Brave New World Chapter 25: Fresh Graves👽

[Some time in the past]

"Whose dog is it?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I sat on the top of a stranger's car in the parking lot staring at the barking dog who had decided to have my foot as his next meal.

"Barking dogs seldom bite." Caroline laughed from inside her car, sitting comfortably with windows closed, right beside the car on top of which I sat.

"Wanna come out and experiment?" I dared. When she didn't I muttered, "Thought so."

"Miss you need to come down from my car." A woman spoke from behind me and I gave her a helpless look.

"I know. But this dog." I pointed and she squealed, "Prince! There you are! I have been looking everywhere for you. You, poor little thing." He immediately began wagging his tail as he heard his owner's voice.

'Prince? Little?' I thought to myself looking at the gigantic ugly drooling dog, who was now happily licking the foundation off of the lady's face, making me gag inwardly.

"You can come down now. Prince doesn't bite." She chirped making me question her Prince's actions from a minute ago.

Even though I was still scared to come down, I had to let the lady leave with her dog to be able to get to Caroline in her car who was laughing at my distress the whole time.

#

[Present Time]

The gunshots had confused the animals just as they did us.

They were coming from somewhere close to the woods. Whatever it was had given time to let most of the people get as high as they could and help others as well. I turned my head to the junior behind me,

"Extraña, what's your name?"

"Himari Mei." Came the weak answer, "Mei." She confirmed.

"Alright, Mei. I don't know how much time we have. Try to climb back up. Leave your bag. I'll try to hold them off as long as this flare goes." I don’t know what came over me, but I needed her to be safe, even at the possible cost of my own life. Maybe it felt like some sort of redemption for not being able to save Herbert.

She muttered a hasty thanks and went back to trying her way up. The one above us seemed to be used to the terrain and was giving instructions to Mei.

The gunshots sounded as one of the beasts tried one last time to lunge at me but seemed to be terrified of the flare in my hand. My back touched the tree bark as I kept the flare between me and the snarling predator with eyes that had killed me ten times over and canines each longer than my hand.

It all happened in a flash.

Someone shot one of the beasts and the animals went into a frenzy.

For a few moments, the animal forgot about me and I took that opportunity to begin my climb up the tree again.

I was nearly three meters up when one of the predators growled below. I sped up as the hair on my neck stood and I felt my body pumping adrenaline when I felt that the animal was trying to reach as high as possible to get at my dangling feet.

I screamed as someone pulled me up.

The one who had been in the tree all along had come to the lowest possible branch to help and hoist me up.

I knew for a fact that these animals were capable of staying in one place for hours but the appearance of people with guns had changed the game.

"Pretty sure, they won’t be coming back any time soon!"

It was Mark. The patrol group had returned.

"New girl." Said the one sitting on the branch above me. I looked up as she confirmed, "Yes, you."

"It's Anara." I replied.

"Alright, Anara." She rolled her 'r' trying to imitate my Spanish accent in an exaggerated manner making me roll her eyes as she asked, "Is it safe to go down?"

"You're asking me?" I asked hinting at her racist behavior.

"Uh, duh! Weren't you acting all master of these monsters or something earlier?" She replied, either not noticing my tone or choosing to ignore it.

I chose to not answer and instead focused on Mark's party. There were three guys holding different types of guns and one guy seemed to have an axe, even though it was hard to make out any details as there were only a few chargeable lanterns from torn tents illuminating the area.

"Hey, I asked you something." She was persistent.

I rolled my eyes. What was with most of the people here being so rude?

"If you ask nicely, she might answer," Mei spoke from another branch hugging the tree trunk as if her life depended on it.

"I believe I just saved her life, the least she could do is answer." Came the response.

She was right, I'd be dead if she hadn't come down to help. And, she was willing to trust my word over Mark's. So, while I kept looking around for signs of the predators, I responded.

"I have no idea. But the guns seem to have scared them. They are not attacking the Patrol group."

"Then Imma head down." She said decisively and began cautiously making her way down.

I nodded to Mei and then followed the Junior down.

We were surrounded by a mess of torn tents and scattered stuff mixed with blood and corpses, human and beast. A few people puked their dinner at the horrendous sight and smell. In the middle of the clearing stood Mark being hugged by Nora.

I wasn't surprised to find that her self-preservation always came through.

But my main focus was on my friends. I searched among the crowd and rushed to hug Caroline, relief washing over me to find her safe. Beside her was Kiara, whom I hugged next. I saw Grant helping some people climb down the trees. Xavier stood beside Mark holding a large gun.

"Everyone! Let's do an attendance." Mark's voice rang out.

I looked over to see a few people crying over bloody corpses here and there. The night wasn't over yet.

Mark counted Fifty-five, which was ten less than the number of people who had left yesterday. Ten people who won't be able to go back home. Ten people, who would never see their families again. And I didn't even know a single one of them.

Mark asked for a hole to be dug near a large boulder and for the battered corpses to be given a proper burial. The first set of casualties on this quest to find our way back home, had a boulder for a makeshift tombstone with names of fallen fellows scratched on it by those who knew anyone who had died.

The rest of us had scavenged what we could and decided to share the remaining tents and materials that had survived the attack.

I was sitting beside Caroline, Kiara, and three juniors, consoling each other when Mei came into the tent, "Is Anara here?"

"I'm here." I spoke taking her attention, "Is everything okay? All things considered," I asked.

"Yes, um. I don't know. Mark asked me to find you. He needs to talk. His tent is-"

"I know where his tent is. I'll go." I stood up and nodded reassuringly to my friends before following Mei, thinking about what could Mark want now.

**Author's note:

How far has Anara come from the ease-loving girl that she once was. What do you guys think Mark wants to talk to Anara about?