He figured it was normal, they’d become extremely close in the last couple of weeks. Neither had anyone waiting for them, and so he’d let himself feel. He didn’t want to push himself on her though, but he could tell that she was also attracted to him. He put that thought aside for now, since they needed to be on their guard going to camp. She carried the stone knife in her back pocket, and he told her to keep it dry, since if the leather got wet, the stone would come out.
“I think when you make your stoneware, that you make a bowl that we can boil resin in. Then maybe pour that over the handle of your knife and see if it will harden. That way, you won’t have to worry about the stone dropping out.” He suggested.
“I never thought of that, now I’m really excited to make the stoneware. If we pass any pools, lets check the mud there.”
“Don’t you think you should weave a basket to put it in?” he joked and she punched him playfully in his arm. He waggled his eyebrows at her and made her laugh.
They walked in silence for some time, it was usually their way to remain quiet so as not to give off their position. They stopped and ate berries and found more clusters of wild grapes, though these were a bit more sour, but refreshing. He took note that she was also wrapping quite a few bunches in large leaves and putting them into her pack. His brow went up in question.
“I’m taking them some for maybe a trade. They gave us some of the medicine, the antibiotic ointment and the aspirin. Maybe they have something we could use, like wire for trapping, if not, a nice gift doesn’t hurt, so give them food.” She said softly, looking around the forest.
“Good idea, the grass snares don’t really hold the prey.”
“Or the prey eats the grass snares.” She laughed and rolled her eyes.
“At least we have plenty of snakes, I’ve been trying to get all the venomous ones around our cave. Don’t want to stumble onto one in the middle of the night when I need to take a leak.”
“Yeah, I appreciate that too. It is unnerving to walk up on a snake anyway, but when you know it could kill you with one bite, that kind of makes you wet yourself.” She said blushing. He laughed and figured she was talking from experience but didn’t comment on it. He was more intimate with her than he’d ever been with Becka. They had spent more time together as well. It was a forced togetherness though.
There was no place for him to go, and he didn’t mind it. It felt natural. It had always been a production with Becka, planning this or that. When things didn’t work out, she got mad and would pout and then they’d fight. He never felt like fighting with Sarah, they seemed to be synced up. His eyes drifted over to her once more. He couldn’t seem to help himself.
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After nearly three hours, they paused at the waterfall, drank and washed their faces. They continued walking and turned to head downward to the main camp when Grayson stepped out into their path and Sarah nearly screamed when she saw him, he was so filthy, his dark hair matted, his face haggard, though not from hunger and she could smell him from four feet away. She felt Aiden’s arm around her and pulling her behind him.
“Grayson, where have you been? You look like hell warmed over brother.” Aiden said, his voice very calm, Sarah noticed.
“I saw them, I saw them do it. They just killed her. I didn’t kill her, but they did. They cut her throat.” He said, his voice cracking, as though he’d not used it in a long time.
“Who killed who Grayson?” she asked softly, her hand on Aiden’s back as she looked around him, into the dark wild eyes of Grayson.
“Carol, they killed Carol. Connor and Matt. They were raping her and then they just cut her throat. Then I saw them cut her up. They said she didn’t have much meat, but she was better than nothing.” He said, and then he began to sob and fell to his knees, his filthy hands coming up to cover his face.
“Jesus, they killed Carol and they planned to eat her?” Aiden hissed, he bent and put his hand on Grayson’s shoulder but the older man knocked it off, jerking and looked up at both of them, his eyes wild.
“She didn’t even say anything when they raped her, she just laid there and when they cut her throat, she didn’t even scream. I hear her sometimes now, she blames me. She blames me.” He said and got up from the ground and wandered back into the woods. His gait was unsteady and he bounced off a tree.
“Jesus Christ, do you think he actually saw Connor and Matt do that or do you think he’s lost his mind and has imagined it all?” She asked.
“I think he saw it and then lost his mind. He disappeared when she’d gone missing. Maybe he felt responsible for her getting lost. What ever the case, Connor and Matt have friggen gone too far, rape and murder, not to mention cannibalism. Holy Christ all mighty. Maybe that was why Abby jumped, maybe they are raping the women.” Aiden said, fury in his voice. They picked up their pace and arrived at the
