here we are

6

With one last hack of your ax, the slab of muscle came loose from the bone. Bits of meat, blood, and fluid splattered onto your cheeks, causing you to flinch slightly, but you ignored it and handed the muscle to Wilson, who was tucking the meat in a sack.

"That's it." You informed him, looking around for a place to wipe your bloody hands, but giving up after you realized it was a fruitless effort - and you didn't want to stain your jacket any further.

"Good." He replied, securely tying the sack and lugging it over his shoulder. Before he could grab it, you took his pack and shouldered it, shocked by the weight, but undeterred as you gave him a terse nod. He smiled at you greatfully. "Ready?"

"Yessiree." You responded readily, tucking your thumbs through the straps of the pack.

"Let's head back to camp, then." He said, a youthful spring in his step as he walked. "We'll be eating like kings, soon enough!"

You giggled at his words, but stopped abruptly when he did, his brow furrowed, mouth pulled into a frown and eyes focused thoughtfully on a patch of grass. You looked between your companion and the grass, curiously wondering what he was thinking.

Finally, he muttered something, and you stepped closer to hear him better. "What?"

"I said I wonder if we have enough grass... It makes for good kindling." He spoke.

"You did pack a lot of kindling..." You pointed out, but then shrugged. "But I can get more if you want."

"Would you mind?" He asked, sheepishly smiling.

"Of course not." You smiled back, shaking your head.

You began to walk in the direction of the grass, and now you wish you hadn't. You spent a good amount of time plucking out grass, until you had a fistful grasped in your hand, which you tucked safely into the pack. You turned, not noticing anything off at first, until you realized... The place where Wilson once stood was empty.

You immediately went into piqued anxiety mode, and looked around for your companion timidly.

"Mr. Higgsbury?" Your voice cracked nervously as you called out, trying not to raise your voice too much.

No response.

"Wilson?" You tried again, a little louder this time. Hope rose in your chest as you heard a rustling in the bushes. You approached the source, a relieved sigh escaping you. "Mr. Higgsbury, don't scare me like tha - "

The thing that lunged out of the bushes was not Wilson. Instead, it was a hideous, wolfish creature with yellowed, gnashing teeth dripping with saliva, hungry for your flesh. Two more stalked out of the bushes, all of them snarling and growling hungrily as they sized you up. You held out your hands in a defensive manner, eyes wide in terror and heart pumping with instinctive prey anxiety.

"Ooo - Kay... You're not Wilson." You muttered, voice breathy with fear.

Suddenly, one of the hounds lunged at you, barking loudly. You dodged the attack and bolted, sprinting through the forest as though the heavy pack on your shoulders barely weighed an ounce. You didn't take your surroundings into account as you avoided your pursuers, veins pumping with adrenaline and the primal will to survive. The hounds weren't far behind, and gaining on you quick.

Luckily, your saving grace happened to be ahead. You had one of two options - stay, and hope you can fend of the hounds, or hurl yourself off the rapidly approaching cliff and hope there's water beneath it. With little time to think, you took a leap of faith off the cliff. The hounds were smart enough not to follow, and watched in disappointment as their dinner soared through the air and dunked into the water below. Yes, there was water, luckily enough for you.

After diving in, the current sucked you deeper and down the river, causing you to hit the bottom. You tried to grasp the rocks, but they were too slippery, and a sharp one even sliced your thigh! A gurgled scream escaped your mouth as you expressed your pain, the sound carrying out of the water in the form of bubbles.

Luckily, the current did eventually push you to the surface, and as soon as the oxygen graced your strangled lungs, you gave a loud gasp of breath. You managed to swim against the current and drag your exhausted body onto shore, the weight of the pack - now even heavier with the water soaking it - pinning you down like a rock. After a moment to catch your breath, you removed the pack and asessed your injury. It didn't seem to have cut your artery, but it was bleeding profusely, and needed to be covered.

Oh, the irony. Another injury from falling off a cliff. You rolled your eyes at yourself. Then again... I didn't willingly jump off a cliff last time, did I?

That last one was in reference to your hatred towards Maxwell in that moment. It was because of him this was all happening, not you, and certainly not Wilson.

Wilson... You suddenly remembered your companion, realizing you had his pack.

"Shit..." You cursed, opening it up and spreading out the soaked items inside. Luckily, everything would be good as new after being dried out, but you'd have to stay where you were for the night. You didn't know where you were, and the injury you sustained limited your movements.

"Damn, that's deep..." You growled, teeth clenched in pain as you grasped your thigh. "Fuck..."

"Having troubles?" A snide voice remarked.

You looked up, and glared at Maxwell from your place on the ground. He was seated on a nearby rock, one leg crossed over the other, and an evil smirk on his face.

"Go off." You dismissed blankly, picking off bits of wet grass and leaves that stuck to the damp skin of your arms.

"How could I? Watching you jump off a cliff was almost as funny as watching you being dropped from one." He laughed. "Tossed around like a ragdoll, you were."

Your lip curled in a scowl and you peeled your soaked hair off your face. "If you're not going to help me, I suggest you leave me alone."

"I couldn't help you, even if I tried." Came his surprisingly serious tone, which summoned your full attention. His frown was deep, eyes grim as he continued to speak. "I didn't bring you for the reason you'd think, I lied about giving you knowledge and forgiveness, using it as a ploy to lure you in."

"What?" You snapped, voice as sharp as a knife.

"It was all a ruse to get you here, (Y/N). I need one of you to replace me, so that I can be free." He explained, his face expressionless as he tilted his gaze up the dusk colored sky. "I'm trapped here, but I cannot leave my captors without a host to leave behind."

"So you... Were just going to make Wilson your decoy?" You narrowed your eyes at him.

"Not anymore. Wilson's progress is much too slow for my liking, so I sent you here, hoping you'd make it to my location faster." He continued.

"Nothing of what you're saying justifies your cause." You shook your head, glare full of hate.

He simply shrugged, still without feeling. "You won't be leaving until one of you takes my place. I'm sorry."

"No you're not." You responded, not a hint of remorse or acceptance in your body. "Even if it takes a lifetime, I'll never take your place, and neither will Wilson."

"Then an eternity it shall be, Ms. (L/N)." Maxwell said readily, eyes empty and soulless. "Because you'll never leave, and you'll never age so long as you live."

"So be it." You replied, voice just as void of emotion.

And without another word, he vanished silently into his own shadow, leaving you alone. By that point, it was getting dark, and the crushing sensation of lonliness prompted tears to bubble out of your eyes.