The Ace (Stray Kids Kim Seungmin)

13

Mel liked to consider herself brave. She guessed it was just a trait that came with being an ace or maybe she became an ace because of already having that trait. Either way, she took pride in her courage. But at this moment, she was willing to throw that all way.

Clutching onto the torch with both her hands, she cowered behind it, using it as a shield from whatever was hidden between the abundance of trees. She couldn't help but feel stupid for not listening to Minho and staying in the cave. She should have backed out while she still had the chance but now her pride wouldn't allow her to return empty-handed.

The torch did a good job at lighting up the trail but Melody knew following it would only lead her to the river and night fishing wasn't exactly ideal. If she wanted to have a better chance at getting something to eat, she'd have start looking at plants. And that meant stepping off the trail and going deeper into the jungle.

"You're insane," she muttered to herself as she ventured further from the trail. Even if something did happen to her, there was no way anyone would find her now. She was too far from the cave for anyone to hear her scream and too hidden by the foliage for anyone on the trail to see her.

The difference between this part of the jungle and the one she had been venturing in for days was evident. It was denser, quieter. Eerier. Her hands felt clammy against the wood on the torch and her forehead felt drenched. She was panting now and not out of exhaustion. She was terrified.

The further she walked, the more vegetation she discovered and the more tense she felt. Which is why Mel released a loud sigh of relief upon finally spotting a blackberry bush.

Immediately, she dug a little hole and buried the bottom half of her torch so she wouldn't have to hold it and pulled her backpack off. Wiping her sweaty hands on her jumpsuit, she began filling the bag with blackberries whilst also rewarding herself with a few.

She closed her eyes to savour it. The sweet, fresh taste lingered on her tongue long after she had finished devouring them, causing a smile to form on her face. And in that moment, it all seemed worth it. The fear, the hunger and the risky act of leaving the trail felt worth it. She couldn't help but feel giddy with delight at the thought of being the one to discover this bush.

But the feeling quickly disappeared when she opened her eyes again. A pair of bright yellow eyes glared back at her followed by a deep growl emitted from the back of its throat. Mel had never seen this creature, she knew for a fact she did not know it and yet she immediately identified it as a black panther.

It was much smaller than any of the wolves she had ever seen but its fangs were longer, sharper. Deadlier. And it was alone. She had never seen any of the wolves hunt alone. But something told her that it didn't need another one of its kind to kill her. This dark, muscular creature was more than capable to do it on its own.

With each step forward it took, she took one back, maintaining a three metre distance between them. It wasn't as big of a gap as she could have hoped for but it was all she had.

"You must be hungry," she articulated out of fear. "I am too. How about... How about you just let me go and..."

It was stupid, she knew. There was nothing she could say to make sure the panther wouldn't charge at her and that's just assuming it could understand her. However, she also didn't want to turn and make a run for it. Although she didn't know this creature, she somehow knew it was fast and by the way it was crouched down slightly as it approached her, it was well prepared to pounce.

Hunger was evident in its beady eyes as it scanned her being cautiously. She couldn't help but wonder just how many days it had without anything to eat and her leaving the trail and crossing its path was all their plan. Maybe it was unfair to blame her stupidity on them but it was also unfair for them to expect her, a defenceless teenage girl, to be able to defeat this beast.