I Was Helping Ingrid Skin A Deer. As Always, Silence Was Our Closest Companion.I Wanted To Bring Up The

And with that I continued on the road. ...actually I guess it was more the official start of it. But you get what I mean... I hope. Anyway, I traveled on.

I continued in the direction that got me here. Wasn't ready to go back yet. I wanted to know what IT is, and I'm still far from knowing.

IT doesn't want me to tell anyone about it. I'd never get the idea to talk with people I couldn't trust about such things, but still it gets me thinking. Why not even with people I trust? Is IT afraid? Afraid someone out there might now what IT is?

Hmmm... very interesting thought... Might be something to go on. I'm sure IF that really is the reason there must be something readable out there too. Some information I just can get without telling anyone about IT directly.

But finding something like that without getting to talk about such stuff, might prove difficult. I have to find some way to talk about IT without really mentioning that it's a fact.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Water!

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

It was exhausting to walk through the forest. My throat was dry as bone. But it was worth the struggle. After roaming through the forest for a while I found a small pond. Thinking about it afterwards I should have been more cautious. There could have been something wrong with the water. Instead I fell to my knees in front of it, pushed my face into the water and gulped down as much as I could. I felt how the cool water ran down my throat and moistened every bit down to my stomach.

I felt relieved as I sat up again. Not only because I finally got some water, but also because I got some of it onto my neck too. I didn't notice much how itchy the necklace was since I woke up but I felt the relief as I got some water on my neck.

Picture Forest by IIDanmrak

Music Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I enjoyed that moment for a while longer, just sitting there. It was a welcome change from walking near to all day.

The sun had moved quite a bit, lighting the area in a different way, when I noticed a fox drinking from the beck a few paces from me.

I hit myself against the head.

How couldn't I have thought of that. Animals need water. This may not be the only place around here for them to get some but it's one of them. If I just wait around here somewhere... maybe even follow the stream a little, might even find a pond where it ends up.

I got up and packed my stuff. The fox ran away as soon as I moved, but he wasn't my target anyway. But still, I learned something from him too; If I wanna wait around water for animals, I gotta stay still, or move very slowly.

My new plan was set, following the beck to where it ends and waiting for animals. If I can't follow them, I'll wait for them instead.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

It had become dark already but I still hadn't decided what to do... or... I had... in a way. But I didn't want to... tell myself... I guess, so I just stayed there, watching the glowing embers, that the fire left behind.

I had eaten both hares some time ago already, but still I was just lying there, watching the embers and... kinda enjoying the... emptiness in my head.

I was woken by a weird sound in the distance. The first thing I noticed was how numb my left arm was... or at first I was worried if I still had it, but I think that would have been painful instead of numb.

I got up and looked around.

Nothing... lucky I guess

Although my arm was still numb I was back in hunting mode.

There... that sound again... but... it's different... and from another direction... or did I just mishear the first time?

I had never heard that sound before, nothing like it either. It was a long, dull sound.

Another...! over there this time... two short ones this time...?

I wasn't sure what to make of those sounds. What animal could make this sound? My imagination ran wild... maybe something human-like, but bigger, fur all over, with the head like a bull? I wouldn't wanna meet that in person

I got scared by this thought, wanted to climb high into a tree, but my arm was still numb. I found a bush instead, hid inside and inspected my arms.

No scars... just like usual... I tried to move my fingers. Didn't work as good as expected. I helped with my other hand, bending each finger by itself, moving the hand around a bit, bending the elbow, moving the whole arm.

The numbness left my arm again.

Suddenly my arm was filled with another weird feeling... like ants were crawling all over it. Out of panic I frantically shaked my arm, I didn't see any ants but it came out of reflex “Get them away, get them away” I thought, tho there was nothing on my arm.

The feeling vanished, my arm was back to normal

I looked at it in wonder... What was that?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

My stomach growled as if it wanted to say “Yes!”

“Well and what would the sir desire to eat? We've got dirt, bark or leaves.”

Nøt s$ôlëlý ha ha haa

Wait... you don't mean I should...

I looked down at the rests of Lord whatever...

...Ï dø ... ëxåctlý thæt

“No. NO!...”

I took a step backwards

“People are not for eating! Even if it's an enemy!”

Whý?

“Because... because...”

Séè, yøü'væ göt nô gòód ræ-

“NO! Simply NO! If you've got nothing else to contribute go fuck off!”

Yøµ évên hævê twø... wôn't gö húñ-

“Right! That other guy, he had a horse. That I could eat”

Whý?

“Leave me be”

... Whý?

“Ah Fuck you, I'll just ignore you for now.”

...hrg hrg hrg … Whý?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

A Hug

Helos

He opened the door. I walked in behind him.

'Martin, where 'ave ya been?'

'Met th' wee un on th' way'

'Wee wahn?'

I came forth from behind Martin. I saw in her eyes that she was exactly like him, only wanted to protect the people dear to her. And it seemed like I just became one of those people.

'Wot 'appened ter ya lil' wahn?' She came down and hugged me tightly. I didn't resist, it felt like paradise. I wanted that moment never to end. This warm, sincere hug. Like the one from a worried mother.

Then, still hugging me, she looked at Martin. 'Ya think...'

'Aye, ah think he cam fae that toun'

Picture Black Butterfly by Selenada

Music Helos by Scott B. Morton & Michael Verrette

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I went back to the stream to wash off my blood and see how big the wound really was. It cost some time and energy but I'd rather check on that and maybe fix it somehow than leave a blood trail after me. Who knows what or who might sniff me up thanks to that.

The holes in my hand weren't that big, he did bite me two times so naturally there were four, two on the back of my hand, two inside of it. There wasn't much blood running from them tho, the bleeding had been worst in the beginning.

I tried moving my hand around a bit, into different positions I could think of that I'm using while hunting. But there was nothing that really caused much more bleeding than when I relaxed the hand.

A bit more when drawing my bow but I guess I had just to be a bit more selective with my prey, and more accurate with my shots.

I went on, looking for any kind of tracks of animals, focusing on my senses to hear if there's anything nearby. I found another hare, but this time I managed to sneak up and get it with my bow. Hit right in the head, quite a lucky shot I had there.

Guess that means one more to go, and then I'll eat something. My stomach growled Yeah I know it's time, I know that I'm tearing at my reserves, just gimme a bit more time

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

He's right... it's my fault... I really killed two humans... decapitated one... split the other apart... I guess it's right that I have not much empathy for those two... after all they weren't just any humans. They were two humans trying to kill me.

For a long while after that my mind felt silent and empty. There was still stuff going on but... no 'main' thought.

It was already past midday when I caught myself and my head began working again. I still stood there, with the bow in my hand and the other stuff on the riverside.

I took the quiver on my back and wore the bow also over my chest. The knife I attached to my pants, and somehow managed to do the same with the flint & iron. Whetstone and meat I kept each in a hand.

Ok, got all my stuff. What else was on the plan... cleaning the stuff... some water... and... right, looking for where I left my bow before I had to run from the hound. But... where should I start?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Don't Look Back

Great, now I even have to wash these Anyway, him fainting makes the whole thing easier, at least partially... He won't complain, but I'll have to take off his clothes myself

It was no easy feat to undress the man with these claws and transforming back would've taken too long and been too risky But I managed to get his shirt and pants, without hurting him although the clothes did look a bit butchered Holes and cuts in a few places, all made by me

I went back into the forest, to my cave

Now I do have some clothes, probably won't fit too well but far better than running around naked

Now all I had to do were some preperations I hunted myself a deer first, skinned it, cut part of it in pieces then got myself some wood, piled that up at the cave entrance now all that was left was turning back and washing those clothes

but first I went to the pond another time to get, for now, a last look at this wretched creature I was to burn it into my memories, to be motivated by it

I'll get rid of this cursed thing inside of me someday I'll be cured of this form I'll find a solution to this

Picture Forest Pond by Ruth-Tay

Music Don't Look Back by CMA

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Anger

Tsar Bomba

I went through everything once more in my mind. I was forced to go through it all over agin. The smell of smoke and burning flesh. The screams of anguish. The guy who kicked in our front door. The voice and the laugther of the madman who set mother ablaze...

Every. Single. Detail.

Picture Anger by BluDrgn426

Music Tsar Bomba by Avatar

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016