Prey [Ambassador's Pick ONC23]

06. Hunt

"This is how it's going to work." Boyd parades in front of us, his rifle slung casually over his shoulder. "The three of you are going to get up and approach the door with your hands in the air. Then, you will have approximately two minutes to make a run for it. After that, you're fair game."

"You're insane!" Celia protests, her voice higher than I've ever heard it before. "There's lions out there. Not to mention all the other dangerous animals. And how many more of your snares can we expect?"

"We should get weapons," Jeremy insists, as though we actually have a say in the matter. "You can't just kill us like this. You have to at least let us fight for our lives."

"We don't have to do anything. We're already being generous with a head start. Would you prefer it if we just killed you right here?" When Jeremy doesn't answer him, Boyd continues, "That's what I thought. As for the animals, they're the least of your worries. The snares are another story. You'd better watch your step out there."

He chuckles loudly, looking at his partner in crime with eyes full of glee. They bump fists; best friends sharing the ultimate bonding experience, as though the thought of murdering three people fills them with excitement instead of disgust.

They remind me of the villains in a horror movie Julian mentioned a few times.

The reminder of Julian causes my eyes to flicker toward the body on the couch, an action I regret instantly. "What about Seth?" I ask, the tremble in my voice betraying my fear.

Tanner glances back at him, still immobile on the floor. "He can't play with us. We'll have to leave him here."

Celia scoffs loudly, hatred pouring out of her as she glares at the two men. "This isn't a game! We have families to get back to. People we care about. People who will miss us."

"Well, you'll just have to run extra fast then, won't you sweetness? Maybe you can even outrun my bullets." Boyd pats his pocket lovingly, where I'm sure he has an extra stash of ammo judging by the soft tinkle of metal that emanates from its depths.

"You're evil," Jeremy states, the disgust in his voice strong enough to topple a weaker man.

"And you're boring me," Tanner retorts. "Now stand up and go to the door."

None of us moves, all frozen in what I assume to be fear but could just as easily be defiance. Celia and Jeremy seem to be leaning towards rage, whereas I am terrified out of my wits. I keep hoping that this is some kind of dream. Things like this don't happen in real life.

"Don't make me ask again," Tanner says through gritted teeth. His finger inches again towards the trigger of his gun as he raises it to eye level.

With no other options, we obey him, spurred on by the rifle now pointed at us. My heart hammers against my chest as I glance at my motionless husband again. It may be the last time I ever see him and it's that thought more than anything that causes the tears to start rolling down my face.

I can't leave Seth like this. I can't die. Marcus needs me. My family needs my help taking care of him.

"Please," I try once more, my voice thick. I swallow hard, trying to dislodge the terror from my throat. "My brother was in a motorcycle accident. He can't walk and he needs my help. I have to get home to him. Please."

"It's not his life you should be begging for." Tanner lifts his rifle, pointing it directly at my face. "Your time starts... now." With that he raises it in the air and fires a shot towards the doors.

The glass shatters loudly, falling to the ground in a million pieces. I flinch to the left, just in time to avoid the cascade. The loud crack echoes through my skull, rattling around in my head as I turn around. I make my bid for freedom, bumping into Celia as the shards crunch beneath our feet. A hand lands on the small of my back, shoving me through what remains of the door frame.

Panic propels me forward with my heart in my throat. My ears ring with the deafening sound of the gun shot. Salt and copper coat my tongue. I do my best to swallow past it and run, my shoes slipping on the broken glass. Celia reaches the end of the verandah first and leaps forward, glancing briefly over her shoulder with terror filled eyes.

I follow suit, jumping as far as I can and landing on the grass with my stomach in knots. Behind me I hear Jeremy's heavy breathing as he surges forward, overtaking me in seconds. Regret fills my heart as I cut to the left, leaving them to continue straight ahead. My shout for them to split up gets lost in the wind and the crackle of dry leaves.

The dark night sky is illuminated only by a smattering of stars and a thin crescent of moon. Each tree looms towards me, a spooky silhouette in the dim lighting. I try not to think about the other dangers that lurk in the wilderness and will myself to run faster than I ever have before.

Sweat coats my skin as I push myself forward, ignoring the tree branches that bite into my arms as I whip past them. Somewhere to my right I can hear the snap of twigs as Celia and Jeremy make their way through the bush. How has our weekend of relaxation turned into this nightmare? We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and now we were desperately running for our lives.

"Run Cee!" I barely hear Jeremy's frantic voice over the pounding in my ears. "Faster."

How many seconds have passed since our time started? It feels like a lifetime, but can't have been more than two minutes yet. Can it?

My chest tightens as I gasp for air, desperate to get far enough away from the lodge that they won't hear me stumbling around the bush in the dark. Each sound I make seems louder than a stampeding elephant. Each heartbeat feels numbered. Each step is more impossible than the last.

It's only a matter of time before I'm discovered.

Another crack echoes through the night, further away than I would have thought, and I instinctively drop to the floor, crouching down with my hands in the air. Celia screams loudly, a blood curdling sound that speaks of pure and utter terror. My heart lurches, unable to get to her and too scared to move as I cower on the floor like the chicken I am.

A third gunshot tears through the air, followed by a yell that sounds like it comes from Jeremy. My fears are confirmed when one of the hunters lets out a triumphant shout.

"I think I got one!"

My hand flies to my mouth, too late to catch the sob that manages to escape. Judging by the loud crackling from somewhere to my far right, either Celia or Jeremy is still up and running. My guess is the former, though whether she's running towards Jeremy or away from him I can't tell. The sound seems to be moving further and further away, replaced by something far more sinister.

Scrapes and grunts echo through the darkness, accompanied by pleas for help. The silence of the bush and open night sky amplifying what sounds like someone dragging a body across the ground. I stay where I am, frozen in place as I desperately try to keep the tears at bay. Celia seems to have stopped as well. The tell-tale sounds of cracking twigs has either ceased or is being drowned out by Jeremy begging for his life.

"Please. Please don't do this." Jeremy's strangled cry breaks through my terrified haze. "Please."

Fear locks me in place, my entire body shivering as my chest tightens further. Something starts to crawl up my leg, impossible to see in the darkness. My eyes squeeze shut, the endless stream of tears running rivers down my cheeks.

"Help me! Somebody help me!" The desperation in Jeremy's voice almost breaks me and I bite my knuckles, blocking out the pain of being unable to save my friend. Every bone in my body begs for me to rescue him, but the terror won't let me move.

I stay hunched over like the coward I am as Jeremy calls again and again, pleading and begging for his life. Each call is more desperate than the last, each plea falls on deaf ears. His screams become more and more frantic until his words no longer make sense.

"Jeremy!" Celia's grief stricken scream tears the air into pieces, shredding it like shrapnel. It only increase his pleas, as though her voice has given him one final push to beg for his life.

When the final shot rings out and Jeremy goes silent, I fall forward and bury my face in the dirt, shame and devastation replacing all panic and fear.

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Word count ~ 1542/14714