Hunting Season

"Kevin," Adira could barely get her words out, shaking her head as she looked him over. He had changed so much and seemed a lot older. The once youthful face of a young man had become aged and damaged from being in the wilderness too long.

"You...am I dead?"

"No," Kevin forced a smile, trying to beat the tears from falling out of his eyes, "I was gathering some supplies when I saw your stuff sitting out here. Knew who you were by that necklace...Mitch gave you." He seemed hesitant saying his name, as if he hadn't said it in a long time. Adira noticed this and would have brought it up had it not been so much of a shock to her to see her boyfriends old friend.

"How is this possible. I thought you were dead?"

"Not yet at least," Kevin's smile faded, and he stared down at the floor in deep thought. Adira could tell something was off.

"Kevin...do you know...what happened to...?" She couldn't finish, for fear that he might tell her Mitch was indeed dead. The only reason she regained hope was because Kevin was alive. If anything, they had to have escaped the grasp of the cult together. Even if Conrad was unlucky- perhaps Mitch wasn't?

Kevin lifted his tired gaze and glanced around, as if looking for someone or something. "Let's go back to camp. I'll tell you everything there." He seemed apprehensive as Adira picked up her items from the floor and nodded in agreement. They began their journey into the forest once more, with Kevin taking the lead. He was silent for the most part, until he mentioned something Adira didn't expect.

"Conrad's with me. I should warn you- he isn't the same. Go easy on him."

Adira's eyes widened as her pace slowed down. "Conrad is alive?" She was now more hopeful than ever and felt at ease knowing that the bones she saw before didn't belong to the man. It must have been a coincidence that the corpse had the same shirt.

"Kevin, where is Mitch? I learned...that you guys got put somewhere by some people?"

Kevin came to an abrupt halt, and for a moment he seemed frozen in time. It wasn't till he slowly turned around that Adira's anxiety returned. He had a look on his face- one of absolute terror. The fear in his eyes said it all.

"Conrad and I escaped. Um. It's not good to talk about it here. You don't know who might be listening."

Adira looked around, wondering if the fanatics of God were watching them. Or perhaps even God himself. She wondered if Kevin knew about the monster. Was it okay to ask?

She struggled for a moment to muster up the courage until they came up to a rather shabby looking hut. It appeared to be made by hand, and although run down a little Adira thought it was somewhat cute. It was built in a safe spot with trees protecting it from human eyes. A small fire pit along with two logs was stationed up front, but there didn't seem to be anyone outside.

"Conrad? We have a guest," Kevin yelled as he threw his backpack to the side and motioned for Adira to enter their territory. She adjusted her clothes as she tried to see where Conrad would pop up from, but he didn't seem to be around. Or at least didn't seem to want to come out.

"It's okay. He knows," Kevin motioned over to the hut, where a rather obscure shape seemed to be staring at them from behind a dirty glass window. Adira tried to make out the face of who must have been Conrad, but he quickly went out of view.

"He doesn't come out much." Kevin responded. His companion nodded slowly and made her way over to the firepit along with the man. They both sat next to each other as he grabbed a few berries from a sack on the floor and offered some to her. She took a few, and stuffed them in her mouth as she tried to find a way to bring up everything. After what seemed like forever, she finally managed to find the courage.

"Kevin?"

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me what happened with you guys? I thought Conrad was dead...and to be honest I don't know if it's the right thing to ask but-." Adira breathed deeply, hoping she didn't come off as crazy.

"Do you know...God?"

"You mean- like Jesus?"

"No. The-the thing with horns." 

Kevin's face failed to show any emotion as he popped a berry in his mouth. His once terrified expression seemed to only be a figment of Adira's imagination, for he nodded nonchalantly and motioned around him.

 "Maybe. Once or twice."

Adira was slightly disturbed that he thought little of such a horrific monster, but she continued, "I heard that he's some cult god or something. These people are all women. I met one. Tried to get her to tell me what happened to you guys and Mitch but I thought you all were dead." 

Kevin made no attempt to make eye contact with his guest. He continued picking through berries, taking of stems and tossing some that were no good. The silence seemed to last ages until he nodded and glanced up at the fire in front of him, "I'm sorry, Adira. He helped us escape, but we have no idea what happened to him." 

Adira felt her heart sink as she took in his words. Her gaze fell to the floor, absorbing everything that had been said as she repeated it over and over. She slowly stood up, ready to excuse herself for some alone time before Kevin took a hold of her arm. He firmly stared into her eyes and said something that chilled her to the bone.

"Be careful out there, Adira. It's hunting season. Just not for us anymore." His fingers slipped lose as he let the frightened woman go, resuming his unending gaze into the flames. Adira rubbed her wrist, eyes widening as she cautiously stepped back. 

Somehow the two men her and Mitch once knew were dead and gone. Nothing but strange, eerie shells were left behind and Adira could see it in his eyes. She knew Conrad must have been affected as well.

"I'll be back," she managed to choke out, "Have to pee."

Without another word or a backwards glance, the woman slowly retreated into the shadows.