The Ruins

Chapter 20

Mal stared blankly at the indentation of a deer etched into the concrete wall of the abandoned stone wall building. The slight cool wind was blowing and the sun was shining high and bright in the midst of the day.

She repeats all the days of being ruined. Her body limp, muscles stretched beyond imagination, and how damn tired she was. To be back into his place, to flop her head to the side, looking over at Charlie's sleeping face, the sunrise through the curtain illuminating it as it was sweet. And to be back in the cold hard floor, chains digging in new fresh scars around her wrists as he says its her fault and hates to hurt her but it going to hurt her anyway. God, only a few days and she'll be back to the excruciating horrors.

She wished every day she has the strength to bury a knife into him. Wouldn't that be simple.

"Mal!" She heard Lugh call from her radio. She turned, letting her thoughts be muted.

"Did you hear me?" Lugh asked.

"No, what?" Mal spoke up into the radio.

"No signs of Infected or hunters."

"Alright, sounds good."

The wind is low so Mal didn't had to worry too much of being caught from their hunt. The RK's took their section on helping finding some food. They went into the city, walking across the abandonment of car filled with leaves from the bridge, going towards a building and seeing a perfect field around all these structure concrete building. It's amazing to watch this nature having a field on its own while the old structure of human-made building still living.

Mal sits on one of the trees, bow loaded with arrow while Lalon couched in the bush, Lugh at a building ledge with a rifle and a radio, and Vix looking around for supplies inside the building Lugh's in.

They'd been waiting for what felt like hours, and Vix's whispers in her radio that she found a few can of food. Mal got more annoyed when Lugh ask on where were the elks? The deer or the rabbits? There was nothing here. Lalon called, telling him they always come here but it takes time and patience.

She was about to suggest turning around to search somewhere else when she spots a thatch of young trees on the opening where a patch of bush moved a bit.

Mal looked, and felt her heart soar. There, completely unaware of their presence was a large herd of Elk, their magnificent brown fur almost twinkling in the decreasing light. About thirty cows, five calf's, ten bull's. She never seen elk in a large herd before. If they went away it'll be sad to not get one, but be astonishing of their elegant and fast movement. The bull's antlers brushed against the bushes as it foraged in the grass, and the sight made Mal very happy.

She waits for a bit, enjoy the peaceful day of watching the herd come eat, eating the fine grass. You could watch it all day not being bored for a second.

She turns the radio on. "The one by itself, walking towards the pond, it's way bigger than us." She whispered, "Let's take it." Mal already notching an arrow into her bow.

Mal hoped Lalon comes quick and quietly, ready with his dagger, knowing he was just for back-up, if he can jump on top of that tall animal and its dangerously sharp antlers.

Seconds later, and Mal let her arrow loose. The shot rang true; the elk reared with a startled cry, falling forwards onto its chest seconds later. Then the herd weren't spooked but walking towards the tree where Mal's sitting. It's so beautiful, she never seen a huge herd before. If they're not spooked, they'll come back here.

After they're gone, Lalon grinned, helping Mal climb down before the two of them hurried forwards, not wanting the animal to suffer more than it had to. Lalon took out his knife as it continued to thrash around, throwing its head left and right, black eyes staring.