Reality Is Merciless 2

Chapter 8

We set off, passing more gravestones. Until, Meeko flinches and stops in his tracks.

"Meeko?" I turn around, causing the others to stop too.

His haori has gotten caught in the ground somehow. He kept pulling and pulling, but it couldn't be freed.

"It's stuck..." He says in disappointment.

"Hold on," Izzy steps closer to examine the haori.

"Oh..." She bends down and switches some kind of button, freeing the haori.

"It's a bear trap."

Scarlet gasps. She doesn't have a very positive past with bear traps...

Meeko was now free, but unfortunately, there was a huge rip at the corner of his haori. His disappointment worsened, but he got over it quickly.

Izzy throws sticks along the path as we proceed, in order to identify where the bear traps were.

Eventually, we reached the end of the bear trap path in one piece, apart from Izzy losing a shoe. But thankfully nothing more since her guard is up.

The rest of the path is empty, so we were safe for a while. Until eventually, we're blocked by a barbed wire fence.

"Ugh..." Scarlet slumps over in disappointment, even she's losing her energy... "What do we do now?"

Isabelle crosses her arms and sighs, "There's only one thing we can do at this point."

 "Wh-what's that?" I start to get nervous, my bottom lip trembling slightly.

"Climb." Meeko says sternly. But even so, his fear was also obvious.

I let out a shaky sigh, followed by a groan of unwillingness.

"I know none of you want to do this." Scarlet regains her posture, looking up at our goal - the top of the jagged fence.

"But we have to do it."

~~~

Step by step, we ascend the wall of metal thorns. Grabbing a chunk of fence - as it digs deep into our palms. Then stepping up - as it destroying the soles of our shoes.

It hurts, it really fucking hurts. But I can't stop now. It's too late.

I can feel the metal ripping through my flesh, my whole body numb with pain. I can feel the blood dripping from my face and from my legs...

I hate it.

But I shouldn't complain. The others must be going through just as much pain as me right now.

Eventually, all 4 of us got to the end, swung our legs over the top and jumped down.

None of us uttered a word, we were in too much pain.

At this point, I don't care if I die. I don't care if there was an easier way around that fence. I don't care if I don't escape this forest. I don't care.

In silence, we find an empty space of land on the side of the path, and begin setting up a camp.

We really needed rest, and quick.

...

After quite a while of building and organizing, the mood is lifted a little bit and we start to talk a bit more.

"I'm sorry for kinda forcing you guys to climb that fence..." Scarlet says quietly as she helps Isabelle to light the fire.

"It's okay," Meeko replies, "Let's forget about the past."

We collectively smile at Meeko's kindness and sit down on logs around the campfire.

Conversations, laughs and sing-songs bounced around the site.

The warm orange aura from the crackling fire lights up our faces, and the gentle breeze blows through the trees before grazing our bloody cheeks.

As time passes, people start to cuddle up into their tents, one by one.

I decide to stay up for a bit and think.

Meeko was changing in his tent - his ripped haori was sitting on the log across from me.

After carefully picking it up, I open up the sewing kit inside my bag and begin repairing the poor haori.

I finish swiftly and approach Meeko's tent.

"Meeko?"

I call in, and he answers immediately.

"Come in!"

I unzip the door of the tent and, with the huge haori in hand, duck my head as I enter.

He turns around with a welcoming smile upon his face, "Hi Mika!"

"Hi, um..." I extend my arms out, offering him the lump of warm cloth.

He gasps, "You fixed my haori??"

I nod and his smile widens even more.

"Thank you!" He pulls me into a warm hug, "That means a lot."

I awkwardly smile back, "No problem."

He backs away from the hug and sees me off, cuddling the haori in his arms.

~~~

I let out a sigh of relief and get into my tent.

After setting up my makeshift bed, I change clothes. But as I'm slipping on my bottoms, something catches my eye and I freeze.

What the...

The barbed wire fence must've been more vicious than I thought...

There was a massive gaping wound on my thigh. Dried blood surrounding it and trailing all down my leg.

Small beans of fat were visible inside the cut...I cover my mouth, trying not to throw up. Jesus Christ...

I don't have the energy for this. I don't know what to do. I'm too stressed right now.

So, I ignored everything and went into a deep sleep.