I wrote this while listening to the song above, thought that it might be interesting to share and let you listen while reading

(The chapter 'A helping Hand' comes first before this one. I published both chapters at the same time)

Tam's lungs are burning and so is her entire body. She doesn't know how long she's been running, but she knows that she's nearing the ruined helicopter.

The glue is still on her mouth, Tam didn't bother trying to peel them off after seeing what it has done to the late Miss G.

Oh god. The image. The gore, the blood, Miss G innards. Tam couldn't get it out her head.

What is she going to do? There is no way of communicating with the people back at base. No satellite phones, no communication radios, no nothing.

Backup is supposed to be here, it's been more than 24 hours since they last check in with base. Where are they?

Right. Tam brought a palm to her forehead. They will only leave from helicopter pad after that 24 hours passes. It will take them at least five hours to reach here depending on the direction and speed of the wind.

That monster is going to come back and hunt her down like a bloodhound. She's lucky that you were there to help her escape, but... what happened to you? She hopes that you're okay.

As long as you and her survive in the next few hours, everything will be fine. Should be fine.

Right?

She sniffled, no more tears left. The well is all dry.

Tam forced herself to move—

"MMPH!!" She 'screamed' when a heavy hand clasped down on her shoulder.

"Relax! It's me—"

CRACK!

Tam threw a punch, her fist colliding against the elder's nose. His head recoiled backwards from the hit.

"HAMMPH!? (HAL!?)" Tam brought her hands to her head, feeling guilty for punching him so hard that he has a nosebleed.

"OW! Damn it! A punch to the face is the last thing I need now..." He grumbled, cradling his nose. Red pooled in his cupped hands, some spilled and left some marks on the ground.

"WHOA!" Tam pulled him into a bone crushing hug. She sobbed quietly, letting her tears stain Hal's dirtied clothes.

She thought he was dead! She saw Mayanka choking the life out of Hal with her own two eyes, is she dreaming? Is this real?

Thank god, Hal's still alive. Tam is happy since she finally have someone that will make her feel less lonely and afraid.

"Hey! Get off me, my pants are crusty with day-old piss!" Tam scrunched her nose up in disgust and pushed Hal away.

She inspected the middle-aged man. His face is smeared with his own blood, a nasty bruise is forming and a dark ring of bruises is present around his neck like a choker.

"Oh my god, what the hell happened to you, Tam? You look like shit!" He looked at her up and down, a huge gash decorated her from head to bellybutton. Clothes tattered and bloodsoaked. Lips coated in a hardened, plastic like substance, eyes puffier than ever.

She frantically pointed at the dried handmade glue on her lips, Tam then made an 'X' with her hands, trying to tell him that she cannot speak.

"Hold on now, I recognize that... Is that... pine sap glue?" Tam shrugged and grabbed Hal by the shoulders, shaking him. Trying to warn him of something without her words

"H-hey! Calm down, calm down! It'll be fine, we can get rid of the glue by rubbing alcohol. C'mon, I think I have them in my camping pack— the helicopter's first aid kit is missing, found that out through the hard way... stupid giant, screwing up everything—" Hal muttered, holding onto Tam's hand.

——

Hal threw up on the ground.

"Holy damn, that was terrible." He rubbed his mouth with his sleeve.

Tam was taken aback by his empathetic response. All she did was told him that Mayanka mutilated Miss G and briefly described the hell she had to go through, resulting in voice loss.

"You were right. Sorry for doubting you, Hal." She rasps.

"Yeah, no probs. I probably sound like a paranoid old coot anyways. Now we just gotta... survive." Hal had a sombre expression on his face, the severity of this situation is through the roof. Mo and Miss G are gone, dead. Died a painful death too.

"We need to hide, he's coming for us! He's going to hunt us down, that asshole has this other girl with him. She helped me escape but with the cost of being stabbed on the shoulder—"

BLEAGH!

"Ooh boy..." Hal sniffed. He vomited again.

"Go on." He gulped.

"...I'm not going to. All you gotta know is, we need to survive until backup comes. Pray that they bring guns and then rescue that other girl. Pray that we both don't die from infections before we go home. Get me?" She whispered.

Hal looks pale. "I can't— I can't believe he ripped out that dangly thing at the back of your throat..."

His cheeks expanded when bile rose up again.

"Hal, do you watch horror movies?" She asked.

"No." He replied, feeling queasy.

"Figures."

The silence left Tam to ponder, how are they going to break the news to Miss G's and Mo's family? Their tragic deaths are sure to cause hysteria and outrage.

How is she going to prosecute that giant? Under what law? Can she even bring him to court? Well, he is considered stateless, he won't have any privileges that the US citizens have... that includes legal protection, maybe he just goes straight to jail? Lethal injection?

Since Miss G, Mo, Tam and Hal are all US citizens, most likely Mayanka will be tried in court under US law...all of this just seems so bizarre, where did he even come from? How did he grow to become around eight feet tall? How does he have yellow irises?

This is going to be a very long and complicated legal battle.

Tam doesn't know if you're religious or not. But she wholeheartedly prayed for your wellness and survival.

May the fittest survive.