Red Rock

Chapter 23: Best Interest (Part 1)

Chapter 23 Best Interest

Daire stepped into another forest and let the surroundings set in. He always found that the leisurely walks he took made him think more clearly. The fresh air and the smell of broken plants cleansed him of all negative and unproductive thoughts. Things had gone relatively well since the ice storm and he was proud to have regained the population he'd lost.

The forest was larger than average compared to the sea of blotched trees that sprouted in the fields of soil. This one was less dense and had a natural trail winding its way around each large stump. Daire followed the trail while lost in his mind, subconsciously walking deeper into the darkness. Without much thought, he stopped on the side of the path to play with a few rocks, stacking them up as high as he could before the structure started to lean. He decided to leave the petty inuksuk in the middle of the way, thinking that one day someone might stumble upon the small statue and wonder of him, its creator.

A voice made Daire freeze. It was not the voice of an animal but a human; a human that was close. Daire dove off the path into the rotting branches and leaves on the ground. It didn't provide much cover, but the voices were getting closer so he decided not to move.

Daire could see an opening not far in front of him, watching a large group of men enter the empty space. A few of the men stopped at the pool of water sitting in the middle and washed the blood from their hands and weapons. 'Shit,' Daire thought, recognizing one of the men washing his weapon to be Leg. He had never thought to stay vigilant being relatively close to camp. The cannibals were much closer than he had anticipated.

The cannibals talked loudly as more people piled in from all angles. A long thick branch was brought in with the impaled naked corpse of a poor wanderer. Cheers sounded off in pride and celebration that a feast was soon to be devoured. The branch was set on two large rocks over a fire pit while others grabbed wood from a pre-stacked pile.

Daire breathed slowly, planning how to escape his uncomfortable position. He had to somehow get up and go back the way he came. 'But how?' he thought. If he stood up, he would surely be seen. He had to back up slowly behind enough cover before he made a run for it.

"Hey!" A voice yelled.

Daire felt pins and needles barrage his skin. The voice came from right above him. The overwhelming stress made him want to make for a break and run as fast as he could and not dare to look back, but his frozen nerves said otherwise. He lay down as still as the ground beneath him.

"Who built that piece of shit rock statue back there?"

Daire felt a tad relieved, the cannibal had not seen him. "Sounds like something Princess would do," one of the cannibals said, causing a roar of laughter.

The only cannibal not laughing was a greasy looking boy among them. His sour face told Daire that he wasn't happy. "Fuck all of you!" he exclaimed. "That wasn't me! And stop calling me Princess! I TOLD you my name is Killer!"

"It's probably his castle for his knight in shining armor!" another cannibal replied, sending the group into another laughing fit.

Daire wasn't sure how the cannibal behind him didn't see him lying in the open. A head tilt to the left and the cannibal would have a free lunch waiting for him. A boot crunched the silt beneath Daire, a foot and a half away from his face. He didn't move a muscle, as still as ever, letting the cannibal's stride overtake him before releasing his breath.