Persphyni: I am Determined

42

"Shh. I hear something. This way!"

I grinned as I stomped my feet harshly on the ground. Moving far away from where I had just hidden Madi and Clarke.

My bow was in my hands ready if I needed it. I'd like to maintain a distance for now to feel them out. And once I find nothing but guns, I'll attack close range. Then they're all screwed.

"There she is! On the ridge!" I counted two behind me as I took a sharp turn and headed over towards my small remembrance grove.

Two gun shots wizzed past my body from the oncoming direction. I barely moved out of the way as I saw three more coming towards me.

Five on one. I think I'm being toyed with.

I tucked my bow onto my back and took off faster. My feet running down my own beaten path as I ducked from their sight and climbed one of the trees.

"Where'd she go?" I watched the five of them stand directly below me as they scanned the forest floor.

"McCreary, we lost sight of her. Head in from the south and keep coming. We will flush her out towards you." I nearly laughed at the confidence this man had.

"Good, coming in tight." And so am I.

As soon as they started to walk away I released two arrows swiftly. One going through the neck of the man with the walkie, the other into the neck of the closest one. Leaving them without communication.

I jumped from my tree to the next one as the remaining three all pointed their weapons in that direction. My bow back on my shoulders as I quietly scaled down the tree and snuck up behind them.

"Do you see anything?"

"No, you?"

"No, but the arrows came from that direction." I unsheathed my dagger and snuck up behind the far left criminal. My dagger on his neck and slicing through before he could get a word out. I quickly moved to the middle one, kicking the gun from his hands and turning him around to use as a shield as the right one opened fire.

I frowned. This was too easy. When I counted the man's bullets and heard the click of an empty chamber, I pushed the now deadman off my body and onto the ground. Four bodies now surrounded me as the fifth shook in fear. Yet he still charged forward. Gun out in front like it was going to protect him.

He barely lifted his weapon when I slid beneath his right arm, slicing the fragile skin on his tricep before stabbing my dagger straight into the back of his neck.

His knees hit the forest floor followed by the rest of his body as I wiped the fresh blood off on my black pants. A frown on my face at the slight tear on the left knee of my pants. Thank goodness they weren't designer.

"McCreary, we heard gunshots. Report." The same female voice from before came in through the radio as I heard footsteps approach.

I left via the trees and heard the whisper of the conversation as I paused for a moment.

"Baxter's group is down. Whoever is behind this is wanting to play. I need ten more. Send them southward. We will meet on the way." Or you won't.

I changed my course towards the north where the back up units would be headed in. My hands counting arrows as I took inventory. I had seven more. Meaning they all had to be clean. These invaders would get no second chances.

_______•*•*•*•_______

I met the group of ten rather quickly once they broke free from the village line. My loud steps drew them in as I took them to my hunting grounds. My traps just freshly laid earlier this morning.

And with the sudden disturbance in the forest, I knew no animals would be out and about. So there was no worry on my end about whether or not the traps had been set off.

But I was ready to clean up the scraps when they do.

I was careful. Weaving in and out of sight. Keeping a steady pace to maintain distance but draw them in. It was like leading lambs to the slaughter.

Too easy.

I grabbed ahold of the vine-rope I had made and swung clear to the other side. Putting my best feared look on my face I turned as I let the large group of back-up catch up to me. Their guns pointed in my direction as I brought my hands up slowly.

"McCreary, we got her. We're in a walkway clearing with two large rocks branching over." One spoke into the walkie as they started walking forward.

"Do not approach. We are coming in from the other side."

Their steps creaking on the forest floor as it became nothing but bamboo sticks. Covered in grass. I watch the first three freeze at the sound of cracking sticks. Their faces frozen in terror as they made direct eye contact with me.

A smirk was on my face as I mockingly waved goodbye. Then they fell. Leaving only seven up top. The loud wails of agony and the sudden disappearance of their fellow criminals froze the rest of the group. Allowing me enough time to draw and release two of my arrows. One embedded in the chest of the walkie carrier, the other through the eye of the man beside him.

One of the men scrambled to get to the walkie as I released another arrow. This one found its target in the neck of one of the men who was slowly raising his gun.

"McCreary! We need back up n-" he didn't get to finish as I sent an arrow straight through his hand forcing him to drop the walkie.

"Walters! Walters, report! What's going on." The female voice fro before filtered through as I shot another man straight in the heart.

"Walters we're almost there." The male I'm assuming is named McCreary filtered through as I made quick work of the last two criminals, leaving only myself and Walters who was busy cradling his hand.

I slipped my bow back over my shoulders and began to back up slowly. Pausing momentarily when I saw Walters grab a gun and point it in my direction.

"Oh no you don't. You're coming with me." I rose my hands mockingly as I took a step back. This caused him to take a step forward. This dance continued until I found myself backed up to a tree.

While he smirks triumphantly, thinking that he had gotten me. I hold back my own smirk as I had him fooled, and instead I had gotten him.

"Oh McCreary's gonna like you." I tilted my head as if to feign confusion causing him to chuckle darkly. The action made him weak for half a second and that was all I needed to jump up and grab ahold of a branch and kick him backwards.

The gun fell from his grasp as he staggered backwards. Pure panic written all over his face as he fell directly into one of my traps. The heavy metal jaws of the trap locked over his leg as he fell on the ground. Digging in to the fragile skin as he cried out in pain. Blood pouring from the wounds as I kicked away his gun and came around to stand behind him.

I was silent as I listened to his screams. His cries of help music to my ears. Then he started cussing me out. I slowly crouched down to him and placed a blade to his neck.

"Death is going to love you." I whispered directly into his ear as I ended his screeching.

Fifteen down but oh so many more to go.