Rot || ONC2024

──●Fourteen●──

    That night, instead of sleeping, I watched the stars. While hunting, I never really took the time to sit back, relax, and apprecate nature.

    The sky here was a deep, deep navy blue. Dotting the blue were varying sizes of twinkling diamonds, the stars. They sparkled, some even darted across the sky. It was like the stars were hunting, too. Watching for the perfect moment to strike, then taking it.

    "You never seen stars before," Koda questioned. They were bundled up in a long, white coat with the hood pulled over their head. Their gun was hidden under the numerous folds.

    "What makes you say that?"

    Koda chuckled. "You look like you're enjoying yourself, that's all."

    I giggled. My eyes were creased from how wide I was smiling.

    "Nah, just haven't took the time to admire them. Hunting at night, you can't really stand back and take your time. It's a get in and get out situation, y'know?"

    Koda nodded. "I getcha. It's similar to huntin' for you fellas. Although, I will admit, on days where it's slow we can take more breaks than others. With your huntin', I bet it isn't like that."

    "Not in the least, I do like eating everyday." 

    Koda and I chuckled, then an uncomfortable silence fell upon us. Despite my lack of hunting during these times, I could still tell Koda was weary of me. I couldn't blame them. We were like oil and water, the prey and the predator. We weren't meant to be mixed together.

    "So," Koda started, trying to fill the silence, "are your encampments similar to ours?"

    I shrugged. "Similar, yeah. Ours are bigger although, and more kept. We just kinda take over any abandoned places."

    "You don't build your own?"

    "Was never taught how. Most of our camps are falling apart." I let out a light chuckle, then continued on. "When the time comes, nature will take it over. We were always taught to take what we get, I suppose. I haven't really thought about it, it's just what I've been told by the Council."

    Koda nodded. To fill the silence, this time I continued.

    "It's all part of our mission to save Her. This whole killing humans gig, it's to save nature. If we eradicate the species that spent so long fucking up everything, She'll be happy. Or so we're told. With all these visions I'm having... I don't know anymore. I guess being let in, finding out why these visions are happening, will give me some ounce of truth. Hopefully I can piece everything together. Maybe realize why everyone is being so secretive."

    "Oh." Koda stood still, deep in thought, before changing the topic."So you really weren't allowed to look at files, huh?" Their voice was laced with confusion.

    "Nope, not even a letter on the page." 

    "Huh. You'd figure if it could help identify a person and help out a member, they'd do it. At least, that's what we'd do here. We're always looking for survivors. The more, the merrier."

    "See, that makes sense!" Hellish growls and snarls echoed in the distance, so I quieted down. "Al doesn't seem to mind if we loose anyone. To be honest, it seems like he's always finding an abundance on Walkers. Dunno how, dunno where. Seems like we can loose ten, but somehow gain twenty the same night."

    "I wonder where they're coming from."

    Growls came closer and Walkers started coming into view. Koda quickly sprang into action.

    "This will be the main way you prove your loyalty." They handed me a huge gun, then positioned me so it sat on the edge of the wooden rail.

    "What you're holding right now is a hunting rifle, we use it when we're up in the watch tower. You look through the scope, this piece right here, line it up with your target, then pull the trigger."

    "But what if I miss?" My hands began to sweat and my arms trembled. The thought of killing my own kind sent a wave of nausea through me. As much as I wanted the truth, I wasn't willing to kill for it.

    "When you were being shot at, did ya come any closer?"

    "No," I muttered.

    "Exactly. Even if you don't hit anyone, it'll still get 'em off our premises. That's what we want."

    I nodded, then lined up my shot with the ground below. I couldn't bring myself to kill a Walker. Shooting the ground was much, much better.

    Taking a deep breath, I pulled the trigger. The gun made a loud bang, and the Walkers skittered back into the forest. 

    "Good try, kiddo. Next time, try to hit the target."

    I swallowed a pile of bile that had built up in my throat. "Mhm, you got it."

    Koda took the rifle from me, flicked the safety on, and laid it back by the wall.

    "I'm gonna catch a few winks of sleep, you got everything covered...Mara?"

    I nodded. "That's me, and I think so."

    They curled up in the corner of the watchtower, right next the the rifle. "If any Walkers get close, shoot 'em. Wake me up at dawn, okay?"

     "Yup." 

    As Koda drifted off to sleep, I smiled. All I had to do was suppress my hunger for the night. I was only mere hours away from getting the truth.