fallen | ✓

Chapter 4: "Clara"

Clara's POV

I grumbled and lowered my blade, not daring to sheath it yet. Hostility is a possibility like I always say. "What in bloody hell?" I grumbled. They all scrambled, separating, and staring. The biggest boy pulled his fire-axe, staring me down. The other two backed up, keeping their eyes on me. Cowards? Or smart? The boy swung at me, missing. I grabbed his arm, slamming him to the ground flat on his chest. I stomped on his hand, kicking the fire-axe across the floor, disarming him.

"Lovely welcoming, you idiot." I scowled, keeping my foot on his head. I glanced at the terrified girl and boy, staring at me. I looked back down at bedhead, keeping my foot on his skull. "What do you say to new visitor survivors?"

He coughed, spitting out a tooth. "Fuck you." This made my wrinkle my nose, putting more pressure against his head. "A-Ah-" I wanted to kick him in the face, but I've already beaten him well enough.

"I should crush you, you uncultured buffoon." I took my foot off his head, keeping my blade unsheathed. "But I won't because killing you would be pointless, and a waste of energy." I hesitated before spitting, "You have a very thick skull.."

He scowled at me, rubbing the blood from his nose. I turned up my nose, looking the other way, with my arms folded. "Now that we have that settled..." The other boy peeped, quietly. "Who the hell are you..?"

"Your worst nightmare," I smirked, flipping my blade. He covered his head, flinching and backing up. I slammed the tip of the blade into the ground, leaning on it. "Nah. I'm just kidding."

Zak growled, pressing the barrel of his revolver against my temple. I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Oh dear.." The small girl, just about my height, ran over and shoved him away from me. I sheathed my blade and smirked to myself, realizing they weren't a threat.

"Hazel!" He shouted, falling into the barrels of God knows what. She hissed, "Don't go killing survivors!" She huffed and gathered herself, turning to me. "This is very surprising, do you have a team?"

My eyes partly narrowed. "No." I moved my hair out of my face, partially annoyed.

"Well... Would you like to team with us?" She beamed at me as revolver boy reached out of the barrels, cursing loudly. I snickered quietly. "Sure. I'd love to stick around to annoy bedhead for a while." His hand, sticking out of the barrels went limp. I'm pretty sure he said "Fuck..."

I walked past her, grabbing his arm and yanking him out. He was much larger than me, but I was stronger. I'm stronger than most boys I meet. He gawked at me for a moment, brushing my hand away, and walking over to the girl. "Hazel." He growled, grabbing her wrist and dragging her inside.

I folded my arms, glancing at the other boy. "Aye. Do you like barrels like bedhead?" I grinned. He shook his head vigorously. "Then don't fuck with me, got that?" I cracked my knuckles, sitting up on one.

"What in God's name are you cooking?" I muttered, looking at his fashioned spit that had been stabbed through what looked like some kind of wild pig. "Um.." He flinched, looking up, startled. "O-Oh. J-Just pork.." He moved his hair out of his face, turning it over.

"Did you hunt it?" My features softened.

I hate people, but I tolerate them. Animals are my balance. My heart beats for them. I wouldn't kill a butterfly if my life depended on it. Even in my state of violence, I would never do it. However, if I was given a gun and was told to shoot a boy, grandmother, or a pregnant woman. I would shoot all of them.

He looked up at me. "O-Oh no... I don't hunt. Zak hunted this one. I'm the cook." He smiled a bit in self-pride. I nodded slowly. Zak must have been that bedhead I shoved into the barrels. "What's your name?" He slowly turned the spit, clapping off the ash from his hands. "J-John.." He sat on his heels, watching the belly of the pig being cooked. "What about you?" He glanced at me. "Hmm. Clara." I decided to finally say. "Hazel's the girl, isn't she?" I suggested, unsheathing my blade and grabbing a rock, sharpening it.

John turned it again and shrugged. "I-I really never spoke with her yet. Zak seems very fond of her." I smirked, thinking of memories, crossing my legs. Then my smile dropped. "Love is dangerous." I sighed.

"H-How do you know?" John arched his brow at me. I glanced down at him. 

"How do I know? I've experienced it." I looked back at my sword, biting to change the subject. "Aye. Lemme use your coals." John gave a small nod as I laid the tip inside, it becoming red on contact. I lifted it back to me, spitting on it. John cringed, turning the pig over again.

I propped it against the barrel I was sitting on and folded my arms over my legs. Zak came back out, Hazel trailing behind. She had her head down but had I triumphant smile underneath. Zak plopped down, letting out a long sigh of defeat. "Why are you such a bitch?" He growled at me.

"I don't know, I just can help it. What's your excuse?" I smirked. He glared at me and looked at the pig, folding his arms. "How much longer until it's done, John?" He bit out. John shrugged, turning it again. Hazel came by, sitting next to my barrel. "Aye how about I go looting with Hazel?" I suggested.

"Hell. No," Zak growled. "I don't trust you."

"Don't trust me with your girlfriend?" I bit back. His brow creased and he inhaled deeply, pointing to the gate. I beamed, hopping off the barrel. Suddenly, a dark expression crosses his face and he looks into my eyes. "If she doesn't come back by tomorrow, I will find you. And I will kill you." I rolled my eyes, grabbing Hazel's wrist and dragging her.

"Bye Zak!" Hazel yelled back. I heard Zak mutter in response, "Y-Yeah.."