Eowin tore through the underbrush, sweat and tears streaming down her face. She wished she could take it back, take it all back. She cringed as her sweat made contact with the cuts on her legs made by the sharp vines that covered the forest floor. Gigori was twenty paces ahead of her, and Steven just to her right. She could only assume Malcar was following close behind. She saw Gigori stop and lean against a tree, out of breath. He slid to the ground as Eowin and the others came to a stop and rested beside him. They had been running for at least twenty minutes, so Gigori assumed they were safe for the time being. As Eowin caught her breath, the depth of their situation set in and she was met with tears once more. Steven placed his arm around her shoulders, and looked towards Gigori.
Malcar broke his gaze from the ground which he was staring at and asked to no one in particular, "What do we do now?"
"I don't know," Gigori replied, "But we can never go back."
* * *
He was close enough to hear the breathing of the animal. As quietly as possible, Gerald placed his arrow on the string of his bow and drew it back. The buck raised it's head, and scanned the forest. As the buck looked in his direction, the arrow was let loose and pierced the animal through it's eye. A smile of amusement crept across Gerald's face as the buck instantly collapsed. That's at least 100 pounds, he thought. He left his position behind the bushes, strapped his bow onto his back, and started dragging the animal to the trail.
Gerald exited the tree line, and arrived on a relatively old looking property. The windows were covered with wood and the roof looked rebuilt in many areas. It was one of the few buildings to remain intact through
the bombings. Malcar, Eowin, Steven, Gigori and him had found this place some years ago, and eventually came up with an efficient way of living. Gerald put the deer in the shed and headed to the house. Malcar was sitting out front making more arrows. He was well built and had thick, black hair, and looked up in expectation as Gerald neared.
"Anything good?" Malcar inquired.
"A buck, at least a hundred pounds," Gerald replied.
"Nice. By the way, Gigori and Steven are in town trying to sell your last catch, maybe you can take that to the market tomorrow."
"Sounds good," Gerald said as he entered the house. He hung his bow and quiver on a rack that stood by the door. The kitchen was to his left, and living quarters at his right. Eowin was rinsing dishes in the kitchen while humming some old tune. She was eighteen, and had brown curly hair that fell to the middle of her back. She glanced up at him and smiled before presuming her work. "I shot a nice one," Gerald told her. "I was thinking you could come to town with me tomorrow to sell it."
"Sure," she said. "And I made biscuits earlier if your hungry." Gerald followed his nose to the plate of biscuits, then grabbed two.
"Your the best." He said as he walked to his room.
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