Walking through the forest wasn't the easiest. Taking in the fact that the three of them (three as in Y/n, Liu, and the Rake) were walking through the denser part of the forest and not on a path, things got a bit bumpy. There were many places where the earth had dipped suddenly, creating many terrifying (and some comical) moments, but the same went with the earth rising. The Rake didn't seem to have any trouble crossing as it could jump over six feet in the air; probably even higher.
There were times when the creature had gotten too far ahead due to Liu's and Y/n's inability to climb the earth as quickly as it did. Liu would be the first to reach the top, reaching down to help Y/n climb the rest of the way. She was thankful for the most part as if Liu wasn't here, she probably would have gotten lost long ago.
Other than the earth rising and falling in various places, there were also dirt paths that they had come across which looked fresh or man-made. A specific sign caught Y/n's eye between a fork in two paths, but the dark paint that scribbled the destinations of each pointed sign was worn away by age. Other than that, she was quite surprised they hadn't come across any other life (besides animals) in the depths of the forest.
For a while, it seemed like they were just going in a giant circle. Was there really a destination? An end to all this walking? The sky was beginning to brighten and the chill in the air had disappeared into a cool mist that stuck dew to the leaves and grass in the forest.
"We're almost there," Liu's words sent relief all throughout her body. She had begun to switch the duffle bag she was holding from one hand to the other, doing the same with the backpack that held all her rations for who knows how long. Y/n stumbled, her feet beginning to drag due to the intensity of their walk. Liu glanced back, then forward at the creature who stood only a few feet ahead. It raised its head, the sounds of it sniffing filling the air.
Liu sighed quietly and stretched, "let's take a break then," it didn't seem like they were in such a rush, but the male acted a bit antsy about staying in one place for so long. Were there still dangers in this forest that she didn't know about? Y/n dropped the duffle bag to the ground and stretched. She heard a few satisfying pops in her legs and shoulders, then sat down on a fallen pine tree.
Y/n swung the backpack off her shoulders and unzipped the top zipper; the object snug into the side pocket did not go unnoticed. When she looked inside, Y/n was surprised to find the backpack quite literally stuffed with any and all the snacks in the pantry. Had Liu packed her for the apocalypse? Trail mix, granola bars, crackers, cookies, and beef jerky, and those were the only things that she could notably see from the top! From the feel of it, she could tell there were other things packed below the items on the top. The h/c-haired girl pulled out a granola bar and glanced over to Liu who had leaned against a tree opposite where she sat.
"Here," she motioned to him. When he took a look her way, Y/n tossed the snack over to him. He mumbled his thanks and peeled open the wrapper, taking a hungry bite out of the item. She smiled to herself and took out another one to devour on her own. It took her only three minutes to finish the snack so she stuffed the wrapper back into the backpack and made sure to seal the backpack tightly once more.
It was when the Rake had begun to unceremoniously growl at something in the distance that set Y/n off. The two humans perked up at this, more in a survivalist way, not in an "oh, I'm interested," way. The white beast then took off in a different direction they had been walking in all this time. Y/n raised her eyebrows and glanced at Liu who watched the Rake disappear in the distance of the forest. On cue, a flock of birds lifted in the same direction, startled by the predator that had probably ruined their slumber.
"I know the rest of the way back." He waved his hand, "the Rake probably sensed someone unfamiliar in his terrain."
"And you aren't worried?" Y/n got up, grabbing both handles of the bag that sat next to her tightly.
YOU ARE READING
One Killing Maze
Action[Sequel to One Killer Maze] Some time has passed since Y/n has escaped the maze. She has gone into hiding with her mother and two others, Gilbert and Jerry. The media's reaction to the fall of the reality show has been nothing but chaos and discours...
