The Animals Have Come to Play (Completed) (unedited)

The Final Showdown

(Chapter 30: The Final Showdown)

"Make sure your earplugs are in tightly!" I watched Jackie mouth. Despite not hearing her, I pressed my fingers onto the marshmallow feeling blockade, attempting to stick it further into my ear.

When the four of us arrived in Washington, Alaric texted to me report that they moved north by thirty miles. We all waited for night to fall in Grand Coulee before shifting and taking off north. For three hours, we had alternated between running and trotting before finally stumbling upon the hunter encampment around eleven at night.

Now we were hiding in the shadows of the forest, listening to a few noisy sleepers and observing the hunters that were staying watch. I watched as Jackie used her fingers to count down from three. Silence followed after that, but I saw Jackie's mouth move like she was singing, and her eyes were lit up with the same silvery-pearl color. Then the hunters that were on watch dropped like flies, the chests rising and falling with shallow, even breaths.
Jackie motioned for us to take out our earplugs. We all followed her direction. She told us on our way over that once she used her power, she wouldn't be able to speak for the rest of the day afterwards.

"Jesus Christ! That was awesome!" Leander exclaimed as he vaulted out of the dark and into the firelight. He stood by an asleep hunter, kicking him in the side. "Man these suckers are knocked out!" Leander remarked in awe as he turned towards us. Suddenly the cabin door flew open, and an older man stepped out with a shotgun in hand. His finger pulled the trigger before any of us could register what happened. Leander's mouth parted slightly before he collapsed forward, dark red seeping into the back of his shirt. The man smirked as he came closer to him.

"Looks like the animals have come to play," the man sneered, raising his gun up to shoot him again.

"Leander!" I cried out as I started forward out of the cover of the woods. The man quickly swung his gun up, firing a shot towards me. The bullet and its shrapnel stopped dead in front of me, and I looked over in surprise to see Cynric's hand flung out. His face held a lot of hostility as he stared at the older hunter. The hunter paused, his eyes widening as he took me in. The bullets dropped to the ground. Leander groaned on the ground as he shifted around before stopping abruptly on his side.

"Ah, shit," he hissed quietly in pain. I felt relief course through me to know he was alive.

"You!" the hunter exclaimed towards me. Cynric stiffened next to me before edging closer. "I recognize you!" the hunter growled out.

"You're supposed to be dead!" The older hunter pointed in accusatory finger at me. "Taking your necklace was supposed to kill you!"

"Your facts are wrong, Bub," Leander moaned from the ground as he attempted to flip onto his back. He let out a snarl at the pain of the bullets moving around. Out of anger, the hunter shot another bullet at Leander. Leander lifted his hand, stopping the bullet. It shook violently, as if Leander couldn't keep a hold of the bullet.

The bullet turned slowly on its own accord, pointing back at the hunter. It went forward shakily a few feet before falling to the ground. Leander swore, collapsing back onto his stomach and breathing heavily.

The hunter stared at Leander warily for a moment before looking back at us.

"Well, I guess that information was wrong, but not this," he stated before taking earplugs out of his ears. He waved them knowingly at the two of us before throwing them on the ground. He rolled his shoulders, readjusting his stance.