Aggy and the Dinos

Chapter 12

James took John into the metal shed. It was lined with rifles. James made a big deal of them, showing John the boxes of ammunition, and re-iterating the 'no bullets fired' policy. John thought that the guns in the lean-to told a different story to the impressive display of arms they had seen on their way in. Next, James showed him an assortment of traps, and described how each one was made, so that John could begin to improvise traps of his own. He then gave John a selection of knives, which were apparently in no short supply. John did not mention his own knife, still strapped to his calf in its sheath. He wanted to compare what he had been given with what he already had – there was more to these people than a canny bunch of survivors who had stumbled on a secret bunker with a shipping container full of guns and store rooms full of fuel.

"Do you fancy an outside run?" Asked James.

"No, but I suppose we're going anyway." There was something about James that brought out the predator in him – he didn't feel safe with the man, although he had no justification for being on his guard. They each carried a fresh trap to lay, and a rifle, in case the worst should happen. James opened the gate, which looked as if it might squeak, but opened silently. The sky was a deep blue, without a cloud in sight. Bird song accompanied them out into that deadly country. James shut the gate behind him, which added to John's anxiety, as he would have no way of opening it, and no way of climbing it, should he have to come back alone. Now that they were outside, they would not speak. James had already told him that while there was little Dino activity in the area, they were in as much danger from other people as they were from their prehistoric cousins. The human race was desperate, and often as wild as the land they inhabited. Mankind was long overdue the three meals that separated it from anarchy, and any sense of brotherhood had been lost to survival. When one cannot get other meat, human will do just fine. John found the idea of cannibalism abhorrent, and made a personal promise to free anyone he found in a trap. He would shoot James, if he had to.

They proceeded quietly into a thicket, where they instantly struck gold. There was a doe caught in a snare, dead, while another hanging trap contained a squirrel. The squirrel was alive. John felt himself torn in two. He was hungry, and the animals represented dinner. But he also wondered what good a squirrel would do for all the people they had to feed. His little body would not feed a child. James made a sign at him to take down the trap and kill the squirrel. He was being tested. He took down the trap, and looked James in the eyes as he let the animal go. Then he picked up the doe and put her over his shoulders, making an 'after you' gesture to James. They walked back, and once inside the gate, James rounded on him. John put the deer on the ground and drove a fist into James' stomach. The man went down heavily. John picked him up and launched him at the wall - he crawled on the floor, winded and retching. John walked over and sat down heavily on his back.

"What are you?" He snarled. The other man did not answer, so he got up and flipped him over with his foot. John straddled him.

"Now, here's a theory." He said, watching James calculate his next move.

"I think that there are other ways that you could hunt – I think that you have enough bullets to shoot with – but even if you didn't, what is the point of hanging little baskets in trees for birds and squirrels to get stuck in?"

James went to grab his legs and try and free himself, so John brought his fist down on the back of his neck, and smile grimly when he made a strangled noise.

"So, here's what I think, you nasty little prick. I think you like it. I think you like to trap things, and make them suffer. I think Hasani doesn't mess with you because you get the job done, but I am going to mess with you, sunshine. No animal should suffer the way she did." He pointed at the deer. "We have to eat, and that's not her fault, so you kill clean, or you eat carrots and broth. And as for that squirrel, well, if I hadn't been there I bet you would have had some fun with your knife, and he wouldn't have made it to the cooking pot. Did you torture animals when you were a kid, Jamie boy?"