Contradicting Worlds 2 The Black Hunter

I can hear the rush of water. I creep toward the river, my heart pounding in my chest. The water felt strange in my feet. It's both hot and cold at the same time. I look around me, to make sure I am alone before I put my crossbow aside. I wash my face, drink some and put some in my bottle. I jerk around, crossbow raise when I heard a snap of twigs. I listen carefully. Breathe in, breathe out. Inhale, exhale.

That's the problem of being an exile. You hunt, they find you, you run and hide. You hunt, they find you, you can't run and you die. It's a matter of thinking about how you will survive. You don't know when they will arrive, sometimes they'll just appear in front of you. If you're an exile, you have to make your own shelter, be as creative as possible. You can sleep on the trees, dig underground and make your own comfy house, or you can just sleep anywhere and have yourself killed.

I'm starting to get sweaty. I put down my crossbow. "HEY!" I was so surprised that I stumbled into the water. "Ugh, great, now I am all wet." I glared at Micha (my best friend). "Got anything?" she asked. I give her a face like, duh?.

"Come on, help me up," she reaches out her hand. I get it and stand up. She gets my crossbow. "Your crossbow is getting old."

"It's already old," I snap back.

"Well, older," she said. "Let's go, I've got something for you."

Micha (Michaela) is my best friend. She's the one who's found me when I was lost. She's the one who told me that I was exile because of my tattered clothes. She's also the one supplying me. She showed me how life is in this world. Have I told you that the world only consists of women? Yea ONLY, why? I don't know. I just know that there's supposed to be men and women (I've read that on the Bible).

Micha's home is as neat as always. The books were arranged properly. Although her house is made up of mostly woods, it was designed in a cla.s.sic way. Chandeliers dangling from the ceiling.

As we enter her room I smell something strange. It's almost like someone's burning but there's no smoke or sign of burn. "Hey, Micha, Can you smell that?" She turn around to face me. She thinks for a second (like she's trying to smell it) before replying. "Nah, I don't smell anything."

"Try checking your outlets," I suggest.

She shrugged and nodded. "There's nothing strange," she said after she looked at the outlets. "You know that only the crazy ones would do that, right?" How could I forget that? We are in the middle of the forest, if we burn a thing, the smoke will send a signal to the warriors(the ones who want to kill us) where we are then they will come running to us and they will kill us. They received a special decree from the government that they are free to slay us. Micha is one of the government but she's a lower official.

"Here," Micha said, holding out her hand to me. She holds a knife in her hand. The hilt of it has my initial on it-- E. While the bottom of the knife has the face of a lion. "Press the letter E." I pushed the letter E. Suddenly the knife was no longer a knife but a sword. A very beautiful sword. I was astonished by what I saw that I might have forgotten how to breathe.

"It's beautiful," I said. "Is this for me?" She nodded and went to her cabinet. She open the first drawer. When she approached me I noticed that there's a necklace in her hand.

"This is also for you." She said while she helps me wear the necklace. "I made it. I have one for me too." She showed me the necklace around her neck. Our necklaces had the same designs, the Celtic symbol. Symbol for friends.h.i.+p. "Do you like it?" She asked me.

"No," she pouts. She's so cute when she does that. I rub her head. "I love it," She beamed at my answer. "Thank you."

"You know that I don't take 'thank you'. You have to stay for dinner tonight." She said it with much authority.

I held up my hands. "Not much of a choice huh?" She laughed. Micha is a beautiful girl. She wears her hair down, she has big eyes, small lips, and a very small nose.

If you're wondering if she's an inventor, she's not. But she would be a very good one. I don't know what's her position in the government, all I know is that she's my friend.

She cooks our dinner. "Are you going out tonight?" She asked while we're eating. I stop midway from consuming the food.

"Yea."

"You know that you don't have to do that." I know, but it's like something's pulling me to do that. Like they are my responsibility.

"You know what my answer will be." I look at her. She pursed her lips and continue to eat. You'll know later what we're talking about.

It's already past midnight. Micha is asleep. I wear my mask and a black sweater. I braid my hair. I prepare my crossbow, the and the knife Micha gave me and got out for the night. It's going to be a very long night.

The cold breeze made my skin s.h.i.+ver. It's good that I didn't forget to wear my sweater. I keep my eyes open. Even in the dark, I can still see things clearly. I don't know how I do that. My hunter spirit took over me again. I scout the ground waiting for someone who might need my help. This is what I do every night. I get out, save exiles, kill some warriors. If you're going to ask why the h.e.l.l would I do that? I don't know also. It just feels like my obligation to save them. One time, when I tried to stay at home it drove me crazy. It's almost like I'm craving for blood. Warrior blood.

As I was walking I heard the rustle of leaves, a snap of twigs. I stop in my tracks. I keep my hunter senses awake. Then someone screams. I sprinted off to the sound, my breathing gets heavy. When the screaming gets closer I slow down a little. I see them. Maybe just 50 meters away from me. I hide from the nearest tree. I peek at them. The warrior towered over the girl who's holding a toddler in her arms. She looked so scared. I almost wanted to run and kill that warrior. But I have to wait for the right time. I gritted my teeth. "I told you. You cannot run away from me little girl," She said it as though there was acid in her throat. "Surrender now and you shall be spare alive."

"NO!" The girl screamed. "You are a liar! A monster!" I wish she hadn't said that because right now the woman's face turned even creepier. The toddler is crying so hard now. I know that the girl is trying to be tough for her baby sister.

"If I am a monster then let me have you for dinner!" She charges forward. But I was faster, I got behind her before she could even raise her blade. She must've felt me because she turned around but I wasn't afraid.

"Maybe not the right time for dinner?" Then I raise my sword and slash her through. It cut her in clean half. The blood spilt over my clothes and face. The girl and the toddler have their eyes close. The girl opens her eyes. She looked at me with terror. When I tried to touch the girl she flinched. I can't blame her after what she's gone through.

"It's okay," I said. "It's okay. I won't hurt you. Come with me."

"You're not one of the bad women?" She asked. She must've looked beautiful except for the scar on her right cheek.

"I'm not," I reply. "I am here to save you."

"What's your name?"

"Black hunter," I said. "I am The Black Hunter."