The man yelled in pain as Jake's bat struck his hand, forcing him to drop the wooden plank. Jake stepped back, breathing heavily, gripping the bat tightly as he watched the man stagger backward. The stranger clutched his hand, glaring at Jake with a mix of desperation and anger.
"Who are you?!" Jake shouted, trying to steady his voice despite the adrenaline coursing through him. His grip tightened on the bat as he took a defensive stance.
The man didn't respond immediately, instead eyeing Jake's gear—particularly the crude bow slung across his back. His eyes were wild, his face gaunt, and his clothes torn, signs that he had been out here struggling for survival just like Jake.
"I... I don't want trouble, kid," the man finally said, raising his hands slightly to show he wasn't armed anymore. His voice was hoarse, and his words came out in short gasps. "Just... needed some supplies. That's all."
Jake didn't lower the bat. "You tried to attack me," he snapped. "What kind of person does that if they don't want trouble?"
The man gave a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "You'd do the same if you were starving. It's every man for himself out here." His eyes shifted to the bat in Jake's hands, then back to his face. "You got food? Water?"
Jake hesitated. His heart pounded as he sized up the man. He could tell he was desperate, but desperation made people dangerous. Still, Jake couldn't ignore the knot forming in his stomach. Was this what it had come to? People fighting over scraps? He thought of his own dwindling supplies and the traps that came up empty more often than not.
"Stay back," Jake warned, his voice firm. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."
The man nodded slowly, his hands still raised. "Fair enough. Look, kid, I'll leave. Just... just let me take a little water, and I'll be gone. You won't see me again."
Jake's instincts screamed at him not to trust the man, but a part of him—a small, lingering shred of humanity—wrestled with the idea of turning him away empty-handed. Could he really deny someone something as basic as water?
After taking a deep breath, and calming his nerves, Jake said in a cold voice. "Fine,Take some water and go. But if you try anything....."
The man nodded quickly. "Deal." He crouched by the stream, cupping water in his hands to drink greedily. Jake kept his eyes on him the entire time, his bat ready.
When the man finished, he stood up slowly, his hands visible. "Thanks...." he muttered, his tone begrudging but genuine. Then, without another word, he turned and walked off into the forest, his figure disappearing into the trees
Jake exhaled, the tension in his body slightly easing. He looked back at his reflection in the stream. The boy he once was felt like a distant memory now. He was changing—hardening—whether he liked it or not.
He grabbed his gear and started heading back to his shelter, his mind racing. Trust was a luxury he couldn't afford.....