Selling Myself To The Hunter

Chapter 7

Dahlia

Chris was an odd one, probably from being isolated for so long. Three years was a long time to be on your own just trying to survive. Getting him to elaborate on what was out there was difficult. Actually, it was more like absolutely infuriating. After only three days with the man, I was ready to kill him for his lack of answers.

I knew Toby was out there somewhere, the first step in finding him would be learning the layout of the land. This Sera-something chick lives around here somewhere, and there is a trading post, so there must be somewhere where I could find Toby. A landmark or something. I'm sure he would be smart enough to think the same way. It's like when you are a kid and your parents tell you that if you get lost, you should go to the nearest employee and ask for help. Or to the front desk, ask a police officer - something.

Chris, having been here for three years, had to know what was out there. But the more I asked, the less he seemed to know.

"So, how far have you traveled in the jungle?" I asked, trying my luck once more.

It was my fourth rewording of the question, the first being "What landmarks are out there?" followed by "Are there any noticeable places?" and finally "What are the other areas like?" Chris was being tight-lipped compared to last night. That much was true.

"Uh... maybe a mile radius." He whispered as we navigated to his preferred bathroom spot. I tripped over my own feet.

"You're kidding, right?" I said, stopping in my tracks. "You've been here for three years and have only traveled a mile?"

"It's safer that way. It's what has kept me alive, and what will keep you alive." He said in a hushed tone.

"Haven't you at least tried to escape the jungle?" I asked, flailing my arms in frustration.

"So I could live in the desert or frozen tundra? No thanks." He scoffed.

"How do you even know about the other areas if you haven't been more than a mile?!" I hissed.

"My friend, Jerry, the wilderness explorer I was telling you about? He traveled through the different lands. He told me the stories of the survivors he came across and of the other biomes. And the middle."

"The middle?"

"It's where she lives - don't ever go there unless you want your skin peeled off, or worse."

I shuddered at that. "Okay, so are there any landmarks in the jungle that you have been told of? Or the other places?"

Chris let out an exasperated sigh at my repeated questions, but I couldn't stop myself. "Not that I know of. The Hunter would know. Should we ever run into him again, you can ask him." He said with a tone I didn't quite care for.

I decided to add fuel to the fire.

"Where does he live?"

Chris shot me an aggravated look that told me he didn't know.

"How about this; Do you know how one might escape this place?"

"As I said," He began counting his fingers, "Three times now, she designed this hellhole and there is no escaping, only death and suffering." Chris said, his shoulders sinking.

"I refuse to believe that there is no way out, especially from someone who hasn't been more than a mile away from their own camp." I snipped.

"Believe it, don't believe it, either way you won't escape her." He said, stopping by an especially smelly area. "See to your needs, and then we'll head back."

Chris turned around, and I rolled my eyes, circling around, giving him a pointed look. "Chris, we have been over this. Privacy please." He looked like he was going to object when I added, "You know I'll stand here all day."

He gave his typical heavy sigh, but conceded and told me he would be a few trees away waiting for me. Perfect.

As nice of a gesture as it was of 'The Hunter', there was no way I was going to stay with Chris. Especially when he outright told me he didn't want me to live with him, and I was more of a burden than anything. Plus, I refused to eat strange plants and off-looking mushrooms for the rest of my life. I refused to live underground, only going out once or twice for a few minutes each day to relieve myself. I was not going to be trapped here, and I was going to find Toby, and we were going to find our way out of here.

So, that's why this morning, before we left, I snuck some extra supplies into my pack. Chris didn't have much. I wasn't sure if I was surprised by that or not. Three years is a long time, but not leaving his dirt hole to explore would cripple any chance at getting supplies. Another reason for me to leave.

I began to slowly creep past the disgusting smelling area where Chris had left me, heading in god knows what direction. It didn't matter, my priority was to get away from Chris first. He said he was bound to protect me. I didn't care to see how strong his commitment to that was. For all I know, this could very well turn into a 'Misery' situation. Next thing you know, I'll be chained to a bed with both my ankles broken.

All of two minutes passed before I heard swift steps coming from behind me, Chris's voice whisper-yelling in search of me.

"Dahlia!" He called. "Where are you?!"

Shit.

I bolted.

I heard a frustrated grunt, followed by a slew of profanity that I chose not to let sink in as I weaved between trees trying to evade him. Unfortunately for me, despite his scrawny form, he was faster.

"Dahlia!" He hissed, just as he grabbed onto my shirt and yanked me back. "You fool! Are you trying to get us k-"

I screamed, and he gasped as we were hauled up towards the canopy overhead. I looked around wildly only to find that we were in a net. Chris didn't waste a single moment; we hadn't even stopped swaying before he had pulled out a makeshift knife and was attempting to cut through the rope. Swallowing my fear, I pulled out the dagger The Hunter gave me and began to help.

But we were too late. Several small, elf-like figures emerged from the bush, each wearing a funny-looking mask and wielding a bamboo blowgun. I didn't even have time to blink before the dart pierced my skin and the world went hazy.

- - - - - - - - - -

I woke with a startle, the acrid smell of smoke filling my senses. My eyes shot open as my memories began to stir. We were captured. I quickly became aware of the gag in my mouth, my hands and feet tied tightly. Oh, this was bad. Our tiny captors milled around the camp. They couldn't have been more than three feet tall. They were covered in fur and wore some sort of strange masks. Each one was armed to the teeth with what looked like bones. Some sharpened, some with the teeth still attached. I shuddered at the sight. I counted seven in total. None seemed like they were concerned about our presence, they were too busy tending to something on the fire. Good, that was good. Perhaps if I could find Chris, we could find a way out of here and then-

A guttural moan sounded from the fire, halting all my other thoughts.

My stomach twisted when I caught a glimpse of not what they were cooking, but who.

Tied up like a pig on a spit was Chris. Chunks of him had already been removed. My captors were cannibals. I screamed through my gag, fighting my restraints. I needed to help him; I needed to stop this. I was going to be sick. Another low moan escaped Chris and I wanted to die right then and there. I started to sob, unable to keep my composure as I watched him suffer a slow and painful death. The person entrusted to keep me safe was now dinner because of me. It was my fault we were in this mess. My fault that he was roasting over a fire right now.

Chris's plea for death had me thrashing and screaming like a wildcat. They only spared me a single glance before going back to what they were doing. I looked around wildly, my eyes landing on my bag on the other side of the fire - if I could somehow wiggle over to it, maybe I could grab the dagger and-

One of the masked creatures grabbed my bag and dumped the contents of it onto the ground. Damn it! He pocketed the dagger and began sifting through everything else I had. He gave the granola bars a sniff, cringed, and then tossed them in the fire. My water was consumed, other makeshift weapons either pocketed or tossed. He only seemed mildly curious about the whistle, but frowned when he blew on it and it made no sound. Another item to add to the flames.

Defeated. Completely and utterly defeated. My only chance now would be to try to escape when they decided to put me on the spit. I didn't like my odds. Fat tears rolled down my face as I laid there, waiting for death. His death and mine. My eyes were screwed shut, not wanting to see Chris's final moments. I didn't care if that made me a coward. Hearing him was bad enough. Knowing it was because of me... that will never stop haunting me.

My tears were unrelenting for at least half an hour, maybe more. My wallowing was cut short though, when the tiny creatures around me began to stir. They all went still and silent as death for a moment, and then they sprang into action, forming a circle among themselves - back-to-back. They each had a weapon drawn, whether it be a sword or a blowgun or the jaw of some unfortunate beast. I squirmed in my restraints, trying to see what put them on edge. They were shifting nervously, eyes darting around. Whatever it was, they didn't seem to know where exactly the threat was either.

Another tense silence fell over the camp, and then I jolted as the first dagger went flying through the air - right into the head of one of my captors, then another - and another. The daggers were flying so fast, if I blinked, I would miss one. Three seconds, that's all the time it took for the mysterious being to take out all seven of them. Three seconds. I thrashed harder now, sobbing and trying to free myself before whatever just killed them came for me too. There were heavy thudding steps and I screamed through the gag as I was hoisted up by my arms.

"Stop moving." He warned, sawing away the vines holding my wrists and ankles.

That voice... I recognized it.

My gag was quickly removed next, and I whirled around to see The Hunter starting at me... and he looked pissed.

"What. Happened." He bit out, his green eyes narrowing on me.

I opened my mouth and then shut it, opened it and shut it again. Chris's moan interrupted me before I could properly form words. The Hunter turned towards him, cursing soundly as he took in the damage. He was far worse looking up close.

"Is there anything we can-"

Before I could even finish my sentence, he pulled out a blade and slit Chris's throat, quickly ending his suffering. The fire ate up his blood with a sizzle.

"No, there isn't." The Hunter said darkly, carefully removing Chris from the fire and laying him on the ground. He grabbed a nearby fur blanket and laid it over him before his attention was back on me. "What. Happened."

At my hesitation, he spoke again. "Chris was a decent man. He was afraid of his own shadow and that kept him safe for years. He would have kept you safe. So how the hell did you end up all the way over here?!" He nearly roared.

"... My boyfriend, he is out there somewhere - I need to find him. So I left at the first chance I got." I admitted.

"You have a boyfriend?" The Hunter asked, his eyes gleaming in a predatory way. It somehow made his vicious scars pop out all the more.

"Yes, his name is Toby." I said, rubbing my raw wrists. "She took him. I have to find him; we have to find a way out of here." I pleaded.

"If Seraphina took him, your blood sucker is either already dead or being used for her own sick pleasure and will be dead soon."

"Excuse me?" I frowned, worry setting in that he used her name. But maybe that would be a good thing. Maybe I could find Toby faster that way. "My blood sucker?"

"You reek of vampire. I'm assuming that is his scent on you. In you." He said, his jaw clenched tightly, his green eyes blazing.

"No, Toby is not a vampire, he is human, like me." I said, my face heating at the insinuation. "He's not some monster."

"Humans don't often end up here." He said, giving me another hard look. "And why are you expected to find him? Why can't he find you?"

"I- well- she took him." I scoffed.

"She took you too." He said dryly.

This was getting us nowhere. "Can you help me find him or not?" I deadpanned.

"Can I? Yes. Will I? No. It's not safe. If Seraphina has him, he would be in the center. I don't know what Chris told you-"

"He didn't." It was my turn to get angry. "He hadn't traveled more than a mile in three years here!"

"Yes, but it was for good reason. Look what happened the moment he did." He said, gesturing to Chris's body.

Overwhelming guilt threatened to consume me. I wanted to rip my hair out and scream and spit at this man. But I needed his help. So I took a deep breath as The Hunter began to rummage through the camp, and continued to make conversation with him.

"What were those creatures anyway?"

"Duendes" The Hunter explained, stepping over a tiny body, picking up a makeshift knife, deeming it unfit, and tossing it into a bush. "Vicious little things, will try to eat anything with a pulse that crosses their path. They wear the faces of the fallen as a war mask to intimidate their prey."

I cringed. "Are there more?"

"Yes, two other clans that will be thrilled that some of their competition is gone." He said dryly. "The whistle I gave you, where is it?"

"Burning away." I said, flicking my head towards the fire. "They took my bag, one of those Duendes threw it in the fire when he realized it didn't work."

The Hunter let out an exasperated sigh, letting his head fall. And then he took a stick and began poking through the fire.

"The center...where exactly is it?" I asked, circling back.

"Take a wild guess," he said with a huff. "No one lives long enough around here to give anything a proper name. The center is the center, the jungle the jungle, winter winter-"

"I got it." I cut him off. "But where from this specific spot is the center located?" I said, pointing to the ground.

He managed to pull the whistle out of the flames, hissing when the hot metal touched his skin as he plopped the broken instrument into a waterskin. He sucked on his burning fingers for a moment and my mouth went dry at the sight. I shook off the feeling, chalking it up to insanity and desperation.

"You realize that even if you do make it to the center, you won't walk out alive." The Hunter said, peering up at me, his brows raised. "This isn't a fairy tale; you won't get your happily ever after... even if you do find your mate."

"Fine. Help me, don't help me, either way, I'm going to find him." I said, starting to walk away.

"I thought you'd know better by now than to try to scour the jungle trying to fine him. But I guess you haven't learned your lesson, having walked with death how many times now?" He shook his head, dumping out the waterskin, the whistle reemerging. "Ignorant human."

"What if it were you? What if it were your significant other?" I asked as he made his way towards me, putting the whistle on a leather rope and tying the ends.

"I would do anything to protect my mate, make no mistake." The Hunter said, standing to his full height. He towered over me. He paused and then shook his head again. "Do what you want." He placed the whistle around my neck, his eyes lingering for a moment.

"I will." I snapped, pushing past him.

"Other way," The Hunter said with another sigh.

I clenched my fists together, pivoted, and stormed the other way.

Stupid bastard.