Hunt for Survival

At the edge of death

Shaurya

We were still traveling in the car and I was feeling bored because of this long trip. Even if you try to look outside, then you can only find the long trees and nothing else.

“When are we going to reach that place?” I asked and my eyes went over the front mirror through which I saw her and her smile, which was quite creepy to me, but I think that she was trying to smile with her heart.

“Please have patience. We are still a few meters away from your destination.” I didn’t say anything but kept quiet until we reached the place. Soon enough, on the way, the tall trees were replaced by many different kinds of trees and animals which no one had ever heard of. I think even extinct animals were present over there. Suddenly, the car came to an abrupt halt and I was about to hit my head on the car seat which was in front of me, but I didn’t feel that because a hand was there to protect my head. I titled my head and saw that Prashant had put his head over there, his eyes met mine and for a moment, I saw a change of expression on his face which was so short that I couldn't even have a faint idea of that expression before he looked away and took his hand away as well.

“We have reached over here.” She announced.That took me from my daze and I sat up properly.

“I should say that you shouldn't abruptly stop. I am alright or else I would have hit my head hard.” I mumbled that. I complained even though I didn't really get hurt.

“I am sorry about that.” She said with a smile on her face which was quite appealing this time. I looked at her. We heard the clicking sound and knew that the locked doors were unlocked and all of us went out of the door. Finally, we had completed these meters. I was looking around before my eyes again fall on her.

“You are a great driver, but you don’t know how to stop a car.” I commented and for a while I could see that she was shocked by my sudden comment about her driving and it had flashed in her eyes.

“It is much better than not knowing how to drive.” She mocked me while rolling her eyes, but after that, that smile which she had before I commented came back. She looked at my waist and when I realized where she must be looking, unconsciously my hand tried to hide it. I guess she had seen my childish act as she let out a small chuckle. “Don’t be afraid like I had said before, I won’t be taking this away from you, and if I had to take it away, then I could have done it when I had got the golden chance.”I do remember that she had said and it is also true, that she could have already took away this from me but yet I have to be alert from time to time. When she had locked us away and suddenly appeared, I had forgotten about the knife, but now that I know that I have, unknowingly, taken responsibility for this knife, then I want to be responsible till my last breath.. “I don’t have a desire to die with this knife.” She said and my hand, which had tighten around it without my knowledge, loosen and then I saw that her sharp eyes shifted towards my waist and in a swift she came towards me, for a moment I was numb and my hand was tightening around the knife but when she was near me I backed away and she crossed me. It all happened in a flash. I looked behind and saw her smiling in my way.

“I guess you still need to be more aware.” She said as I saw that the belt was on the ground but the knife was in my hand. “I can’t take it out because either you or the king can take it out. After the king, it has chosen you as its owner, so protect it well.”

“Can you tell me something about this king?”

“You only have to know that the king was once a great man and wanted to help everyone, but when this heavenly power landed in his hand, it created greed inside him which turned him into a demon. I guess this knife must know something which we don’t know and maybe you will soon know why you are chosen by the deity and beware of his illusions. You never know when he makes you trapped in his plot. After all, he has all the qualities of that of a king.” She looked behind him. “Now from here your long journey will be starting. The supporters of the king are guarding him and all of them are strong. Not only will a fight help you, but your mind will also help you. One of the things which I must remind you is that this knife can save you but can also kill you. So beware of its use as well.” After that, she sat inside that old car and drove away without giving us a last glance. I looked back and saw Prashant, who hadn’t said a word since we had been in that car, and I guess if I hadn't landed my eyes on him, then I would have thought that I was the only one present over there.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked him and his eyes moved towards me. I grabbed my belt and put my knife in the sheath and put the belt around my waist.

“Nothing much but I think that this king won’t be an easy deal.”

“ Has the main villain in the game ever been weak? And who also wants him to be easy? I want him to be powerful so that I can defeat him.”

“You are over confident.” I chuckled at that.

“Pleasure is mine.” I know that he wanted to say that I shouldn't have this much confidence.

“You are impossible.”

“Thanks for the compliment. You know my mother also says this same thing sometimes.” He rolled his eyes and looked away while I chuckled over there. “Hmm…where had she let us? I can’t see a single thing.” I saw the fog in front of us. "There is nothing but fog ahead and it is so dense that I can hardly see anything ahead."

“We have to be careful and together with each other. This could be a trap as well.” I gave him a look.

“How are we supposed to be together with each other? This fog is so dense.” I was moving forward but was held back because he grabbed my wrist unexpectedly. I looked at him. “What is wrong with you?” He then left my hand.

“We have to go in together.” I put my hands up in the surrender.

Sometimes, I feel that he is like a woman who wants things in his way. He started to walk and I followed him and when we entered the dense forest and at that time, when I looked for my hand or body, I could see nothing but the dense fog which was enveloping me. I held on to my waist to see if the knife was still with me or not. I took a sigh of relief when I found that it was still with me. I grabbed it tight.

“Prashant, are you here?” I asked while walking slowly.

“I am over here only.” He said, and that was quite dim. Was he near me or far away from me?

“Are you near me or far away?” Then suddenly something brushed against my hand and I was fear stricken. “What was that?”

“It was me.” He said, and I again took a sigh of relief.

“Don’t scare me like this.” I bet that he must have rolled his eyes. I couldn’t hear his footsteps at all, but I knew that he was near me. Suddenly, I felt something cold near my hand which was holding the butt of the knife.

“Prashant, don’t scare me again.” I told him.

“I didn’t do anything,” he said, and now that had terrified me. What could it be? I suddenly heard some rustle that came from my back and I tried to hear it properly so that I could dodge it, but unfortunately, it grabbed my hand which was lying on the knife. They are trying to snatch my knife. I smirked and took out my knife and then its grip tightened against my wrist and I let out a small whimper, but I never let go of the knife.

“What is wrong, Shaurya?” I heard his voice and I wanted to speak out but the pain was stuck in my throat and that didn’t allow me to speak anything at all. I just can’t let it harm me more. If this knife really had chosen me, then I would have to take care of it. If I am able to use it, then can only it save me or else how can it save me? In the dense fog, I tried another hand to locate the first one and when it was successful, I felt another rustle and this time I was able to dodge it and quickly took the knife and tore it apart.

“What was that sound?” I heard Prashant's words.

“Destruction of the trouble.” I said to him.

“Are you alright?”

“I am.” But I again heard the rustle and this time they grabbed my waist and I realized that it was the iron chain and before I could attack them, they pulled me somewhere. I shouted and I think that Prashant must have heard it.

At the speed, I didn’t notice where I was, but when I opened my eyes I was at the end of that death which can embrace me anytime. The chains were clinging to me but were also threatening that if I didn’t obey them or try to free me, then I would land in this hole of death. I sighed and suddenly I felt the chain that was grabbing over my hand which was holding the knife. I know what they want. They want to strangle my hand till that point where I lose the grip of mine so that it can fall off my hand and they can catch it. But they can still take it away, but they are not taking it away. I guess as long as this knife is with its owner till then, none of them can snatch away the knife from that person in any way or can even touch it. I guess they want to kill me so that they can take away the knife from me.

“I also want to see where you can take this and make me weak.” I said to myself and smirked a bit. They were not only griping over my wrist but also at my waist. I guess they are trying to stop the flow of blood inside me. They planned quite well for my death.

My body couldn’t take that pain any more; I was losing hope. I wanted to let go of it, but something inside me didn’t.

“Shaurya, you are already giving up on the fight which hasn’t yet begun. You have to fight; you haven’t reached till here to get dead before reaching the main point. You have to fight because that is the only way through which you can survive and reach your desired destination.”

A voice inside me was echoing and was motivating me in every way possible and these words were familiar to me and I have heard them so many times. I tried hard to get hold of myself but this time I lost. Blood came out of my mouth and more followed. They are just pushing me towards my death. I looked at the way through where these chains were coming from and found that there was no one who was controlling and they were coming out from nowhere.

Is this one of the traps of the king? I don’t have so much time to think about this. Suddenly, I started to feel the pull towards the earth and I couldn’t understand a single thing. I landed on the earth safely but was still at the edge of it. Suddenly, every chain which was clinging over me retired from me and I felt peace and freedom inside me. I felt as if I was as light as a feather. I am finally recused. But who had saved me?

Through the dense fog in front of me, a person made his way through it and I adjusted my eyes. I saw Prashant who was holding his chains while those chains were struggling to get out. I couldn’t understand a bit, how could a mere person like him pull those chains or, because I am losing my senses, that I am hallucinating. I smiled and I couldn’t even stand on my legs properly. I walked backwards and lost the earth beneath me.

“Shaurya!!!” I heard his voice, which echoed over there and I felt,, hand around my hand. I looked up and smiled at him.

“Am I not heavy?”

“Are you still in the mood for joking around?” He asked me and I chuckled.

“I am feeling tired right now. I want to sleep and that too, like a log.”

“You can sleep after you get up.”

“But can you?” I asked him.

“I can.” He said with determination in his voice. I smiled.

“Good to hear that.” I said, but I wasn’t feeling so well, I wanted to sleep badly. I couldn’t hold on losing my senses more.

“Shaurya, hold over there only. I am pulling you up.” He said to me and in the next moment he actually pulled me up and put his hand around my waist and then took my hand, put it on his shoulder before taking the knife away from me and putting it in its sheath.

“Good night.” I whispered before I completely lost my senses