The Bryne Runaways (Updated)

Chapter 43

We run up to the cabin right in front of us where the gentle light shines. The noise behind us gets creepier. It felt like it's coming after us. I look back and I don't see anything but the wind moving the trees to the side. We enter the cabin and first thing Uncle Ben does is lock the door and covers the windows. There is something outside in the darkness. When we turn around, I look around the place and everything is all dirty and really uncomfortable. There is an animal head on the wall and that really doesn't look so calming to me. Quite disturbing.

Coming from the corner of the darkness is a human that greets us by scaring the sleep out of me. It is a man with a ginger beard, wearing a hat and holding his rifle in his arms, aiming at us.

"Who are you?!" He asks with his raspy voice. I stand behind Uncle Ben covered by his body as he tries to calm down the man.

"We are campers, we come from Camp 5" Uncle Ben says with his hands in the air.

"And the kid?" He says and I come out to the light and he analyzes my face. He looks at me for a while and back to Uncle Ben. His look is very awkward.

"He's my nephew"

"You have no business here" The man moves closer to us.

"We just need a place to sleep and we'll be out in the morning" Uncle Ben says to the man.

"You will bring them here"

"No one followed us" Uncle Ben says and finally the man lowers his weapon to know he's on board and let's us stay for the night. I didn't want to stay here, the man is odd and dirty like his cabin. He needs to at least sweep up this dust bowl. First human we see from the outside this is what I get to see. I'm looking forward for a hero really. Well, he did technically save us from staying outside.

"What's y'all names?" The man sits on his recliner with his gun laying on him, stroking the cold hard metal.

"My name is Benofferson Bryne" Uncle Ben and I sit on the old worn out couch that isn't comfy at all. There's spring bolting out the fabric and stains that don't match the color of the couch.

"And you?" The man says seriously and not patient. His stare at me isn't helping also. What's wrong with him?

"Norman" I say sheepishly and he grins for apparently nothing. Once again what's wrong with him? He made things uncomfortable as well. He wouldn't stop looking at me. He made so much eye contact. When Uncle Ben would talk he would just look over. He wouldn't pay attention.

"We need your help sir?" Uncle Ben says setting down his axe as I put down my pack taking off my weather material jacket. I can feel glances on me and I just ignored them. This man is getting really awkward and mysterious with us.

"Is there an easier route to get to the road quickly?" Uncle Ben asks and the man catches that. He began laughing loudly at Uncle Ben of what he had said. I don't see it so funny. Uncle Ben is actually being serious not playing around with this joker.

"There is no easier way. Everything around this forest is dangerous and set to kill anything that walks so if I were you, head directly back to that camp" The man says and that begins to scare me.

"We can't go back, it's the reason we left" Uncle Ben says.

"Well if y'all decide not take my advice then that's up to you. I warned y'all not to go"

"Why can't we go?" I ask.

"Because kid, I barely made it past a mountain and I almost lost my leg" The man gets annoyed by me asking. He gains frustration in himself and that doesn't sit well with Uncle Ben. He needs to calm down.

"What caused it?"

"One of those shits that roam the world almost costed me to lose a leg! Nowhere is safe for you two now. Leaving your camp is a bad idea. The world has gone dark" He says and this brings me down. I can't go back to the camp. I'll die if I do. Gordon will kill me. He'll hurt Uncle Ben.

"We can't going back" I say to the man.

"I don't care what you two do" The man says pretty harshly to me and that's when things got silent and grew tension. The entire room was filled with tension. This man is getting himself into some trouble if he continues with his disrespect. I don't think I can sleep safely if this man doesn't fix his attitude. I wanted to leave this place but I didn't have a choice, something's out there that can kill us. I'm forced to stay here the night.

I couldn't trust this man he is dangerous and I don't know what move he will make. He's capable of killing me or Uncle Ben. I didn't want to go to sleep, I wanted to stay up and watch this man, because he'll end pulling something from his sleeve. Something secret.

"You don't know what awaits you out there" The man says and I can barely see his eyes from that cap on his head that hides his identity. A killer? I wanted this man to shut his mouth. Nothing but ignorance came out.

"I have been out there and that kid isn't safe in your hands" The man states and I don't think Uncle Ben is listening to him.

"He'll just be a good little fuc-"

"Enough!" Uncle Ben couldn't hear that anymore. It would tear him apart if he thought about it. I began to have second thoughts of going to the outside world. I didn't know what waits for us there. It made me curious but I had a bad feeling about this. Whatever awaits us in the city please have mercy.

"Kid" The man calls for me and I look at him.

"Come over here" He tells me and I look at Uncle Ben. He doesn't say anything. So I walk over to the man and I see his head layers back looking at me as I stand in front of him. Is he gonna kill me?

"Pull out your hand" I do what he says as Uncle Ben keeps a close eye. He pulls out something from a drawer and places it in the palm of my hand. He lets go and I see sweets down below. I smile a bit and thank him. I put them in my pack saving them for later.

I finally fall asleep. I know I shouldn't have but I did. I don't know if Uncle Ben fell asleep too but I think he didn't. I felt bad. He probably stayed up all night talking watch because evil might live in that man and anything could've happened to us if we both fell asleep. I would've been killed because we can't trust that man yet. Luckily nothing had occurred last night. Just a peaceful sleep.

Once dawn had arrived we were already out the door and going our way. I look back at the man one last time as he stands, waving at us that I never returned to him. I don't know if this man is actually mad or is saying the truth. He's a very odd man that kinda helped us. I thought he was gonna kill us but you can't just assume something like that from a person without actually knowing them. You can't just make assumptions on a person by their look or how they act. I don't know if this man accepts my gratitude but I made sure he got it. I left him a small portion of the leg from the deer on the stove, waiting to be eaten.

If the world is really cruel as they all say to be. Why hasn't anyone helped it yet?

How dangerous is the world outside now?