing it over with trembling hands.
Victor turned to Evan.
"Tie them up."
Evan hesitated.
'This wasn't what I wanted. But is it really the only way for me to survive?'
He stepped forward, the rope at hand, and began tying the woman first, her wrists bound tightly, her ankles following.
The man stood motionless, his face pale, apologizing under his breath to his beloved as Evan worked.
"I'm sorry baby...I'm really sorry."
Once the woman was secured, the man was bound in a similar fashion.
Victor stepped forward, stating aloud.
"I wouldn't try anything stupid if I were you..."
They dragged the couple into the nearby shallow cave, settling them by the fire where at least the warmth would soothe their fears.
Once they were secure, the trio retreated to a corner, away from the couple.
***
Munch.
Munch.
The sounds of food being chewed were loud in the quiet night, the stew, the bread, the pies, all devoured hungrily, with desperation.
Evan ate, his hands shaking slightly as he shoveled the food into his mouth.
'This isn't right...' His mind screamed at him, but his stomach drowned out the voice of conscience.
'I've never stolen before. I've never robbed anyone...'
His eyes flicked toward the bound couple, and guilt twisted in his gut.
'Please, don't let them be from my world...Otherwise, I just robbed innocent hitch hikers and gave them a good look at my face.'
The thought echoed in his mind, desperate and irrational.
But then, amidst the chewing, he noticed something.
Vin, seated across from them, was eyeing the couple with something dark in his gaze.
As he chewed on a bone, his expression twisted into something unreadable. Mischief flickered in his eyes, a gleam of something....dangerous.