The Last Hunter

Chapter 6- Gone Again

After making my assortment of foods on my plate into a sandwich, and snarfing it down, Zabrina took me to this doctor, to get a blood sample. He was in a small, baggy tent. We walked in. There were weird vials and chemicals lining a desk and the floors.

"How can I help you?" A raspy old voice asked.

I turned toward the sound, and saw a balding man, with grayish, whitish, and maybe a bit brownish hair.

Zabrina stepped forward. "Are you Dr. Aeron?"

"Ah! You must be Zabrina. So good to see you!" He shook her hand, then tuned to me. "And you must be Roslynn!"

I cringed, but still shook his hand. "We just need a blood sample."
He cocked his head, then scrambled around to grab various needles, bottles, and who-knows-what-else.

"We seem to be out of anesthetic. How nervous are you around needles?"

I twitched. "Not much. Why? Will it hurt?"

He shrugged. "In our day, I never needed it, and I think most people for blood draws a few generations ago were used to it without. I think you'll be fine."

After me squeezing all the blood out of Zabrina's hand, and trying not to scream, the blood sampling stuff was done.

"Hmm...."

"What?" I asked the prune of a man.

"Hmm...."

I turned to him, and realized he was trying not to laugh. Then he broke.

I glared. "What? What's so funny?"

He wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm sorry, it's just," He laughed again. "It's just that I find it strange. You can handle fighting, and bruises, and cuts, but a not simple blood draw?"

I rolled my eyes and stomped out of the tent.

"Artemis!"

"What?!" I yelled back.

"Do you want to come?" Zabrina asked, hurrying up with me.

"It's fine," I said.

"Well, here are the map coordinates. If you want to find us." She handed me a wrinkled piece of paper.

I took it and stuffed it in my pocket. Zabrina and I went down to our tent so she could pack.

"You don't need that much stuff," I scolded her. "You're coming back in two days."

"I know, but it's better to be safe than sorry." She had her sword, dagger, a few days worth of clothes, and a lot of food.

How will you carry that? I thought.

As soon as Zabrina was done packing, Ryan and Old-Dr.-What's-His-Name came up to the tent.

"Just wanted to say goodbye," Ryan said, holding out his hand for a handshake.

I smirked, and pulled him in for a hug. Zabrina followed suit, making an awkward, stinky group hug. I could barely breathe, so I pulled away.

Dr. Aeron shook my hand. "I shall see you soon."

I shuddered. I better see you soon. Or else you'd be dead. I shook the thought away.

"See you soon," I muttered, as I watched them disappear into the forest.

                                                                           * * * * *

The next few days without Zabrina and Ryan were really strange. Instead of eating at the pavilion with my friends, I ate at a small picnic table with my brother. When I had down time, I did dishes and sword practice with Devan. I really wished they could have taken me with them.

A week later, I was hearing no new news about the Dalivimr Bombers and hunting was getting boring. The day was a blur, but I will never forget that night.

That night, I fell asleep so fast. 

In my dream, Zabrina and Ryan were going to the lab with me. We talked and laughed, and Zabrina doubled over laughing. Then Zabrina erupted into flames. I tried to beat the fire out, but she kept screaming and rolling around. It was so vivid, so real. Ryan grabbed her, and the flames suddenly went out.

Dream Zabrina then asked dream Ryan "Does that mean I'm not hot anymore?"

"You were always hot," he replied, smiling. As they went in for a kiss, I woke up.

I sat up and looked around, sweating and breathing hard. I then realized my tent  was charred. I stood up so quickly, I almost blacked out. I put on my shoes, and ran outside. My mouth dropped, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I blinked them back. Don't show weakness, I reminded myself. The whole camp, every tent, every person was gone. My mind flashed back to my past memory–my home, my family. This had been my family. This had been my hope. And it was gone. I sat down, and let the tears out. Who cares about weakness. I have nothing to rely on now. No one to rely on now. Zabrina: gone. Ryan: gone. My brother.... wait. He's immune!

I stood up, realizing my mistake. I wiped my tears away, and ran over to where my brother slept. I stopped dead in my tracks when I got there. His sleeping mat was gone. I looked around.

"Devan? Devan!"  A tear traced down my cheek. The Dalivimr bombers had him. Then I heard a rustling.

I reached for my bow, then realized my mistake. I was unarmed. What if they got me too? I laid  low to the ground, then remembered my knife. I slept with it in case of emergency, and if I didn't, Zabrina would get me.

The rustling stopped, then a figure jumped out from behind me. I jumped up, slashed at him, then began to run. I took a quick glance back, to see how far behind he was, then realized he looked familiar. I stopped dead in my tracks, mouth wide open.

"Devan? Is that you?" I grinned, and began to walk over to him. He was wearing a dark hoodie, hood on, covering his head and some of his face.

He smirked, and pulled out a small dagger. He whispered into an earpiece. "I have her. My mission is almost complete."

I then scampered back, bewildered, in shock, and torn inside. My own brother.

"Why?" I asked, as I tripped over a root, falling down. "What did I do to you?!"

He stopped, cocked his head, then replied, "Being the youngest, you not only over shadowed me, but nobody ever cared for me. I never could get attention, at home or at school. I had no friends." He glared at me.

"I never knew you had no one." I said sympathetically.

He laughed, dryly. "You never cared enough to ask," he shot back. "Besides, the Dalivimr Group is a better group than any other. We will rid the world of all the weak, and leave the strong leaders. We care. That's the difference."

He raised his knife,  and, in shock, I almost didn't react. I quickly pulled my dagger out, and parried his strike.  We slashed back and forth, receiving a few cuts each. I finally was able to fake a slash, stomp on his foot, and run. 

I sped down to my tent, gathered up my belongings, grabbed my bow and rayarrows, and dashed off to face my brother. I saw him running up the hill towards me, a pained look in his eyes. He looked like a tortured animal, and I was the one to put him out of his misery. I pulled out a ray, and let it fly. I saw it hit him, right in the chest. I began to sob. What would I do now? I have no one. They're all gone. 

I decided to just leave. I quickly scavenged to camp for food. Finding nothing, I left into the woods, hoping to find something to fill the black, empty hole left inside my life and heart.