The trees blur past me while i run as fast as i can towards the destination. Looking back every now and then to make sure no one has seen me or is following. I run for about 10 minutes at full speed. I look around, it's just more trees and foliage. I am pretty sure i am far enough away by this point. I go up to a random tree , and dig about at the growing shrubbery at the bottom and place the bomb. I start the activation sequence and like before it scan's me i put a 5 min timer on the bomb . Then i hid it under the shrub making it look as natural as possible.

I get up slowly and look around. I don't seem to have been discovered . i start to move to get out of the blast radius i get about 10 feet in the opposite direction when i hear a twig snap i duck down hitting the ground i stay low hoping it was just my imagination, then i hear 2 people talking

" One of them went this way look at the tracks "

One of them said, I peek up from below the shrubbery hoping to get a glimpse of them. One of them is crouched down and is pointing at my footsteps, while the other is looking around . I duck back down before they can spot me. Shit if i move they will see me, but it's only a matter of time before they find me. Should I just run for it or maybe i should shoot first. I think looking down at the gun in my hand I had some basic training with it so I'm pretty sure i could hit one of them. Before i can decide what to do one of them say's :

" look at this "

While pointing at the tree where i placed the bomb. Shit ,shit , shit what do i do. They are walking closer to the tree. I have to stop them. With a surge of adrenaline i jump up and fire a shot at the one that is the closest it hits her in the chest, a gaping hole where her heart should be. She drops dead. I resisted the urge to hurl. I can't believe i killed someone . Whilst i was too shocked at what i had just done the other woman pulled out a knife and threw it at me. I jumped to my right, the knife grazing me on my shoulder while I landed on the ground, surprised by the pain i dropped my gun. I looked and she was running towards me. I scramble to grab my gun before she can catch me. My hand hovering above the gun about to grab it is my only hope. Just before i can pick it up she grabs my legs and pulls me just out of reach. By reflex i turn around and kick her as hard as i can . In that moment she let go and I leaped for the gun, grabbed it and turned around to shoot . I don't see her, I quickly look around trying to find her before she finds me. I couldn't see her anywhere. Suddenly another knife came flying out from a tree but i was ready this time. I spun round to dodge the knife and fired where it came from. Nothing happened . I don't have much time left to get out of the blast radius. I need to take her down and run for it, i ran over to the tree she was in but I can't see her. I turn around to look elsewhere and she jumps out from behind the tree next to me with a knife in hand. I shoot but i wasn't quick enough she pushes the gun upward so i miss while trying to slash my neck i jump back and she rushes forward again. She aimes for my chest. I go to grab her wrist to divert her knife but i miss and the knife goes straight through my hand. I shriek in pain, but i know this is my only chance. I pull the gun up to her face and pull the trigger. She drops dead head blown off, i cant hold it back i hurl where i stand. Good thing I hadn't eaten anything since i got on this cursed rock because nothing came out. But watching someone's head blow up right in front of you is disgusting. I was covered head to toe in blood, mostly hers. I stand up straight and start running toward the rendez-vous point. There is no point in stealth now everyone in the whole town probably heard that. I look at my watch 60 seconds before the bomb goes off i just have to hope no one finds it in that time. I hear some running behind me. I guess they found me again. I hope Vion was right that they will put priority on their trees otherwise i'm not gonna make it until they arrive with the ship. I just kept running praying the bomb would go off quickly. Running through the woods was difficult and they are throwing knives at me. I'm just hoping they have bad aim because it's taking all i have to run through this terrain and not trip. I jump over a large root and duck slightly, on my landing a knife passes over my head that was too close for comfort. looking around i see 5 of them are chasing me i subconsciously start to slow down, i'm not gonna make it i think to myself then like the deafening bang of thunder the bomb goes off ,a schockwave pushes us all to the ground. I knew it was coming so i got back up quickly, i saw my pursuers on the floor dazed and a glorious blaze burning like the righteous fires of hell behind them . I run faster than before. I'm going to make it, just run. I look to my hand where the knife was still inside it. I pull it out and throw it to the ground after running quite far away. I stop and crouch down, I look around. I don't see anybody around but there is a thick fog that is creeping into the forest. I'm at the pick up point but if the fog gets closer they aren't going to be able to see me through it . I need to find a way to signal them, i look at the gun. I could fire a shot but they might think its enemy fire. I look around me to see if i can find anything i can use. I grab what looks like bamboo, break it in half empty all my ammo from my gun and take out the gunpowder from the shells . I pinch the shoot shut from one end and pour the black powder into it. I rip up some of my shirt and put it inside as well. I grab some surrounding vine and carefully pull it apart making a fine thread. I push it all the way inside the tube and pinch the top closed. I now have a makeshift firework but no ammo so i am going to hid until the ship comes into view i cover myself with the greenery and lye in wait , the smoke is taking over my side of the forest it is getting harder to see and breathe its been 10 minutes since the bomb blew up and i haven't seen the ship yet i'm starting to worry something has gone wrong , 5 more minutes go by and embers from the fire have made there way to me. I pull my signal close so it doesn't accidently light up before time but i don't know how i am going to see them since i can't see 5 feet in front of me anymore. I looked up hoping to see though the thick some but i couldn't see anything. That's when a bright light tried shining through the heavy smoke. It was like the light at the end of a tunnel you could see but you were still walking in darkness, it must be them i quickly get to my feet. I gather the small embers closest to me and start another small fire with that i light the fuse to my firework it is burning down quickly so with all the strength i can muster i throw it as high up as i can hoping they will see it and understand . It disappears into the smoke and then a loud Bang and the sky lights up for just a moment. Hopefully they got the message because it's getting really hard to breathe. I have what's left of my shirt over my face but it isn't doing much. I lay back on the ground where the smoke isn't so dense . A moment later i see a ship barge through the surrounding trees with a very bright light, god i hope it's them. It turns around and the hatch opens "Alex, where are you !" I hear Sam shouting.