Manhunt

Chapter 1 - "A Precarious Start"

They were staring at me, menacingly.

I turned to look around, this was a really bad biome to start in, a jungle.

My gaze scurried between Troy and my brother, them smirking back at me, confident

in themselves.

Unlike me.

They are way older and taller than me! Both of them! How is that supposed to be fair?! I will never beat them!..

I hardly swallowed all my worries down, all the way down where they would never bother me again. Hopefully.

I can do this.

I took a deep breath, choosing a direction I would run into. Not that it really mattered, the only things here were giant trees, bushes and vines all over the place, pretty chaotic if you ask me.

I dashed past Skyro, pushing him aside. Too scared to look back because my stupid self might have run into a tree if I did, I kept on running, focusing on hopping over bushes and roots.

I can't get distracted.

I heard my brother's voice randomly moan, not far away from me. Ehh, it's a stupid habit Skyro has.

"What the hell is wrong with you?-" I laughed, almost crashing into a cow. On one leg, I jumped to the right to avoid collapsing with the animal. But through that, I got off my ridiculously planned track, stumbling down a small sloping hillside. I overturned several times, until I reached the flat, leafy jungle floor.

In a hustle I got up, about to start fleeing again. But as soon as I moved one of my legs forward, it got pulled back by something strong immediately. I swiftly turned my head to see what was preventing me from moving. A thick, olive green vine was tangled around my left leg in a messy way. I pulled on the plant rapidly, in hope to get it off.

"Stuck?" I heard Troy's voice say malicious. I looked up the hill, seeing my two hunters on top.

"My tactics are the best!" Skyro said proud.

"Your tactics are disgusting!" I yelled back at him, annoyed.

Both of them slowly came walking down the hill, clearly taking their time. I continued to try and rip off the vine around my leg.

Is this going to end so soon?.. No, it can't.

I was about to lose all my confidence and just give up, but then the vine's grip around my left leg got weaker. I grabbed the vine with both of my hands and ripped it off, my leg feeling numb. I started running, starting on all fours like a lunatic. After balancing myself out, I was able to run normally again.

"Hey! Come back here!-" I could hear my brother yell in discontent. It was terrifying, thinking about how everything could've been over that early. It would've been really embarassi-

Suddenly, there was a huge abyss opening up beneath me, looking like god decided to just lower the landscape abruptly. I had too much momentum, there was no way I could've stopped before falling to my death. I could hear my hunters right behind me, so even if I somehow managed to stop, they'd push me down there anyway.

Everything was happening so fast, but in slow-motion at the same time. My vision was blurry from all the movement.

There was no water down there, in the chasm. Only trees and bushes, like everywhere else in this god-damn jungle.

The best I can do is hope now, a leap of faith.

Right before the abysm's edge, I transferred all my energy and will to life into my legs, and jumped.

Even though I was screaming like a baby and couldn't stop, I could still hear my hunters stopping behind me, probably wondering what the fuck I was doing. Suicide? Possibly.

I hectically brandish my arms around, nothing in reach. I close my eyes, my stomach feeling like a rollercoaster.

Well, I guess this is it. I'm gonna die and they're gonna make fun of me.

Suddenly, I feel something thick slap against my hand. I immediately pry open my eyes, noticing a big vine that was hanging down from one of the massive trees, right in front of me.

That's the kind of vine I like!

Without hesitation I hold onto it with both of my hands. I look down, instantly wishing I hadn't, it was a LONG way down.

"All I have to do is not let go, easy." I reassured myself. I glanced back at my hunters, which were dumbfounded by my spectacular stunt.

"Try beating that, noobs!!" I proudly shout at them, sticking out my tongue. I smirk at them in spite.

That smile vanished quickly, though. I forgot that the vine I was holding onto obeyed the laws of physics, as everything else in this world. Right now, it was the furthest away from my hunters as it possibly could be, meaning that-

Yikess..

After approximately half a second of hanging still, the vine started swinging back, back to the chasm's edge, my hunters standing exactly there.

"No- no- no- no- no-!.." I whisper to myself, slowly raising my voice with each no. Now, I was completely panicking, fate seemed to have a weird sense of humour, huh.

"Come give your big brother a hug, will ya'?" Skyro laughed evil, stretching out his arms.

My brain was currently on FIRE.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IN THIS SITUATION?!-

I had to act fast. I swiftly leaned back so my legs were in the front, bracing myself for whatever was about to happen.

Apparently my hunters were taken by surprise, since they didn't dodge my feet-attack. My left leg hit Troy's chest, my right one hit Skyro's shoulder, both at the exact same time. They were pushed back by the impact, me still holding onto the vine, basically being right on top of the two.

Now I knew what I had to do. I charged up my jump, the great force causing my hunters to fall, my brother screeching like a hamster. I pushed myself off, causing the vine along with me to swing back, away from Troy and Skyro.

My gaze shifted to in front of me, and I spotted another, much longer vine. After timing the swing, I carefully transitioned from the previous vine onto the next. I didn't bother looking behind me, I could hear my hunters curse about my clutch.

"Seriously? How did that work," Troy grumbled irritated, the sound of leaves rustling indicating he was getting up.

I concentrated back on the vine, looking below me. It seemed to extend all the way to the bottom. I slowly let myself slide down, making my exit.

I had to resist the urge to kiss the ground once I set foot on it again. After all, I didn't exactly do well with heights, it's a miracle I survived.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" A small grin slipped onto my face as I heard Skyro's faint excruciation about the situation in the distance.

My goal for now was clear and simple: Find a way out of this jungle.

As I jogged through the plant-crowded environment, a chat-message made me chuckle.

Skyro fell from a high place

I guess he tried my iconic vine-trick and failed horribly.