Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 19: The Hunt

With each footstep held a loud crunch as they traveled through the grass to the lake near the spot they saw the silhouette. Both Mallix and Alex were on high alert, they didn't know if this person meant trouble or not. Cautiously they proceeded through the stormy night, completely ignoring the rain pouring down on them. Or the mud puddles beneath.

Reaching the location, they slowed down silencing their steps. Looking over from behind a tree, they tried to see if the man who they had seen earlier was still there. But it was no avail. It was empty. There was no trace or evidence of a person ever being there. Lost the two men stepped out from behind the tree line and into the last known location of the man.

"Are we sure we saw him here?" Alex scratched the back of his neck looking around trying to be sure this was the place they saw from out the window.

"Yeah, this is it. See." Mallix pointed back at the house. Both men could clearly see the window they were looking out of a few minutes ago.

"Then where'd he go?" Alex obviously asked checking the mud for any signs of footprints. But with the large gusts of wind, tossing mud around, their trail was quick to be buried.

"No clue." Mallix walked a few feet away trying to look around, but it was challenging. He couldn't see anything besides tree leaves blowing around and trash flying in the air.

It was a long shot but Alex cupped his hands placing them around his mouth as he shouted, "We know your here! Come out!"

Behind the sound of rain, thunder, wind, and the creatures of the forests there was an audible noise catching both men's attention. Not only could they hear the snapping of twigs, but it was leading in the direction of the cabin. Running over to the noise they noticed the noise began traveling away faster.

Picking up their paces, they sprinted until the snapping of twigs ceased. What worried them was that they were stood right by the front door of the cabin. Cautiously Mallix leaned over twisting the door handle still finding it locked from earlier. Giving a small breathe of relief, Alex signaled Mallix over with his head when yet another sound alerted them.

From behind, in a small patch of trees, there was a loud thud of someone tripping over something. "Now we've got him!" Alex shouted taking the lead in running towards the sound.

Quickly they made it over to where they could see the shadow of a body securing quickly to their feet. "Who are you?!" Mallix shouted out of the blue when he noticed the body. Startling Alex in the process, it made him jump slightly when he too caught wind of the man hiding behind a tree.

As soon as their head disappeared Alex and Mallix surrounded the area from both sides of the figure as they were closing in. They could hear the man hadn't made a run for it, being as stealthy as possible they finally turned up besides the tree. Still hidden behind bushes, they peered out gasping seeing a man's body curled up at the bottom of the tree.

They could see him getting ready to peak out at their previous position from the tree to try to find them, leaving him completely unaware at the fact they were only a few feet behind him. Waiting til he faced away, both men emerged from behind their respective trees closing in on him. Together they threw their hands on his shoulder, slamming him down to the ground leaving him in a state of shock.

The nighttime sky making it nearly impossible to make out his facial features. "Who are you?" Mallix asked getting more irritated in having to ask again.

The response he got was one he was not expecting. From behind the rain, a shaking and weak voice spoke, "Mallix?"

Pure shock had taken Mallix's body back. He released the man's shoulder kneeling down in front of him. Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness around them, he soon came into view. "James," he shuttered leaning in to hug his lost brother. "Where have you been? How did you find us? How'd you even get here?" Mallix began asking before even letting go.

"James...," Alex was left speechless watching as Mallix helped his brother up. "M, lets get him inside first. Look at him, he isn't in good condition." Alex pointed out seeing James had torn up jeans, cuts and bruises along his arms, and dark red stain on his shirt.

Mallix nodded before putting his head under James arm to help support him while Alex got the other. Assisting him to the cabin, Mallix unlocked the door and swung it open. Moving James to the dining room table, they sat him down locking the front door and keeping all of nature outside.

Grabbing him a drink of water, Alex sat down on the chair in front of James while Mallix sat besides him. Turning back to questions Mallix looked at James like he hadn't seen him in ages. "What happened to you?"

After gulping down the entire cup of water in one go, he slammed it back down on the table asking Alex for another before he began. This was going to be a while. Before Alex returned with James drink, Mallix spotted Zander's head peak out from behind a wall with one of Nina's crutches in hand.

"Hey, it's only James, Z. You don't have to worry." Mallix said motioning to his brother.

Opening his eyes wide, Zander rushed over giving James a hug. "James! I would've never guessed it was you. Last I saw you, we were in my room fighting over where we were going to eat after our high school graduation. What were you doing out in the rain?"

James raised his finger beginning to speak before the group of men heard loud thuds coming from down the hall and soon Nina appeared with the biggest smile of her life spread across her face. "James! It really is you! I thought I heard someone shout your name!" She stumbled over to the table with one crutch thanks to Zander.

Meeting her halfway James lifted Nina up bridal style. Missing his presence, and ignoring the feeling of his wet and muddy clothes, she leaned into his hold. Mustering up all his remaining strength, James carried her into the living room where he laid her down on the couch. Mallix, Zander, and Alex all occupied the free space around the reunited couple. Placing the new glass of water besides him, James took another large gulp of water ready for the load of questions he was going to be bombarded with.
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Let me know what you think about James return. Thanks Lexx signing off