The Uprising (Book #3 in The Inception Trilogy)

chapter two

CHAPTER TWO

EVELYN SHUSHES ROBBIE AS they weave through the trees, tracking the buck quietly. Robbie looks on with eager eyes, ecstatic and pleased that Evelyn allowed him to come in the first place. She keeps an arrow notched in her bow as they step over roots and stumps, watching for twigs that may startle the deer away.

The deer stops at a stream, drinking leisurely as if he has all the time in the world. Evelyn feels a pang in her chest. She used to be against hunting deer. She used to hate the taste of venison. However, all it took was an apocalyptic world where venison might as well be a five star restaurant entree. If you're lucky enough to score meat in this world, some people might even consider you royalty.

It's taken her half the morning to find one, but find one she did. And she'll be damned if she lets him get away.

She and Robbie crouch in the shrubbery near the side of the stream, though still out of sight. She raises her bow, trying to find her aim when Robbie nudges her and practically knocks the bow out of her hands. She turns a sharp glare on him.

He shrugs with wide eyes. "Sorry. Can I do it?"

She sighs. "Robbie, we've been over this."

"Please?" he whispers, eyes twinkling. "I have to learn some day, Eve."

"Some day is not today," she replies. She's tired of eating canned beans and corn for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She needs to guarantee meat in her diet tonight before she goes absolutely ballistic.

"But Eve, you said I can help more!"

"You can, but not right this minute."

"I can do it!"

"Robbie, I said no, now be quiet before--"

She hears a crunch and her blood runs cold at the thought of the deer being spooked by them and running off. But when she turns for confirmation, her fear twists into anger and annoyance.

Harry shrugs as innocently as Robbie. "What? You two were taking too long."

Evelyn grunts and shoves herself to her feet. "See, Robbie? You let him win again!"

"All you had to do was let me shoot," he argues.

"Yeah, well, next time you can stay in the hover."

He sticks his tongue out at her and she returns the gesture.

Harry smirks arrogantly. "I do believe that's three for me, and one for you. Unless you decide to admit that the only reason you got the one is because I let you."

She jabs her finger in his chest. "This one has taken me all morning. You could've been a gentleman and let me handle it."

"It was going to run away if you two kept arguing," he counters. "You could thank me considering we now have enough venison to last us a week."

She rolls her eyes at him. "I'll thank you when you find me a cow and cook me a steak."

He grins. "I'll get right on that."

Robbie scrunches his nose at the deer. "Did you have to snap his neck, Harry? It looks painful."

"He didn't feel a thing, I promise."

Still not convinced, Robbie sighs dreadfully and begins heading back to the hover.

Harry bumps his shoulder with Evelyn. "You're not actually mad, right?"

"I'm royally pissed and I don't think we can continue this relationship any further. You've made a deep wound that I'm afraid can't be healed."

Harry stops with a frown on his face.