The Tooth Collector

Chapter Seventeen

 "I told you he'd catch up." I heard Bobby say. It was the middle of the night, we had been put to bed hours ago, but here we were again. Up at night. Henry agreed to stay up all night and guard outside our caves, he said we'd need tons of sleep because we'd have a 'big day' tomorrow. I couldn't imagine what he was possibly talking about, for in our situation there wasn't exactly much to do.

"I didn't doubt you." I responded. Bobby and I agreed to share a cave, meanwhile Henry resided in one across from us. The entrances were facing each other, and Henry swam between them, watching, waiting for something or someone to challenge him.

"Okay." Bobby said.

"Okay." I replied. It was silent for a few moments, an uncomfortable, ongoing silence. I hated awkward silences, and did my best to avoid them as much as possible. I mean, who wouldn't?

"Bobby," I began.

"Hmm?" He mumbled.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

I could hear his breath catch. He didn't waste more than a second to reply, I guess he had felt the same way I felt about the awkward silence. Finally.

"Well," He started, as if he were searching for a list of things to hate about me. I couldn't think of much, I was a pretty likable shark. I wasn't mean, I did what I was asked, and I agreed with almost anything and everything. What was there to dislike about me?

"You're weak. You don't know how to protect yourself and just about anyone can kick your-"

"Alright, alright." I rolled my eyes. "Just . . . forget it. I don't know why I even asked."

"You want to improve, don't you?" Bobby asked, turning my way. His eyes locked with mine, and he watched me with a look as if he couldn't care less about what I had to say.

"Doesn't everyone?" I told him.

Bobby shrugged, but continued. "Then you need to hear what you need to improve on, right?"

"Bobby- why are you such a jerk to me? I can't remember a single time that I've ever been the slightest bit rude to you, and here you are, making me rethink my existence." I sighed.

"You needed to survive in our community. And the only way for you to do so, would require you to toughen up. You won't get anywhere acting like a female-"

"I don't act like a female! You're just so engulfed in your 'manhood' that you can't express basic emotions!" I cried.

"And I'm not the only one! If you want to survive then you need to blend in."

"Well, we're not in our community anymore, are we? And I don't know about you but I'm not exactly planning on returning."

"Hey, can you two please shut up? You're arguing like juvenile mates." Henry whispered harshly from outside.

I rolled my eyes, but Bobby took it personally.

"The first thing you need to know about hunting is to always be ready to put up a fight." Henry told Bobby and I. It must've been midday by the time we awoke, and Henry wasted no time getting us up and ready to hunt.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bobby raised an eyebrow. "We're bigger than the food, wouldn't they be too scared to fight back?" He asked.

"Far from it. Back to what I was saying. The second thing you need to know is to not be scared. You must remember why you attacked the prey in the first place, and finish it off." Henry took a deep breath. "Sounds good?" He chuckled. "I think that's all you need to know." Henry shrugged, and pointed to something in the distance. We all hid behind a row of limestones just on the border of the new land we discovered. Looking out into the distance, I squinted my eyes at what appeared to be a dolphin. No, not just one. My eyes scanned over the pod of them, counting until I had finished with six.

"We each kill two. Think you can work with that?" He smirked. Henry couldn't be serious, there was no way. All he told us was to keep our guard up, and finish the job.

"W-wait, Henry come on you can't be serious." I protested. He raised an eyebrow, wearing a frown across his face. Henry looked me up and down, meeting my eyes at last.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

My gut dropped. Bobby took a quick glance my way, and I could've sworn he looked as terrified as me, but hid it quite well after. He gulped down his emotions, and lifted his chin, looking hungrily at our soon-to-be-food.

"Three," Oh shoot, I guess we're starting now? Henry began counting down, as if waiting for the perfect chance to attack. "Two," He continued, as my heart raced. It's easy, I tried to tell myself. Just imagine they can't feel the pain, I gulped. It can't be that hard to kill, to hunt. I mean, I'm supposed to do it, right? "One," Would my mother have wanted this? What would she have thought of me doing something like this at such a young age? Why couldn't she be here to tell me? If she's not with me, does anything even matter in the first place? "Now."