Austin walked through the forest for what seemed like hours. He started to grow frustrated as he did. All he had to go off of was what the fruit looked like. He wished that whoever wrote those books at least gave an idea of where to look. Not that Austin knew the area well, but some sort of hint would be better than nothing. He felt like he was just looking at every tree to see if it had the fruit. Maybe if he were better at identifying trees, he could at least eliminate some, but he never could understand the difference between them. Some people would be able to tell just at a glance, and he would just nod his head while wondering how they could do that.
?
After the extensive walking, Austin decided to reach into his pack to eat the rest of his nutrition bar. He really hoped that he could save it for later, but he felt like he needed something to eat to help him continue his walk. He downed the bar quickly in hopes that it would help with the strange texture. Despite that, it still felt hard to swallow, so he chugged water down to help.
?
As Austin finished eating, he thought he could hear something nearby. He could hear a light cracking noise as if someone was walking, accompanied by the sound of branches being pushed out of the way. As he heard the noise, he tried to kneel down quietly against a tree. He hoped that he had hidden himself just enough to be ignored by whatever was walking through the forest.
?
Austin carefully watched as he saw a young man with messy blonde hair walking through the woods. The man looked like he had not made a camp anywhere from the way his pack was weighing him down. He held his hatchet in his hand as he walked in a ready position. Austin could not tell if it was fear or readiness, but he looked ready to strike at anything that crossed his path. Austin gripped his spear tightly as he watched the man. He felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest, but he knew that he needed to remain quiet so he was not seen.
?
The man started to grow closer to Austin. As he did, Austin started to back away quietly and lay down. He felt as though he could use the nearby foliage to cover his body as long as he lay down. As Austin pulled away, he saw the man cross the path directly in front of him. Austin just had to wait a little bit more, and the man would be on his way.
?
The man paused for a moment and started to look around. Austin’s brain ran through the situation. He felt as though he had been quiet, but now it seemed like the man had somehow noticed him. Maybe he would get lucky, and the man would not see him and just move on.
?
“Where are you?” The man yelled out. “I know you are watching!”
?
Austin did not say anything or move. He hoped that if he kept still that the man would just decide that he was being paranoid and move on. In Austin’s mind, that was the best outcome because he had no idea how the man would react to another person.
?
“I’m not leaving until you show yourself!” The man yelled. “You won’t get the jump on me!”
?
Austin started to tense up. This was not good; he knew he needed to get moving if he was going to find that fruit. He started to debate if it was worth showing himself just so he could get moving. Maybe this young man was reasonable, and Austin could convince him that he meant no harm.
?
“Fine,” a new voice said. “You win. You win. I’m coming out.”
?
A new man came out of the forest. He looked to be about the same age as Austin and had dark greasy, long hair. The man was very thin, and as he came out, he held his knife in one hand and his hatchet in the other. Austin had no idea this man was here. Now he was worried that this man was stalking him.
?
“Now then,” the new man started to speak more. “Give me your food and I’ll let you go.”
?
“Why would I do that?” The young man countered as his knuckles turned white from gripping his hatchet.
?
“Because if you don’t. I’ll kill you,” the man’s voice was cold and uncaring.
?
“Would you risk that?” The young man asked nervously. “I mean I will fight back.”
?
The greasy man started to walk around the young man, as if he were circling his prey. “I mean, that’s true. But look how nervous you are. You aren’t ready to kill anyone. So just give me your food and I’ll be on my way.”
?
“Either way, I’m dead,” the young man said. “I would rather try to defend myself.”
?
The greasy man sighed and immediately lunged at the young man with his knife. The young man barely stumbled out of the way of the attack, his arm lightly cut by the knife as he did. He turned his attention back towards the man but did not attack. Instead, he held his hatchet firm in a ready position.
?
“You were able to escape my attack,” the greasy man chuckled. “But let’s see if you can keep it up.”
?
The greasy man swiped wildly at the young man. There was no form or substance, just a mad man swinging to try to hit. The entire time, the young man was barely able to manage not getting severely hurt, but he continued to get cut here and there. Austin noticed the young man seemed to refuse to swing back. Like he did not want to hurt the other man, even with him being attacked.
?
As Austin watched the events unfold in front of him, he gripped his spear so tight that his knuckles turned white. As his heart raced, his mind felt conflicting thoughts. He could use that as an opportunity to escape from both of these men, but he also felt like he could not just let that young man die. In his mind, that would make him just as bad as the attacker.
?
Before Austin could think anymore, he stood up. Thoughts fled him as he went into action. There was only one prevailing thought: he could not let this young man die to this psycho. Adrenaline rushed through him as he ran towards the greasy man and stuck him in the side with his spear. Blood trickled out of the wound, and Austin ripped the spear out.
?
Austin breathed heavily, and between the adrenaline and his breathing, it was hard to get a word out until he managed to say, “Leave now.”
?
“Oh, it’s you,” the greasy man said. He was trying to keep up confidence, but he obviously winced at the pain of Austin’s attack. “I was going to get you next. You were my original prey.”
?
Austin took a deep breath before responding. As he did, he felt a deep warmth in his chest. The warmth then spread throughout his body as if it were filling his veins. As the warmth spread through him, he felt invigorated. Like he woke up from the best rest of his life.
?
“I said leave,” Austin said sternly.
?
“Oh, are you trying to act tough now?” The greasy man taunted. “I’ve already killed one person as part of this game! What’s two more?!”
?
The greasy man swung at Austin with his hatchet. Austin was shocked as he saw the swing come at him. For just a moment, it seemed to be moving in slow motion. Austin moved out of the way and swung the blunt end of his spear at the greasy man. He was shocked when he heard a whooshing sound as he swung the spear. The greasy man flew towards a tree, and Austin thought he heard a cracking sound. Austin felt shocked at the result because he did not think he put that much strength behind his swing.
?
“You seem pretty serious,” the greasy man coughed out. “I didn’t think you would swing that hard.”
?
Austin ignored his comment and said, “Promise to stop hunting people and I’ll let you go.”
?
“Fine,” the greasy man responded. “I won’t hunt anyone else.”
?
“You can’t just let him go!” The young man intervened. “He’ll just say whatever so he can get away.”
?
Austin turned towards the young man and said, “I have to trust he learned his lesson. His body is probably too hurt to hunt people.”
?
“If he did it once. He will do it again,” the young man argued.
?
“Maybe, but I have to have fa-“ Austin felt something enter his side as he spoke to the young man.
?
Austin looked down and saw the greasy man next to him. He had stabbed Austin in the side and then proceeded to twist the knife. The greasy man had a foul, satisfied smile on his face. Austin pushed the man backward and knocked him down.
?
“You’re an idiot,” the greasy man said as he readied his hatchet. “Like I would ever stop hunting people. It’s just too damn fun!”
?
Austin winced as he pulled the knife out of his side and threw it to the ground. He took another deep breath before readying his spear. The adrenaline must have really been pumping through him because after taking the breath, he no longer felt the pain in his side.
?
“What the hell did you just do?” The greasy man sounded scared for some reason.
?
Austin did not respond; instead, he was focused on the greasy man. Austin had given the man a chance, and he tried to take advantage of Austin. He would not let the man get the better of him now. Austin smacked the greasy man’s legs with the blunt end of his spear and heard a cracking sound as he did.
?
“Please stop, I don’t want to continue hurting you,” Austin pleaded with the man.
?
The greasy man did not hesitate and stood up, barely able to keep himself standing. Then he jumped at Austin with his hatchet. Austin dropped his spear and grabbed the man’s arm, but the force of the jump threw him to the ground. The greasy man continued to push with his hatchet, trying to hack into Austin.
?
Austin struggled to hold back the hatchet as it came down on him. It started to grow closer and closer to his face and the other man was not letting up. Austin was unsure what to do; he could not just die at this moment. He still had Maya and Elliot to look after. He would not leave them alone and without him.
?
Austin was not sure how the next events unfolded. The next thing he knew, the greasy man’s body was limp on top of his. All of Austin’s previous strength had left his body, and it took everything in him to push the other man off his body. Once he did, he saw the knife stuck in the man’s chest and his shirt and hands stained with blood.
?
Austin let out an unearthly scream and cried, “No, no, no. This can’t be happening. No. Please no.”
?
Austin scrambled back to the greasy man’s body and ripped open his pack. He grabbed all of the water he could from it and started pouring it on his hands and shirt. While the water managed to wash his hands clean, his shirt was already stained with the blood, and it would not come out.
?
“No, no, they can’t see me like this!” Austin pounded his hands on the ground as he started to cry.
?
“What are you talking about?” The young man said. “He was going to kill us. You saved us both.”
?
“But what will my wife and son think when they see me stained in blood?” Tears flowed down Austin’s face. “I’m a murderer.”
