Blake

She hasn't said a word. Not one. I told her everything in detail of what happened to me. After that she went mute.

I've been trying to talk to her but the still trees ended up being a better listener than her. I followed behind her as we cut our way through the heart of the woods.

"Will you please just say something?" I ask frustratedly.

No answer. Nothing but the sound of the swaying trees and whispering wind.

"I swear, he was involved w-"

"You're lying," Anna responded dryly, breaking her silent streak.

"I'm not lying!"

She came to a halt and turned her body to me. "Describe him," She crossed her arms, waiting to be amused.

"Seriously?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Her intimidating countenance answered her question.

"I can't, I don't even t-"

"That's what I thought," Anna goes to turn around, until my following words stop her.

"Your eyes. They're almost just like his," I sputtered. "Brown hair, tan skin, tall," I mentally pictured him in my mind. "Good looking," I muttered, avoiding her stare.

"What?" She squinted.

"Yes Annalise. He's very attractive, which has his ego blasting through the freakin' roof," I raised my voice. "New girl every week, gets in trouble all the time, always late to school. But nobody cares because he's Drew Parks and can do no wrong," I rambled, letting my annoyance toward him show.

"He's not like that," She shook her head with vigor, still unconvinced. "I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want to. But he's an a-hole," I concluded with no remorse. Her hand then slashed across my face. I whipped off the strands of hair strewn on my face and shoved her shoulders back.

"You wanna go right here, right now?!" Anna was blazing in fury.

"Go head, fight me. But that's not gonna change what Drew did. Why would I lie about something like that?," I took a short pause for emphasis.

"So if you excuse me, I'd like to continue trying to get back home," I walked past her. Leaving her glued in the same spot to let my words marinate in her mind.

"Why. Why would he act like that?" Anna's disembodied voice echoed from behind me. I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her.

"Oh why don't you just call him," Sarcasm intertwines my tone. She threw daggers through her icy blue grey eyes and brushed past me without another word spoken.

We came to a stop when we caught sight of a thin fallen tree trunk, bridging over a bank of partially clear water. Irregular shaped stones were also laid in the water. Majority of the trunk was blanketed by green fury moss.

"Well. Let's cross," Anna proceeds toward the trunk, but stops when she no longer hears my footsteps following after her.

"That doesn't look strong enough."

"It looks fine, now lets's move," She ignored my concern, turning back around. I stood in my spot, searching for any alternative route.

Anna was only a few hundred feet ahead of me when she heaved a sigh. She lifted up the back of her tank and pulled out the gun from the back of her pants.

"Oh you're gonna shoot me now?" I was unfazed.

The gun clicked when she pulled down the lever on the back of her gun. "I'll do what I have to Blake. Now cross the tree or you're getting a bullet in your arm," Anna took a few paces closer.

I smiled and shook my head. "You're not gonna shoot me."

"Oh?" She laughed sarcastically. "I'm not?" She moved her arm and a loud bang erupted from the gun, splitting the bark of a tree that stood behind me.

I swung my leg up, kicking the gun out of her grip. Snatching it up in midair. "Go head, shoot me."

Anna frowned at my sudden move, a bit surprised. I am too to be honest. I didn't think I'd actually execute it as smoothly as her.

"Didn't see that one coming now did you?"

She glared and shoved passed me. I smiled to myself at the small victory.

Anna extended both of her arms out and slowly began to walk over the tree, carefully putting one foot in front of the other. She wobbled a bit, but maintained her balance. I casted my doubts to the back of mind and followed Anna's lead. She made it across in no time at all.

I kept my eyes trained on my feet, cautiously putting one in front of the other as Anna did. I made it across safely and sped up my pace to catch up with Anna.

"So. You still alive?" There was a tinge of humor in voice. Her hands hidden away in the pockets of her cargo jeans.

"Don't start," I warned.

"We need to find a camp out spot, it'll be getting dark soon," Anna ignored my comment and studied the sky. "And we need to eat something."

"What are we gonna eat?"

"Oh I'm just gonna order a pizza, I'm sure they deliver out here," It was her turn to throw sarcasm at me.

"But-"

"Deer Blake. We're eating deer tonight," Anna sighed. I took longer strides so that we're walking side by side.

"Deer?" I tried to disguise the disgust in my voice.

"What? It tastes like-"

"Chicken?" I interrupt. "Yeah I think I'll pass," I snorted.

"Alright then you can starve," She shrugged with nonchalance.

"How do you even catch one of those? Their senses are so sharp."

"Oh I'm not catching it," Anna replied, taking out her gun. "You are," She tossed me the gun unexpectedly.

"Are you crazy?"

"Oh good. You finally noticed," She answered. "Now when you spot it, make sure you don't make any subtle movements find a good aim."

"Yeah no," I tossed the gun back to her. "I'm not doing that."

"And why not? Because you're scared?" She feigned a pout.

"Hand me the gun," I said firmly.

*

I caught one. I really shot a deer. The same phrases were like a broken record in my mind. I actually hit my target. As many times as the bullet flew everywhere but my target when Annalise tried teaching me aim precision over my training. I'd be lying if I said it didn't give me a sense of empowerment and exhilaration on the other hand.

It was repulsive and revolting watching her rip the poor animal apart. I still have images in my mind that I long to get rid of.

Anna is the only one that ate. She roasted the "safe meat" above the made fire that burns in between us, and ate her portion. I tried not to show any sense of disgust as she ate.

Darkness has fallen over the sky and we've entered the time frame of the nocturnal animals. I still look around our area every few minutes. Making sure an animal isn't waiting to pounce on us.

We decided to camp out in a random spot, where the dirt wasn't too wet and mushy from the previous rain. Anna sat across from me with an army green blanket draped over her shoulders. The corners of her lips quirked up every once in a while as she paged through her old journal.

"Oh my god my handwriting was so bad," She lightly laughed to herself.

"You're wearing your locket," I noticed she was toying with the charm as she read.

"Yeah," A sad smile spread on her face as she set her journal aside. "Drew bought it for me. I remember he used all of his chore money for it too."

"That was sweet."

"Yeah, that's why I didn't believe you when you said all that stuff about him. He was such a sweet boy. He was a trouble maker, but he has a good heart."

"Sorry," I apologized, now starting to feel ripples of guilt. "I guess he changed."

"It's alright. He grew up. People change. . . I changed," She pointed out.

"No doubt about that one," I mumbled under my breath.

"But the same thing is gonna happen to you too Blake."

Maybe she's right. I couldn't help to feel a little change of attitude in me. Sometimes I surprise myself with what I say or even what I do.

"So my brother is a player huh?" Anna's dry tone of voice brings me back into focus.

I sighed. "Yeah, pretty much."

"He was my best friend. And I can't believe he did what he did. Acts the way he does. It's crazy."

Call me crazy but it looks like she was getting teary eyed.

"But it's ok, because you're gonna see him again," I tried to lift her mood. "He's gonna be so happy to see you. Just think of what his reaction is going to be like."

Anna smiled gingerly as she quickly wiped the stray tear from her cheek. "Yeah," She nodded. It was clear to see she was thinking about endless scenarios. Seeing Drew again.

"I don't exactly know where your house is, but I I know the creek you're talking about. We should be there in maybe a few days if we start at dawn."

"You're coming with me right?" Back home?" I asked.

Anna sighed and pulled a portion of her voluminous hazelnut brown hair behind her ear. "I don't know. It's not that I don't wanna see them again. It's just. . .this is my home. . . It's beautiful out here. It's earth's gift."

"They miss you though," I furrowed my brows.

"According to them I'm dead and they've well moved on. And it's true, Annalise is dead. I'm not the same little happy spirited girl they were used to. I'm fine out here."

"Just think about it, yeah?"

She nodded. "I'm gonna rest up, we've got a big day ahead of us," Anna used her messenger bag as makeshift pillow and pulled her small wool blanket up to her shoulders, her back facing me.

I rarely ever go to sleep. Not when we're in the middle of the forest with ravenous animals on the loose. Nope. Not happening.

Staring at the starry sky is my pastime, letting my mind run free with wild thoughts. I laid myself down, folding my arms in the back of my head. Gazing up at the constellations written in the sky.

___________________________

A/N > so Annalise does have a soft side huh?

I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter, it's the first chapter where they're actually traveling the woods and I just hope I did well w describing their circumstances and their environment :)

Votes/Comments, are much appreciated xx

-kya h. ∞