Note: Edited by Zia Westerman 4/4/2017

--

Chapter 6: Reconciliation

Planet: Earth

Location: River of Sorrows

I was woken up by something wet being placed against my forehead. Opening my eyes, I groaned realising my leg was once again painful. I tried to sit up but I felt James's hands land on my shoulders forcing me to lie down.

"Go back to sleep, your leg's infected. Don't worry, I'll look after you," he told me. Although my body was covered in sweat, I went back to sleep.

The next time I woke up I found myself laying on James's bed with a blanket pulled over me. I sat up resulting the damp cloth falling from my forehead. My eyes scanned the area and fell on James. He was putting the campfire out with some water.

"Oh, you're awake." He half smiled before walking over to me. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine." I returned his smile, then asked, "What happened?"

James sat beside me. "Well, you got sick from an infection in your leg, but don't worry, I fixed it up." He held something in his hand and took it to his mouth, taking a bite. "I cooked fish, would you like some?"

I nodded, so he gave me a piece to try. "This tastes odd," I commented, chewing the white meat in my mouth then swallowing it.

He chuckled and looked up at the sky above us. "Come on, since you're better I'll teach you how to hunt."

And teach me he did, we spent the entire day practising hunting. James showed me some tricks he and Jeremy learnt, which included tracking, finding food such as berries, and other plants we could eat.

The next day James and I tracked a deer down to the river for water. We hid behind some bushes watching the deer walk along a path, occasionally nibbling on some small plants covering the ground.

I could not help but think back to when I saved James. When you save someone they should be grateful, but why was he not? He has not thanked me and it has been two days since I returned his spirit to his body.

Back home on Everotorn people always thanked everyone even for the little things. But I kept forgetting I was not on Everotorn anymore. I am on Earth, and people here are strange. From what I have seen they only think about themselves. They do not care for outsiders such as myself. I could feel the rage flowing through my veins, my mind clouded by anger.

I watched as James took aim for the animal I know is called a deer. I raised my own weapon, the bow, and aimed it at the back of his head. His life was in my hands, should I take away his spirit that I once brought back? Should I end this? Before I could answer myself, the arrow is released from my bow.

The arrow ripped through the air; flying straight towards its target.

James spun his head around at the same time my arrow made contact.

A Borum suddenly dropped to the ground, only feet away from James. Dead, with my arrow embedded in its head.

"What the hell?" James jumped backwards causing the deer to disappear into the trees. "Damn it!"

"You could say thank you." I placed the bow in its hold that was attached to my side. "If I did not sense it, you would be surely dead."

"Sense it?" He kicked the body of the fallen Borum before kneeling beside it. "Jewels, what do you mean you sensed it? How? It has a stealth armour on, no one could've seen it coming."

I knew he would not believe me, but I knew the Borum was there because I could see it. Yes, it was invisible but an Everotornian is able to see through any invisibility as though it were visible. However, I could not tell James this so, instead, I merely shrugged.

"Okay, whatever, we still have a—"

"Hello there, cousin."

James and I spun around to see Jeremy and a young woman with brunette hair, brown eyes and tanned skin. Both were dressed in black pants and a black leather jacket, and what I now know as guns, hung from a belt around each of their waists along with other primitive weapons.

"Jeremy? What are you doing—and ..." James got to his feet before looking at the girl. "Lucy, wow." He inhaled a deep breath while his eyes scanned the entire length of her body. "You look good."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, James, so drop the act," the girl, Lucy, bluntly replied, and raised her middle finger in the air then pointed it at him.

Jeremy laughed, flinging a bag over his right shoulder.

"Still the same answer, eh, Lucy?" James leant against a tree, his tongue licked his bottom lip. "You know I always like a good challenge."

"Oh, babe, the answer will always remain the same for you, but—" she turned to Jeremy, leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek, "your cousin here, stands a much better chance than you."

James sighed folding his arms. "Anyway, what brings you two out here?"

"You were taking too long, Mick and Brett have killed that deer by the way," Lucy said for Jeremy, who nodded in agreement. She noticed me and looked me up and down. "So she's that chick you found in ROGS?"

"Yep," James replied, now directing his vision at me before focusing on Jeremy. "I need to talk to you later, there's some things you need to know."

"Oh?"

"The Borum Clans are getting closer to our camp. We ran into some two days ago in the Forbidden Forest," James explained to Jeremy, who scratched his forehead. "I suggest we double outposts."

"I agree." Jeremy nodded then looked at Lucy. "Have Mick and Brett saddle the horses, we ride back to camp today."

"But that's a day and a half away, even on horses." Lucy frowned, flicking her hair over her shoulders. "But yeah, okay, I'll go tell them." The way she glanced at James I could feel the atmosphere change. "Ya might wanna keep this girl safe, unlike the others."

"Lucy," James growled in a warning manner.

Lucy smirked, spun on her feet and walked into the trees.

"You do not need to worry about me, I am very capable of taking care of myself," I told James, gaining his attention. "James? What did she mean by, keeping me safe? Unlike the others? What others? I do not understand."

"Look, Jewels, I don't mean to come across as rude, but what she said has nothing to do with you. My personal life isn't your concern, so stop asking questions." James pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against and walked away from me in the direction Lucy had went.

I still did not understand James, I had saved his life only a few Earth days ago and for what? He did not even thank me. Humans were just like Zutorians. I was beginning to dislike this planet.

Jeremy walked over to me and said, "Jewels, don't mind James, he can be very—"

"Arrogant? Uptight? Pig-headed? Pikitontian?" I cut him off.

"Ugh, the first two, yeah." He chuckled, pulling a knife from a pocket in his left boot. "But the third one, you kinda lost me. I don't know what a Pikitontian is."

"Oh, it is a creature that—" I closed my mouth, humans do not need to know about the creatures from Everotorn. "Never mind, but I do not understand why he is like that, uptight I mean."

"Ah, don't mind him, let's just say something happened in his past." He sent me a smile and picked up some supplies James had left behind. "Let's get back to camp. The sooner the better, I don't like staying away for very long."

"Why not?"

"Because some of the nearby camps spy on us if they know our camp leader is away it gives them the perfect opportunity to raid us." When I gave Jeremy a confused look he continued, "They've raided us in the past, mainly aiming for our ammunition and medical supplies."

I still did not fully understand all of this, humans raid each other simply for weaponry and healing supplies? "Oh," I replied because I did not know what else to say.

"Yeah, so let's get back." Jeremy began to walk and I followed him.

But something, rather someone caught my attention. I only saw him for a quick moment but in the shadows of the trees across the river was Derek. The man who kept me prisoner for all those years, the man who used my power for reasons I do not know and the man who is the leader of the ROGS.

I did not know I stood still until I heard Jeremy called my name. I looked down at my hands, they were clenched into fists and I could feel the power flowing through my veins, trying to surface. I took a deep breath to calm myself, now was not the time to lose control.

"You okay?" Jeremy asked. I felt his presence behind me.

Once I was sure I was calm enough, I turned to face him. "Yes, I am fine, thank you for your concern."

"Alright then, let's get back."

And with that, we began making our journey back towards the camp.

However, I knew we were being followed. I could feel them closing in, I could sense the anger inside them and the hatred towards the Jameson Camp. But it was not the Jameson Camp they were after, no, I feared it was me they wanted.