My mouth dropped to the ground, or close enough. He had been following me. My nerves screamed for action, to attack. He was dangerous because he was better than me. If he activated, I would be at his mercy no matter what. Before or after the Reaping. How long has he been following me! I looked over him again, assessing him in greater detail. Muscles covered him from head to toe, no fat seemed to be on his body. He was big, but not too big. He also seemed agile enough to move around quickly as I saw before. He was an experienced fighter, smart and a quick thicker. He was the worst type of foe.
Or the best ally.
Go back to your corner and leave me alone, I thought. We will talk later when he's dead. And before you say anything else, he is a risk not worth having. We know from experience, remember? She was silent again. A heavy weight settled in my chest. Yeah, we both knew what happens when we stuck around other people.
"Are you going to answer me?" He squeezed my wrist once again pulling me out of my trance. I remained quiet and a growl echoed in my ears.
"Fine." Next thing I knew; I was on my back with him pinning me down. To make sure I didn't throw him off, he hooked his legs with mine. Grabbing my hands in one of his he pulled a rope out of his pocket and tied my hands.
There went my plans of strangling him. Reaper Scythe. I was so looking forward to that.
"Until you give me an answer you will remain at my side at all times. Even if I have to drag you or throw you over my shoulder.
I felt like twitching from the words alone, not to mention he was touching me yet again. I needed to get away! but as I laid there, I couldn't come up with any plans I couldn't do anything but breath though the pain of the ropes rubbing my wrist and the bruises that ran along my back. I hated the feeling of being hopeless. May parents trained me somewhat, but obviously not enough. I let the images fade and rested my head against the moss. Eventually I fell asleep.
.........................................
I always hated waking up to a dewy life, but waking up over a shoulder change my opinion immediately. On one shoulder, he was carrying me and the other he was carrying the supplies.
"Don't mind me, I'm just another pack sack." I growled out loud. A laugh echoed behind it that made butterflies flutter in my stomach. Ignoring the feeling, I slammed my knee into his chest. Too bad it wasn't lower...
Bending over, he clutched his chest in pain. I rolled off of him and landed hard on some roots sticking out of the ground. I grabbed the nearest stick to slam on top of his head. A hand shot out and grabbed mine again. He rubbed his hand on my raw wrist making me suck in a pained breath. He then proceeded to knock the stick out of my arm and slam me against the tree. With my hands above in one of his hands I struggled but couldn't move. Attempt one. crash and burn, but there could always be a attempt two. I tried to wiggle my hands but as I was thinking, he had tied a rope around them. One that seemed to be almost cutting my blood supply.
He sighed in my ear and backed away. "What will it take for you to stop killing me?"
Killing yourself.
He waited for my answer but I didn't make a sound.
"You do know that I am going to get it out of you sooner than later, right? Not to mention you name too."
So you think. So you think.
Grabbing my arm, he was practically dragging me though the bush. It wasn't like I was going to run away. Yet. If I did that, I would probably be on his back again, knocked out. I didn't want that much skin contact. So, not so willing, I followed behind him, eventually he let me go and had me walk in front of him. All the while keeping a eye on me. It was a quiet walk, than he just had to open his mouth.
"So this is what I get so far. You live alone, you're a great hunter, good at tracking and blending into the environment."
Way to put everything out there! I glared behind me. and I wasn't THAT good if I was in this situation.
He gave me a curious look which turned hopefully, he was probably thinking that I was about to speak but I turned around. with any luck, squashing his hopes and maybe his puny brain.
He continued, "You're a fantastic archer, I have never seen anyone shoot like you, the way you shoot the squirrels scampering though the trees... just wow. Shesh, I was glad the reaper gift got the bow out of your hand, that way I could save you and we could finally talk."
At least someone was happy of my, ALMOST DEATH!
" Well... while I do the talking, you seem to be speechless in my presence."
My hands itched to smack him, I didn't know what he meant. But I had a feeling that there was something else in between those words. Something that might suggest that I adored him or loved him. Yuck, I loved him as much as the dirt on the bottom of my shoes. Unseen, unknown, until it you step on a sharp, annoying rock, where the pain will not go away for days.
But he makes up for it in muscles! I rolled my eyes.
"But that is understandable, I am awesome. Anyways enough about me."
Finally.
"Let's talk about you some more. Since you won't do the talking, I am going to assume that you didn't kill the five males. I going to say..."
Oh please stop, because I am assuming, my head is about to exploded. This, NO TALKING rule is giving me a headache. But better that, than dead... At least I can lower the chances of him activating if I wasn't talking, I couldn't do anything about the seeing and actually touch.
Sighing, I went to walk forward and froze. Soft, crunching footsteps sounded in the distance. Peeking behind me I notice he heard it too. Grabbing my hand we both hid behind a tree. Squeezing together in close proximity, I breathed in warm tree musk with a hint of spice, something I never smelled before that came from him. And there was also a hint of. What was it? I couldn't put a place to it. I took a long, deep, calm breath in and released it, taking some more of his scent. Something stirred in my head that something was wrong, that something was.... that I should be panicking that we were touching. Crap, I had forgotten. Blazing Suns Heat, I forgot. I never did! I guess the reason could be because I missed this. The close warmth of security, that everything would be alright. No matter what, we were there for one another. I snickered in my head. I was becoming as bad as my voice! Not only was I unconsciously touching him, I was thinking that he was trust worthy after we just met! Ah! Being with other people messed me up and made me weak. Weak. Just what I didn't want.
"Hahahaha." A screechy voice echoed in the trees.
What? I looked up at It, the male beside me. But it wasn't him. Man he needed a name. No... wait he didn't need one because he was as good as dead.
Yea just keep telling yourself that.
He was looking behind the tree with a grim expression on his face. What's he looking at? I did the same on the other side of the tree. But saw nothing.
"Bad, bad, yes I am. I kill, I slash into the hearts of man. Oh that sounds great. Hey Simon! Oh wait... that's right, he's dead, It's his blood on my blade. Or is it? It could be mine." A eerier pause settled in the bush. Shivers traveled up my spine and back down again. I started to shake but tamed it down. I glanced back to moron, yes, I could call him that! He was dumb if he thought he could hang out with other people, like me for example.
Moron was unpacking our bags. I wanted to ask what he was doing, but before I could, he cut my ropes and handed me my weapons. It was like he was handing me his life. He does know that I am going to kill him now and then-
"It tastes not like mine, but of his! Hahaha, what a fight he put up, oh I do wish for another. With the Reaping Gift Glitch, I am like no other. Stronger, faster, yes I am. If only I could have accessed the clever spark, but ha. I do not need it. Simon had it and yet he died!" Another bought of laughter bounced of the trees. Okay I will kill Moron later. Right now I need to kill the crazy person.
"Oh...Oh! Is a human near? I see footsteps that comes in two, but there's double, that means trouble. Or does it? It could be more fun. The more the merrier now that the battle bells rung. Now is the time to hunt these little runts." A bell? I didn't hear a bell and what's does a runt have to do with this situation? Moron suddenly grabbed my hand and pointed up the tree. Taking the hint, I climbed well he remained on the ground. Quickly running about, he messed up our trail and then hid behind a tree.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are! It's time to play and play I shall. While you struggle and shout. Hahaha, oh what fun I shall have, while you lay on the ground, trying but yet failing to breath. You will hope for death, but sadly I cannot give it to you. Because we need more of me's."
Of me's? What the reaper Scythe is he talking about? Clutching my bow, I nocked an arrow, waiting for the crazy human to appear. I wonder if he was left alone to long and this is what happened. Will I turn out that way? My hands went clammy at the thought. Where the boys this bad in Lord Of the Flies, but the writer didn't want to mention it, wait the story wasn't true...
I waited five minutes in utter silence then suddenly a pale male with orange hair stepped out from behind the tree. Blood covered his clothes and he had a crooked smile on his face. Wildly he looked around with his brown eyes searching the ground. He seemed to be humming a tune. Listening in closely, the tune reached my ears.
"Simon, big and smart, he loves to order me around. But he is not here right now. he, he, he he's not here right now. I stab him and cut him when he turned his back. I killed him, I murder him, I did, I did. Orders or not I would have done it. Sooner than to later, it doesn't matter. Simons gone and he can't order me around. La, la, la, Da, de, da. He is dead so he can't order me around, he can't stop me from hunting these human runts down. La ,de, da, he can't order me around."
The tune stopped as he crouched by the footsteps. Frowning, he tranced our steps and slowly scanned the bush, not bothering to look up, like I did before too. Please don't look up, pretty please don't look up. He walked slowly following the footsteps until he was right under my tree. I breathed as soft as I could, trying to not make a sound. Suddenly brown wild eyes stared into mine. "Got ya." He grin seemed to cover half his face. My stomach did a flip and I tried not to barf. Holding back the shivers I pulled back the bow trying to stay balanced while the tree branches dug into me.
"Oh, oh! you going to try a shoot me?" He giggled in glee. Throwing me off. Tears streamed down his face as he held his stomach, smearing more blood onto his hands. He gaze shot back to mine with an evil grin on his face. "Shoot me, aim that arrow. Pierce me so deep that there's no tomorrow." He said in a raspy voice. He lifted his arms wide giving me a clear shot to his heart. That's fine by me insane person. I don't want you to suddenly go reaper on me.
"Kill me, I beg of you. End my life and your friends too." Friend what friend? I glared down confused. Moron! But... I didn't hear anything. I would have heard it if there was a fight. And if Moron is dead, at least I don't have to kill him too. I aimed to shoot again but couldn't, how did he hurt Moron when I didn't hear anything. That, that scared me. I checked his eyes to make sure he wasn't A Reapers Gift but no glaze was in his eyes. He had to be lying then.
"You're lying." I tried to even the words out to not give away how scarred I was, hoping it wasn't true.
"Lying, no, no ,no I don't lie. I cut off people's head or torture them. But lie I do not do." I swallowed the lump in my throat and shivered. Accessing the situation of my foe I licked my lips, trying to figure out how good he was.
"Prove it." I pulled the arrow back further. "But know this, that if you lying, I will have this arrow in the center of your heart before you can say reaper Scythe."
"Deal, deal, he jumped up and down. and ran off in the direction of the tree where Moron hid. How... He grabbed something behind the tree and pulled. He dragged back Moron with his black hair. It felt like cold water drenched me from head to toe. Red marks covered his neck that started to turn purple, but he was alive. I could tell by the slight rise a fall from his chest. I look back up to the orange head. He was good... okay, this is what I need to do, I thought up a plan, I need to attack when he not expecting it, that way he won't dogged. Okay, I looked at Moron, I could use this to my advantage.
"Well, well? What do you think. I did good, did I not. Not making a sound, not a single squeak." Okay act worried. I felt the emotion and let it show. But it was mainly for myself. I was in deep bear shit.
"Please don't hurt Moron." I cringed inside for using the name I given him and not some name I could of made up. Frowning he study me, a question look crossed his face as he held that smile.
"Moron, Moron, his name is?" Covering my tracks I said.
"Yea when he does something dumb, I call him that name for days." I quickly stated. My arms started to shack for the pull of the bow. I needed him to get distracted!
"Really." He voice told me he didn't believe me.
"Yesterday, he...um...entered the forbidden zone, naked saying that it he was more than likely to find clothes if he wasn't wearing any." he crossed his arms and laughed.
"You lie, a big fat one! What are you hiding behind that lie though." He frowned at the thought and turned away.
Now!
I shot at his chest, holding my form and then look at the arrow in his chest. But it wasn't in his chest. It was at his side in his hand with his legs braced. Impossible!
"Now, now, did you really think I forgot about the deadly bow you had. How could I, it's what I was planning to straggle you with." Dropping the arrow he grabbed a huge knife from his back and threw in slicing the branch I was on. How? Oh Shit!
Branches cut me on the way down, I lost the grip on my bow and I landed hard on my feet. Pain shot up and I screamed. Falling back on my quiver it dug painfully into my shoulders blades. Quickly I grabbed my small knifes, bracing myself for another attack. I tried to locate were my bow was, to spot it in his hand. With the string off of it. He ran for me and I dodged as he got to close and rose to my feet. Pain throbbed in my legs but I ignored it as he came for my again. Aiming low to my feet he swept under, forcing me to jump then roll away to only get up again. Ow, ow, ow, I bite my tongue to prevent myself from crying out.
This time he swung the staff to my middle and I rushed to block it with my knifes. Shock waves painfully shot up my arms from the blow but I had no time to gasp as he used the other side to hit me. I swung and branched again. Next he aimed for my knee, dropping on my knee I crossed the blades to block. struggling to hold him back as he pushed me down. Huffing and puffing I looked into his face and shivered. A broad smile hung on his face, showing of crooked teeth with a yellow tinge. But the worst was the eyes... they were glazed. Reaper Gift! He just activated. Sun blazing heat. I was going to die. Giving up on the battle of strength he pulled back and swung at my head fast, blocking it again I filched form the pain.
Suddenly a kick landed painfully in my chest, shoving me back. Gasping for air I rolled to my hands and knees to get up, but a kicked to the stomach dropped me to the ground. I threw up from the pain well trying to still breath. Tears blurred my vision and I threw up again. Warm hands grabbed me by my hair, pulling me back, across the ground. Struggling I grabbed my head, whimpering. A gentle hand petted my face then my hair my was released making my head hit the ground hard, all I saw was stars. Breathing in I breathed though the pain when suddenly there was no air to suck in. Struggling to scrambled to breath but something solid pressed up against my wind pipe. No, no, no! I clawed at anything I could. I scratched into skin behind me and dung deeper. My lungs burned, begging me for air, but I couldn't get the thing to bunge. Darkness closed in. The world blackened. The last thing I saw was getting straggled by my own bow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I Stared at Lucy, my hands shook as my body quivered. Why was Lucy here? Why was she carrying a knife that had blood on it? I inched closer to Mom to see if she knew the answer. Her Pale blue eyes started ahead, staring at the knife she was holding. The deep red blood that coated the blade dripped to the floor. Each drop made me cringe, it seemed to that every drip brought us closer to a terrifying ending. What that ending was... I didn't know. All I knew was she might use that blade on us.
Humming suddenly echoed in the room, which sent shivers down my spine. Whimpering, I tried to squeeze closer to my Mom until only our clothes were the space that separated us.
She gently secured a piece of my dark brown hair and put it back behind me ear. Trying to comfort me. But nothing could comfort me when I knew she was just as scared. I wanted to ask why, but the words couldn't make it through tightened throat.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star." Soft hypnotizing words echoed into the room, getting louder. A creak sounded as she took and small step forward, raising the knife for attack. a whimper escaped my mouth and tears fell down in rivers.
" Mommy!" I screamed as she took another step forward.
"Shush." she whispered, rocking me back and forth. Why wasn't she doing anything, I quivered. And why was Lucy acting this way? When Lucy finally finished the song, she was only a foot away, staring deep into my eyes with no recognition. Raising the blade, she continued to smile and started to laugh. But before she could bring it down a gleam of silver caught my eye, as my Mom wedge the knife, deep into Lucy chest. Sitting there I held my breath and didn't move, I was too stunned too. I watched as the blood drenched everything and tried to blank it out. But I couldn't. Still smiling see looked towards Mom with a clever gleam to in her eyes. Her bloody hand shot out and grabbed me, pulling me out Moms arms and to the floor. Crouching into a ball I tried to make myself as small as possible. But Lucy didn't touch me after that. She pounced at Mom with un-caning speed, But then suddenly she fell to the floor, her dead eyes staring into mine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------