The Hunt

Chapter 21: Naya

Nobody in the group slept that night. Nobody. All of them sat awake, or at least half awake, watching each other.

Ever since they found out about this search for a key, things have changed. They don't even trust each other enough to go to sleep. Javaar and the gangly man got in a fight over food rations. Tension is sparkling in the air.

And everyone is thinking about the key to The Box.

Morning comes. With minimal talking, everyone packs up and we head off again, into a different direction. Javaar is in the back of the group as we walk, in a distant mood.

Finally, he says something.

"Why aren't we going back to the wall?"

The whole group seems to ignore him.

"I'm serious, are we just going to sit by and watch as some other hideous exiles find that key?" Javaar says louder.

Nobody responds, but I can see the chunky man in front of me start to ball up his fists.

"So none of you care about being free? None of you care about going back into the city, or living in actual houses and having actual things, or having actual jobs, talking to people that aren't insane? I don't even know what that life is like, and I know that I want it badly," Javaar says.

Now the leader guy stops, "Shut up Javaar, you think you know everything about everybody, but you don't."

"Well I know enough about you to tell you're a coward and a pushover," Javaar snaps bitterly.

"You little shit! I'm going to bash your head to pieces!" the leader guy roars and makes his way to Javaar.

"Stop this now," the woman snaps, but he doesn't listen.

The leader guy now holds my knife.

"You don't wanna kill me," Javaar smiles, "I would think you, out of anyone, would know why."

"I don't care who knows you in Surga, those city bastards don't give a rat's ass who you are, and they sure as hell won't come after me if I kill you!" the leader guy takes a swing at Javaar.

Javaar leaps back, and the woman cries out and runs to help him. The chunky man holds her back, but then the gangly man starts fighting the chunky man.

I am slightly amused. I didn't even have to do anything and they're going to kill each other off.

"Naya! You're with me, right?" Javaar looks to me.

I don't say anything.

The gangly man and the woman have beaten the chunky guy unconscious, and now they stand in front of Javaar, protectively.

"Don't get in my way!" the leader guy roars.

"Let's just calm down, okay?" the woman says.

"No! This little bastard thinks he's the only person in this damn forest who deserves that key! I'm sick of this prince bullshit he plays up!" the man bellows.

"Look, it's just this key that's making you mad. Let's work together, make a plan, and then work to find it from there," the woman stays calm.

Everyone is silent. I can hear their heavy breathing.

"Fine," the man grumbles, and then starts unloading his pack on the ground where we are standing.

I am disappointed that they didn't kill each other. That was a perfect moment. I guess I'll either have to wait for something like that to happen again, or create the situation myself. I'm hoping it doesn't come to the latter.

Camp is set up silently. Nobody talks to each other, and every now and then Javaar does little things to annoy people, little kid things. He's really pushing it, and at this rate, they'll all kill him for me.

At dinner, Javaar serves himself the last of the meat.

"That was mine," the chunky man growls.

"Well I'm the prince, so," Javaar smiles, knowing it will make him mad.

"Javaar, stop it," the woman says.

"You're not my mother," Javaar snaps.

"Boy, mister friendly hasn't been so nice lately, has he. How's that gonna help you get the key, kid?" the leader guy chips in from across the camp.

"Shut up, we could have probably already gotten a clue and been on our way to finding the key if you just listened to me," Javaar argues.

"Oh, you think everyone should listen to you? You think you can lead a group? You think anyone will follow a shrimpy little kid like you?" the leader guy says.

"That's it, I'm tired of you treating him this way, he's helped us a ton ever since we met him," the gangly guy chips in.

I lean back on the tree behind me, ready to watch the fight begin.

"He's helped us? Since when are you taking his side on everything?" the leader guy stands up to threaten the gangly man.

"See, looks like you're not such a great leader after all," Javaar sneers.

The leader guy pulls out a knife and says, "You want to do this again?"

"I have a better idea," Javaar replies, "Naya and I are going to leave to go look for the key, and you guys can stay here and diddle-daddle in your little campsites."

I curse Javaar silently. Now that he's brought me into this, it won't be as clean. And he's also trying to avoid a fight, which is not what I wanted.

"Go ahead, leave. I dare you. You wouldn't survive one day out there on your own," the leader guy steps closer.

"Did before I met you. Come on Naya, let's go," Javaar looks to me.

"Wait, Javaar, please, stay. Sit down. At least until morning," the woman begs him. I'm disgusted by the way she cares for him like a son.

Javaar walks a few feet away and then puts his stuff down there. I find it a pathetic way to express his point, but there's not much he can do. It's not like he was actually going to run away. They would catch him.

I am exhausted. And I just now realize that as I watch everyone settle down. Maybe I could sit up and my hood would cover my eyes so they would think I'm awake.

Before I really have time to plan it all out or be cautious, I'm drifting off.

The sound of undergrowth rustling wakes me. But I don't open my eyes, not right away.

It continues, getting closer to me. In the grogginess of sleep, I try to figure out what it is. It's still dark out, but everything else is quiet. I keep my eyes closed.

The next sound is very close. The slightest shifting of leaves and dirt, that's all it is, very faint.

By the time I realize what it is, it's too late.

I just barely roll to the side, and the knife that was plunging downward at my chest hits my arm instead.

I scream.