Sequel: The Hunter ›
Status: Got writer's block, so gave it a lame ending. Sorry~
The Hunter Version 1
Page 22
just a few days earlier.
Three days passed without event. Ben failed to catch anything with his fishing pole, although he had several bites. He eventually had to stop using the pole when the paperclip and gum were swallowed by a hungry fish. He spent some time attempting to carve a new hook from wood, but only ended up cutting up his hands, much to Toby's annoyance. On the third day, one of Toby's snares caught a fat squirrel, although Ben had the feeling it had been killed before it was caught in the snare. Although neither of them saw him, Max continued to bring food for Ben and Toby would not touch it. Therefore, Ben only ate a little bit of the squirrel and left most of it for the hungrier boy.
On the morning of the fourth day, Ben was peeking out at the ocean from the cover of the trees to see if he could spot the boat Max had mentioned. Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the air. Birds from all over the island took flight with cries of fright, animals scattered and ran about in a panic, and Ben's heart very nearly stopped.
He knew he should have been expecting it, but he had never imagined such a sound. When he glanced up at the sky, he could see a pillar of smoke rising to the sky in the west. Something else caught his eye as well, far out to sea. A glimmer of fast moving silver. There was only one thing it could be. Ben swiftly ducked away, calling for Toby. They did not waste time gathering anything up, the two just ran for the mountains. Behind them and to the west, there was another explosion, then a third. Fear spurred on Ben when he began to run out of energy. The mountain was far away and distant. Max had seemed to be unworried about them reaching the mountain before the Guards reached them, but Ben was not so sure about that.
Still, they ran, pausing only when they were worried they had become lost and Toby would climb a tree to get them going back on course. From time to time they had to slow to a walk, but neither of them dared to actually stop any more than they had to. The mountain seemed to be ever far away and safety out of their reach. At one point, the two passed through a recently abandoned camp. There was smoke still in the fire pit and tents made of various odds and ends, but no one was in sight. They moved quickly and cautiously through there, but soon dropped their stealth for speed.
All seemed to be going well for the first half of the day. Every now and then, the two of them heard explosions, though they seemed to be coming closer inland, they were always more to the west. As noon passed along with the peak of the heat of the day, the boys had not heard the explosions for some time and had been walking rather than running for some time. They had been making good progress and the mountain seemed to be closer than it had been during their previous hours of flight. Toby led the way, seeming to have a better sense for direction.
Without warning, an explosion went off almost directly to their left, bombarding them with debris. Toby gave a cry as Ben ducked, covering his head in silent terror. A woman wearing a silver jumpsuit and armed head to toe in various weapons stepped through the trees. Over her head she wore a helmet, silver, with a clear visor through which Ben could see bright green eyes. The woman examined them for a moment, her eyes falling on Ben, who was crouched over and gasping. Realizing he was her target, Ben jerked his head up.
“Go! Find Max!” He screamed at Toby.
Toby hesitated for a second, but quickly burst into a run. The woman's head followed Toby for a moment, but when Ben struggled to his feet, her head snapped back to him. Ben took a step back, wondering what he was supposed to do to survive this. Max had made the Guards out to be invincible creatures of mass destruction, and this woman certainly looked the part. Ben had no doubt in his mind that was what she was. He took another step back and paused. She was not moving, simply watching him.
“You aren't going to kill me?” He asked, hoping it did not sound like a challenge.
“Max is the Hunter of this island. I am waiting to see if your companion truly retrieves him. Please remain within my line of sight or I will have to resort to force.” She replied in a monotone voice.
Three days passed without event. Ben failed to catch anything with his fishing pole, although he had several bites. He eventually had to stop using the pole when the paperclip and gum were swallowed by a hungry fish. He spent some time attempting to carve a new hook from wood, but only ended up cutting up his hands, much to Toby's annoyance. On the third day, one of Toby's snares caught a fat squirrel, although Ben had the feeling it had been killed before it was caught in the snare. Although neither of them saw him, Max continued to bring food for Ben and Toby would not touch it. Therefore, Ben only ate a little bit of the squirrel and left most of it for the hungrier boy.
On the morning of the fourth day, Ben was peeking out at the ocean from the cover of the trees to see if he could spot the boat Max had mentioned. Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the air. Birds from all over the island took flight with cries of fright, animals scattered and ran about in a panic, and Ben's heart very nearly stopped.
He knew he should have been expecting it, but he had never imagined such a sound. When he glanced up at the sky, he could see a pillar of smoke rising to the sky in the west. Something else caught his eye as well, far out to sea. A glimmer of fast moving silver. There was only one thing it could be. Ben swiftly ducked away, calling for Toby. They did not waste time gathering anything up, the two just ran for the mountains. Behind them and to the west, there was another explosion, then a third. Fear spurred on Ben when he began to run out of energy. The mountain was far away and distant. Max had seemed to be unworried about them reaching the mountain before the Guards reached them, but Ben was not so sure about that.
Still, they ran, pausing only when they were worried they had become lost and Toby would climb a tree to get them going back on course. From time to time they had to slow to a walk, but neither of them dared to actually stop any more than they had to. The mountain seemed to be ever far away and safety out of their reach. At one point, the two passed through a recently abandoned camp. There was smoke still in the fire pit and tents made of various odds and ends, but no one was in sight. They moved quickly and cautiously through there, but soon dropped their stealth for speed.
All seemed to be going well for the first half of the day. Every now and then, the two of them heard explosions, though they seemed to be coming closer inland, they were always more to the west. As noon passed along with the peak of the heat of the day, the boys had not heard the explosions for some time and had been walking rather than running for some time. They had been making good progress and the mountain seemed to be closer than it had been during their previous hours of flight. Toby led the way, seeming to have a better sense for direction.
Without warning, an explosion went off almost directly to their left, bombarding them with debris. Toby gave a cry as Ben ducked, covering his head in silent terror. A woman wearing a silver jumpsuit and armed head to toe in various weapons stepped through the trees. Over her head she wore a helmet, silver, with a clear visor through which Ben could see bright green eyes. The woman examined them for a moment, her eyes falling on Ben, who was crouched over and gasping. Realizing he was her target, Ben jerked his head up.
“Go! Find Max!” He screamed at Toby.
Toby hesitated for a second, but quickly burst into a run. The woman's head followed Toby for a moment, but when Ben struggled to his feet, her head snapped back to him. Ben took a step back, wondering what he was supposed to do to survive this. Max had made the Guards out to be invincible creatures of mass destruction, and this woman certainly looked the part. Ben had no doubt in his mind that was what she was. He took another step back and paused. She was not moving, simply watching him.
“You aren't going to kill me?” He asked, hoping it did not sound like a challenge.
“Max is the Hunter of this island. I am waiting to see if your companion truly retrieves him. Please remain within my line of sight or I will have to resort to force.” She replied in a monotone voice.