I must admit fear grabbed my soul when I realized the situation I was in and the possibility of certain death. I was close to a stream, good, the chances of me getting dehydrated were zero to one. But the chances of me being hunted were likely to be seventy percent. My heartbeat increased. It was getting dark. " I need to get out of here," I said to myself trembling with every step I took. My spare was held firmly and tightly as if I was clinging to it for dear life. There was an unknown sound some about forty feet to my right, an enclosed area covered In bushes, a figure came out it was a deer. The deer was sluggish to notice me. I crotched moving slowly behind a tree. As I feared the deer was the one killed by the wolf, it's alive again it ceased to die. I was breathing heavily, the amount of saliva I swallowed was enough to fill the stream beside me. I heard footsteps, it sounded like hoofs stepping on dry grass. The deer was approaching me, I prayed with all my heart that it wouldn't spot me. I regretted not listening to Myloe. Now Kin's fine and I'm gonna die, I thought to myself disappointed in my timid bravery.
I took a very deep breath and turned from the tree. The deer had seen me and now it was charging towards me with an obvious intention, Kill and infect. I felt the irony in me, being hunted by a deer we wanted to devour, being hunted by an herbivore. I wondered how its bite would feel like. I vanished the negative thoughts that instilled negative energy in me, I faced my spear towards the charging deer waiting for it to get closer.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... " I said waiting eagerly for the deer to come.
As the deer got closer I confirmed that it was infected and Why will a normal deer charge toward me and not run in another direction if it wasn't infected. Even with the spear in my hand, I felt this overwhelming feeling that crept deep in me that started from my stomach and slowly got to my throat. I had faith in myself that I could kill this deer and be like Kin and Heyt, but one thing I clarified to myself. I wasn't as fearless as Kin in any way and I never had a similar attitude of bravery when it comes to facing Zombie as Heyt. My mind processed thoughts and possibilities of safety faster than the approaching deer, it had gotten closer, I held the spear In my hands dearly, I raised it like I was about to throw a javelin, I pictured myself in Heyt's body, and Kin's stance when they were in the face of inevitable danger. The deer was now dangerously close to me, all this bravery was a lie. I lied to myself I wasn't brave one bit nor did I believe in myself of attaining bravery. The deer jumped as if galloping, I turned around and began to run, the ground beneath my feet seemed wobbly maybe because I knew the deer was inches away from me, I could feel my pursuer closing on me. I had this hope and belief to turn around and face it but the prominent belief I placed in myself saved me from doing anything irrational. The deer used its antlers on me with a lot of force which landed me to the ground face first.
My nose hit the ground with Immense force that I felt it had broken, I knew it was bleeding for sure but I didn't have all the time In the world to check if I was hurt or not, I thanked my brain at that moment, it shut my pain sensors making me ignore the pain, the deer was behind me, I was sure of it, I turned around to see the one who wishes to end me, and I saw it, it was gritting its teeth when it saw me and after that, it made an unnatural sound a sound the zombies made to call their kinds. I was doomed no help was near. The only help I had was myself.
After making the death-defying sounds that send chills into the roots of one's spine, the now zombie deer faced me about to bite me. It was now or never I thought to myself, if I did not act fast death was a certainty. I summoned all the bravery in me and picked up my spear that lay inches away from me, four more inches from where I laid, it would have been impossible for me to get it and It would have been game over. I picked the spear with almost lightning speed ( clearly an illusion) and stabbed the deer in the neck which was clearly impossible to kill, I bought myself some time to stand up and flee which I did, but what I did had no effect on the deer but the spear gave me some few gaps from it.
"Remove your spare. " my mind Urged me to remove the spear lying on the zombie's neck. I followed the advice of my guardian and my instincts. And I turned around to remove the spare, I struggled a bit to remove it, as I guarded my body from the zombie who bit at the air hoping my skin and flesh would come in contact with its mouth, I used a lot of effort and energy to get the spare from the zombie's neck.
" Don't run end it, end the zombie?" my mind said to me, before I could process what my mind was telling me I was knocked to the ground by the zombie, adrenaline pumped in me and gave me hope, it was now or never, the zombie bent it's head towards me as if it wanted to eat grass but the spear in my right hand landed on its chin, I added more thrust to the spear and the spear came through the head of the deer. The blood of the deer splattered on my clothes and my head was also covered with its blood I spat to get any drop of the blood that might have entered my mouth. The weight of the deer got heavier on me now that it was dead, I rolled around to avoid it falling on me.
I couldn't believe my eyes, I killed a zombie for the first time. I suddenly heard my breathing it was loud and filled with relief, I pulled my source of defense out of the head of the deer.
" I guess you died twice," I said to the dead deer relieved. There was no time to waste I took to my feet proceeding to where I came from. I felt good after surviving a possible death. So this is how Heyt and Kin feel after taking down a zombie I thought to myself. My mind shifted to Diana and Myloe. I prayed they were safe. I wouldn't forgive myself if any danger had come to them.
"They should be on their way to camp." I said reassuring myself of their safety. "Myloe will do a good job, oh Kin's gonna kill me if he finds out I came back for him". I felt like an idiot, Myloe was right, he was trying to save me, the poor guy I spoke ill to him. Maybe if I die now he wouldn't feel sorry 'cause he warned me about my stupidity, Diana's probably going to go for him. (I don't think so), yes, I realized in a way I was right, my main objective was to save Kin If he was in danger. Me and Myloe were both right, I was trying to protect Kin but Myloe, Myloe was trying to protect me. He knew Kin was an escapade, frivolous with his life, and he takes everyone along, he leaves no man behind just like his sister Diana.
I do remember what Kin did for me, I was trying to repay him just like I owed him a debt. I am supposed to be dead, long forgotten, maybe eaten alive by our new enemies, if not that I was saved by a pure and careless soul. It should have been me instead of my cousin, it should have been me. Kin saved me from the jaws of death, he should have saved him. Ever since then, I made a promise to myself that I would repay this debt and save Kin's life when he was in need.
After walking and trying to find my way back to camp I figured out I was lost. It was past evening, and the skies above the enclosed trees were as orange as the setting sun. Exhaustion had consumed my body and even my soul. Fear knocked at me but I kicked it out, it was persuading me to fall into its depth and despair, trying to make me lose hope and accept a fate I cannot accept for myself nor my mortal enemy, with snares, feeding me with reminders of past sorrows, pain, and unbearable agony. It kept coming over and over again with more energy and drive to it, aiming to penetrate my exhausted soul. Bribing me with sadness for me to fall into its perfectly laid down traps. my soul couldn't take it anymore, the fear sank in slowly until it took over me. Now of all the stages I faced, it was the fear of death I honestly feared the most. Not the fear of my death, it was there but not as much as the fear and terror of Losing my friends. I understood Why I came after Kin it wasn't the promise I made to myself, it was the fear of losing my friend. The fear of not seeing him speak, laugh, and save anyone ever again.
"Hey wolves I know you are out there care to finish me off, it's night I know your kind loves the subtle nature of the night," I said In a drunken state of fear. I forgot I was starving, my mind was on what they were thinking about at camp. Maybe they split themselves into a search party to look for me and rescue me? Or maybe they had concluded on my death and forgot I existed. How will Heyt and Kin feel I thought to myself, is Diana thinking of me or has she forgotten I ever walked the surface of the earth? Kin and Heyt probably won't forgive me if I die, a sudden thought came to my head, No they won't ever give up on me. When I did think about My two best friends the power of my unwelcome visitor subsided. A new figure knocked at my soul it was hope, the one who kept my spirit alive the one who gave my broken soul wings to fly and my confused mind a vivid and safe road to cross. I finally thought to myself I rather let unsure hope take over me than certain fear.