Sequel: The Hunter ›
Status: Got writer's block, so gave it a lame ending. Sorry~
The Hunter Version 1
Page 30
certain. One thing he was certain of, however, was that he was cold, and Max was warm. He pressed himself as close to Max as he could, laying his forehead against Max's shoulders. The leaves and bones irritated Ben slightly, but he ignored it. He was dozing off as they reached the entrance of the main cave.
“Ben, wake up.” Toby called as Max set Ben down on a raised bed.
Ben opened his eyes and found himself in a brightly light cavern the size of a small warehouse. Max was piling blankets on top of him and under his feet. A memory of having learned to do such for someone experience blood loss and shock popped into his mind, but he shoved it away. Toby chattered to Ben as Max scurried about, offering Ben a cup of fresh juice, then a cup of water, asking if he was too hot or cold, telling him to stay awake. Ben replied when he could, although he still felt dazed and a little confused. He glanced around the cavern as he listened to Toby and sipped at the offered juice, which turned out to be some sort of sugared orange juice or something similar.
The cavern was not at all what Ben was expecting. He had thought there might be bodies strewn about, or bloodied weapons displayed in various ways, and for there to be ducks...everywhere. However, the only thing that lived up to Ben's expectations were the weapons, though they were quite clean of any sort of gore. Max had weapons everywhere, one the walls, in racks or just piled neatly on the floor. Most of it had thick layers of dust on it, but there were some that looked like they had been recently used. There was a small pistol on a large table that Max kept moving around that looked well used to Ben, though in his memories, he had never seen an actual gun before. A spear with a staff made of metal was leaned against the entrance of the cavern and it also looked well used.
There was not much in the cavern-aside from weapons. Max had the large table, though there were only two wooden chairs at it, when it could have easily seated eight. At the head of the bed, a few feet away, was a small stove, which Max was using to heat something up for Ben and beside that was a refrigerator. Somewhere, though Ben could not see where, Max was getting food, and a lot of it. Toby was offered some, which he in turn offered to Ben, but Ben turned it away. Hanging on the wall directly across from Ben, he saw several different versions of Max's disguise-which he had shed as soon as Ben was laying down. Some were covered in so much blood, Ben had difficulty telling what color the leaves were. Among those were also normal clothes; shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, and a few other articles. In the corner, farthest from the cave entrance was a curtained off section. Ben could just make out the top of a shower head and piping peeking over the curtain and he assumed there must be a toilet int here as well.
Max brought over a steaming bowl of oatmeal that had Ben immediately become hungry. The other food had not caught his interest, but the oatmeal did. Max had cooled it down enough for Ben for it to be safe for him to eat right away, but it still burnt his tongue slightly as he downed it greedily. Watching him, Max laughed.
“Alright, now I know oatmeal is the way to your heart.” Max grinned as Ben handed back the ceramic bowl.
“I'm not that simple.” Ben scowled, feeling much better, but also very, very tired.
“Yes you are.” Toby argued, helping Ben settle back down in the bed.
Max laughed again as he turned away. Ben watched him for a few moments before his eyes slid shut and he was out like a light. Max turned back to him and sighed, but did not wake him. He ordered Toby to stay and watch over him and that he would return shortly. As soon as Max had left, Toby heaved a huge sigh as well, holding his head in his hands, and groaned. He felt as tired as Ben, but he did not want to anger Max, so he forced himself to stay awake as long as possible. Which was not long at all. Max returned several hours later and found both of the boys unresponsive, but only because of how deeply asleep they were. He checked Ben's pulse, then stripped down to his boxers and joined Ben in the bed, careful of his rough stitches.
It took Ben a week to fully recover, which turned out to be how long Max decided to keep the stitches in his shoulder. The cut on Ben's face healed fairly quickly and was nothing more than a
“Ben, wake up.” Toby called as Max set Ben down on a raised bed.
Ben opened his eyes and found himself in a brightly light cavern the size of a small warehouse. Max was piling blankets on top of him and under his feet. A memory of having learned to do such for someone experience blood loss and shock popped into his mind, but he shoved it away. Toby chattered to Ben as Max scurried about, offering Ben a cup of fresh juice, then a cup of water, asking if he was too hot or cold, telling him to stay awake. Ben replied when he could, although he still felt dazed and a little confused. He glanced around the cavern as he listened to Toby and sipped at the offered juice, which turned out to be some sort of sugared orange juice or something similar.
The cavern was not at all what Ben was expecting. He had thought there might be bodies strewn about, or bloodied weapons displayed in various ways, and for there to be ducks...everywhere. However, the only thing that lived up to Ben's expectations were the weapons, though they were quite clean of any sort of gore. Max had weapons everywhere, one the walls, in racks or just piled neatly on the floor. Most of it had thick layers of dust on it, but there were some that looked like they had been recently used. There was a small pistol on a large table that Max kept moving around that looked well used to Ben, though in his memories, he had never seen an actual gun before. A spear with a staff made of metal was leaned against the entrance of the cavern and it also looked well used.
There was not much in the cavern-aside from weapons. Max had the large table, though there were only two wooden chairs at it, when it could have easily seated eight. At the head of the bed, a few feet away, was a small stove, which Max was using to heat something up for Ben and beside that was a refrigerator. Somewhere, though Ben could not see where, Max was getting food, and a lot of it. Toby was offered some, which he in turn offered to Ben, but Ben turned it away. Hanging on the wall directly across from Ben, he saw several different versions of Max's disguise-which he had shed as soon as Ben was laying down. Some were covered in so much blood, Ben had difficulty telling what color the leaves were. Among those were also normal clothes; shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, and a few other articles. In the corner, farthest from the cave entrance was a curtained off section. Ben could just make out the top of a shower head and piping peeking over the curtain and he assumed there must be a toilet int here as well.
Max brought over a steaming bowl of oatmeal that had Ben immediately become hungry. The other food had not caught his interest, but the oatmeal did. Max had cooled it down enough for Ben for it to be safe for him to eat right away, but it still burnt his tongue slightly as he downed it greedily. Watching him, Max laughed.
“Alright, now I know oatmeal is the way to your heart.” Max grinned as Ben handed back the ceramic bowl.
“I'm not that simple.” Ben scowled, feeling much better, but also very, very tired.
“Yes you are.” Toby argued, helping Ben settle back down in the bed.
Max laughed again as he turned away. Ben watched him for a few moments before his eyes slid shut and he was out like a light. Max turned back to him and sighed, but did not wake him. He ordered Toby to stay and watch over him and that he would return shortly. As soon as Max had left, Toby heaved a huge sigh as well, holding his head in his hands, and groaned. He felt as tired as Ben, but he did not want to anger Max, so he forced himself to stay awake as long as possible. Which was not long at all. Max returned several hours later and found both of the boys unresponsive, but only because of how deeply asleep they were. He checked Ben's pulse, then stripped down to his boxers and joined Ben in the bed, careful of his rough stitches.
It took Ben a week to fully recover, which turned out to be how long Max decided to keep the stitches in his shoulder. The cut on Ben's face healed fairly quickly and was nothing more than a