Chapter 14: A Target and Its Bullseye

Flowing down the stream, leaves dodge various rocks and branches as we approach the bank.

"I was here yesterday, but I wasn't able to get a good look around,” I say. “Let's walk a bit further down, and then we can split into pairs. Just keep an eye out for any wildlife that we could use as a food source going forward. And most importantly, stick together. Do not leave your partner's line of sight, no matter what. I don't want to take any chances."

Blue looks over his shoulder, "Just so I don't forget… behind us, the path we just came from leads back to camp. And if we were to take a right, we’d be walking right to where Flora died yesterday, or at least, we'd be in the general area."

I step over a large tree root jutting out of the ground, "Yeah, but we are going to stick to this route today to limit the possibility that happens to any of us. Delta and Grace, I understand that you both ventured out here yesterday and somehow avoided everything that went down. And since I don't think I'll be able to separate the two of you… Blue and I will pair up. Although I don't like the idea of you two going off alone, I can at least trust that you'll both be safe and maybe even know your way around the area now.”

"What are you? My dad or something? Why do you even care?"

Pinching the bridge above my nose, I say, "Do you have any idea just how important our jobs are today? Our future might depend on what we may or may not find, and if we want to all survive, we need to work together. So yes, I do care about whether you live or you die because whatever happens will affect me, as well as the rest of us, later on."

Delta averts her eyes toward the stream, "Whatever, just know that thought process is only going one way in this relationship."

She gazes down at her sword, "We'll go on ahead. We went this way yesterday, and we know our way back. You two can do whatever."

Dropping my hand back to my side, I gesture toward one area, "Blue and I will look over here for a bit. Stay close so we can hear you if you need us for anything."

Delta grabs Grace's arm, "We won't need you."

Watching Delta scurry off, dragging Grace every step of the way, I wait until they leave my sight before grumbling, “We’ll see about that.”

I know this is a horrible thought, especially after yesterday. But I don't care about what happens to her now. Grace seems reasonable enough. I wonder why she keeps following Delta around.

Fixing my gaze on the stream, I refocus on figuring out what's bothering me.

I don't remember what happened after I reached this point; it's all just a big blur. All I know is I woke up here a few hours after arriving without any injuries. Bizarre, could I have simply knocked out and taken a nap? I guess that isn’t too far-fetched considering all that went down yesterday, but still... that doesn't seem right.

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Locating Blue, he’s gone down on one knee, peering into his backpack with his left hand fumbling around inside.

Actually, I do remember something. I didn’t wake up in this exact spot, which means I went somewhere…

"Blue, you take this side of the stream. I'm going across to check out the other side and see if I can find anything there."

Signaling he got the message with a thumbs up, Blue continues to search for whatever he's looking for while I embark on the short trek across the twenty-foot-long channel.

Why is it all so fuzzy? I know I came down here to get some water yesterday. Maybe I was just really dehydrated? But all of this is starting to look really familiar…

As I step up onto the opposing bank, the soles of my shoes leave footprints in the damp mud. Walking onto somewhat solid ground, if I were to keep heading straight, I would be forced to scale a slight, sharp incline that would take me back into the forest.

I can't go too far. I need to stay close to Blue. But these trees, the rocks, why do they feel so familiar…

Trudging along the bank of the stream, going in the opposite direction that Flora and Hunter went yesterday, I keep my eyes peeled. Observing everything around me, I try to spot what I’m searching for even though I have no idea what it is.

And that’s when I notice a pebble with some dried blood. Bending over and picking it up, I inspect all sides of it.

Is this blood... mine?

Inching forward, I clasp the pebble in my hand, trying to piece together what feels amiss. But after a few more steps, my foot doesn’t connect with solid ground, just empty air. Almost losing my footing, I fling my hands out to either side of me to regain my balance, and I drop the pebble. After rebalancing myself, I stare at what I almost fell into, a random divot in the shape of a perfect circle.

Suddenly, the pebble I let drop rebounds off the bottom of the divot and flings back up to me. I catch it and then eyeball it in disbelief.

What the hell…?

Peering down again into the divot, I recognize in the very center, black linings are etched into the ground. These black lines create a symbol, a target with a fire emblem at its bullseye. Unable to comprehend what this means, I see various pebbles spread out around the perimeter of the divot. I kick one of these pebbles down out of curiosity, and the same thing happens. It rebounds off the symbol and pops back up to where it originally was.

Puzzled, I crouch down and extend my hand out in front of me to try and touch the symbol.

Is this somehow… from me?

CRACKKK.

My head sprouts up as my eyes start darting around in a panic.

What was that just now?

The once-calm atmosphere vanishes as the trees start swaying back and forth, and a wind gust picks up out of thin air. Meanwhile, the once dormant stream has transformed into something unrecognizable from what it was mere seconds ago, as water begins rapidly rushing down the stream. Bewildered, I glance back at the symbol.

Did I cause all of this to happen?

"Ace!!"

Still confused by everything going on, I whip my head around to see Blue sprinting along the bank of the stream.

"What is it?! Are you okay?!"

"I’m fine! Have you seen the other two?!"

"No! I haven't!"

"That sound, it came from where they just went! I think they’re in trouble!!"

Looking back at the symbol that has begun glowing white, I grit my teeth together, "Damn it…"

Shutting my eyes in frustration, I take a deep breath, "Okay! Blue, we need to go after them!"