"How many exits left in the radius?" wicker spoke into the radio. Shifting his jaw side to side impatiently.
"were about to blow the last few in a minute. All that will leave is the funnel." a soldier replied.
"good, once all the exits are closed head down. Scare them towards it and I'll take the shots from the high cliffs." wicker ended the call with. A large crate sitting nearby with large clips. He turned around to unclip the crate open. Pulling out a long dark red sniper rifle from the snug foam padding. Opening a second box nearby filled with large silver rings of ammo. Snapping them into a large under compartment resembling a tube around 5 inches wide around.
"you sure this was the best one from the lab?" wicker asked with a neutral expression toward a soldier.
"yes sir, custom built. Made specifically to take any bullets available, that includes different types like shotgun shells, loaded clips or belts. silencer attachment, automatic filter scope to switch between day and night vision through even the most drastic changes of light in the environment. Can even shoot after being drowned in water for hours. The perfect traveling assault for any range." the soldier spoke off proudly over the weapon.
"heh, I've hear this thing was even built to work under pressure. After it breaks it can still perfectly fire ammunition. Although it's not marked as solid in testing." the soldier smiled.
"so why haven't these been released to the field if their so perfect?" wicker asked.
"the firepower can blow limbs right off the body, but it gives a nasty kickback. Hasn't been properly suppressed yet. You must be thorough on locking it down or backing it against something solid. Or else you'll end up with broken shoulders, ribs, and even spinal fractures." the soldier warned.
"fucking perfect." wicker growled at the news.
"it comes with a portable shoulder brace. Small, easily adjustable, locks to the rifle to act like a stand against anything. Lean against a tree with the brace on it and it'll spread the kick to the tree. It doesn't entirely stop the possibility of bone breakage, but lessens the amount caused." the soldier continued.
"lock it to the ground before firing." the soldier reminded as he handed over the large shoulder brace from a side compartment in the guns casing.
"don't bother with the return paperwork. I love this thing far too much already." wicker grinned widely with a crooked smile. Snapping on the shoulder brace before locking the gun to it.
"fuck, they've blocked this too." Val cursed at the wall of towering rubble.
"any more?" Blake asked quietly. They had been traveling everywhere the entire day with the sky turning orange from the sunset. Each pathway being blocked off from explosions causing a rock pile.
"yes, only a few more. Otherwise were going to have to climb our way out." Val spoke with mixed exhausted aggravation. Their heads turning toward a loud pop from behind them. Blake having a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach at the sight of a red flare.
"what's that?" Val asked in a tense tone of worry.
"a flare, used to signal for help. Or to help light up an area for search." Blake spoke with a heavy swallow. More flares blasting high into the air in a circle formation around the pair.
"they must have seen us!" Blake spoke quickly to Val.
"follow me and stay close." Val told him as she hurried off toward the closest exit. Blakes heart racing as he followed. Seeing the many beams of flashlights surrounding them closing in. he began to feel sick at the flashes of being chased in Templegate. All the lights looking for him, shining between trees or into the windows.
His lack of attention almost knocking Val down after she stopped. She turned to make sure he was on his feet before pulling him to follow in a direction away from oncoming men. Val letting go of him as they passed into the narrow valley way. The sheer tall sides of the rocky cliffs blocking the light from the remaining sun and the falling red flares behind them. Vals running slowing to a stop while quickly looking over the area.
"why are you stopping?" Blake asked through his wheezing.
"they stopped." Val stated, looking back at the long row of standing flashlights aimed at the valley entrance.
"so, shouldn't we keep going?" he wheezed.
"no, this was something I used to do. Somethings waiting ahead for us." she stated, cautiously walking forward with quiet steps. Blake following her lead while nervously looking ahead. The whole forest being eerily silent besides there steps through the gravel. Val not walking far before stopping again.
"if we keep going we'll be out in the open. There's no trees ahead with a white rapids river forcing us against one wall." she informed Blake.
"what do we do then?" Blake asked, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.
"only two, run against the wall till we make the corner far ahead. Or jump into the river, right past the trees, with the risk of drowning." Val stated.
"can you swim?" she asked.
"yeah, I do that pretty well." Blake nodded.
"if we end up in the river we have to meet someplace. Past the rapids, down the river, is a lake. You cant accidentally pass it if you get stuck in the river. River gets too shallow past the lake to be swept further." she carefully informed. Blake nodded as he listened carefully to the directions.
"are they in the funnel?!" wicker growled impatiently over the radio. Sitting at the cliffs edge with the sniper rifle locked into the dirt. long retractable metal rods extending out from the bottom.
"yes sir, we chased them in. must be stopped in the middle ground." a man answered.
"scare them, move forward. Shoot a few rounds to get them moving." wicker sighed impatiently. Watching the treeline through the night vision scope.
"yes sir." the man spoke. Gesturing for the line of armed men to follow him forward.
"time to make a decision. River or chance the wall." Val stated as she saw the flashlights moving closer.
"river gets us away faster." Blake stated quickly. Val giving a confirming nod as they went forward.
Blakes heart jumping into his throat at the open space ahead. Rushing river water drowning out their footsteps.
"l-let me go forward." Blake spoke, stopping Val to get in front of her. Taking a nervous breath as he slowly peaked out past the trees.
A tree suddenly having a chunk blasted away by Blakes head. Splinters raining down over the two before they hid behind another tree. Blake peeking out to just see the massive damage caused to the tree. The large trunk bearing a rounded hole at its side the size of a basketball.
"fuck, do they have a cannon?!" Blake exclaimed.
"fuuuuck!" wicker roared out in pain. A crackling sounding out from a snapped collar bone. Shifting the gun to move it away from the broken bone.
"sir, do you want one of us to-" a soldier began to offer.
"back off! Wicker roared.
"only i am taking this kill!" he thought in his head, ready to fire again.
"move faster so I can get this over with!" he shouted into his radio. Angrily throwing it to the side.
"we have to make a run for it." Val breathed. The circling men drawing dangerously close. Blake nodding nervously in agreement.
"ill go first." he breathed, getting ready to run. Bolting out only 5 feet till a blast had him fall back. Rock and gravel flying in all directions from the ground. A ditch left behind just in front of Blake. Vals heart jumped into her chest having her bolt out to yank Blake of the ground to run again. Just being missed by another shot at there heels.
After Blake was up and running the two spread from each other. Blasts switching between the two stirring up large amounts of dust. The dust buying momentary seize of fire till Blake made it into the water. Slipping deep to reach a large rock to hide behind.
"val!" he yelled. Chest tightening at the realization she was gone. Looking around frantically to make sure she wasn't laying dead anywhere. Unable to get a full look by a bullet ricocheting off the rock he was holding onto. Scaring him into letting go as sparks flew over him.
He panicked with the rushing water yanking him away. Wave after wave of rushing water pounding him down to the rocky floor. He tried desperately to grab anything he could to stop himself. Everything being far too slippery with water or slick algae to get a grip.
"fucking piece of shit!" wicker roared, standing to his feet with the gun as he watched Blake escape down the stream. Having both escape with nothing to show for it, but a broken collar bone, dislocated shoulder, and two fractured ribs.
"I'm getting at least one!" he shouted out over the cliff edge. Standing tall to aim the rifle down toward Blake. All the soldier behind him having their eyes go wide at the sight.
"sir don't-!" one soldier shouted as he ran to stop wicker. Not making it in time as wicker released a shot. The un-suppressed kick throwing him off his feet to slam him hard back into the ground. Sickening crunches ringing out all over as he landed. The gun itself managing just to miss his rib cage, creating a deep dent into the hard dirt. The metal twisting at the impact to create a large crack along the barrels end.
Wicker letting out screeches and cries of uncontrolled pain. Managing to roll onto his side in pain to shakily snap the shoulder brace off. Looking down at the gun in seething anger. Throwing it off the cliff edge after seeing the cracked barrel. The site of a million dollar gun being tossed away having the soldiers panic.
"what did you do that for?!" one asked.
"the barrel twisted till it split, its a hunk of junk now." wicker hissed in pain as a group slowly helped him up.
"we could have fix it! The CEO's going to be pissed-" another started.
"she is not going to find out about this, you hear me! If I hear anything about her finding out all of you will pay!" he shouted, yanking the speaker down by his caller. Despite the massive pain it caused him.
Blake reached out desperately for the hundredth time. Managing to grab onto the top of a large rock. He gasped for a deep breath of air while clawing his way out of the water. Collapsing on the rocky river shore with a wheeze of breath. He laid there exhausted on the rocks till he caught his breath. Shivering from the cold as he rose from the ground. Leaning against a large rock to wring out his clothes. Wiping off his glasses of all the built up water.
"fuck!" Blake shouted as he saw his wet food bag. Pulling it out to pour the ruined food into the river.
"okay, Val said to meet at the lake." the rivers calming down here, can't be far." he mumbled with a shiver. Unsteadily walking with the great urge to get away from the area.
"hope they're far behind." Blake breathed out as he walked through the darkness. Staying close by the rivers edge. Speeding up his walk when he heard howling behind him further up the river.
"shit!" he thought, running to the forest. Gathering supplies for a fire as fast as he could. Making a shoddy torch that could barely stay alight from all the water he dripped onto it.
Keeping a hand by it as he hurried to find some sort of shelter in the area. Fearfully running thru the dark forest with the sound of rustling running up behind him. Stopping at the glimpse of a corner of a wood building. Quickly running up to it to look for a doorway. Seeing a large water wheel on the side with logs at the top of the square building.
"saw mill?" Blake thought, tossing his dead torch to the side to climb the waterwheel. Standing at the top to catch his breath.
"stay here till morning, then travel down river." he thought. Suddenly startled by a hand on his shoulder.
"blake." Val spoke, helping him calm down.
"geeze, thought you were shot!. Didn't see you get to the water. You okay?" he spoke while calming down. Ending with a question of concern.
"i wasn't hit, thought you were though. Saw the sparks go by your head at that rock." she tiredly sighed.
"no, I made it okay. Heard wolves not to far though right out of the water. The emergency food in my bag was ruined. Ran here afterwards … what is this?" he asked, feeling exhausted after all the stress.
"old saw mill, didn't know it was here. Or at least that it existed after all these years. It was made when Templegate was first being built. Knoth always talked about this place to preserve it. Like a founding father building of sorts to "preserve Templegate history". Glad to know its rotting to the ground now." Val spoke, kicking a rotting board off the roof.
"pretty far to collect logs from." Blake stated.
"mother said they tried building along another lake, but the ground flooded every rain. Shifted the land far too much between rain and droughts." she explained, sitting down.
"are we going to wait here till morning? Should we make a fire?" he asked, sitting down himself.
"wolfs around here won't let us get far. don't want to be seen by that gunman again. They might follow the river and pass us by tonight. All that's left is to sleep till morning." she spoke.
"would be nice to have a fire right now." he shivered.
"sleep close if you want to stay warm." Val suggested, laying close by him. Blake hesitantly laying down after a minute of thought. Falling asleep the minute he closed his eyes.
The next morning he awoke being back to back with Val. Getting up with a stretch while wincing at the rising sun.
"no sign of the men." he thought,looking carefully at his surroundings. Suffering a minor heart attack when he saw Vals back covered in blood.
"val?!" he spoke with worry at the thought of her being dead. Calming down as he saw her breathing. He looked over her finding the blood a deep red surrounding the old bullet wound. He swallowed as he pressed on the area. Trying to get a look through the bullet hole left in her shirt over the spot. Val sitting up with a painful hiss as the sensitive spot was pressed. She glared at him with a look demanding answers to his action.
"you have a lot of blood on you. The stitches must have popped." Blake stated, highly concerned over the wound. Val stood up to pull her shirt a bit more to the side to see her back better. Gasping in surprise at the mass amount of blood. She rushed down to the ground back to the water without a word to Blake.
"wait, don't run!" he yelled to her. Worried she may bleed out after so much blood loss. Running after her to the water. Watching her stand there, unclothed, to examine the wound using the water as a mirror to even see it. Blake stood there wanting to offer help, but he was sure of what her answer was going to be.
"let me look at it." he spoke gently.
"no." she stood firm.
"you cant even reach it!" he snapped. Seeing how she wasn't using her arm with the hurt shoulder like usual. Holding it close to her chest as if it were broken. Wincing when ever she had the shoulder blade twitch near the wound. He didn't even get an answer from her that time.
"are you sure you got the bullet out?" he repeated the question with a confronting tone.
"yes." she spoke through gritted teeth. Beginning to carefully wash the blood off her back.
"somethings wrong if its not healing." he insisted.
"the stitches are just popped." she waved off. Scrubbing her clothes next of the large bloodstain. Keeping the arm on the wounded half stiff in movement.
"and there was absolutely no scabbing of any kind? The wolf bite in my leg is a bigger hole and its almost completely shut!" he continued, knowing she was still ignoring him as she scrubbed at the blood with her hand.
"... you said I needed to learn how to take care of myself. Let this be a lesson about how to treat wounds. Let me look at it!" he insisted.
"oh yes, let you carve into my shoulder. What a wonderful idea." she spoke sarcastically while scrubbing.
" ...was the bullet in one piece when you got it out?" he asked, not knowing what else he could possibly suggest. Val closing her eyes with a pause followed by a defeated sigh.
"...no." she stated.
"maybe there's one piece left that's deep. I can pull it out at least." he offered gently. Val was quiet for a time to think, taking a long deep breath before nodding. Getting redressed to go sit on a large rock on shore. Keeping the upper half of her clothes hanging low for Blake to see the wound clearly. When he approached he noticed multiple scars covering her skin. Old claw marks by human hands, possible knife scars, some being large enough to create an obvious dip, along with recognizable burn marks scattered all over. He gently looked into the wound, noticing multiple silver shards glinting from the light.
"i need to find something I can use for tweezers. There are a bunch of shards I can see that are pretty deep." he said, not saying anything about carving into it. He didn't want to scare Val right at the start.
"use a pair of cactus needles. Just make sure not to have them get stuck too." she spoke to him. Blake nodding before going on a small hunt nearby. Looking over a few cacti till spotting one with thick long needles. Carefully picking two from the tough hide to return with.
Carefully looking into the wound again as he slipped the cactus needles in. plucking out one small shard resembling a jagged triangle. The next one took a bit of shifting to unhook the long jagged piece. Val hissing and tensing at the pain of metal being pulled from her. The last shard was the most difficult. It looked small, but as Blake began pulling it just kept coming. A large shard with multiple edges slicing through like a razor blade. Once free the blood pooled out of the deep wound. Blake taking a guess that the big piece was possibly shredding through with every movement. The point of Val throwing dust having pushed it deeper from the action.
"all the pieces are out." he announced happily.
"wonderful." Val spoke through the aching pain in her shoulder.
"get me my bag so I can make the paste for the hole." she breathed.
"i can make it." he offered. Getting a raised head of acceptance from Val.
"ill measure and show you what they do. You can mix and spread it." she stated as he grabbed her bag to bring it over. Her digging through it for the first plant.
"if your applying it to an open wound, you only want just enough to spread a thin layer. If your going to eat it. Treatments you eat must be taken as a tea or raw. Application to wounds needs to be a paste texture, excluding burns which can be solved with aloe vera. There are rare cases where you'll need to make an oil from a plant.
First thing is this." she explained, holding up a small plant with many tiny white flowers.
"this can stop bleeding along with preventing infection. This will be the base for many wound mixtures. Next is lavender, that helps the inflammation go down." she continued, adding a bit of purple flower petals to the small hand pile.
"and the wild lettuce shoots which you eat to relieve pain. Eat them raw, or cook them to reduce the flavor." she said, eating into the shoot as she handed over the other herbs.
"mix that with a splash of water till it turns to a paste, then spread. Don't add too much water or you'll dilute the herbs. Too much water also makes the paste fallout." she instructed. Waiting as Blake carefully grinded the herbs down with a few rocks. Making sure he made it similar to how Val created it.
Returning with the finished paste to apply. Quickly cleaning the blood away before spreading the paste into the wound. The blood slowly stopping its slow pour from the wound.
"now are the stitches. Just two will be enough." she informed, setting up the needle and thread for him.
"you know how to sow?" she asked.
"a little, I've fixed a few holes in my clothes before." he spoke, examining the stitching needle. Carefully sowing the wound shut with an X crossing the wound shut. Tying it off with double knots to prevent it from coming loose. Biting the needle free from the tie to hand it back.
"at the lake I can teach you how to fish." she said while putting the hook away.
"did you used to teach your followers all this?" Blake asked curiously.
"i tried at first, but it was more trouble than it's worth." she sighed when she stood to walk out of the water. Setting her clothes back into place at the shore.
"why?" he questioned.
"just because they left Knoth, doesn't mean they were any more loyal to me. All of them were used to living just above dirt in rank. Everyone wanted a piece of the leader at one point. Get there pound of flesh from one another to feel better. Immediate satisfaction was what they wanted after being deprived for so long.
When I had to sleep I always had to sneak away and hide. Taking chances by sleeping with someone wasn't working well anymore. I had to be aggressive about everything. Gave up on herb collecting after being unable to leave my clan for a moment. Every time I was gone for longer than 5 minutes everyone fought for my place.
We weren't any better off then Templegate. You happened to catch a rare ceremony, most the time its pure survival. Fighting for food, fighting to keep your place, or just fighting for entertainment. Without medicine things had to be strict, in line, to keep them alive. You got sick you were cast out, too injured had you be put out of your mercy. After a few were put into the fire things were under control for the most part.
They stopped fighting over every little thing, but that left me as the only mark for their anger. Had to be careful who I walked with. Couldn't talk to anyone about anything that could show weakness. Took them out for knoths men to satisfy their blood lust. I saw the poison affecting them overtime making them worse." she spoke as they walked along the rocky shore down river.
"and the poison didn't affect you?" Blake asked rhetorically with a look of skepticism.
"it did, I don't deny it." she spoke honestly.
"did … like it still doesn't." he picked at her words.
" it … doesn't. … Not as much as it used to." Val spoke with difficulty on explaining.
"how so?" Blake pushed.
" … it's … you saw the darkness to didn't you? … you were their longer … didn't you feel different after waking? Like something deep inside left you. Pain,lust, or a deep anger?" she tried explaining.
"the pressure." he thought with a heavy swallow. He did feel different, drastically different. All throughout Templegate he felt sick followed closely by a burning anger or fear. He assumed it was the environment he trudged through. The stench of rot everywhere he went. People trying to kill him left and right. Chased into barbed wire, cacti, slaughter houses, an area of pure disease coated land.
"experiment, control tower, storm, that factory on the river." he thought, remembering the soldiers talking outside temple gate before they rushed in.
"have you seen a metal tower?" he asked Val.
"the one by the factory." she answered.
"i guess it doesn't matter now. I think the factory was doing something, it wasn't just poison. It drove people just as mad though with what they were doing." he spoke.
"how long do you think it went on?" she asked.
"when do you remember the poison coming?" he asked back.
"i am not sure. that was many, many, years ago." she spoke.
"ready to fish?" she asked, gesturing to the lake in front of them. Cracked layered earth surrounding its edges suggesting it used to be bigger before multiple droughts.
"sure." he nodded.
"first we got to find bugs. Or at least something to attract them. Small leaves floating at the surface can trick them temporarily." she informed, plucking a few tiny leaves from a nearby brush.
"actually, with the large rocks spread around. We mite be able to catch some crayfish between them. Those don't need bait, as long as your fast enough." she spoke while walking over to a cluster of rocks. Climbing up one to walk across the others while searching the shallow water.
"found one." she spoke as she slipped closer down to the water. Reaching in with no hesitation to yank out the crawdad by its tail. Quickly tossing it over to the shore by Blake.
"grab it." she told him with a smile.
"shouldn't I be grabbing them from the water? I seriously doubt ill be fishing for them on land." he looked to her with raised eyebrows. Followed by a gesture of throwing his arm up for more trust on gathering food.
"grab that one first before it walks away." Val continued smiling at him. pointing at the small lobster looking thing fleeing back for the water. Blake gave both an annoyed look before reaching toward it. The crawdad stopping to spread is claws aggressively toward the hand.
"grab by the middle, not the front." Val warned with amusement as she watched.
"i know!" Blake grumbled as he attempted to grab the small thing. The creature snapping its craws while walking backwards from Blakes hand. Getting frustrated at the small snaps he reached and grabbed it. Barely taking it by the middle, with a painful reminder he should have, with a hard pinch at his skin.
"ow, shit!" he shouted, trying to pull the thing off his hand. Hearing Val laugh from the rocks not making him feel any better. He examined the pinched skin once the crawdad was removed. A bruised dark mark with a small amount of blood dripping.
"you need to practice with them on land before trying in water." Val smiled at him happily.
"catching them in the water would be easier. I can grab better from a more above view over water." he spoke with an agitated tone.
"show me then. You can catch us breakfast." she challenged.
"fine, move!" he growled, trudging through the shallow water.
"your scaring them by walking through the water." she pointed out, getting a dismissive wave from Blake. He walked around the rocks slowly looking for more crawdads. Slipping between two rocks when he let out a hiss of pain.
"ah!" he yelped with a tight wince.
"step on one?" Val teased with a smile.
"no, I was cut on a branch or something." he spoke, reaching down till he grabbed something strange. Yanking it up to see a long sleek dark red metal. Blakes eyes going wide as he pulled a large gun from under the water.
"looks like a strange hunting rifle." Val spoke, examining the object in Blakes hands.
"it's a sniper rifle, used for war. It's definitely different though with how big it is." he spoke while examining it.
"dry it off, it could still work." she suggested, taking the gun from him.
"no way with that cracked barrel. Probably why who ever tossed it." he spoke while returning to look for crawdads. Val walking over the rocks back to land to aim it at the rocky shore at her feet.. Blake sucking in a startled breath at a large crack into the rocks flinging pieces in different directions. Looking back to Val holding the smoking gun with a smirk.
"still works." she smiled at him.