Melissa - Page 367

Fuck these birds. You know you can escape. The spear in your hands feel dainty and somewhat unstable, but it will do. You march for a minute or two before making your move.

You stop walking, pressing your back against a thick tree to the side of whatever path it is the bird creatures are using as a guide. Several tense seconds pass without incident.

You dart to another tree further away from the marching column. The back of your spear knocks against the trunk of a sapling and you freeze, holding your lungs so tightly they might explode. None of the bird creatures seem to notice. Or maybe they want the thrill of hunting me down...

You run. Without looking back, you sprint back toward the cave where Darren sleeps. Darren, you will your mind across the forest. I'm coming!

Somehow, you make it back to the small cave entrance without hearing any signs of pursuit. You heart pounds in your chest and the ragged sound of your own breath echoes off the stone walls as you enter the cave.

"Darren!" you call out into the darkness. The sound rebounds off the walls and quickly becomes confused. You tap the wooden spear against the wall and call out his name again.

"Melissa?" you hear his voice faintly reply. You sprint, rushing to the back of the cave, and find Darren leaning over the edge of the hole and calling your name.

"Why the fuck did you run off?" he snaps. You reach down and offer him a hand up, but he slaps it away with a scoff of disgust. "We have to stick together out here. Don't you understand that?" His voice drips with accusations.

You shuffle backward, completely off balance. "Darren, I..." You grip the spear tightly and for a brief second, images of skewering the bastard flash through your mind. How could he be so selfish? I almost died! A million thoughts and words cascade through your mind into a jumble of slurred speech that sounds more akin to a babbling infant than a high school girl.

"Where did you go?" Darren yells. A spec of his saliva lands on your forehead. You brush the spit off your skin with the back of your hand and accidentally jab Darren with the butt of your spear. He reaches down and rips the weapon from your grasp, knocking you back against the cold stone wall in the process. "What the hell is this?" he continues to shout.

"Shut up, Darren!" you manage to scream back in his face. You let him keep the spear and rush out to the opening of the cave, trying in vain to prevent a warm stream of tears from escaping your eyes. All you want to do is run. But where will you go? Think it through, Melissa. Think it through. You have no where left to go.

Darren's steady footsteps warn you of his approach. You turn around and your eyes send daggers through him. "You do NOT get to speak to me that way, Darren." You stalk toward him and regain your composure with a deep, refreshing breath of mountain air.

"I was chased by fucking bird men and they made me eat a goddamned baby!" Rage courses through your body and you shove Darren's chest. He drops the spear to the ground and lifts his hands defensively, devoid all the bravado he had before.

"Wha-" he stammers, his eyes darting around nervously.

Before you realize it, you have the spear in your hands and you point the blade at his chest. With a single motion, you could kill him...probably.

What do you do?

To take your revenge for Darren's aggressive arrogance, turn to page 310.

To clear your head and try to calm down, turn to page 229.