After they were well out of earshot, and several houses down the gun was pulled away, the leader turning to her.
"We won't be untying your binds to your wrists. In case you have any ideas."
He pulled the gag off though, but she couldn't even think of something harshly to say. All she could do was try not to cry. She hated even doing it, but she bowed her head then, knowing they were defeated.
"Take the house. Take everything. Just please...please there is a picture of my parents in the second floor right bedroom. Can I have that?"
The leader frowned, but didn't say no, nodding to one of the women to retrieve it. From what she had heard, this crowd was only trying to survive. Sure they were being dicks about it, but they had more intel on the situation, and as much as she hated what they were doing, she understood the fear behind it all. Minutes passed and Willow worried that Collin would think she wasn't coming. Then the woman came out, carrying a backpack and looping it over the girl's neck.
"Linda..." the leader sighed.
"You are sending children to fend for themselves," she snapped, "Least we can do is give them some warm clothes and something to remind them of their families. We aren't all soulless."
"She doesn't need any scraps from us," one of the men she had seen earlier snap, rushing up, "We can use that clothing too."
He tried to take the backpack off and Linda shoved him back, Willow flinching as she thought a fight might break out.
Then a shot rang out.
It was piercing and loud right beside her ear, and to anyone in the distance like her friend, they wouldn't be able to tell if someone was dead. Someone like her. But Willow was safe and whole. The shot had only been a warning, the man who had been on her right previously shooting at the grass to stop the brawl before anyone got hurt.
"Now's a good time to leave kid," he snapped at Willow and she nodded, turning and fleeing towards the group, wanting them to know she was alive...and safe, god she was actually safe.