Chapter three:
The three freeze where they are and begin glancing around to see if they can see if it was just one of them or not.
No one seems to be around them so they relax only a very small bit then continue on their way.
Almost at the door… And there!
Mello opens the door a little and peers out.
Outside there is some people from the orphanage obviously under control or have been replaced along with some sort of scaly beast like things that look like an ugly mix of crab, beast and human.
They have the little legs and body of the crab, that is enlarged to fit their much bigger body; they also have two slightly longer little legs that seem to be three fingered hands as they have legs that look to be in the same way but the legs are longer and they have holes for their mouth with little legs all around the hole as if to act as some kind of lips maybe teeth as well. Their eyes seem to be small but they have four eyes though Mello can't see the color of them and their scales are quite a dark brown in color.
Mello takes a step back. "They're out there." He hisses quietly.
Near moves forward to take a look as scaredy-cat Matt is cowering by the two.
"Maybe we should try the backdoor or something." Mello looks back the way they came.
"No. It's too risky and if we try that we will be more likely to become trapped. At least outside we have more space to run." Near counters as he glances back to the other two.
Mello grumbles about Near.
Near looks back outside. "This is going to be risky but our best hope is to charge straight out." He says.
Matt looks around them. "What if we snuck out a window?" He asks looking to the other two.
There is a monster like roar somewhere behind them.
"No time." Near says. "Let's go." He dashes out going as fast as he can to get past the enemies.
Mello and Matt dash after him and the three of them don't run in a straight line as they need to dodge the attempts of capture from the enemies.
The three run towards the gate.
"We'll have to climb it." Near says and skids to a stop before crashing into it.
Matt begins climbing with Mello also starting so there is one on each gate since the two gate doors are locked together.
Near glances back to their pursuers then turns and begins climbing closer to the middle.
Mello and Matt are getting close to the top when Near gasps in slight surprise. They stop and look back to see that one of the beasts have grabbed one of Near's legs.
Near looks down and uses his other foot to try to kick the beast off as it tries to climb up him as well as trying to drag Near down. He holds on as tight as he can to try to keep the beast from dragging him down.
Mello closes his eyes for a second then he opens them knowing what must be done. He heads back down towards Near. He stops beside Near and slams his foot into the monsters face, like Near had been doing, at the same time as Near which knocks the beast off. "Go." He commands.
Near follows the command and the two begin climbing again.
Matt climbs over the other side then jumps down now outside of the orphanages grounds.
But Mello and Near are still climbing as the people taken over or replaced by the beasts as well as the beasts begin climbing after them like a swarm.
Mello slightly pushes Near up more hurrying him up as the pale boy is at the top.
Near hurriedly climbs over the top then hops down to the ground.
Mello follows soon after.
"Thank you for helping me Mello." Near says.
"Don't think this makes us friends." Mello responds in warning.
Near smiles softly. "Of course."
"Guys. Their coming!" Matt says fearful.
"Right let's go." Mello says and the three of them begin running again in hopes of escaping.
Then suddenly just as they thought they were going to get a good distance ahead that's when in front of them the towns people and more beasts are heading for them making them skid to a stop.
"To the trees. It'll be harder for them to follow." Mello says heading for wooded area.
The other two follow after him and they enter the wooded area.
There is the sounds of the beasts and the people they took over or have replaced trying to come after them the best they can as they continue dashing through the wooded area.
The three of them are panting and feeling tired but not daring to slow down until they are a good enough distance away.
The forest sinks into darkness as the sun is set so their path is only now lit by the moonlight.
They burst out into a small area where the three of them can rest like seen in movies. They then slow to a stop to rest as well as glance back to see if they can see or hear if they are far enough away.
There's some beast roaring making them tense wondering if they should run but then there's sounds of things running away from them as they sound too big to be just squirrels or rabbits.
This makes the three relax as it's obvious it's their enemies making those sounds.
They settle to sit on the ground to catch their breaths and rest.
"Were those the beast you saw?" Mello asks Near.
Near nods but then remembers Mello might not be able to see him. "Yes." He confirms. "They are."
"Alright. We have no idea how many we are facing but they have enough to turn the town and the orphanage into their slaves unless they replaced them. I don't understand their plan but it is obviously not good." Mello says.
"What if they want to collect us humans to feast on us!?" Matt says in panic.
"Whatever the reason is we cannot allow them to take us." Near says.
The other two mummer in agreement then they all go silent for a few moments.
Matt shivers. "It's kind of chilly."
It's true as the night air brings about the cool temperatures.
Mello shifts around and finds some sticks. He puts them in a pile then looks around for some rocks. He picks up two and strikes them together making sure they'll create sparks. He then goes to the pile in the middle of the three of them and strikes the rocks together over and over until a small fire is started. He puts the rocks down as he lowers himself to blow on the small fire to get it going.
Soon it gets going giving them light to see each other as well as giving heat.
Mello straightens after a little of blowing just to get it started. He backs off. "Find any wood or anything we can burn that doesn't create much smoke. We need a pile to keep it going."
The other two nod and the three of them search around until they find what they are looking for adding it into a pile a safe distance from the fire.
Once they have an ok pile they take a break from that to sit around the fire in silence as they all are just thinking.
Mello sighs softly after a few moments of the crackling of the flames being the only sound they can hear.
"What if we're the last ones… The only survivors left….. The only humans left?" Matt wonders out loud.
"Then we continue fighting." Near says. "We try to defeat these beasts. There's really nothing else we really can do."
There's sounds of agreement then silence again.
"We should get some rest." Mello says.
"But what if those things come back!?" Matt says with wide fearful eyes at Mello as the blonde curls up bringing his knees to his chest with his arms around his legs.
"We'll take turns keeping watch." Mello says glancing to Matt.
Matt nods and glances back to the fire as he is facing in a south direction with a log behind him. He then lets his legs stretch out a little while making sure to stay a safe distance from the fire. He glances to Mello then to Near before looking to the fire with a small smile. "It's still kind of cold." He says then reaches over pulling Mello who is on his left over to him so the blonde is laying against the red head while the red head has an arm around him. He turns to Near. "Near." He says.
"I'm ok." Near says bringing his knees towards his chest.
Matt can't stop his small smile staying on his lips. "Come here." He leans over and grabs Near pulling him in like Mello so now the three of them are cuddled together with Matt being the one mostly sitting up out of the three of them. He looks from one to the other. "No matter what, we are a group now. We need each other now more than ever." He says as the two look up to him.
Then Mello and Near glance to each other.
Matt looks up gazing past the fire and the other two glance back up to him. "I'll take first watch. I won't be able to really sleep anyways. I'm too scared. You two will be better at outdoor surviving than me so we need you two to be rested up so you can be all good to help us survive."
Mello and Near spare another glance to each other.
Near gives a small smile then closes his eyes slightly curling up against Matt. "As long we have each other we will be fine." He says.
Mello watches Near for a few moments then he forces his eyes away.
There's just so much to try to wrap their heads around at the moment.
He just silently closes his eyes finding himself more tired than he thought he'd be as he slips into the dream world.
Matt looks down to the two sleeping figures curled up against him. He smiles a little wider at this. "Goodnight Mello. Goodnight Near." He says a little softly in a happy voice as he looks to each when he speaks. He watches them for a few moments longer then he looks up staring off into the darkness watching and listening for danger. He reaches over and adds some more fuel from their pile when needed as he is careful to not wake the other two.
The eerie silence besides the crackling of the fire surrounds letting Matt who is the only one awake between the three of them listen to it.