The Voices Within

Chapter 4

"I have a better idea." He stated.

I stared at him.

"What?" I asked slowly.

"We could. I don't know? Work together?" He cautiously replied.

"Wait. What? I just met you. I don't even know your name!" I declared, flustered.

"Look, if I wanted to kill you or turn you in, I would already. We're both all alone out here, and frankly, we both need the help." Now he threw his sword into the weapon pile and sat down on a log. "I thought I had a good hiding spot, yet you found it. And you could use help on fighting technique."

I rose from my uncomfortable crouch and warily placed myself on the log directly in front of him.

"I don't know your name." I stated.

After studying me for a while, he replied- "Alex. And you?"

Was that his real name? Should I give my real name? I glanced at him.

"Dahlia."

"So, want to go for it? Help each other survive out here?" He asked.

'He's just using you.'

'Just like everyone.'

'Why would anyone want to spend time with you?'

The voices were getting worse and worse, but I decided to ignore them. All the years of practice came in handy.

"I guess." I said. Still not over the fact he was trying to kill me a few moments before.

Am I a push over? Was he embarrassed for me? He could just be sympathizing. At least I know I can kind of take care of myself. I don't have to heavily rely on anyone anymore.

"Good. So, you can take your stuff back and, um set up your part of the camp. Then we have to talk about how you even found me in the first place." He stalked off to start a fire.

Looking at my things, I felt a little embarrassed. Though I didn't particularly care to be extremely wealthy, I couldn't doubt that certain luxuries were, well, ideal.

As I was folding and stacking everything of mine into a neat pile, I looked over at Alex's belongings. I couldn't tell if he just grew up rich or stole it. I don't understand why he would run away if he was REALLY that rich, not that money is happiness or anything. It's just. Rich people got whatever they wanted pretty much. I turned back to my folding and didn't turn around again until I was done.

"Ready to tell me how you found me?" Alex asked.

He had already lit the cracking fire ablaze. I looked up just in time to see the sunlight slowly fade away into deeper and deeper parts of the woods.

"Yeah, okay." I planted myself onto a log near the fire. The flames danced in front of me, becoming quieter and quieter, so I threw another log in.

"I'm a hunter. I know these woods by heart." He began.

"Hunters see what clues the prey leaves behind. Not what they themselves leave behind." I recited.

"What did I leave behind exactly?" He sounded offended.

"Broken twigs. Strings of fabric. Not to mention you basically left footprints when you were close enough to your destination." I said semi-humorously.

He cleared his throat.

"So, you're pretty good at observing, huh?. You hunt?" He asked.

Scoffing, I picked up a stick and started drawing swirls into the ground. Does he even know where we used to live? Girls were so oppressed, they could barely leave their homes, let alone hunt. His eyes burned into my head, yet I refused to meet them.

"Nope." I simply answered.

"You seem like the type. Your parents never took you camping or anything?" Alex bluntly asked.

'No parents.'
'None.'
'All alone.'
The voices mocked me.

This time I met his gaze and raised an eyebrow, still refusing to take account the voices.

"No family to take me." Then, seeing his confused look, I continued. "I'm an orphan."

He dropped his eyes and mumbled a 'sorry'. I just nodded and dropped my stick.

Then, out of nowhere, Alex shot up.

"I just realized I don't have anything for dinner." He looked around him.

"It's okay. I have an idea." I smiled.