The Commander's Sister // Reg Slivko

Wounds and Shrieks

"Kong's still down, we've got to move!" James's voice reached my ears as we made our way through the jungle.

"What about Packard?" Jack shouted over his shoulder.

"Wouldn't come!" James yelled back.

"Where's Mason?" I asked, looking around.

"I thought she ran first!"

"She isn't here!" Reles shouted from the front.

My eyes met James, wide and stinging. He shook his head at me, breathing heavy. I shoved my bow into Jack's hand before running back to James. I yanked him by the wrist and ran back the way we came from, finding Mason standing at the opening of the clearing, camera up. James grabbed her by the waist the same way Jack had grabbed me and ran. She shouted in surprise, but hit the ground running once James put her down.

I ran ahead, hoping to catch up to Jack in time to get my bow back. I pushed past Reg, only to be pulled back by my neck. I turned and realized everyone had stopped a few yards before a clearing, quiet and tense. I shot Reg a questioning look. He took his hand off my neck and leaned down.

"There's more of them." He whispered.

"Why're we stopping?" Mason panted.

"How many more?" I asked.

"Two." Jack sighed, handing me back my bow.

I turned to look at James, and we were all breathing hard. He furrowed his eyebrows, eyes on the ground as he tried to think of something.

"Our guns didn't do anything to it last time, how're we gonna get through two?" Cole grunted.

"If your guns didn't do anything, why did her arrows?" Mason asked, pointing to my bow.

"Aerodynamics, her arrows are sharper." James scoffed with a wave of his hand. "We have to get past them at the very least."

Trees rustled nearby, followed by the cry of the big Skull Crawler. I felt my heart tighten and I looked at James, antsy.

"How many arrows do you have left?" He asked.

"Fifteen last time I checked." I answered, eyes on the forest in the opposite direction.

"Can you make it with that few?" His voice was filled with scrutiny.

"We don't have a choice, that thing is coming." I panted.

"We just have to make it to the boat." Hank spoke.

"Is this even the right way?" Mills looked at James.

I looked at him too as realization dawned. Jack let out a breath and Reg scoffed. Mason shook her head.

"No. The boat's the other way."

Cole muttered something, and the movement in the trees seemed to get closer.

"Well we can't go back that way. I'd rather take on two small ones." I rushed out.

James closed his eyes and another shriek came.

"James, we gotta go." I stressed, clenching my hand as I felt my jaw shake.

He sighed hard, opening his eyes. "Let's go."

"Guys, it's dawn." Mason broke in.

"Shit." I whispered.

A tree cracked, not far from us.

"Shit!"

"Come on!"

We sprinted to the clearing, greeted by two very angry looking Skull Crawlers. James stepped ahead of the group as one creature snapped its jaw at us.