Sequel: The Hunter ›
Status: Got writer's block, so gave it a lame ending. Sorry~
The Hunter Version 1
Page 17
Max followed behind, falling into silence once more. He seemed to be thinking about when Ben had said. Ben was relieved he had managed to turn Max's mind from the five; he would not want the burden of knowing he had been the one to unintentionally quicken their deaths. Just as Ben began to recognize his surroundings, Max stopped suddenly.
“I've got to go now. Go back to Toby and prepare to move your camp.” He told Ben and then vanished.
Ben did not bother to try to look for Max and instead did as he had been told. He rubbed at his neck, where his skin tingled in the places Max had touched him, and moved on. Eventually he found himself back at the camp. Toby was pacing restlessly in front of their tent, but stopped when he saw Ben.
“Where were you?” Toby asked.
“I got lost...and met with some of the people Max mentioned. He wants us to move.” Ben said truthfully.
“Kay.” Toby shrugged, and went back to pacing.
Ben had expected Toby to resist more, but he was not too surprised by the reply. Toby did not seem to care much about anything more than survival. Ben waited for Toby to stop pacing so he could show him the camp he had already started, but it swiftly became clear that would not be happening. Ben sighed and began to gather up their few belongings. They truly did not have much; the fishing pole, Toby's baskets and bowls, and strips of cloth. Ben gathered everything up and, with another glance at Toby, carried it to the spot he had been working on.
He nearly missed it, as it was well enough camouflaged that his eyes did not pick up the shelter right away until he had passed it. Ben took one of the strips of cloth and tired it to the entrance of the shelter so he would not miss it again and began to gather up leaves to put on top of it so he could finish it. Within a few hours, he had it completely covered, aside from an opening he and Toby could crawl through. It would fit them well, however. They likely had enough room for two more people, if they all squashed together. With that finished, he returned to the camp to start taking down the lifeboat tent.
Toby was still pacing, but came over to help as Ben struggled to get it down. They rolled it up as best they could and placed it beside one of the trees it had been hanging on and left it there. Ben then dragged Toby to the new camp. With Toby examining his handiwork with the shelter, Ben began to gather up branches for their fires and stacked them in a messy pile so they would not look too out of place. He had gotten a fair amount of wood before Toby turned to him.
“We forgot the snares.”
“They aren't important. They probably wouldn't catch anything anyway.” Ben told him.
“It doesn't hurt to go get them. There's one near here anyway.” Toby stated.
“Well...don't get lost. I'm going to look around to see what else is here.” Ben shrugged.
Toby gave a simple nod and wandered off back in the direction of the old camp. Ben watched him disappear with unease, but shook his head and decided to see how far from the beach they were. He marked his direction by breaking saplings or tearing down vines until he could see the beach. It was not far, maybe only a five minute walk, and there seemed to be a thicker strip of land they could use than at the beach nearest their old camp. Ben peeked about cautiously before he stepped out into the sun and stretched. He stared out at the waves for a short time before turning back to find his way to the camp.
Ben gathered more branches and sticks as he returned, so when he was attacked, his arms were too full for him to be able to defend himself. He was roughly pushed against a tree and a hood of some sort shoved over his head. Someone else twisted his arms around as he dropped the wood and tightly bound them while a third person shoved a foul tasting gag into his mouth. Ben struggled wildly, lashing out as best he could, but to no avail. Blinded and unable to cry out for help, Ben was defenseless. He was unwillingly dragged away by someone far stronger than he.
“I've got to go now. Go back to Toby and prepare to move your camp.” He told Ben and then vanished.
Ben did not bother to try to look for Max and instead did as he had been told. He rubbed at his neck, where his skin tingled in the places Max had touched him, and moved on. Eventually he found himself back at the camp. Toby was pacing restlessly in front of their tent, but stopped when he saw Ben.
“Where were you?” Toby asked.
“I got lost...and met with some of the people Max mentioned. He wants us to move.” Ben said truthfully.
“Kay.” Toby shrugged, and went back to pacing.
Ben had expected Toby to resist more, but he was not too surprised by the reply. Toby did not seem to care much about anything more than survival. Ben waited for Toby to stop pacing so he could show him the camp he had already started, but it swiftly became clear that would not be happening. Ben sighed and began to gather up their few belongings. They truly did not have much; the fishing pole, Toby's baskets and bowls, and strips of cloth. Ben gathered everything up and, with another glance at Toby, carried it to the spot he had been working on.
He nearly missed it, as it was well enough camouflaged that his eyes did not pick up the shelter right away until he had passed it. Ben took one of the strips of cloth and tired it to the entrance of the shelter so he would not miss it again and began to gather up leaves to put on top of it so he could finish it. Within a few hours, he had it completely covered, aside from an opening he and Toby could crawl through. It would fit them well, however. They likely had enough room for two more people, if they all squashed together. With that finished, he returned to the camp to start taking down the lifeboat tent.
Toby was still pacing, but came over to help as Ben struggled to get it down. They rolled it up as best they could and placed it beside one of the trees it had been hanging on and left it there. Ben then dragged Toby to the new camp. With Toby examining his handiwork with the shelter, Ben began to gather up branches for their fires and stacked them in a messy pile so they would not look too out of place. He had gotten a fair amount of wood before Toby turned to him.
“We forgot the snares.”
“They aren't important. They probably wouldn't catch anything anyway.” Ben told him.
“It doesn't hurt to go get them. There's one near here anyway.” Toby stated.
“Well...don't get lost. I'm going to look around to see what else is here.” Ben shrugged.
Toby gave a simple nod and wandered off back in the direction of the old camp. Ben watched him disappear with unease, but shook his head and decided to see how far from the beach they were. He marked his direction by breaking saplings or tearing down vines until he could see the beach. It was not far, maybe only a five minute walk, and there seemed to be a thicker strip of land they could use than at the beach nearest their old camp. Ben peeked about cautiously before he stepped out into the sun and stretched. He stared out at the waves for a short time before turning back to find his way to the camp.
Ben gathered more branches and sticks as he returned, so when he was attacked, his arms were too full for him to be able to defend himself. He was roughly pushed against a tree and a hood of some sort shoved over his head. Someone else twisted his arms around as he dropped the wood and tightly bound them while a third person shoved a foul tasting gag into his mouth. Ben struggled wildly, lashing out as best he could, but to no avail. Blinded and unable to cry out for help, Ben was defenseless. He was unwillingly dragged away by someone far stronger than he.