Chapter 3

Escape the Wilderness

“Ugh…” A groan catches my ear and I turn behind me. The officer collapses to the floor. I quickly dash next to him and help him up. His face is pure white and his eyes are closing. I lay him against the pod. He coughs and spits blood all over his uniform.

“Ugh…I..I’m not going to make it.” He grabs his equipment belt and fumbles with its lock. When it unlocks, he pushes it toward me and grips me hand tightly.

“The procedure cites that-*cough cough*-all security personells have to keep the passangers safe in any situations. I’m not fit to protect these people anymore…So I am promoting you as the chief-in-command.” He begs with his eyes. His voice turns to whisper. “Please…take care of Pharell…He is like a brother to me.”

I nod. He smiles and closes his eyes. I don’t know how long I sit there, holding his hands, until his breath shortens and fades.

The officer…is dead.

Digging with your hand is hard, but with three people, the task is much more easier. We buried the officer right beside the crashed pod. I don’t know him that long, but without him, we might not even make it out of that explosion. We owed him our life. He is a hero. I’m sure the others will agree.

“So…what do we do now?” The woman asks. I turn to find her staring directly at me. The young man kneels down beside the grave, holding the small makeshift tombstone we made from the stones around us.

First thing first, we need shelter. I look inside the pod and scan through the interior. We have rations for food, although they won’t last forever. But first thing first, we have to start building a temporary home for ourselves.

“Grab everything you can from the pod. We’re making a camp.”

“So…it was really chaotic before, huh?” The woman states. I turn to look at her. We are both building our temporary shelter while Pharell is moving the content of the pod to the nearest cave entrance that we saw when scouting the area.

“I suppose so.” I shrug while holding a nail against the doorframe. I’ve just finished with the wooden wall supporting the cave entrance. The woman is preparing a small bedroll for each of us. I might be able to turn them into beds tomorrow.

“Uh…nice to meet you, miss..” I didn’t get her name. Come to think of it, I don’t think that we ever introduced ourselves.

“I’m Cagla.” The lady offers her hand to me. I let go of the finished door and reach for her hand.

“Skye.” Instinctively, my body goes on one knee and kisses her hand. We both gasp in surprise. Hers because of my weird gesture. Mine for the same reason. The two of us went quiet for a moment, and then giggle nervously. I let go of it and sits beside her, helping her with her task.

“So, where are you from, Skye?” Cagla asks while straightening the seat cushion into a bedroll. I scratch my head. I…don’t really know. Being frozen in that thing must have affected my head. When I tell her that, she frowns.

“Oh…Amnesia at such time! Poor you…Don’t worry, I hope it’ll come back soon!” Cagla pats my shoulder. I nod. Can’t really find anything to say but agree with her at the topic.

Suddenly, the door bursts open, creaking loudly. The two of us turns toward it. Pharell is standing there, sweating and trembling.

“M-Ma’am…” Pharell stammers.

“What’s wrong, Pharell?” I force myself not to scold him for almost breaking the door that I just placed.

“Someone is running to us from a distance…with his sword up in the air..” Everyone turns to me for orders. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel nervous.

Instead, I feel relaxed. As if I were used to this. A knight… I reminds myself. I was a knight, I guess… This amnesia is not helping much.

I lift my rifle’s sling from my shoulders and opens the barrack’s door.

“Move out! Now!”

To be Continued

Picture Source