ilence. The deadliest of sounds. Each of the three
teenagers were trapped in their thoughts as they walked, not really knowing where they were headed. Nate was trying to reassure himself that everything would work out fine. That they would all live through this, see the sun again and that this story would have a happy ending. He had always been an optimist.
Something rare considering the situation.
Scarlet wondered if they were following the right set of footprints or whether they would end up walking in circles until they were killed. She thought about Damien and how she would never give up on finding him even if it did cost her her life. No matter what, she would find him.
Ryan thought of Scarlet. There had been something he wanted to give to her for a long time but had never found an opportunity to bring it up. He didn't care anymore. He was looking at her as they walked, watching her red hair sway from left to right with each step she took, hoping she would turn around so he could see her face, but she didn't. There was no time left to waste, when they stopped he would give it to her. He realised he was lagging behind Scarlet and Nate and quickly jogged to catch up. His arm brushed against Scarlet's as he reached them. Even the slightest touch was enough to make his heart race.
They had been walking for about ten minutes and there were bare trees surrounding them. None of them knew where they were. They could've been somewhere in the English countryside or in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest, but they couldn't tell. Everywhere looked the same now. There were no buildings, no beaches, nothing that could determine where they were.
The only things left on earth were the land, the sea, the survivors and the monsters. Everything was gone, but the survivors never gave up hope that one day things would be different. Hope was also a dangerous thing. So many people left the tunnel hoping they would return safely. Everyone hoped that Scarlet could save them. Their hope pushed her out into the world, making her leave the slightly more comforting underground and leave all her own hopes behind to carry theirs.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash from behind Scarlet, Nate and Ryan. All three them turned to try and see where the noise came from, it wasn't until whatever had jumped from the tree spoke that they noticed the shadow of the creature.
"Well, well, well, look what we've got here," said the voice, "the boss will be happy." The creature stepped into the light.
It was easily ten feet tall. Filthy grey cloth shorts and a t-shirt covered its muscular arms and legs, she noticed that they were covered in battle scars. Its skin looked a pale green but it was covered in so much mud that nobody could tell for sure. The scariest thing about this creature was not that it was twice as tall as Scarlet or that with the muscles he had he looked as if he could tear all three of them apart in seconds.
The huge silver sword he held in his right hand, although not helping the fear, wasn't what scared them, it was his eye. Yes the single eye that glared straight at them, that was the worst. It was bloodshot and had no colour, just blackness and that was what scared them. Living in the darkness was something they were used to, but having it stare at them, that was something they had never felt. This was Damien's keeper.
"Well, well, well, look what we've got here, boys," Scarlet said confidently, mimicking the deep voice of the keeper. She was almost shaking with fear but she would not let him see that. "I hope you know you've made a huge mistake." Her voice was her own now. "We were actually just looking for you and you have made it a whole lot easier to kill you."
The keeper blinked a few times not believing what he was hearing, before laughing at her.
"You really think you can beat me? That's cute." Then the laugh turned into a scowl, "Let's put that to the test shall we?" He lifted his sword into the air and Scarlet pulled her sword from her belt and did the same. The time for talking was over, now it was time to fight.
Scarlet was the first to make a move, she charged at the keeper but her attack was easily blocked and as her sword clashed with the keeper's she was sent flying backwards and falling to the ground. She took off the red leather jacket she was wearing and saw the blood escaping the large cut on her arm from the branch of a tree she was thrown into but a little cut was not going to stop her.
She dragged herself back onto her feet and Nate drew his bow and arrow. Nate had perfect aim and hit the keeper's right shoulder then his wrist causing enough pain for the keeper to drop his sword. The bronze coloured blood dripped to the floor around his feet and Ryan took his chance to strike. He lunged forward aiming for the keeper's legs, thinking if the keeper couldn't stand then they would be at an advantage, but the keeper was too quick.
Before Ryan got near it, it had picked up, its sword and was stood up straight again. It was too late for Ryan to turn back now and the keeper swung his sword hitting the side of Ryan stomach. Ryan's cries of agony filled the air around them as he fell to the floor.
Scarlet and Nate ran to him as fast as they could but they were too far away and the keeper already had his weapon ready to slice Ryan in half. A flapping sound could be heard from overhead and a raven landed on a branch next to the keepers head.
"Damn," the keeper said as Nate and Scarlet finally reached Ryan, "and I was so looking forward to killing you all."
Scarlet was confused. Why wasn't he going to kill them?
"You were lucky this time but the next time we meet be prepared to die." With that the keeper ran off into the darkness, the raven following behind him leaving only a single jet black feather in its place, which floated gracefully down to the ground.
Where was the keeper going in the middle of a fight? What gave him the right to just leave like that? Of course she was glad they were alive but she wanted to know why he left. Any other time she would have let her anger get the better of her, but right now her friend needed help.
"Nate, bring me my bag I have a first aid kit in there." She hadn't seen Ryan’s wound yet but she knew she was going to need it.
"Red, leave me. You and Nate go on without me."
Scarlet wasn't listening. Her mind was focused on the patch of blood on Ryan’s white t-shirt getting bigger and bigger.
"No, no you can't do this to me," she said putting pressure on the cut trying to stop the bleeding. "I've watched one man die today, I will not do it again."
"Red!" Ryan shouted getting her attention. It felt wrong shouting at her but he had to make her listen. "I said leave me. I'm just going to get in the way if I go with you." Scarlet was shocked at the fact he shouted at her and at the fact he thought she was going to leave him.
Nate ran over with Scarlet's bag and she found the bottle of water she had with her and the first aid kit.
"I'm going to save you and you are coming with us." She held Ryan's shaking hand in hers. "Don't even think about arguing with me. I will not let another person die, especially not one of my best friends." She released his hand and started looking through the first aid kit.
Ryan didn't say anything. That last sentence had hurt him more than a weapon ever could. A best friend he thought, that's all I'm ever going to be to her.
"Can you sit up?" Scarlet had cleaned the wound and wanted to sew it up. Ryan winced as Nate helped him to sit up. He had to bite on the sleeve of his jacket to keep from screaming as the cold needle pierced through his pale skin, over and over, never getting any less painful.
"Nate, help me lift him to his feet and be careful with his wound." Nate grabbed one of Ryan's arms and Scarlet grabbed the other and lifted him.
Together, they carried on with their journey, still unaware of the tragic fate that awaited them at the end of those footprints.
4
Necessary