The Fractured World, page 9
Sure looks like a berry. Would Casella like them?
No! She shouldn’t have these.
I stumbled away.
How did I know that?
More than that, how had I been so certain? It was as if a switch had been flicked inside of me, one that made my instincts scream.
I held my throbbing head.
What is this power? It doesn’t make a lick of sense.
Super strength, mate honing, and now subconscious berry detection? All we did was sleep together.
All this alien stuff was beyond me. There was no use questioning it. I knew Casella was my ally and I could use this power to protect her. That was all that mattered.
So, the berries are out. That makes my next choice…
The river had been empty on my first visit of the day, but it was still the best place to go hunting. I once again retraced my steps despite a complete lack of landmarks. I put that down to Casella’s power as well.
Was there nothing I couldn’t explain away with that excuse?
As the river came into view, so did life. I recognized the creatures. They were the same green deeresque animals I’d seen the day before. They looked different when they weren’t being brutally murdered by a predator.
Can I really judge if I’m planning on doing the same thing?
This time, there was a full herd of them. Around twenty in total.
I hesitated to approach. Not because they outnumbered me, but for the same reason I’d done so the day prior. I’m a city boy who likes animals. Not that most people would class themselves as an ‘animal hater’. To me, hunting was a horrible activity. Then again, I’d only ever thought of it in terms of blood sport, as something the upper classes did to amuse themselves. If I’d grown up in the sticks, I might have had a different view.
Truly, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t doing this for fun. This was about survival. We all needed food and Casella needed something warm to wear. What else but fur would suffice in a place like this?
I gulped and crept forward.
Sorry. It’s you or me.
Why did they have to be so cute? They looked like something you’d cast in the alien remake of Bambi.
Remember, you’re doing this for Casella.
I focused on my mate and charged.
They ran before I got close. Rather than going down the bank, they escaped to the other side of the river. Their feet glided across the water’s surface.
I gawked. Nobody had warned me that they had such a party piece.
I guess you can’t be completely helpless to survive in a place like this.
Then again, I’d been a useless hunter. Who tries to rugby tackle their prey? I needed a weapon. Especially one I could use from range. Something like a gun or a bow.
We did have a gun back at camp. A busted alien blaster.
I could throw it at them. It might hurt their feelings.
I laughed under my breath before it dawned on me. Of course! I didn’t need a ranged weapon. I was a ranged weapon. The only thing I lacked was ammo and a riverbank was the perfect place to resupply. I gathered as many soggy rocks as my pockets would carry.
Perfect. All that’s left is a target.
I wandered along the bank until I found another group of alien deer.
“Here goes nothing,” I whispered before throwing as hard as I could.
The rock smashed into the floor with the same intensity I was expecting. The only thing missing was the accuracy.
I was way off target.
The startled creatures bolted to the other side of the river and into the forest.
Great. I’ve got power in spades but that’s it.
I should have practiced cricket.
Hunting down more targets was a massive pain but not as much as scaring them off and knowing I’d have to start the cycle again.
Hours breezed by as I hiked up and down the bank. Cold nibbled at my exposed face and hunger pangs did their thing. My exhaustion was growing, yet I didn’t have a thing to show for all my effort.
Going back empty-handed wasn’t an option.
After what felt like days, I finally stumbled across another group of the deer I’d grown to hate so much.
I knew what would happen if I missed and for that reason, I steadied my hand. I couldn’t afford to fail again. For my own sanity more than anything else.
No need to go overboard with the power. Accuracy is more important.
I focused on the most congested part of the herd. As long as I got it in that area, I’d hit one of them. Then I could proceed from there.
As I lined up my shot, the deer escaped to the other side of the river.
What? No! I didn’t even throw!
You aren’t allowed to run so early. What’s the big idea?
When I removed my blinkers, I realized. The reason they’d ran is because something else had startled them. A big lump of white which had captured one of them in its massive fangs.
It was the monster I’d fought off the day before.
Maybe it wasn’t the exact same creature, but it was close enough. And it had gotten in the way of my hunt.
This time, I wasn’t scared. No, I was pissed! I’d been trying to hunt one of those green bastards all day and this oversized lug had ruined it. I tightened my hold on the makeshift cannonball in my hand.
You want to steal my prey? Fine. I’ve got a new idea.
The savage fiend was so busy swallowing his lunch it didn’t notice me lining up a shot.
I unleashed my fast ball.
The rock slammed into its target, driving the massive bear from its feet. It hadn’t been enough to kill, but it had been enough to bury into its hide.
The monster stumbled over, leaking red from the wound. It roared as it hunted down its attacker.
“Over here,” I said as I loaded my next shot.
As the bear turned toward my voice, it was struck in the face with another projectile.
I grinned. This was so much easier than aiming at deer from a mile away. Not only was I closer, I’d gone from aiming at bottles to a barn.
The only downside was this prey could fight back.
Blood poured from the beast’s wounds as it charged me down with its hideous mouth wide open.
I snatched up another rock and waited until the bear was almost on top of me. It was a terrifying sight, but my nerve held. After all, I knew that Casella’s power was behind me.
My third throw, delivered at maximum power, blasted its target: the back of the monster’s mouth.
The rock came out the other side, destroying everything between. Life deserted the beast in an instant, but its momentum wasn’t stopped. It collapsed on top of me, mouth falling over my face.
I retched. What an awful smell. Sewage was more appealing than the deceased creature’s breath. And the view wasn’t much better.
All in all, they weren’t the worst complaints I could have had about having my head in a monster’s gaping maw.
I rolled the heavy carcass off me and soaked in what had just happened. I’d killed a certified monster all by my lonesome. The same fiend I’d been cowering from the day before.
This power is too awesome. I can see why it’s so in demand.
The kill was a good one. It would provide far more food and fur than a deer. All I had to do was lug it back to camp. That would have been a nightmare if I didn’t have an amazing buff shooting my strength stat off the charts.
I heaved the dead beast onto my back and started the journey back to camp.
After a good hour of tedious labor, I arrived back home.
Faris was in the clearing. The moment she noticed me, she drew the blaster from her thigh and took aim.
“Don’t,” I said. “It’s only me.” Not that her gun had a good track record.
Her eyes widened. “You…”
“I know,” I said, dropping the beast with a thud. “I’m starting to get used to the insanity.”
“My Brandon,” Casella said, once again knowing I was back no later than I did. She rushed over but stopped when she noticed the lump of white fur at my feet. “Did you catch this? It’s so big.”
I smirked. “It’s easy when you’ve got your mate’s gift on your side.”
Casella grinned and shimmied about. “It’s good, yes?”
“That’s an understatement. I feel like Superman.” I posed to show off my non-existent guns.
My lovely mate applauded.
Faris rolled her eyes. “Done?”
“Not quite.” I entertained Casella with a few more moves before stopping. “Now I’m done.”
“Aw, but I wanted to see more,” Casella said.
“Would you rather have a full belly or an eyeful of this?” I asked.
Her stomach answered for her, summoning up another cheek-burning blush. Casella giggled, “I think I see your point.”
“Then get that tush back inside before you freeze your knickers off.” I gave her an encouraging pat.
“Too late. I’m not wearing any,” Casella purred hypnotically before skipping back indoors.
My hardness throbbed.
“You two are growing closer,” Faris said.
“You think?” I said with a grin.
“That’s not a good thing.”
I waved away her concerns. “It’s all under control. More importantly, this.” I showed off my kill. “What do you think?”
Faris folded her arms. “It’s big. Fat too. Should provide a good feast.”
“What about the fur?”
“What about it?”
“Think it will make a good outfit for Casella?”
“You’ll dress her in this?” Faris said.
“She needs the protection. I’ll up my standards once we’re safe.”
Faris glanced at the cave mouth where a certain someone was peeking. “It’s better than her freezing.”
“Glad we agree for once. I knew a hunter would know what she’s talking about. Speaking of, how much did you catch?”
She bit her lip and looked away.
“Ah… no matter. I’m sure you’ll catch something next time.”
“Looks like I won’t need to bother,” she grumbled under her breath. “Going to start this or not?”
“Start what?”
“Preparing our feast,” she said, drawing her knife.
I gulped. Ah, yes. We couldn’t exactly do much with the bear in its current state.
It was funny. Killing it hadn’t made me feel much. Handling its dead form got my stomach turning.
“Something wrong?” Faris said with a grin.
“Well…”
My hesitation intensified her smugness. Faris pushed me aside and twirled the knife. “Then I’ll do it.”
That didn’t get much of a complaint from me. Still, I lingered.
Faris paused just before started and glanced at me. “Not leaving?”
I rubbed the back of my head. “I suppose it’s best that I know what to do. Just in case.”
That wiped the smile from her face. “Not a bad answer,” she whispered under her breath before starting.
I immediately regretted sticking around.
For all my power, I still had a ways to go before I could call myself a real hunter.
Chapter 11
The sizzle of roasting meat filled the cave. Sound and smell worked hand-in-hand making every mouth in its wake water.
My stomach growled like never before.
Casella ripped into her portion with all the grace of a hungry animal. She moaned and shimmied on the spot. “Wondrous! This is the best breakfast I’ve ever tasted.”
“Tell me about it,” I said as I wolfed down my fair share.
Monster meat had proved to be a huge success. Our evening feast had been a jubilant one and our morning meal quite the same. Washed down with a bowl of fresh water, there was no finer treat.
“I would happily eat this forever,” Casella sighed upon finishing her last bite. She flopped down onto her fur cloak which had become an instant fan favorite.
“We’re leaving as soon as we can,” Faris said. She was acting all serious, but she’d eaten with more vigor than any of us.
“When will that be?” Casella asked.
Faris looked my way. “Well?”
I rubbed my chin and thought it through. “Surviving’s going well. Casella’s not far away from a lovely winter wardrobe. We’re still weaponless but that might not be a problem.” Who needs a bow when you’ve got a walking cannon? “We’re getting close. The main thing missing is locating the ship.”
“And I can trust you with that?” Faris said.
“For the last time, yes,” I said with a sigh. “If you want, I’ll even go looking today.” We had enough monster meat to last us another day at least.
“So soon?” Casella said. “There is no reason to exert yourself. My Brandon deserves a rest, yes?” Her messy fingers wandered up my chest.
I ruffled her hair. “No rest for the wicked, I’m afraid.”
“I appear to be resting aplenty,” she replied.
“Then that must mean you’re a very good girl,” I said, indulging in a kiss.
Faris’s glare kicked me out to do my job.
The weather was as rotten as usual. If it had stopped snowing since the day I’d arrived, I hadn’t noticed. Still, it was nothing a power-gifted mate couldn’t handle. The real problem was knowing where to look.
I didn’t even know which direction to start in.
I’ll never find it if I wander aimlessly. I need to get some height.
I climbed up the mound we were sheltering inside of, but it didn’t do much. It barely rose above the treeline.
Some good height.
My river path took me down, so I went the opposite way. There was some slight elevation, but nothing noteworthy. It was all meaningless as long as the trees rose with me.
I never thought I’d grow to hate trees this much.
Seriously, does this forest ever end?
I didn’t manage to find my way into the open through blind wandering. However, I did stumble across something that would help. To call it a mountain would be overstating things. It was a craggy snow-drizzled hill that fended off the onslaught of trees.
There was enough of a slope to suggest climbing was possible without recommending it.
I jumped on regardless.
A thin layer of ice flung me back, dumping me headfirst into the snow.
Note to self. Snow-covered rocks are slippery.
After dragging myself free, I found the most forgiving part of the slope and began to ascend using a tried and trusted method: the belly shuffle.
It was a move that traded grace for efficiency. In front of a crowd, anyone would think twice about pulling out such a move. I was lucky. The trees were my only audience and I didn’t give a shit about what those woody bastards thought.
Despite lowering myself to the status of a grub, I still struggled to make it up. The slope was tenacious in its hate for climbers. I was left clinging to every handhold. Without my super strength, I never could have made it.
After a lot of uncomfortable scraping and shuffling, I dragged myself onto the smooth top.
How does Nathan Drake make this look so easy?
I didn’t ever want to try this with an actual incline. Luckily, I had no plans to go rock climbing anytime soon.
After catching my breath, I lumbered to my feet. Then I dropped back to my knees before the wind pushed me back down the slope.
The weather was particularly foul without the trees buffering most of the impact. The tumbling snow seemed lighter when the highest branches were getting first dibs. It left the horizon smothered under a screen of fluttering white.
How am I supposed to find the ship in this weather?
I don’t even know which way to look!
I sighed. My great plan, my flawless plan, defeated by something as pathetic as the elements. Until the snow cleared, locating the ship was impossible.
My next sigh was one of relief.
Wait, why am I happy about this?
Maybe someone as mental as Keith would have enjoyed living like a savage, but I didn’t. I missed all the luxuries of the modern world. This was the longest I’d gone without gaming in years! And yet I still didn’t feel that disappointed about failing.
I knew why. It was obvious why. There was only one reason I would feel any attachment to this place.
It’s only temporary. That’s always been the agreement. You know this!
She’s got a fiancé waiting for her.
Yeah, a guy who’d paid good money to get her power. Did he even give a single shit about Casella the person?
It doesn’t matter. It’s not your place to get involved.
I ground my teeth. That was true but I couldn’t help how I felt. Even if it was just a short-term thing, Casella was my mate and I wanted to protect her. I didn’t want to hand her over to some jerk who wasn’t going to treat her right.
I don’t want to hand her to anyone!
I slapped my cheeks and tried to knock those moronic thoughts out of my head. Once they were burning hotter than the sky was cold, I eased up.
The slapping sound didn’t stop. It echoed on after I’d finished.
No, it’s different. It’s rougher.
There was a certain ‘clang’. Maybe a crunch. It was hard to tell, and hard to place, with the wind refusing to shut up for a moment.
Before I could figure out where it was coming from, the sound stopped.
For some reason, I didn’t like that. My goosebumps stood on end and it wasn’t because of the cold. I braced myself and scanned the area.
A chittering crawled into my ear.
Alarm bells rang in my head. I recognized that call. How could I forget? I glanced over my shoulder, praying the insignificant altitude was playing tricks on me.
Unfortunately, my brain was working fine.
It was right behind me. Around my height with a pincer-supported mouth filled with fangs. A monstrous killer bug covered in a layer of white fur.
An unmatchable pain burst from my stomach.
No, that wasn’t quite right. It was much deeper than that. It was in my back as well.
I tried not to look, but my body acted on impulse.
A blood-soaked blade emerged from my midsection.
