The Hunter.
I stepped away from him, this scar, this burn I had seen it before. It had been many years since I had seen it. My father used to read the book “A lost hero’s Scar” every night and at the end of the book was a picture of the scar. It symbolized evil; it symbolized the people who had given themselves up to all evil themselves. The scare reminded me of the devil, with having the face of evil and the little red horns. I knew this was something bad.
I look from the scar to the boy’s face, it looked a lot like him, but so I didn’t cause a stir up I didn’t mention it. I wasn’t sure what to do. His face came off so innocent but I wasn’t completely fooled. He looked as though he had just been through war, maybe even fought off the Scented, but what didn’t make since was why they left him alive. They don’t leave just anyone alive.
I stared at the boy half in, half out of his wolf form.
“Please help me, they…..THEY are after me. They said if I didn’t find her I would die. You see though I can’t do it. I don’t even know who she is. They told me that I would know who she was when I met her. I’m not allowed to let her go. She must be brought back to him, my leader. I don’t know though, I don’t know who she is.” He stammered and slouched against the tree, the scar looked to have been pretty recently placed. I felt slightly disgusted with the guy; he and I both knew that I was the one they had sent him after.
“I don’t know how to help you. I can’t tell you who she is if I myself don’t know. Who sent you after her? Who is he?” I countered
“I do not know how he is. I was attacked. The Ravens, they came after me. They gave me the message from HIM. That is how it was signed. HIM. All I know is the girl has only been here about a day, and they had a run in with her. They introduced her to the Game of Life. I feel so sorry for her.” He looked sincerely sorry. I broke.
“Fine, I will help you search. But once you have found her I want nothing more to do with this.” I plainly stated. I knew that when he figured out that it was me that I would be in trouble. In a way I thought that he wasn’t just playing around about not knowing. Then in another sense I thought well he could very well be one of them. I wasn’t going to take any more risks then I had to.
“That’s fine. We should get going. They said she headed this way. They said she should be almost to the river by now. Let’s go look.” He sauntered away. All of this left me curious, maybe he didn’t know it was me, or maybe I wasn’t the only one playing.
We walked towards the river and it was getting colder outside. It seemed like day time was lost. I had been out here more than 12 hours and hadn’t see daylight yet. This game was turning into my worst nightmare.
The closer to the river we got the more and more I backed away from the boy. I didn’t even know his name and I was helping him. The less I knew though the better off I was and probably the same for him. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had told him my name. I would no longer be Clarrissa, or Clarry. I would have to make up a new name. It would have to be believable.
“You’re falling behind step it up, I would like to keep my life just a little bit longer please.” He stated.
“What makes you think they were telling you the truth? What makes you think that they told you about the river to set you up for a trap?” I asked.
“I have inside sources. I covered my butt trust me, I know what I’m doing, it’s just I don’t have that much time to do it.” He retorted with a sly smile that I hadn’t seen when he turned around.
We walked on for what seemed like hours, I was getting sleepy and wasn’t sure I could walk much further. That was when I heard it, I could hear the river from where we were thank god I thought.
This river was more like a small rapid. I could see the water swishing around swiftly when we got to the edge. I wasn’t too pleased with this.
“You have to cross it; she might be on the other side.” He said. “I have listened to the surrounding area and we are all that’s here.”
“Listen again then, she might be here, not here specifically but close.” I said trying to keep a grip on what I was telling him. I was not going to give myself up without a fight.
Suddenly he was behind me. “I told you, it is just you and me.” He grabbed me and pushed me forward. I stopped just into to not fall into the river. “Don’t ever underestimate people you meet Clarrisa, you won’t survive very long. I told you they sent me; I told you I’d find you. You weren’t that hard to find, you stink like a mundane werewolf. You have the stench of purity, and humanity. It’s gross.”
He tried to grab me again and I side stepped him. He played me. He knew that I knew who he was but he needed me to be weak. That is why he made me walk all the way to the river.
“Wait, you knew I was the girl. Then why didn’t you take me back there. When we met?” I said trying to play it off calmly.
“I knew you wouldn’t come quietly, your type doesn’t. I had to do something. The river I figured would be a place that would be calming, and that you would be able to find some needed peace. Now the Game has officially started. You have less than 22 hours left. I am only one of many who will try to stop you. I am the least of your problems. Listen, listen to the night. I am not the only thing that haunts these woods. I will not be the last of the Scented who come to hunt you out, and I am not the one in charge of killing. In 8 hours, you better hope you get out. The Ravens will come after you, and you will be taken to him. I warn you to stay away from the sides of hills, and water of any sorts. Your worst nightmares will come alive. Remember Clarrisa HE doesn’t like games, and this is only the beginning.
