The Seven

Chapter 5: The Deceased

Cam got a solid two or three hours of sleep before the sound of shuffling filled the air around him. He crawled out of the hut and greeted everyone with a tired half-smile. He noticed coffee had already been made and everyone was eating canned sandwiches, for breakfast. Rick tossed one to Cam and he joined them in their feast.

"So," he started, rubbing his hands in front of a fire Sena had got going. "Everyone sleep well?"

An uncertain mumble went around, and Cosmic put both her thumbs up, taking a big bite of her food. "I slept like a BABY! Those snow huts were an amazing idea." She nodded at Rick, and he nodded back.

Nathan rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, instinctively looking around at the trees for any danger before his eyes settled on Harley; she was gingerly tending to her thigh wound, which was now bandaged and blood soaked. "Sleep well, Harl?"

Harley nodded, although this was accompanied by a wince as her fingers brushed past the deepest part of the injury. "I slept well. Although this thing was no bloody help!"

She nibbled her bottom lip, eyes lowering. "I'm sorry for the setback guys. If i wasn't so bloody clumsy..."

"Don't," Cam interrupted, "the wound wasn't your fault." He approached her side with fresh bandages, slowly unwrapping the sodden one. He knew she hated being a liability in any sort of way. "Surprised you even carried on, Miss Clumsy." He grinned at his best friend, and she playfully nudged him, grinning back. The atmosphere was lighter now, the scenery was almost beautiful in the most twisted sort of way.

Snow had settled thicker on the tall trees, the clearing they had found was quaint and small, well hidden.

Once they were done, they put the fire out and just sat there for a bit. All of them sitting in a circle, enjoying the sounds of nature. Birds chirping, the snow sifting around them. It was calm, peaceful.

Then that peace was broken when they heard a loud scream ring through the air.

Not the piercing shriek of a wendigo, a human scream. Claire was the first to respond. "It came from that way!" she said pointing towards a large collection of trees.

They all began hastily packing their stuff as quickly as they could. The mood was now destroyed and replaced by uncertainty and fear.

As they were packing, there was slight commotion coming from Nathan and Sena's hut.

"Where are they...where ARE THEY?!" Nathan shouted in frustration. "Where's what?" Sena asked, stuffing a bag with their remaining supplies.

"My grenades," He huffed back. "I could've sworn they were in my pack but I can't find them!" He rummaged through bags and felt around the damp floor for his weapons, sighing audibly once his hand found the sphere shaped items, only to feel that there were 14 out of the 20 he had remaining. They had been robbed.

"Robbed?" Sena repeated, now joining his side. As Nathan had realised he spoke aloud he nodded, observing the grenades as if they had the explanation themselves. "We had 20, now there's 14.. someone must have came last night and taken them."

Claire popped her head in their hut and looked at the two, "Guys. Hurry it on! We're going right now- what's the delay?"

Nathan and Sena shared a look and a silent agreement- the group was already stressed enough. "Nothing!" Sena half spluttered, nudging Nathan as she stood up, exiting the hut. The boy followed in suit, after Claire.

Cam had already taken the lead to where the scream came from, now keeping a faster pace as he saw the two had joined. Ambling behind was Harley on Rick's back, they shared a quiet conversation.