sin and sawdust

1

The trees swayed softly in the light wind as Eve made her way quietly along the ragged dirt path, bow poised while she hunted the rabbit that had led her on a merry dance for the last hour or so. Keeping track of the fast little thing had been an absolute pain in the ass but as the days and months had dragged on, food was becoming harder and harder to come by, so she had no choice but to follow the little shit.

Eve had survived a lot of this, apocalypse, I suppose you'd call it, by herself, not really connecting or trusting anyone she met along her journey. She travelled forward, onwards, never really stopping, never staying in one place too long. People weren't to be trusted, selfish, self absorbed, deceitful. They took and took everything they could. It hadn't always been this way, the couple she had met at the beginning were nice enough, but that went to shit quickly, she guessed they were both long gone by now, then there was the small group she fell in with, for a few weeks, maybe just over a month until they had started to turn on each other when food and water supplies began to run short. She had made a break for it in the dead of night with the last of the supplies, appeasing her mildly pricking conscience with the knowledge that if she hadn't done it, one of the others would have. Since then, she'd been robbed twice as she slept, attacked by others alone like her and she had long since decided to never rely on anyone else, preferring to make her own way in this feral new world.

But right now, she was tired. Hungry. While food was getting scarce for her, the dead seemed to be thriving. For every one she killed, it seemed like ten more would add to the droves. As well as food and water, safety was also becoming a particularly difficult thing to hold on to.

Shaking her long, dark braided hair back over her shoulder, she tried to ignore the dull ache in her stomach, unable to really remember the last time she had eaten, was it yesterday or the day before? A measly little meal she'd scavenged from the woods, berries and some mushrooms she knew were safe to eat, didn't really count. She had a small amount of water in her rucksack but that would be gone soon as well. She shook her head, trying to erase the thoughts from her head.

A small scurry to her left alerted her to the movement of the elusive rabbit.
There you are, you little fucker.

She crouched silently as it came out into the open in front of her, her light, almost imperceptible steps defying the heavy, black leather boots on her feet. She knew she had to make this kill soon, the sun was lowering fast and the dying light wouldn't exactly be helpful when hunting such small prey. As she drew back her arrow and took aim, a stick cracked on the ground behind her and she swung round as the rabbit fled into the woods, disappearing forever.

"Fffff... ," she hissed under her breath, not seeing anyone or anything in her immediate surroundings, the forest was dense but she knew something was there, knowing better than to assume. She replaced her bow with the hunting knife slung on her hip and darted behind a tree. Sure enough, maybe a minute or so later, a lone dead one shuffled into the clearing.

Eve swung her body around the tree and drove the blade into its temple from behind, letting it slump to the ground as quietly as she could. She dropped down next to it and put her head in her hands. If she didn't eat soon she was in big trouble, she wouldn't have the energy to hunt or fight.

Eve felt herself getting tired, the ground seeming to move under her feet as she pushed herself forward. Whether by sheer luck or design, she hadn't encountered a single dead one since the one she killed in the clearing but she wasnt stupid enough to let her guard down. She trudged on, her mind growing heavy, she needed to find safety, a place to sleep, fast but the main road was nowhere to be seen.

The sun was setting through the trees, orange and pink hues spilling over the jagged horizon that she could make out through the trunks. She had been in this situation before, more than once and usually found either a camp to steal from or some poor dead soul with food in a pack. Being careful to make as little noise as possible, she decided to head in the direction of what she was sure was the route back to the highway

She turned to try and get her bearings, catching the smell of an exhaust on the air, faint but fresh. She stood stock still and listened hard. Someone was close, she could feel them. Years of hunting with her Father before this had taught her to rely on all her senses, not just her sight. She pulled her rucksack off her shoulders, allowing her to move with greater ease. Pulling a black bandana from the front pocket, Eve stowed the bag and bow safely out of sight behind a bush, tucked her knife into her belt, tied the bandana around her mouth and nose and pulled the hood from her jumper over her head.

She scouted left and right, all was clear, she stepped forward slowly and heard a sneering voice,

"Coulda killed yer, ten times over by now, that bandana ain't gonna do shit,"

Eve froze as she tried to pinpoint the direction of the voice among the trees, her heart was racing, beating a melody of fear against her ribcage. She pulled the bandana down from her face.

"You're still hiding though, huh," she called back, wondering if the panic she felt came through in her voice.

A figure stepped forward from a couple of trees over, crossbow pointed directly at her. She groaned inwardly, regretting putting down her own projectile weapon, a knife would be less than useless here.

"Not hidin'," the stranger replied, "Just not stupid enough to get myself caught in the kinda situation yer in,"

Eve braced herself as he took another step towards her, eyes widening as she noticed the rabbit hanging from his belt. In that moment, the fear seemed to evaporate and she started to laugh. Big, gut wrenching laughs that she couldn't stop even if she wanted to. The stranger looked around nervously,

"So funny?" he snapped, not lowering the crossbow an inch.

Eve choked back a laugh as she nodded her head at the rabbit,

"Do you have any idea how long I was chasing that fucking thing?" she shook her head, "Hours. Literal hours and here you are, like a shit Robin Hood, with Thumper dangling from your pants, waving a crossbow in my face. Forgive me, I just think it's a bit... Funny,"

Eve glared at him, his features unreadable as the sun finally dipped below the horizon.

"I know," he replied, "Been watchin' yer struggle for a good while,"

He scoffed and lowered the crossbow slightly,

"Callin' me a shit Robin Hood, you couldn't hit the ground if yer fell over face first,"

He pulled the rabbit from his waist band and held it up "Figured yer needed help, know how to skin it?"

Eve rolled her eyes in the darkness, not answering this asshole stranger who seemed to think he was some kind of hero for killing a rabbit.

"Take that as a no," He threw the rabbit down at her feet and turned on his heel, leaving her standing in the trees as silently as he'd arrived.

Eve's fingers idled over the handle of the knife at her waist as she watched the stranger disappear into the dark, noting the direction he took off in and wondering who he was, why he had followed her and how or why the hell she was still alive.