Survival Mode

Chapter 18

Soon after I understand that the man is telling the truth and also that he's harmless, I get back to my log and sit on it, waiting for the others to return and trust me when I say as of yet it's been the most horrible and longest minute of my life. Sekuum has not left my side even for a second and has been talking nonstop. My ears hurt.

"Then I decided that it would be nice to make the Venums. I know I was cruel back then by my dear brother wanted to invade Kosmos and send the Angels back up to the Cloud so I had to stop him somehow. Plus, I know my Angels; if they were challenged they wouldn't take it easy. At all. They would go towards the enemy, swords drawn. Enon can't do anything to send them back now. Oh, and I did try making a lot of other monsters to keep him out. They're all around the Sun Walls. Wait until you hear how I suggested the Angels a way to keep everything out!" Does he have an off button? I really need it right now.

Even though his ranting is boring me to death, unconsciously I listen to his rant and keep everything he says in mind. Who knows when I would need such information? But consciously I'm bored out of my mind. I rest my chin on my palm and my elbow on my knees. I'd take the Fallen over the God.

I sigh and close my eyes to take a small nap.

"Eve!" Sekuum shouts and I jump.

I groan. "What?"

He doesn't respond. I turn to look at him and find him staring at the distance. I frown. What now?

His head snaps to me, his eyes filled with darkness and alarm. Now that makes me worried.

"What?" I ask again.

He takes a deep breath and starts to respond when suddenly Adam appears from behind the bushes, his arms filled with wood. I turn away from Sekuum and look at Adam.

He doesn't pay attention to me at first but then he sees me looking at him in alarm. He drops the load on the ground and settles next to it, trying to make a fire. "What?" He straightens and looks around. "What are you up to?" He looks at me with narrowed eyes. I don't move.

Isn't he going to ask about Sekuum?

I turn around to see if God is going to say something but find him gone. I look around but still can't find him.

"Evin?" Adam calls from behind me. "Evin. What is it?"

I turn to see him looking at me in distress.

I open and close my mouth a few times like a fish out of water but can't find the words to respond. Instead, some words get jumbled out. "I... he... there was... um... Sekuum..."

Adam walks towards me, frowning. He's worried. "Calm down. What happened?" He looks around. "Where's the Venum?"

"I..." I take a deep breath and try to calm down. Was that all part of my imagination? It couldn't have been right?

"I think Ven went hunting for something to eat." I finally say. I won't tell him about Sekuum until I'm sure what I saw was real. Right now I have some doubts.

Adam's frown disappears and he looks at me in amusement. "Ven?" he raises an eyebrow.

I frown. "Yeah." He chuckles and walks back to the pile of wood. I glare at his back. "What?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing," he says, still chuckling.

All I think about is the damned God. Where did he go? I need to find him. What if there's trouble?

Ven comes back a few hours later with an unrecognizable animal in his fangs. He throws it in front of me and steps back into the shadows. His fur takes the color of the night but I can still feel his eyes watching closely.