They both entered the woods and ran for several minutes. Climbed down a couple of rocks until they crossed a small stream. They were exhausted. Fortunately, they found a perfect place to rest, right beside the little river; they hurried to drink. They lay down on the ground; the surroundings seemed calm.
After quenching her thirst, the girl looked at Vanrra intently; she was about to cry. She threw herself to hug him; was still in deep panic, trembling with fear. The eyes and the moans of that abomination were still burned into her memory. They were both still very exhausted. After catching her breath, the girl let go of him instinctively, somewhat embarrassed. —Why did you come back for me?
Panting from exhaustion. —I don't remember.
—Thank you. —She observed the nature that surrounded her, accompanied by the relaxing sound of the stream. —Leah… my name is Leah.
—Leah, how are you?
—…
He washed his face. —Do you know what that thing was? It looked… like nothing I've ever seen. I hope it's dead. That thing, that monster... eat... —He throws up, remembering the scene, the blood trickling down the rock, and the screams of the poor wretches
Leah also felt nauseous remembering the beast. —What will we do now?
He was still exhausted. —Now what?
—Do you know where to go? Did you take anything from the camp?!
—I only have this. —He took a couple of bullets out of his pockets. Leah disassembled the bullets with a stone, with their gunpowder, they made a fire for a campfire.
They heard the crash of thunder; in broad daylight, the forest rumbled. It seemed to come from far away. They heard the roar of that beast one last time; its very existence was a mockery of nature. After that, the forest calmed down. They waited until dusk. She asked him, —Do you think there are more monsters like that in the forest?
—I don't know; I know nothing. I lied to you; I've never set foot in this forest. I hope there aren't more things like that. —They both sat by the fire, alone in the darkness.
—Do you also feel the situation is somehow familiar?
—A little, but I feel like someone is missing.
—I have that feeling too. —Vanrra handed her some berries. —Do you want some? So you're not so hungry. —Leah took them very carefully, examining them in amazement, as if it were the first time she'd seen a diamond.
—Will they hurt me?
—Of course not; they're delicious. —Leah ate them. She liked them, but not as much as she had imagined. —They're not dangerous unless they're blue; those are poisonous. The good thing is I gave you red ones.
—You gave me blue ones.
—Liar, they were red; I saw them in the firelight… —Leah put her hands to her throat and tried to spit them out. She ran to the stream and desperately rinsed her mouth. Vanrra couldn't stop laughing.
—Why are you laughing?! I'm going to die!
—Of course not; it was a joke. You look really ridiculous.
—It's not funny!
—You're the amusing one: your face, your voice.
—You think my face is funny?!
—No, it's just that… you seem kind of friendly to me. Without your weapon, you're just a normal girl.
—Damn cattle, don't make fun of me!
—When will you stop being so rude? People stay away from you if you insult them all the time; you're lucky we're in a forest and I literally can't run away.
—…
—Am I bothering you?
—….
—Didn't you like the joke?
—…
—Leah?
She answered immediately: —Don't talk to me.
—Did the joke bother you? I'm sorry, I just wanted to see… how gullible you were.
—It's my fault for trusting savages like you. You're all liars.
—Then why have you trusted me?
—I don't know, maybe I'm a fool. A damn idiot. —She shed a few tears.
—I don't think so; I've met a lot of really stupid people. You're not like them; you just trust me a lot.
—Someone like you knows absolutely nothing.
—You and I are the same, at the mercy of monsters. Neither of us has the slightest idea what's going on.
They both stared at the fire, facing each other. She said to him, —Vanrra, why are you in this forest? You say you've never been here before.
—What am I doing here? Isn't it obvious? I'm running away from a monster.
—The horned beast?
—No, a much worse one. Another giant, a very different one. A titan.
She looked at him intently with her big eyes. —A titan? What was that titan like?
—That bastard, how could I forget him? He… he… he destroyed my village. He killed everyone I cared about. —He clenched his fists tightly. —He destroyed everything in my life, leaving me alive to bear this damn pain. Why am I still alive?... I should be dead.
—I should be dead too. I should have been crushed by the monster. You saved me; that's why I'm alive. Thanks to whom are you still alive?
That scene came to his mind, when he was face-to-face with the titan. Was it going to crush me? What happened right after? How did I survive? Why didn't it kill me? —I'm not sure. —Some footsteps caught both their attention; they got up at once. From the darkness came a familiar silhouette. —Doc! You're okay!
He was carrying a backpack and holding another large bag in one hand. Dressed in a white shirt, pants, and a khaki vest. He wore big boots, a belt, and a bandolier. He dropped the large bag at his feet. —I see you have company.
He went to hug him immediately. —Doc! You have no idea what I saw. I got to a camp in the middle of the forest. It was attacked by a huge monster, a giant with horns. It killed everyone there, devoured them… it ate people. —Hiram stepped away from him and walked toward Leah; he questioned her with his eyes. She seemed embarrassed. —She's Leah, Doc. I found her in the forest; she was also running away from the monster... She doesn't talk much.
He crouched in front of her. —Leah? —She nodded. —I'm Hiram, Hiram Abiff. You don't belong to this land?
She was surprised by the question. —No.
Hiram reached out his hand for a greeting; Leah responded shyly. Hiram gave her a firm handshake. Leah was left frozen, not knowing how to respond. —You…?
—What's wrong, Doc? What did you do to her?
He let go of her. —Nothing's wrong; let her rest; she's very pale. She just wants to calm down. Don't bother her. —He sat by the campfire. He took a canteen out of his backpack and handed it to Vanrra; he drank half of it.
—What is this? It doesn't feel like water.
—It's not just water; it'll help you recover. —Vanrra offered the drink to Leah. Hiram was slightly annoyed. —It's for you; it's too strong for a woman. Finish it.
—But she…
Leah said. —No thanks.
Vanrra approached Hiram. He asked in a low voice, —Do you know where she might be from?
—From a strange place. I don't know of anywhere on Earth where they wear clothes like that.
—Do you know everyone in the world?
—I can make an idea.
—Doc, what's in those backpacks?
—Useful things, better clothes. Change out of those rags when you can.
Vanrra started to feel a bit sleepy. —What did you see on your way, Doc? Did you run into one of those giants?
—No, I only heard those things roar. If I was shaken, I can't imagine what you must have felt.
—The monster killed more than thirty hunters; it devoured them; that thing wasn't an animal. Its eyes were blue, like torches. Aside from the fact that it was a monster, there was something very strange about it, something that shouldn't even be able to exist. Its blood was white; it changed color constantly. Its roar: it's impossible for an animal to roar like that; it sounded like the voices of thousands of people, children.
—Maybe the fear made you imagine some things.
—No! I know what I experienced; Leah lived it too. That thing appeared right after yesterday's titan. Could they be related?
—I'd like to know.
Vanrra yawned. —What do you think, Leah? What's your theory?
—I… —She looked at Hiram. —I have no idea what it is. I don't know anything. I wish I knew… what's happening, where I am. What did I get myself into? —She looked up at the sky. —I just want to go home.
Hiram replied. —We both want to; no one wants to be here, but unfortunately we're trapped with those monsters.
—What do you think that monster is, Doc?
—The one with the horn?
—The titan.
Hiram looked at the fire. —What do I think it is? I don't think it's a monster; it's something different. I'm not sure both are related. Anyway, we have very little information. Maybe they're something we ourselves have called into being.
Vanrra fell asleep in the middle of the speech. His eyes closed peacefully. He was terribly exhausted. Hiram covered him with a blanket. Before falling into a deep sleep, he heard that squirrel's voice. Some unintelligible words.