Louella was forced to flee for her life and leave behind everything she had known. With nothing but her peers by her side and a forest full of giant beasts at her heels, she had to find a way to survive, but the world was a very different place now, and it was becoming harder to find food, water, shelter, or anything remotely useful. It was every human for themselves in this new, dangerous world full of the same creatures that humans had once tamed and loved as pets. It was a race to survive the dangers of these giant cats and the unknown creatures that lay ahead.
Lou and her peers were terrified as they ran from the giant cat. It was relentless in its pursuit, knocking over trees and anything else in its way and causing a mass of destruction in its wake. The entire forest shook with the tremors of its movements, and the loud roars it let out caused Louella's ears to burst. She had never felt such fear in her life, and it quickly escalated her from a state of panic to a state of total shock as she realized she was trapped in a world full of giant and dangerous beasts.
She always knew the animals were big but not THIS big the cat that was chasing her was an enormous 140ft this was just the tip of the iceberg. Louella tried to maintain her composure as she ran for her life, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so. She was used to her parents being the biggest threat against her, but now all of the animals around her had become threats. She couldn't help but wonder how this had happened, and whether it was some kind of punishment for mankind, or a test from a higher being. Louella had always believed in Gods, but now that belief was being challenged more than ever before. The trees in the surrounding forest shook violently, everything felt like an earthquake. It was clear that more giants were on the hunt. The sounds of other animals and their calls to each other only seemed to increase as Louella's heart raced. Fear took over her body as she realized that it was no longer just one giant she was running from, it was numerous. They were in an area that was surrounded by forest, and there was nowhere else to turn. In a split moment, Louella felt her panic being replaced with a sense of determination, her body responding to the call of survival. The forest was eerily quiet now, the only noise coming from Louella's pounding breaths and the sounds of her footsteps. The giants had gone silent and that only filled Louella with dread and fear of what they could be planning. But Louella did not stay silent. Instead, she screamed. Louella's scream reverberated through the forest, filling the air with her desperation for help. One of the cats that were chasing her, had jumped out of trees, as the ground shook the cat had missed but was now was behind her. As she turn around in horror the cat threw her to the ground and started to play with her. The cat grabbed Lou by her waist and started swinging her around like a toy. It was a terrifying experience as Louella could feel the giant's strength crushing into her body. She knew she had no chance of escaping its grip, so she just prayed that it would be done quickly. But the cat did not intend to kill Louella so quickly. Instead, it continued to swing Lou as if she was just a toy. it was like it was taunting her with its enormous size and strength. Suddenly, Lou felt something grab her. It was her friend, who had come out of nowhere to save her. Lou's friend had managed to grab her arm and pull her away from the cat's grasp just in time. Her friend's actions saved Louella's life and allowed her to scramble away. Louella was filled with gratitude and fear at the same time, her heart racing, her breathing labored, and her mind spinning with ideas of how she could ever repay her friend. But they had to leave, they had to get to safety as quickly as possible. Sarah is always the one who Lou could rely on to have her back, and now she was that person for Lou once again. Sarah didn't think twice about helping Lou when she was in danger, and Lou knew she would forever be grateful, for her bestie had just saved her life.They kept running and running, not stopping for anything.The sound of footsteps and the sight of the giant animals they encountered as they ran through the woods filled Louella with fear and anxiety, but Sarah was there to comfort her, encouraging her to keep going, keep fighting. They were both extremely tired by the time the sun began to set, but they couldn't rest yet. The woods were dangerous, and they needed to find shelter as soon as possible.
As they tried to find a tree to climb on, or a cave to go into. They were toyed with by all the animals on the way. Lou and Sarah tried to ignore the animals' taunting behavior as they continued their search for shelter. They knew that they could not rest until they found a safe place, but it seemed like the forest was deliberately making it as difficult as possible. They both grew weary, but each pushed on for the other, knowing that they could not give up. The fear was growing in both of them as the giant cats continued to toy with them, blocking their paths and preventing them from finding safety. Lou and Sarah finally managed to find a safe place to rest. They decided to climb onto one of the taller trees in the forest in hopes of avoiding the giants on the ground. The tree was sturdy and provided a good spot for them to take a moment to catch their breaths and think about their next steps. But just as Lou and Sarah were about to relax and begin to form a plan, they suddenly heard something that filled them both with dread. They tried to ignore the sound but the noise only grew louder. Lou and Sarah tried to find where the sound was coming from. Lou and Sarah quickly noticed the source of the loud, thunderous noise. In between the branches, high above their heads, they could see the face of a gargantuan spider. It was as tall as the trees and its black eyes were looking right up at them. Lou and Sarah froze, unable to move, unable to think, their fear overtaking and paralyzing them. They knew they had to find a way out of this predicament, but how? The spider's eight legs crawled slowly in their direction, its mouth salivating as it prepared to feast. They were still, too scared to move. Every breath they took seemed to attract the spider's attention, and Lou's heart sank as it continued to crawl towards them. Without warning, it made a sudden leap, sending Lou and Sarah crashing to the ground far below. But before they could feel the spider's deadly fangs sink into them, they heard a shout. A shout that sounded like it came from someone they knew.
Lou and Sarah's hearts skipped a beat as they heard the familiar voice from above them. The spider's large figure crawled over the edges of the tree above Lou and Sarah, its legs dangling as it prepared to strike. But suddenly, someone shouted, shattering the silence of the forest. Lou and Sarah's hearts pounded as they searched desperately for the source of the voice, desperately hoping the voice belonged to someone they knew. They couldn't see who the voice belonged to, but the sound was closer now. Closer to them, and closer to the spider. Lou and Sarah could see the spider above them begin to tense, its legs becoming ready to launch itself at them. Their hearts pounded and their minds raced with possibilities as the shouting got closer and closer. But before they could turn to face whoever had saved them, Lou saw a flash of a giant sword fall from the sky towards the spider. Time stood still as Lou watched the blade strike the spider's body, killing it instantly. The large body of the spider fell to the ground as Lou and Sarah turned to face their savior.
Lou and Sarah turned towards their savior, their breaths caught in their throats and their hearts pounding. They found themselves facing a tall man, his sword still resting by his side. He looked up at them, a stern look on his face, but there was something about him that filled Lou with a sense of awe. He was calm, collected, and in control. He reminded Lou of someone.
"Hello," said the man, his voice quiet but full of authority. "You are safe now. Please, come with me."
"Who even are you," Lou asked
The man let out a small chuckle, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Well, I'm a bit of a mystery myself," he said "but I am called the Swordsman. I've been searching for survivors for some time now, and I'm glad to have found you."
The Swordsman extended a hand towards Louella, helping her get back on her feet. Louella was still a bit wary, she had never been good with strangers, but this man seemed different. His presence had a calming effect on her, and she instinctively took his hand.
"what do you mean survivers," Sarah asked
" Yeah what exactly do you mean by that," Lou asked him.
She was confused on what he meant, did he mean from the attack at the school or from the woods, what waq he doing here anyway, he looked about her age but she had never seen him at school before.
"Well," the Swordsman said, "I mean that I've been going around looking for people who have survived the change." He paused, looking around at the world around him with a slight solemn expression. "It seems this has affected everyone. Animals, plants, humans, all of it. And to answer your other question, I'm just trying to help."
Lou and Sarah found themselves feeling comfortable around him. He was calm, collected, and confident in his words when speaking. They felt they could trust him.
"I'm not sure exactly what happened, how it happened, or why it happened," the Swordsman continued "but I do know that you two are alive, which is a testament to your strength and durability. I know it's a lot to take in," he said gently, "but now that you're alive, I can at least try to help you survive."
Louella and Sarah found themselves nodding along as they listened to the Swordsman, his words giving them a sense of hope and purpose once again. They were alive, and now with the Swordsman, they had a chance at survival.
"You do know that..." Lou stopped for a sec, "can we just go back home, it was just a cat" she said with a worried look "right,"
The Swordsman looked at Louella with a serious expression. "No," he said firmly. "It's dangerous here, you may not think so right now, but this forest is full of danger. If you hadn't been lucky enough to run into me, you likely wouldn't have survived."
Lou felt her heart sink as the Swordsman spoke. He was hard to argue with, and deep down, she knew that he was right. This forest was not one she wanted to be stuck in on her own. Not as a human, and certainly not as some enormous animal just waiting to be eaten.
"Why can't we go back," Sarah asked
"Yeah and how long have you lived here, in the woods," Lou had finally said.
"Like, people are going to be wondering where we are."
The Swordsman looked at Louella and Sarah with a look of understanding and slight frustration. "I know you want to go back, I don't blame you for that," he said. "But as I said before, it's too dangerous, at least for now."
He then turned to look at Louella in response to her question. "I don't live in the woods," he said. "I live in a settlement not too far from here. I've come here, and other forests, looking for survivors."
"survivers of what" Lou asked again, more pushy this time.
She was so confused, the animals did come sometime but it was usually just a squirrel or a mouse. But he sounded like cats attacked buildings all the time. The Swordsman seemed to sense Lou's frustration, but he kept his composure and remained calm despite it. "Surviving the change," he said, "the day the world changed into what you see now."
Louella felt a sense of confusion and bewilderment as the Swordsman responded. "The change..." she repeated back. "What change?" she asked. She looked down at her body, at Sarah's body, and all around herself. Everything had changed. The animals were dangerous, and so was the entire world around them. She always knew that the animals were dangerous, but she had never seen the extent of it. Lou continued to observe her surroundings, the animals, the world around her. She was beginning to get a sense of the severity of the "change." She felt herself start to come to grips with the reality of their current situation. As the Swordsman had said, they had survived this massive change. That meant that they could survive the woods. And it also meant that it might not be too late for mankind as a whole. She felt a sense of hope start to creep up on her as she looked at the swordsman with fresh eyes.
"where are you taking us, the only city within 100 miles is that way" Lou said pointing back home.
Sarah nodded in agreement and confused all at the same time.
The Swordsman looked back at Louella and Sarah with a thoughtful look in his eyes. "The city is no longer a safe place," he said. "In fact, no place is truly safe anymore. But I come from a settlement nearby, it's much safer than the open world like this."
Louella and Sarah looked at the Swordsman in confusion, not really understanding what he meant. But they had no choice but to follow him, for their own safety. They didn't fully understand what was happening around them, what was happening to them, but they had no choice but to trust the swordsman's judgment.
"What makes here any more safe then the bunkers under ground," Sarah asked in frustration.
The Swordsman looked at Sarah, thinking for a moment before answering. "There are still dangers here of course, but they're known dangers. For one, the size of the settlement makes it difficult for these larger animals to get in. And two, it's filled with other survivors like us." He looked at Lou and Sarah, and in a way, they both felt safe hearing his words. The world felt unstable, uncertain, but with the Swordsman by their side, they felt like they had a better chance at surviving.
"You do know that..." Lou stopped for a sec, "can we just go back home, it was just a cat" she said with a worried look "right".
The Swordsman looked at Louella and Sarah with a look of understanding and slight frustration. "I know you want to go back, I don't blame you for that," he said. "But as I said before, it's too dangerous, at least for now."
He then turned to look at Louella in response to her question. "I don't live in the woods," he said. "I live in a settlement not too far from here. I've come here, and other forests, looking for survivors."
"survivers of what" Lou asked again, more pushy this time.
She was so confused, the animals did come sometime but it was usually just a squirrel or a mouse. But he sounded like cats attacked buildings all the time.
The Swordsman seemed to sense Louella's frustration and frustration, but he kept his composure and remained calm despite it. "Surviving the change," he said, "the day the world changed into what you see now."
Louella felt a sense of confusion and bewilderment as the Swordsman responded. "The change..." she repeated back. "What change?" she asked. She looked down at her body, at Sarah's body, and all around herself. Everything had changed. The animals were dangerous, and so was the entire world around them.
She always knew that the animals were dangerous, but she had never seen the extent of it.Louella continued to observe her surroundings, the animals, the world around her. She was beginning to get a sense of the severity of the "change." She felt herself start to come to grips with the reality of their current situation. As the Swordsman had said, they had survived this massive change. That meant that they could survive the woods. And it also meant that it might not be too late for mankind as a whole. She felt a sense of hope start to creep up on her as she looked at the swordsman with fresh eyes.
"where are you taking us, the only city within 100 miles is that way" Lou said pointing back home.
Sarah nodded in agreement and confused all at the same time.
The Swordsman looked back at Louella and Sarah with a thoughtful look in his eyes. "The city is no longer a safe place," he said. "In fact, no place is truly safe anymore. But I come from a settlement nearby, it's much safer than the open world like this."
Louella and Sarah looked at the Swordsman in confusion, not really understanding what he meant. But they had no choice but to follow him, for their own safety. They didn't fully understand what was happening around them, what was happening to them, but they had no choice but to trust the swordsman's judgment.
"What makes here any more safe then the bunkers under ground," Sarah asked in frustration.
The Swordsman looked at Sarah, thinking for a moment before answering. "There are still dangers here of course, but they're known dangers. For one, the size of the settlement makes it difficult for these larger animals to get in. And two, it's filled with other survivors like us." He looked at Louella and Sarah, and in a way, they both felt safe hearing his words. The world felt unstable, uncertain, but with the Swordsman by their side, they felt like they had a better chance at surviving.
"what's your name," Lou asked as she looked into his beautiful brown eyes.
The Swordsman seemed surprised by Louella's question, but he didn't seem upset by it. "My name is Xavier," he said, his voice carrying an air of stoicism and authority. "Xavier the Swordsman. And you are?"
Xavier looked at Louella, his eyes full of curiosity and interest. She felt herself flush under his gaze, feeling embarrassed for some strange reason. In just a few minutes, she had become more comfortable with a stranger she had only known for a short time than with most people in her life. It was a new experience for her.
"Louella, Louella Maxine, but everyone calls me Lou," she said still looking at him as he was starting at the ground.
Xavier nodded in response, looking back up at Louella with a small smile on his face. "Pleased to meet you, Lou," he said. "And your friend here? What's her name?" He nodded in Sarah's direction, but his gaze remained on Louella, as if he found Sarah to be a bit dull in comparison. And while that was a rude thought to have, Louella could relate to it in some small way.
"This is Sarah," Louella said as she gestured towards Sarah. Sarah was staring at Xavier, her eyes darting around him as if trying to determine exactly who he was. She couldn't help but notice the way Louella was looking at Xavier, the way she was blushing and seemed embarrassed. Sarah could tell that Louella had a small crush on him. If Sarah didn't know any better, she would've guessed that Louella felt something similar for Sarah.
Sarah couldn't say exactly why, but she felt a small twinge of jealousy as she watched her best friend swoon over the handsome swordsman.
"so where are you from," asked Sarah, trying to stop Lou from staring at him.
Xavier looked at Sarah, the expression on his face softening a little bit. "My birthplace was a settlement on the outskirts of this forest," he said. "It was a small village, but it was a good place to grow up. And you?"
Sarah couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride at her home being praised by the handsome Xavier. She was glad to know that he came from that same region and not somewhere else entirely.
"My family lives in the city," Sarah said, trying to look at Xavier despite Lou's subtle but obvious crush on him.
Xavier looked at Sarah as she spoke, finding her voice to be quite gentle in a way that appealed to him. "And were you born in that city?" he asked, his voice containing a bit of surprise as he asked the question. Sarah was unsure of what exactly caused him to be so surprised, but she simply nodded in response.
"Yes, born and raised," she said. Xavier let out a small chuckle. "It must've been an interesting childhood then," he said in response. But before Sarah could ask him why, he seemed to catch a glimpse of Lou once again.
Sarah stared to get jealous of Lou and the attention she was getting from Xavier. He continued to stare back at Lou. She was blushing, and her eyes were wide as she returned his gaze. Sarah began to feel the smallest, tiniest bit of jealousy as she watched Xavier pay so much attention to Lou. She tried to ignore it, tried to tell herself that Xavier wasn't that special, that Louella's crush was silly and meant nothing. But deep down, Sarah felt a pang of jealousy at Lou receiving all of Xavier's attention.
Lou started to notice that Sarah was getting a little mad. Louella continued to stare at Xavier, trying to ignore Sarah's jealousy. She liked him, she really liked him, and that was enough to distract her. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sarah turn and look at her. There was a look of confusion on Sarah's face mixed with just the hint of jealousy, and Louella finally broke eye contact with Xavier, feeling a wave of guilt rush over her. Xavier was tall, muscular, but still lean. He was attractive, with sharp, striking facial features. He had a square jaw, a chiseled chin, and a pair of sharp green eyes. His hair was dark brown, cropped short to reveal his strong jawline.
Xavier had a powerful presence, an air of quiet confidence around him that drew Louella in. He commanded respect, and while Sarah didn't find him entirely appealing, Louella felt her heart skip a beat as his attention returned to her. Lou found her cheeks starting to blush again as she looked back at Xavier. She felt a mix of emotions rushing through her body, including her crush for Xavier and her guilt for Sarah. She wanted to stay loyal to Sarah, after all she was her best friend, but she couldn't help the way Xavier made her feel.
Lou felt herself becoming overwhelmed with all of this conflicting emotion. The feelings of jealousy and guilt, the feeling of guilt in her stomach, the feeling of her crush and attraction towards Xavier. She had never felt this way before, and it was entirely confusing.
Lou couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen him before, it felt almost like daja vu.
"Have I seen you before," she said unknowing that he heard her.
Xavier turned suddenly, perhaps hearing Lou's voice in his subconscious, and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Hm? Have you now?" he asked, his voice a bit playful. And as Lou studied his face once again, she felt herself drawing ever closer to reality. Was that familiar feeling she got whenever she saw him because she'd once seen him before? Or was it something else? She couldn't be completely sure, but she wanted to find out.
"Have you ever been to the city before, or have you lived out here your whole life," Lou wanted to find out to find out if it was even possible that she had seen him.
Xavier let out a small laugh, a bit amused by Lou's question. "No, I haven't lived here my whole life," he said. "I grew up in a settlement near the forest, a small village that's sadly no longer there."
Lou felt disappointed to learn that Xavier was from a settlement, and not from the city itself. But it was still possible that they'd met previously, maybe before the change, what change. Was it the animals, no it can't be they have been like this for centuries, what change. Before she could ask more, she heard Sarah clear her throat.
"Uh, Xavier?" Sarah said, drawing Xavier's attention away from Lou.
Xavier looked over at Sarah, his eyes still slightly focused on Louella. "What is it Sarah?" he asked in a patient tone.
Sarah was about to speak, but then she felt herself pause. She wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to say, or how to say it. In the back of her head, she still felt that twinge of jealousy, and it made her feel just a little bit guilty to say the words out loud. But she knew she had to.
Sarah thought for a moment longer, and finally managed to spit out the words she needed to say.
"Do you... do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, finding that she'd been holding her breath in anticipation as she asked the question. Xavier's face remained unchanged, showing no emotion to the question. That was good, Sarah thought. Maybe he didn't think much of the question, and maybe he didn't like her asking it in the first place. But it was still a question that needed to be asked. "I mean, you're very... handsome," she quickly added.
Xavier listened to Sarah without reacting to her words in any obvious way. His body was still, his face was still, and his words were still. But Lou could see something else in Xavier's eyes that Sarah couldn't. It almost seemed like Xavier was taking a beat to consider Sarah's words, a beat to decide how he wanted to answer. Lou saw this, and she was now hanging on every word from Xavier's mouth. That he was taking this much time to answer Sarah's question was both surprising and intriguing to her.
Sarah's face went red in an instant. She wanted to kick herself, kick herself for saying something so direct. But the words had escaped from her mouth, and now, all she could do was sit and wait for Xavier's response.
But Xavier's response was surprisingly calm, and even a bit funny.
"Why, are you looking for a boyfriend," he finally said jokingly.
He chuckled and shook his head in response to Sarah.
Xavier looked Sarah up and down as he answered her question, giving her a once over with his green eyes.
"You're certainly quite attractive," he said, once again adding a small chuckle in at the end.
Lou watched the scene between Sarah and Xavier playing out, now feeling a small twinge of jealousy herself. How easy it seemed for Xavier to flirt with others, and how naturally he took to the act.
But then she thought about it for a moment, and she smiled to herself. She finally caught on to what was happening here.
Lou realized that Xavier was flirting with both Sarah and herself. And that meant that, as strange as it was to admit, Xavier must like them both. And he was flirting with each of them in the same way he'd been doing. His tone, his words, his gaze; all of it was flirtatious and charming.
Lou's heart skipped a beat once again. Xavier had to find her attractive then, otherwise he wouldn't be flirting with her. She was both excited and giddy, but she was also confused. Should she be proud of herself? Or should she feel embarrassed? Lou also felt a bit guilty. As much as she was excited by the fact that Xavier might like her, the feeling of guilt that Sarah must be feeling was almost too much. But then, she realized something else. Sarah, in her own way, had just flirted with Xavier as well. She had just wanted to see how Xavier would react, and he responded in kind.
But Lou still felt a bit of guilt. Did that mean that they both wanted Xavier for themselves? If so, they would need to fight for him. Who knew what would happen if they did that...we have bigger problems here, she thought.
"Boom, boom, BOOM,"
A loud thunderous sound made Lou jump, causing her to look over at Sarah in shock. Sarah's eyes were wide, and for a moment, it looked like she'd been scared too. Both girls looked over at Xavier, whose head was tilted upwards towards the sky.
And there, in the clouds, was what seemed to be an immense thundercloud that covered much of the sky. It towered over the forest, and even from where Lou and Sarah were, it looked massive in size.
"What the hell?" Sarah asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
"No...not know" Lou wined
Lou and Sarah watched the giant stormcloud in silence, neither sure what to make of the situation.
"It just appeared?" Sarah asked, finally breaking the silence.
"It looks like a damn storm," Louella said.
Suddenly, Xavier turned and looked back at his companions. "We should get back to the settlement," he said. "We don't want to be caught out here when that storm hits."
They followed Xavier, running behind him through the trees and the webs of spiders that thankfully left.
Xavier led the two girls back through the forest, his eyes scanning the area cautiously. Lou noticed that he wasn't looking up in the air anymore, but rather, looking along the ground for any possible threats.
The rain began to fall, and soon it was almost a downpour. Thunder and lightning filled the air, and Sarah became increasingly nervous as they tried to find their way back to the settlement. Lou held Sarah's hand for a moment, trying to comfort her.
"We're gonna be alright, we have Xavier with us," she said, hoping to make Sarah feel better.
The group continued their trek through the forest, the rain pouring down around them. The ground was muddy beneath their feet, but Xavier knew exactly where he was going. He had an almost magnetic pull to the settlement, as if he could feel it in his bones. As the rain grew heavier and heavier, Lou found it harder and harder to see. She was forced to follow behind Xavier, relying on him to find their way. And in that moment, a thought crossed Lou's mind. Xavier must really care for them, otherwise he wouldn't be guiding her through this storm.
It felt like they were walking for centuries when Sarah finally asked where they were going.
Xavier turned and looked at Sarah as if the answer were obvious. "We're going to the settlement," he said.
Sarah's eyes widened at the answer, but she tried not to show her fear. Xavier was calm, so she didn't want to show him her fear of the storm either.
"And how far away is the settlement?" Sarah asked, now in a hurry to get there.
Xavier didn't even hesitate that time. "Not long," he said, his voice filled with authority.
Sarah felt a bit better, feeling confident that Xavier wouldn't lead her astray. That confidence began to fade a bit as she noticed a look of concern on Xavier's face. "What is it?" she asked him.
Xavier stopped walking, now facing Sarah directly. "Have you ever seen my settlement before?" he asked.
Sarah felt her heart stop. What was this sudden question? Sarah felt a rush of adrenaline and fear, her thoughts racing.
"No," Sarah said, her voice shaking slightly with fear. "I've never seen your settlement before."
For a moment, she looked worried that Xavier would be upset. But then she realized that he'd asked a different question. Xavier was calm once again, his expression showing no confusion or surprise. But his eyes were still focused on Sarah, still watching her for some other reason. Sarah wondered if she had answered the question correctly.
"What is your settlement called?" Xavier asked Sarah's in such a way that made her slightly nervous.
"Cayos city," Sarah said, "And yours," she asked.
Xavier let out a small chuckle at Sarah's answer. "My settlement was called New Cayos," he said, "but a lot of people call it NC now."
Sarah felt a wave of relief that Xavier's reaction wasn't hostile. Now she knew it was just a coincidence that their two settlements had the same name.
Xavier began to walk again, this time leading Sarah and Louella a bit closer to their settlement. They couldn't see it yet, but they were definitely getting closer.
Xavier continued to lead Sarah and Lou through the forest, the rain pouring down everywhere. The world around them felt like it was getting darker and darker, but that didn't slow them down.
Both girls felt a sense of excitement and nervousness as they followed Xavier. They knew that they were getting closer and closer to the settlement, and they couldn't help but wonder what it would be like. Would it be similar to their old settlement? Or would it look completely different? There was only one way to find out: once they got there.
"how close are we," Lou asked knowing that t wasn't THAT far.
Xavier kept his eyes straight ahead, but his tone became slightly amused when Lou asked him how close they were.
"We're almost there," he said confidently.
Lou was beginning to wonder why Xavier was so confident, almost as if he knew what was on the other side of the trees. She wanted to ask him that, but Xavier began to walk faster towards the trees, as if trying to get her to speed up. Lou had no choice but to follow his lead once again. Lou thought about how the settlement they came from sounded the same. As she thought about for a hot second and came to the conclusion that he must've lied.
As they continue tho walk through the forest, Sarah and Lou started to think that he was just leading them a stray.
"Are we really almost there?" Sarah asked Xavier in a somewhat suspicious tone. Her voice was filled with doubt, and she looked over at him with a look that seemed to be trying to read his mind. She felt something about him was off, and she didn't know what.
Xavier chuckled again when he heard Sarah's comment. "Trust me," he said. And while Sarah wanted not to, she did. She was able to see the settlement ahead now, just around the corner, and her suspicions began to fade as the distance between them and their destination shrunk.
Xavier led Sarah and Lou around the corner, into a small clearing. And there, in the distance, was the settlement. And Sarah and Lou's mouths dropped open in awe.
It was massive, much larger and more advanced then their old settlement could have ever been. The village was a bustling place, with people walking all over. Sarah could spot children running back and forth, playing and laughing. It was a sight to see, a place she had never seen before.
Lou felt herself feeling the first bits of admiration for Xavier as she beheld their destination. Sarah and Lou were admiring all the buildings the settlement had. It looked so beautiful. Sarah and Louella followed Xavier as he led them deeper into the village. Sarah's curiosity was at an all time high, and Lou found herself getting lost in the sights of the new settlement. It was a city, not a village, she realized. It was the kind of place she knew only existed in her dreams, a place she could only imagine.
As they continued walking, Sarah found her eyes being drawn back to Xavier. She couldn't deny the fact that she had a massive crush on him, and she found herself smiling in awe at him yet again.
"Wow," Sarah said
"I know right," said Lou.
Xavier turned and looked at Lou, smiling once more. "Like what you see?" he asked, his voice slightly amused by Lou's reaction to the city.
Lou nodded quickly, still trying to take in all that her eyes could see. Sarah was beside Lou, gazing around in amazement at the buildings and the people around her. She couldn't help but grin at Xavier's response, her crush on him growing with every passing moment.
"it's so... it's so big and...," Xavier interrupted her.
Louella looked over at Xavier, wondering what exactly he had been about to say. But he wasn't giving away any thoughts of his own, the look of amusement still on his face as he watched Sarah take in the settlement.
Lou was getting so distracted by Xavier's expression that it took a moment for her to even notice Sarah's excitement.
"I never knew that this was possible," Sarah said, her voice filled with excitement. "I thought..."
Before Sarah finished her sentence, Xavier cut her off, his voice gentle and kind.
"What did you think?"
"I thought you said you lived in the woods, not here in this place," Sarah said "it's just so nice,"
She continued.
Xavier's expression became even happier at Sarah's praise of the settlement. He looked like a proud father, watching his daughter discover something new.
"We do live in the woods," Xavier said, his tone still gentle and patient. "This place is where we go for trading and other purposes."
Sarah looked even more amazed at that response. "There are other settlements that are like this?" she asked, her voice filled with fascination. "Of course," he said, " did you think your settlement was the only one," he said
" Well...," Sarah looked down.
Sarah felt her heart drop, realizing that Xavier wasn't actually impressed by her settlement. She felt embarrassed and ashamed, but she tried to hold those feelings inside.
She looked back up at Xavier, trying to smile despite her embarrassment. "We didn't... know," she said, her voice growing more cautious. "It just felt like we were so far from everything, like there couldn't be anything else out there."
She knew that Xavier knew she was lying, and for a moment, she felt the smallest bit of anger towards him for his honest and frank response.
Lou notice the embarrassed look on Sarah's face and tried to detract her.
"Hey you think they have something to eat," She said.
The question from Lou caused a slight moment of relief for Sarah. She felt slightly better that she and Xavier's interaction could potentially be broken with a question from Louella.
Xavier shrugged his shoulders in response, his face becoming slightly more serious. "They probably do," he said. "If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that people need to eat to survive."
He said this with a slight tone of sarcasm, the humor not lost on Sarah. She felt herself smiling slightly, despite her embarrassment moments ago.
They wondered around the shops and looked for some tasty things to try. As Xavier lead they around, they looked at all the different foods people had, it all looked so good. Sarah felt her stomach growl as she and the group walked along the shopping district of the settlement. She had never seen so many snacks and treats in one place before, and she found herself wanting to try everything. This was nothing like anything they seen at their settlement. While walking around She couldn't help but be curious by the scene between the security and the woman with the honey cookies. She turned to Xavier with her question in mind, they saw a woman being yelled at by security for bringing honey cookies, a delightful treat from where she came from. The people at security where telling her that it was dangerous and that she needed to leave.
"Why are they saying honey cookies are dangerous?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity. "They look delicious."
"You don't need to know," he said.
She sighed in annoyance "yes I do," she said.
"Bees," is all he said, "Bees that attract birds,"
" Oh,"
Sarah didn't quite know what to think after Xavier's answer. The last thing she was expecting was to hear about bees attracting birds. She looked at him and Lou, waiting for them to say more.
But before Lou could say anything in response, Xavier decided to ask Sarah a question of his own.
"Have you ever eaten a honey cookie?" he asked, his tone slightly cautious. "Not a joke," he added.
Sarah hesitated for a moment. She hadn't actually tried one, but she didn't want to seem ignorant. "No," she finally answered. "Have you?"
Xavier nodded his head at Sarah's answer. "Of course," he said, his voice containing an air of confidence that Sarah felt compelled by. "They're quite good. Sweet, but not too sweet, and they're also crunchy."
Sarah smiled at the description, already imagining what they must taste like. She knew they couldn't taste as good as Xavier made them sound, but Sarah felt excited about getting the chance to try them.
"Why do the birds like them so much?" Sarah asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"It's not the birds," he said "it's the bees that like it, the bees attract birds,"
Sarah's eyes widened as Xavier explained the answer to her. It took a moment for her to realize that she had misheard his answer before.
"The bees like honey cookies?" Sarah asked him, feeling her heart rate increase a bit. It made no sense to Sarah why bees would be attracted to the honey cookies. Unless honey itself attracted the bees, which was even more concerning to Sarah.
Xavier seemed to enjoy Sarah's surprise, a gentle smile coming to his face. "Yes, the sweet honey does attract the bees," he told her.
"wait, does this mean that bees are coming," she said
Sarah's tone was filled with concern as she directed her question at Xavier. She couldn't imagine having bees nearby, or birds for that matter. The thought of having those kinds of creatures so close in proximity to her was something she never wanted to experience.
Xavier nodded. "Yes, the bees will come," he said, "for the honey cookies."
"and what will the birds come for," she ask, this time more scared.
Xavier shrugged his shoulders, a look of amusement on his face as he watched Sarah's fear. "They're attracted to the honey as well, I suppose," he told her.
Sarah felt a chill run down her spine as she imagined having bees and birds flying around her while she was outside in the open. "When will they come?" she asked Xavier, her voice somewhat panicked.
She was internally panicking she didn't know how big bees or birds or were, for all she knew the bees could be bigger than a cat and she didn't want to see that.
Sarah's fear was clearly evident to Xavier. He saw that she was anxious, worrying about what he might say next. And in response, Xavier tried to keep his voice as gentle as he could, knowing that Sarah was starting to panic.
"No need to worry," he said, his voice gentle and soothing. "They're not really that bad."
Suddenly, Sarah heard a loud noise that startled her, a buzzing sound in the air. Sarah turned her head towards the source of the sound, and her heart stopped when she saw a group of bees buzzing in the air nearby.
She looked up at the sky and saw big black and yellow fluffy flying things that were buzzing around and went straight for the cookies and knocked the plate out of her hands and started to eat it. Her eyes wided as she saw the bees they were about her height and so fluffy yet still looked so scary. Everyone started to panic and some started to scream. People were saying 'there coming' and ' we need to leave'. Sarah started to look at Lou in fear. Sarah felt her heart pounding in her chest as she took in the scene around her. The bees were massive, bigger than anything she had ever seen, well besides the cat, and they were everywhere. In a matter of seconds, the entire area seemed filled with swarms of bees as far as the eye could see.
"Run!" Sarah yelled to Lou, grabbing onto her arm and running in the direction away from the bees. But she and Lou suddenly felt like they couldn't move, frozen in fear as they saw the bees flying towards them. They tried to Xavier for help but he was just as scared as they were.
Sarah and Lou were desperate hoping for him to save them from the swarm of bees coming towards them. They were frozen in place, unable to move, but Xavier just stood there, as the bees closed in on Sarah and Lou.
The bees were getting closer and closer by the second, the buzzing sound becoming louder and louder. Lou felt her heart beating out of her chest as she looked around in a panic, frantically trying to figure out how to escape. Xavier took a deep breath, his fear making him shake slightly. He wanted to save Sarah and Lou from the swarm of bees, but he wasn't sure what he could do, this time he just couldn't be prince charming anymore.
Suddenly, he felt his muscles tighten as his eyes narrowed. He didn't even realize what he was doing, but suddenly, he felt like he could do something to help Sarah and Louella escape from the bees. And he knew what it was.
Xavier's eyes lit up as his muscles trembled, a look of determination and determination filling his expression. He took another deep breath and then let it out. The muscles in his back began to tighten even more, his eyes glowing from the power he was about to use. The bees were almost on top of Sarah and Lou by now, and they just stood there, completely paralyzed by fear and unable to run away. Xavier had a plan, but it meant putting himself in danger. He took another deep breath and then ran towards the bees, his body vibrating with power. As he looked around to figure out something to, he kept looking, and yet found nothing. His heart was racing at the speed of light, his body paralyzed with fear. All could do is watch as all of this happens, and not to mention the birds that will probably be coming any minute now.
Xavier took another deep breath as he ran towards the bees, his heart racing in his chest. The bees were about to land on Sarah and Lou, to cover them with their prickly bodies.
Xavier had to do something, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way. He felt the vibrations getting stronger and more powerful.
The bees started to touch Sarah and her clothes, and She felt the buzz of their wings, the prickly feeling of their soft bodies hitting her, they felt so soft, she almost not even scared anymore.
Sarah felt the bees landing on her, wrapping their soft bodies around her, their little legs gripping her clothing tightly as they tried to stay on.
She felt her fear disappear as she felt their fluffy bodies, the feeling of their legs gripping her clothing. It was a new experience, and although the feeling was strange, it was not entirely unpleasant.
She let out a slight giggle and looked over at Xavier, who was still standing still. "Are they even hurting us?" she asked him, her voice sounding amused.
Xavier was stunned by Sarah's comment, having never seen anyone be so chill about being covered in bees. He looked over at Sarah, seeing the bees wrapped around her as they buzzed around her.
Sarah's amusement was contagious, and she felt her laughter spreading to Lou and even Xavier. It was hard not to laugh, considering how funny the scene was. Xavier suddenly felt himself relaxing as his fear subsided and the adrenaline dissipated.
With the bees on them, the group was starting to forget why they were even scared in the first place.
"it's not them that I'm scared of," Xavier said, "it's what comes after, what comes for them."
Sarah looked at Xavier, confused. "What comes after the bees?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity. Lou's ears perked up as well.
Xavier's expression looked worried, as if something about the bees was worrisome to him. "The birds come after the bees," he answered. He didn't elaborate further, but he sounded like he really meant it.
"What's a bird," Lou asked
Xavier had a hard time hiding his shock at hearing that Lou didn't know what a bird was. It was such a common animal, he had always assumed anyone would know what it was.
He took a deep breath and decided to take his time answering Lou's question. "A bird is... well, it's hard to explain," he said, his voice sounding hesitant. "It's a creature, similar to a bee, that also flies. But it's bigger, and has feathers, and..."
He was interrupted by a loud screeching noise that made all of them cover their ears. A big shadow blocked the light when they looked up to the source of the noise and the shadow.
The sight that greeted them was terrifying. A flock of giant birds were circling in the air, their wings flapping at such speeds that they caused a shadow on the ground. They were bigger than any animals Sarah and Louella had ever seen.
The sound of their loud screeching sent chills down Lou's spine, a nervous feeling coming to her as she remembered that the birds were coming after the bees. The birds were about one third the size of a cat and really, really scary. Sarah and Lou watched as the birds began to descend on the area, their wings flapping and their screeching growing louder and louder. Xavier looked worried, not knowing what to do as the birds descend upon them.
The bees began to fly away as the birds approached, leaving Sarah and Lou without their protection. Xavier stepped in front of the group, trying to act brave and shield them from the threat of the birds, like he had with the bees. As he tried to scare off the bees so the birds wouldn't come. He knew what the birds were, it was likely that the girls didn't know what a bird was, Xavier hoped they would never need to find out. Xavier's face was contorted into a look of fear as he tried to scare off the bees. The birds were getting closer and closer, their screeching growing louder and louder as they descended upon the group.
Sarah and Lou started to feel like they were running out of time, the birds getting closer and closer as they watched Xavier try to scare off the bees. "How much longer can he keep the bees from us?" Sarah asked Lou, her voice starting to sound panicked. As Sarah and Louella watched Xavier and the bees, they could tell that he was tired from trying to fight them off. The bees were still swarming the three of them, but there were definitely less of them than there were before.
The birds were nearly overhead now, the screeching getting even louder as they got closer. It was clear that time was running out for Xavier to protect the group. Sarah looked over at Louella, her eyes filled with worry. "He can't hold them off for much longer," she said.
...To be continued...
YOU ARE READING
What a Strange World
FantasyIn the year 2046, the world underwent a cataclysmic event that forever changed the natural order. All animals, from the majestic elephants to the tiniest ants, suddenly grew to towering heights of at least 30 feet. These enormous creatures, once the...
