We, who Survived

We walked as long as we could before having to leave the stream and its pebbled shores. The sound of rushing waters became a dull background noise until eventually, even that was replaced by the swishing of leaves and bird song. Trees with dark green leaves began to hug both sides of the game trail we followed. The hot sun now almost blacked out completely by the thick canopy, allowing for a darker and colder world to be witnessed. Vines hanging from branches added to the mix, giving the illusion of preying snakes or awaiting already made nooses just needing victims.

With these thoughts in mind, it made sense for the younger kids to be walking closer to teenagers or clutching at their hands. What did not make sense was Carly’s hand holding tightly onto mine, her nails digging small crescents into my skin. She had slipped her clammy hand into mine as soon as we entered, surprising both Max and me. Though Max kept quiet with his badly hidden grin, he knew well not to comment. The question was then, why me? Why was this girl seeking comfort or security from me, a weak teenager?

“Hey, Carly, why don’t you tell Nathan about the work you were doing at home? He’s a friend now, so let’s get to know each other better,” Max suggested, breaking the silence, his calling me friend giving me a foreboding sense of regret in my saying yes to walking with them. But then, I felt Carly’s gaze on me. My chances of ignoring them were slim already and me acknowledging her presence lessened the probability. Sighing, I knew Carly’s cute face had already won me over.

“Yeah, we are friends now. So, what did you do?” If it was the farm work Maria had spoken about then I already knew the basics from keeping up-to-date with the station’s work files.

Carly continued to stare up at me until I gave up on an answer coming back and focused on the rocky trail. Maria’s figure was not far ahead as she and Joon laughed at unknown topics. Spark would be in the front with Jae while Charlie stayed in the middle looking after a sulking Dean. It felt weird not speaking to any of them after this morning or walking next to them. In our short time together, I had gotten used to their company and was beginning to rely on it, which made me feel weaker than I already felt. How could I rely on other people when they still would end up leaving me?

“Mommy and I worked in the vegetable farms. She was teaching me how to plant and clean vegetables efficiently... That’s the right word, right?” Carly’s voice was soft and fragile, her grip on mu hand getting tighter as I nodded to her words. “Mommy was laughing at a joke Aunt Bella said when the alarms started and then... Then she was gone and Maxie was by my side.”

“I never got to know my mom but my mentor had just given me my full rights to be a Knowledge Keeper. She was like a parental figure sometimes.” I squeezed her hand, trying to keep the sting of tears back. “I remember my first day when I was a tad bit older than you. Mrs Horton got so angry when I got all the places for the books wrong. She even pulled on my ear while she gave me this long lecture.”

“Was it not scary working there? Suzy always told me to stay away because there was an angry monster inside.” I snorted. Mrs Horton was definitely that monster.

“I guess she meant my mentor. The only time a monster came out was when nobody obeyed the rules of the library or treated the book and tablets correctly. You must understand, when we were still on Earth, buildings like the library were meant for research and studying, not some playroom.”

“Suzy also thought going to school was a waste of time because her mom was a scientist, so don’t take all she says to heart, Carls,” Max said, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “There are new monsters out here to worry about.”

And they were not just the ones who chased me into the library with bruises around my neck and a bleeding cheek. No, these ones killed for food, not for pleasure.

“Rest up guys, we are almost there!” Spark informed as he walked through our tired group. From where I sat with Max, I could clearly see him scanning the people who sat or stood before he caught me staring at him. He looked weary, hesitant but his gaze gave way to his want to come to where we sat. Subtly shaking my head, I turned my sights to the ground.

Carly, without warning or permission, plopped down in my lap, back resting against my chest. Chuckling, I found myself wrapping my arms around her and tickling her tummy. She giggled, grabbing my hands in her small ones. Normally, having someone in my personal space made me irritated and antsy but Carly managed to keep me calm and make me happy, in a way accepted as she made me hug her.

“Nate.” Glancing at Max, I didn’t see the canteen until he shook it, the water inside sloshing about. Hesitantly reaching for it, I let Carly drink first before taking two sips and handing it back. Max smiled warmly at us.

“I didn’t see you fill up your bottle,” He commented, taking his own two sips before placing the canteen back in his bag. “Make sure you do when we come across a stream again.”

“Will do.”

Once again, we were walking with dark stern trees towering over us. Their thick gnarled roots stuck out like veins threading through the sticky mud. The densely spaced trees created a heating effect, the humidity leaving us all sweating and breathing hard. Moss grew on bark like fuzzy blankets trying to keep the wooden giants warm while jagged rocks were splotched with variously coloured fungi. Our surroundings made me think about old fairytales, half making me expect to see Mr Tumnus, the faun from Narnia, to peek out at us from behind a trunk or angry nymphs to glare at us as we passed their homes, disturbing their peaceful slumber.

“Max... Max,” Carly kept calling but her voice was just not loud enough to break Max out of his daydreaming.

“What’s wrong?” I bumped her shoulder.

“I need to pee.”

“How badly...?”

“Badly.”

Carly’s hands were clutching at her torn shirt’s hem. Her doe brown eyes were trained on the ground. The longer I kept quiet the more uncomfortable and tearier she was getting. Being a guy, I didn’t know what to do besides suggest she go behind a tree but we were all from the station and this forest could be packed with predators waiting for easy prey. But if we didn’t stop, she would wet herself and be embarrassed.

“Max.” Grabbing his shoulder broke him out of his thoughts and made him jolt. He glanced at his sister, noticing her discomfort. “I need you to tell Spark to slow down. I can feel my scab reopening and this pace is going to eat up the rest of our energy reserves in seconds.”

Max gave his sister a fleeting glance before running towards the front, pushing through everyone to get there.

“Why did-”

“Go behind this tree.” I cut her off, dropping my bag onto the ground before messaging my throbbing muscles. Carly showed her hesitancy. “I’ll be right here, don’t worry. Go pee.”

She finally nodded before edging behind the tree. As I waited, I recounted over what we had faced since landing and what gave me the most anxiety was the lack of prey animals we had seen. We had encountered two of Earth’s evolutions and only heard the birds, never saw any. What added to it was the faint feeling that we were being followed and imagination had me conjuring up something bigger and meaner than the water serpent.

Stretching, I went to pick my bag up with a slight shake of my head.

“Carly, you done?” There was no answer. I did not like that response, didn’t know what to do. Rubbing a hand over my face, I edged behind the tree to see Carly standing frozen, face pale as she stared in horror up at the trunk. Calling out to her only gave me the response of her twitching fingers. Slowly, I walked up to her and glanced at the tree. What I saw sent a jolt of pain from my wound.

By the way, it clung to the tree’s bark so effortlessly and by the shape of its shiny black armour, I knew this was the creature that had attacked me, crawling under my shirt before sinking rows of teeth into my flesh.

“Nate, what the hell are you doing?” Spark’s angry voice pulled me back to reality, causing me to gasp for breath when I realised, I had been holding it. Spark was by my side in seconds, taking a sharp breath as he took in what had paralysed us.

“Take her hand and slowly back up. We can’t rule out that these things don’t jump.” He clasped my hand as I grabbed at Carly’s, tugging on it to get moving. Fearfully, we did so.

As soon as she saw her brother, Carly bear-hugged him and wailed into his chest. My heart was beating loud in my ears while I still clutched at Spark’s hand like a lifeline. I had remembered and seen the things that attacked me and it frightened me that at any moment, it could have done the same things to Carly. A child should never go through that kind of agony. Even Daniel Speare did not deserve that.

“Nate, we need to keep going,” Spark said softly while letting go of my hand. He touched my shoulder gingerly, my pathetic state making him hesitate, eyes shimmering.

“O-okay.” He tried to smile before leaving.

Small hands took the one Spark had held, making me look down at Carly. Her cheeks and nose were red but she still smiled as she hugged me. Another hand clamped onto my shoulder and squeezed gently.

“We better catch up, huh?” Max came to stand in front of me, acting as if what had happened was nothing compared to my pounding heart. He had already slung his bag over his shoulders and held mine in his hand.

“P-probably...” Taking a deep breath, I touched Carly’s head before she let go so I could take my bag from Max. She came to stand in the middle of us, taking each of our hands, a childish innocence enveloping her as even she had thrown what happened a moment ago into the back of her mind.

“Let’s get going before we get wonderfully lost.”