by Scoinwolf » Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:43 pm
Chapter XXIX | Part I
It had been a while since any of them had last spoken. Dark’s words haunted the incongruously varied group and, after nearly three days of stunted communication and aimless wandering, Jacob had had enough.
“Ya know, maybe we can do more than just survive. I mean, we have a freaking hulk of a beast ourselves.” Trouble huffed at him but the boy rolled his eyes and continued. “Maybe we can forge our own path or whatever, but I think we should work our way back over to civilization.” He snagged a twig from their stick of kindling and used it to sketch a rough map of their surroundings in the dirt.
Dark was the first to move over from where he had been sitting by Trouble’s side. “What do you have planned?” He asked more for the sake of having an actual conversation than anything. They all knew Jacob would continue anyways.
“Right, so first off, we’re all gifted. We have the blood of the bloody daemons running through our veins. We belong here, on this soil, with just as much claim as the rest of the creatures on this damned place. So who are we to cower?” Jake was warming to the speech, getting into a flow. “These genetically whatevered creatures don't know this land, don't know how it works the way we do. Trouble may be big an’ strong but he’s just a newborn! We have experience - we’re the brains to our companion’s brawn. That thing we heard screeching at us? It can make its own path to the underworld while we get back to civilization. We’ll regroup. See that mountain over there?” He tapped violently at the symbol in the dirt with the end of his stick. “We started on the other side. But we never really saw what was on the other side.”
Seth had joined the other two around the crude drawing. “So we climb the mountain then. It’s tall enough we can see the lights of a town in the dark - in the night. We know the direction we came from, though not where we’re currently going.” He pondered the path this idea was shaping up to.
“Exactly. And where did Cody an’ Collin always say was the best spot to go? The mountain! If they ain't still perusing the finish point then they’ll be headed there I bet.” Jacob declared.
Seth and Dark shared an amused look. “I think you’re starting to lose your momentum.” Dark chuckled. “But you’re right, the mountain is as good as any place to start. If we still don't cross tracks with any of them then at least we’ll have a shot.”
Jacob put out his clenched hand and the other two boys bumped fists with him. “It’s a plan then.”
-
Unfortunately for the trio of teens, climbing the mountain turned out to be tougher than any of them anticipated. Sure Trouble had an easy time of it. The beast was happily trotting ahead of them, tail swinging back and forth slowly as he meandered.
The boys were huffing for breath after the first two miles up the steep trek. Dark fared better than the other two but played it up so he wouldn't be subject to teasing. They took infrequent breaks for water but even still it took them most of the day to climb the thing. By the time they arrived at the apex the sun was close to setting and the stars were beginning to peek out of the dark blanket surrounding them.
Seth went to start a fire but Jacob cut him off. “I know Dark won't have an issue with it, but even a small fire will compromise our night sight.” He reminded his pal.
“Looks like we’ll be having a cold meal then.” Seth sighed as he gave in. “But once we mark our direction, I’m lighting one. Anyone else from our team that’s still out there will see it for sure.”
“And that Predator.” Dark murmured. “But I have the feeling it would have gotten us by now if it were indeed hunting us.” He continued lightly with a lopsided grin at his suddenly nervous companions. “So go for it, man.”
Seth was definitely shooting him the death eye for that, but it was worth it.
By the time the boys had eaten and set up camp the sky had lit up as much as it would for the night. Dark was given the task of comparing it to one of their star charts while Jake and Seth scanned their surroundings for hint of a town or outlying encampments.
“Hey… there’s a spot over there.” Seth pointed out, drawing the attention of the other two. “But it’s growing. Rapidly..” he frowned at it. “Oh, damnit, gods above and below - forest fire!” He yelped, staggering back a few steps in horror. “It’s on our side of the river!” Granted it was also a couple hundred kilometers away, over in the distant mountains, but at the rate it was spreading it could be on them anywhere from an hour to two.
“There hasn't been rain for days - everything’s dead.” Dark worried as he hastily repacked all their equipment into their bags and strapped everything up into Trouble’s back. The hybrid would have no trouble carrying it and it would only hinder the boys.
“We gotta move, we gotta move.” Jacob hauled Seth to his feet and the trio started a mad dash down the rocky slope.
Reckless in their movements, the boys were half ways down the mountain before the first one slipped.
Seth, still suffering through his injuries from that first encounter with Trouble, lost his balance as his ankle rolled and left knee buckled. Dark went to grab him, but the ground gave way and he too went rolling down the side. Jacob shouted something from above, but the two couldn't make out the words over the sound of their bodies tearing through the underbrush, rocky outcroppings, and trees.
Dark came to a halt fist when he managed to catch a hold of a sapling. The young tree was almost torn all the way out of the ground, only thing preventing them both from going for another spin was that the raven haired boy’s foot got snagged between a rock and another young tree.
The boy grunted in pain, feeling something pop out of place with a nauseating sound.
His pain was trivial compared to Seth’s.
The other boy had gone another hundred meters or so and almost toppled off the cliff side that they were on. Instead he’d slammed into a pine tree with a horrifying crunch and lay motionless as his fallen companion tried in vain to free himself.
“Seth?!” Dark hollered, voice hoarse and cracking from breathing in the smoke carried by the wind. His own cuts and bruises shrieked at him to stay still but yet he struggled.
“Hng.” Seth grunted back totally disorientated. “D-Dark. My ribs..” he dissolved into a coughing fit that was painful to hear. “I think they’re broke. One is at least.” Adrenaline was the only thing keeping him from blacking out.
More pebbles flew by the two as Jacob skidded down the slope, balance kept effortlessly thanks to his abilities. Trouble picked his way down a bit slower after the boys.
Jake slowed his descent by reaching out behind himself and dragging a hand through the dirt and rocks. He halted by Dark, gently lifting the boy’s right leg, angling it to slide it free from its resting place. “Make a splint.” He tossed some hastily grabbed supplies - a spare shirt and some straight sticks, down next to his pal before hurrying over to Seth. “Oh hot damn, you’re not going anywhere. Trouble’s going to have to carry you - we don't have time to fashion a stretcher.” He groaned and waved at the hybrid to hurry the heck up.
And with that the fire was upon them.
You write really well; it's obvious you've put a lot of though into this c:
