The day was water-freezingly cold. The wind brought an icy bite, searing into your flesh like a wound. The day brought goosebumps to your skin just by feeling a gentle brush of the outside world.

Tommy was huddled against the fire, talking with his brothers. Bad and Skeppy had gone outside to put blankets on the horses, claiming it was something they should have done a while ago.

"I miss Phil," Tubbo said, breaking the already thin ice. His voice was sad and deteriorated as he gazed at his brothers, his eyes full of sorrow. "And Karl."

Tommy sat back, fighting the emotions that ran through him like waves. "Me too," he replied. "I wish none of this happened. I wish we were back home."

He was sitting next to Tubbo, on the ground in front of the fire. Their backs were very warm and Tommy was about to move.

Wilbur and Techno sat across from them. Techno looked down with a guarded expression, and Tommy saw him picking at the soft carpet below him. Wilbur was watching them with soft eyes, nodding gently. "I miss them too," he said, "but I don't know if we'll ever see Phil again." He didn't mention Karl. They weren't ever going to talk to the young boy in their lifetime.

Tommy shifted, feeling his hoodie burn against his skin from the fire. He remembered the day Techno had punched him because Tommy spat in his face. A small sad smile grew on his lips, thinking about how pointless that had been. "I'm sorry for spitting in your face, Techno. I don't know if I ever said that."

Techno looked up at him, his expression slightly troubled. "Don't apologize. You're making things weird."

Tommy shrugged. Things got weird a long time ago.

Three dreadful knocks landed on the door, seeming to echo through the room. The brothers froze, all getting deja vu from the same thing. They shared deeply troubled glances, remembering that this was what happened right before everything ended.

"Is it Bad? Did they get locked out?" Tubbo asked, looking for the hopeful solution.

Tommy took a shaky breath in, his heart hammering in his chest. "I'll go look," he said, pushing himself up.

"No," Wilbur replied, holding his hand out as if to stop him. "Let me and Techno go. Just in case."

Tommy didn't miss the way Techno's dagger slipped into his hand.

"But what if it's them?" Tommy asked. "What if they attack you? What if..." he didn't finish his question but everyone heard it. What if you die?

Tubbo glanced over at him, his dark hair falling over his face as he met his eye.

"We'll be fine," Wilbur said. "Don't worry. Stay here. If anything happens, we run out the back door and leave, okay?"

Tommy nodded, though he hated agreeing. He despised himself for it.

The two brothers made their way through the hallway, leaving the fourteen-year-olds' behind at the cracking fire.

They heard the door open, and right as they did, the back door opened as well. Tommy and Tubbo turned to look, hoping desperately to seen Skeppy or Bad.

Two of the three soldiers stepped out, and one had a smiley mask on.

Tommy grabbed Tubbo, who had his hand clutched tightly around his balnket, and ran as fast as he could to the other side of the house. He could hear their steps behind him. He didn't know where to go- there were only two doors!

Ah. Too late. He could feel himself get jerked backward by his hoodie as the man grabbed it, taking Tommy close. The boy threw punches, kicks, and he tried to elbow him in the stomach, but the soldier had a firm grip.

"Tommy!" Tubbo yelled. Tommy watched in horror as he ran to him, trying to attack Mr. Smiley.

"Go, Tubbo!" Tommy ordered, wanting to keep him away. He could feel Smiley grab his hands and shove them behind his back harshly, making them useless for Tommy. It hurt his shoulders and elbows, and he tried to tug against him, snarling at the man.

"Grab him," Mr. Smiley told the other guard. "We can take him too. It might make up for us taking so long."

No! "Tubbo, leave!" Tommy yelled desperately. He watched as Tubbo got taken under control, hid hands pinned behind him like Tommy's were, but he still held onto his blanket. Tommy could feel panic spread out through him, his mind flashing to Karl. They couldn't get caught! He would have died for nothing!

Where were Wilbur and Techno? Tommy was sure there was a guard at the door, but he would think Techno would have defeated him by then.

The two soldiers were struggling to leave with Tommy. He was yelling and shouting, tossing and turning, unwilling to let them have the upper hand.

"If you don't shut up and quit moving I'm going to kill your brother," Mr. Smiley warned. At his words the soldier holding Tubbo pressed a blade to his neck.

Panic ran through him and he closed his mouth, letting Smiley control him. He hated this. Tommy hated being told what to do.

The soldiers left with the two brothers. They were beginning to go toward the woods when Tommy heard Wilbur yell from behind him, "Tommy! Tubbo!"

Tommy turned around, spotting his brothers at the door. They both looked battered. "Wilbur!" Tommy yelled back, making Smiley's grip tighten on his wrists.

He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. They were caught. The game was over. No more running away, because Tommy was going to die.

The soldiers yanked them away, forcing them toward the woods. Thankfully Wilbur and Techno were smarter than to go after them- they must have known Tubbo was a hostage of some sort.

And where was the third soldier? The two soldiers at his sides weren't waiting for him. Were they backstabbing him, or did they think he was dead?

Tommy looked at Tubbo, who's eyes were wide with fear and face turning red from the cold. Tommy just remembered the cold- he had been too busy thinking about other things. Now that he remembered it goosebumps climbed on his skin, a shiver running down his back.

These were going to be a few fucking hard days.

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