Chapter twelve:
The beast chases heading towards the direction of the woods.
Mello and Near slow down to a stop as they lose their pursuer in the woods.
Near is slightly hunched over as he pants as Mello puts a hand on a nearby tree as he is also hunched over panting.
They catch their breaths for the most part.
"We did it. We got away." Mello says. "Hey Matt…." He looks up only to trail off when he sees no Matt or Allen.
Near glances around and confirms they are alone as just the two of them somewhere in the woods that seem to have no exit as far as they can see.
"Crap." Mello curses. "We must have lost them when we ran."
"Or they accidently went the wrong way." Near says moving back to his normal standing position.
"Well either way we'll have to hope that they'll be ok until we can regroup." Mello says standing straight and letting go of the tree. "We should be fine."
Near turns to Mello. "Have you had experience surviving out in the woods in your past?" He asks.
Mello blinks and turns to him. "I thought surviving was your thing."
Near slightly glances away. "I'm an expert in street survival since I lived in the streets back where we were. I only know woodland survival from things I have learned like in books." He tells Mello.
Mello runs a hand through his hair with a small sigh. "Just great."
Near raises a hand to twirl his hair and looks to Mello. "I'm sure we'll be fine. With our minds we can figure things out just fine." He says.
"We'll need to figure out a way back to try to find Matt and Allen." Mello says glancing behind himself. "We should try walking back and see if we can find our way out."
Near nods. "Ok that sounds good. Just watch out for beasts."
"I know." Mello slightly snorts.
And the two of them head back in what they believe to be the way they came.
Meanwhile….
Allen puts a hand on a wall of an alleyway as he tries to catch his breath.
Matt leans against the opposite wall trying to catch his breath too. "Whew." He says after he's caught his breath. "We did it." He raises his head. "We made….. It…" He trails off and looks around.
Allen raises his head and sees Matt looking around. "What?"
Matt turns back to Allen. "We lost Mello and Near." He says.
Allen glances around and notices this. "Oh dear." He agrees. "You good at surviving in the city? Cause my expertise is in the woods."
"No." Matt says.
It dawns on the two that they are lost in a place neither of them know hwo to survive well in.
But they aren't alone…
A beast comes over with a growl behind Matt.
Matt slightly slowly turns around. "Aw crap." He curses.
"Get back!" Allen says jumping forward with a lighter lit.
The beast roars and rears back.
Matt watches with wide eyes.
Allen continues to back the beast up. "Go on. Get out of here." He snaps.
The beast roars and Allen brings the flame up higher. The beast runs off.
"I didn't know the beasts weakness was fire." Matt says.
"They are only scared of it. It isn't a kill thing unless you find a way to burn them alive. They are not flammable. I tried when I found out they were scared of fire." Allen explains no longer lighting the lighter.
"We should find some more lighters." Matt says then he turns and whines slightly as he puts a hand slightly to his head. "Must….. Have….. Video games."
Allen puts a hand on Matts shoulder getting the red head to look to him. "Think of this whole thing as a video game. New advanced video game and you are in it with only one life." He says with a smile. "Lets go."
Matt looks amazed then nods determined. "Yeah!" He jumps in the sir throwing a fist up.
Allen takes the lead as they begin first trying to get out of the alley way.
They find an exit and cautiously peer out finding the abandoned streets….. though neither of them actually know where they are. They slip out and look around. "This way!" They say at the same time pointing in opposite directions.
"Um." Matt turns and Allen also turns as their hands almost go to their sides.
Which way do they go? Neither is sure and they are lost.
Of course Mello and Near are faring no better.
They've been walking through the woods for the past while… But no place to exit out of these woods.
"Damn it." Mello curses as they stop to try to get redirected…. But the woods almost all look the same in every direction…. No path….. No more open area on one side or the other.
Just trees and everything else woods hold.
"This is getting us anywhere." Mello grumbles.
Near glances to the sky. "Its about late afternoon." He says looking at the sky. "We should probably rest for a moment." He adds looking back to Mello.
"Probably." Mello says with a small sigh. "This is just so damn frustrating." He plops down into a sitting position with a slight huff.
"We'll find them." Near says as he also sits down only to remove his back pack.
"How can you be so sure?" Mello asks as he too takes off his back pack.
Near's eyes flicker from his own back pack to Mello then he looks back to his back pack as he opens it. "Have you lost faith in us finding them?" He asks.
"No. I'm just being realistic." Mello says.
"Matt knows when to run and Allen is also smart. I'm sure they'd be fine. If they happen to be stuck in town the worst they could do is run to a dead end." Near says as he digs through his bag. "Have faith."
Mello looks to Near silent for a few moments before he blinks then answers. "Ok." He says a little quietly.
Near smiles softly and looks to Mello. "Good. Now can you grab some sticks so we can start a fire."
Mello frowns at that. "I don't take orders." He says. "But why? We aren't staying."
"I thought Mello would be hungry so I was going to make something." Near responds pausing in his digging in his bag.
Mello blinks. "You? Cook?"
"Living on the streets has its perks that way." Near tells the blonde. "A taught me to cook."
"Ah I see." Mello nods.
"I'm not ordering you to grab sticks for a fire." Near then says as he looks back to his bag as he continues digging. "I'm asking if you could."
Mello pauses a moment then he gets up and walks closer to Near. He drops his bag by the other and Near glances to him only for Mello to walk past Near heading to where some sticks are.
Near turns back to what he's doing as he finds things he can work with to make something.
Mello collects firewood from sticks to anything else they can burn with as little smoke as possible. He puts some of it in a pile then the rest away from the pile and grabs two rocks from his bag to start the fire. He gets a spark to ignite the pile and with a little blowing as encouragement he gets the fire started.
Near looks to him when hears the crackling of the fire. "Thank you Mello." He says.
"Yeah." Mello says moving back to not get burned.
Near uses sticks, wetting them with a little water from a water bottle making sure not to use much but enough to keep them from burning, making a stand so he can cook. He begins and Mello watches as Near starts cooking their meal.
The blonde watches for a little bit then wonders if he should help.
"If you want to take a nap you can." Near suddenly says. "It won't be done in a few minutes."
Mello opens his mouth about to protest but Near senses Mello is going to protest.
"I'll wake you if something happens and or when the food is done." Near tells him as he continues his cooking.
Mello looks to Near's face. "There's no talking you out of it is there?" He asks.
Near gives a knowing smile to Mello.
Mello doesn't need a verbal answer as he sighs slightly. "Fine but you had better wake me no matter how small something is." He lays down on the ground and puts an arm under his head as a pillow. "Promise me that."
"I promise." Near says. "Now get some rest."
Mello watches Near for a few moments longer then he makes his eyes close as he tries to get some rest.
Near just continues his cooking.
Mello feels something isn't right and he opens his eyes. He finds he is alone, no fire or fire wood pile and most importantly no Near.
It's as if there is absolutely nothing.
He sits up quickly almost passing out from sitting up so fast. "Near?" He starts to feel worry rise up in his stomach as he looks around the dimly lit forest. He gets to his feet and turns his body looking to what is now behind himself. His eyes widen slightly when he sees some blood on the tree. He moves closer to it and gently touches some of his finger tips to the bark right by the blood.
There isn't much but it's enough to be noticed like a small paint stroke from a fat brush.
He turns looking more frantically. "Near!?" He begins walking around looking for any sign of the other. "NEAR!?" He spots some on another tree and realizes it's a trail. He quickly follows it as he hopes that he isn't too late. He picks up the pace from jogging to running as he continues to follow the trial. "Hey Near!" He tries calling out to the other. "Matt? Allen? Anyone?"
No response so he continues to follow the trail.
A light is up ahead and it looks like the exit out of here as two trees almost look like an archway.
He runs through it even though he can't see what's on the other side.
The trail also includes one of the trees making the archway.
He slows a little as he steps out into the open where the sun is shining. He brings a hand up squinting at the bright sunlight streaming it's powerful warm rays down onto the Earth below. He blinks a few times before his eyes adjust then his eyes widen in horror as well as blur with tears.
There not far from him is the bodies of Near and Matt in a clearing that looks kind of like the one he and Near took a break in from their exploration of the woods trying to find a way out.
Near is leaning against a tree with his back to it as he seems to be sitting in a hunched position that Mello can still see his face. He has roots on either side of him from the tree as if to be snuggled in. He has a cut on his throat with some blood splatter probably from the wound on his shirt.
Matt on the other hand is laying on his stomach arms on either side of his head but low enough that Mello can see his face as his head is turned towards the blonde.
Mello can't see the wound that killed Matt.
Both of them have their eyes closed and Mello brings his hand to his mouth in horror and sorrow.
"No…." He shakes his head in disbelief as he takes a step back. "No….. No… No. No! NO!" He yells out as tears fall down his face and he flings his head back as he cries out. He falls to his knees sobbing and lowers his head only to bring his hands to his face crying into them.
"Mello." Near's voice suddenly speaks softly.
Mello pauses then quickly looks tearfully up in hope.
Near's lifeless looking eyes are looking at him. "Mello." He repeats still softly.
"N-Near?" Mello slightly chokes on a sob as he starts to get up watching Near.
"Mello." Near repeats but his eyes remain lifeless.
Mello blinks as things start to shift as everything seems to start to fade as it starts to become just them.
"Mello!" Near's voice becomes a little louder and his eyes continue to stare lifelessly at Mello's own.
"Near!" Mello gets up and starts to run towards Near. "Near! Don't leave me alone!" He reaches towards Near in desperation. "Don't let me lose both of you!"
"MELLO!" Near's voice shouts and Mello's eyes snap open finding himself laying down with his arm as a pillow.
AN:
I hope it was good. I had a good idea for the last part of this chapter but I started writing it only to forget it. Total sad face but I hope it was good anyways.
Awesome reviewers there is still the box for more reviews including for all of you who want to review!
But be warned!
Flamers will be used to make hot chocolate!
Mello.