I see the glint of a gun pointing towards my face, being held with trembling hands. I cry out, no one comes. Don't understand what's going on. Scream. Shriek. Cry. Someone will stop them. Someone will help me. Legs and arms disabled in my blanket, wrapped up so tight my small chest feels heavy. I can’t talk, no one’s coming. I hear a click, wail more, gun shakes more. I hear crying other than my own. Confused, scared. The trigger moves back, shots fired. Bullets fly. But not into my head. The carrier of the weapon crumples to the ground. Still crying. I awake with a start, sweating and disoriented. I rub my forehead while calming my breathing. Hunter’s still asleep as I proceed to climb down the tree. Perhaps I’ll find something to catch for breakfast. I walk through the thick layers of trees throughout the forest. I pause and hear rustling, responding I crouch low to the ground and quietly take hold of the knife on my belt. Watch, and see movement. I crawl towards it, knife in hand. The corner of my eye catches a sliver of a rabbit and I immediately hurl my knife, impaling the creature, killing it instantly. I stand up and walk towards the dead animal. I pluck my knife out of its motionless body and carry it by the ears back to the tree that Hunter lies rest in. However I don't climb up, but instead lean against the base of the tree, carefully skinning and cleaning our now breakfast. Once I’m done, as almost on cue, Hunter hops down from the tree. “I see you’ve caught breakfast.” He says, rubbing his hands together. “Yup, but you're cooking it. Unless you’d prefer eating it raw.” I shove the rabbit into his arms. “As appealing as raw bunny sounds, I think I’ll pass.” He responds as he goes to look for firewood. Although the rabbit is small, it should be enough to feed both of us, due to how we’ve trained ourselves to not need to eat much. Hunter and I don't end up talking too much during our meal. I know watching each other chew sounds weird, but it’s actually quite comforting. When we have both finished our sad meal of rabbit, we begin walking through the woods. We had agreed that it would be better to leave the tree sooner than later in case the predators decide to come pay us a visit. The walk too was quite, as if we both had empty brains full of bad conversation topics. “It’s pretty flipped up that the soulotion to overpopulation was… this,” Hunter starts, breaking the silence. “Yup, some top class crap if you ask me.” “We got the short straws too.” He half laughs. “I’d take prey over a predator anyday.” I’m almost disgusted. My whole life, I’ve been glad I was born a prey. Glad I never was forced to hunt for humans instead of rabbits. To kill on sight. Horrible things they are. Hardly human. “You can't be serious.” Hunter scoffs. I stop walking, “What? Serious about what Hunter?” “Nevermind…” “No, what? Really I want to know.” I urge “Can you just drop it!?” He yells at me. And I do. Well, I almost do. But I can’t. I’m too shocked. So I just stand there, head cocked, hands on hips. Staring. “Don’t be so dramatic.” He kicks a rock. He’s right, I am dramatic. Quite the queen of it actually. Yet today, I’m being more than just dramatic. I know some things off. Something’s different since last night, I know there is. I sit down with my legs crossed. “I’m not moving until you apologize.” “Fine, I’m sorry, Jesus.” “Nah, I’m still not moving though. My legs are tired.” I pretend to yawn. He groans, before walking towards me, picking me up, and tossing me over his shoulder. “HEY!! I object, I object!” I screech as he walks. I pound my fists on his back while laughing. “Sorry Alex, but you were basically asking for this” I assume he’s smiling. My wavy golden brown hair falls in front of my face, blinding the rest of my view. “Put me down!” I wail He sets me down like a doll before brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “Why’d you have to be so difficult?” He teases. I stick my tongue out like a little 5 year old me used to do. Hunter blows his tongue out at me in a mocking movement, but we both end up laughing. “Now seriously, let's get moving.”
