The Orbist

Chapter 19

(1 Week Later)

 Bryan was right. The tracker liquid was only temporary. They couldn't find me after I managed to escape. Perhaps they simply said it was for forever just to frighten me. I didn't know. All I knew was that Teo was dead. I survived and he did not. He was scared when he died. He knew it was coming. He waited so long for a roommate to help him escape. And I came. Maybe if it was any other kid, he would be breathing right now. But he wasn't.

 I took a handful of water from the spring which laid before me, and carefully sipped from it, trying my best for the water not to seep through my fingers. I didn't know where I was. Some forest. After escaping the Ecators I just ran wherever. It was hard to escape them. Their headquarters was right in the blue in a big city. When I left the building after Teo died the chase wasn't over. It was a miracle I got away from those pigs.

 I stared at my reflection in the water. Tears rolled down my face and splashed upon contact with my reflection. Then my sadness turned to rage. I pounded my fists in the water and screamed. Teo was dead. Teo was dead.

 I turned around and ran off. I ran a lot that week, and it didn't do well for my hipbone, which was lightly hit during the shootout which took place in the work room.

 Then I started to vomit. The grass beneath me was splashed over by it. I wiped my mouth, but I wasn't done, and then regurgitated all over my forearm. I fell backwards, and laid on my back. The sunlight gleamed in to my eyes, so I turned around and faced the grass. My lips were wet with puke.

 I wasn't sure how I vomited so much. I didn't eat a lot the past days. Leaves, sometimes. But they never sustained me to the point where I'd be satisfied. I never ate any berries or mushrooms I found, in fear of being poisoned. So leaves were what I ate. I didn't bother trying to hunt, since birds were too quick, and I rarely found any mammals worth eating.

 After I belched and lay down, I continued walking. Without a destination. Just a false hope that I'd magically run into Ralph and the group.

 Once, I found half a bottle of beer. I drank a little of it, but only a little, so I wouldn't get boozed up. The taste was rather disgusting, maybe because it wasn't cold. But anything other than water and leaves at the time was alright in my book.

 Days passed. Maybe, weeks, I wasn't sure. Everyday was a test going against me. A test to see if I would just give up hope and let myself die. But I kept moving. I felt I owed it to Teo. He would want me to keep going. Then again,

    "You used him!" I yelled aloud to myself one day. "You used him like a toy! And now he's dead!"

 I began running, running faster and faster.

    "Ralph!" I screamed out. "Levi! Bryan! Barry! El-"

 I tripped and landed on my side. The pain stung, but I ignored it. I stood up and continued running.

    "I'm lost!" I yelled. "I'm lost! I'm lost! Hello?"

 It was true. I didn't know where I was. I felt every step I made was just getting me deeper in the forest.

    "Come on!" I shouted. "Come on, where are you?! Anyone! Ecators? Kael, are you here? Come out! Come out! I'll kill you and your stupid boss! If you're so good at locating why aren't you...why aren't you..."

 I dropped to my knees. No one was listening.

    "I can't make fire!" I admitted aloud. "I- I tried I can't. So no one, no one will find me."

 Tears began dripping from my eyelashes.

    "Somebody." I whispered. "Help."