Chapter 13

'Chuff, chuff, chuff'.

That was the sound of the helicopter whirling. The first batch hunters where standing in a straight line beside the helicopter addressed by Julia.

'For the hunt, you are allowed to use all the machinery provided, guns, bombs. Anything. But the only weapon you're not allowed is spear'.

She said the word like it was the most dangerous thing on earth.

'So if you have any hidden weapon of any kind, drop them on the floor now!'.

Two men marched forward and dropped the knifes hidden in the belts.

'Wise'. Julia clapped then turned so fast I only saw breeze. In an instant she was at the front of a lady whom I recognised as Mimi and before I could blink reached into her shirt and brought out a small knife.

'Not wise'. She smirked and Mimi screamed while holding her head.

'Just a warning, next time I won't be so nice. I doubt if there would be a next time though'. She laughed and then concluded her speech with.

'No matter what happens, or what you guys see. You mustn't come back home without bringing at least a predator'.

And with that she ushered the hunters into the helicopter and the Alina ushered us back into the manor.

'Well, that was .....epic'.

'I know right'.

'Now, I'm scared'.

'Weren't you before?'.

'Yeah, I was but not this much'. Irena said smacking my arm.

I pouted. 'At least we would have almost a week to enjoy ourselves'.

'Are you sure it'd be up to a week?'.

'Yes'. I said not so sure.

'But wait'. She stopped me.

'What happens if they do not find a predator?'.

'Well, I don't know'.

'They can't keep searching for a predator for the rest of their lives, and what kind a predators between? What if they all get killed?'.

I shrugged. 'Well, maybe that's not what she meant. She probably meant that they were to go home if they don't find the predator and not bother coming here'.

'But she said home'.

'Yes, she meant this place'.

'Huh?'.

'Yeah, probably'.

'Don't worry, she she can't mean for them to die there'. I said not telling her what Julia had said to me the first time we met.

I didn't want to scare her.

'OK then', she said obviously relieved.

'Let's go to the kitchen'.

'Why?'.

'It's Eleanor's turn at the kitchen'.

'OK then, let's go say hi'.

I turned to lead the way when I walked into the wall.

'Oof'.

'Watch where you're going girl'. Someone shouted. More like barked.

'Why didn't you do that? If you watched where you were going you would have seen you'. I said through gritted.

He eyed me for a while and huffed.

'Like you're worth seeing'. He said and marched off.

'What?'.

'Calm down, he's not worth losing your temper over'. Irena tried to calm me down.

I stared at his retreating back for a while and got an idea.

He was about to turn to the left when I hurled my shoe at him. It hit him squarely at the back and he stumbled forward.

'What the hell?!'.

I grabbed Irena's hand and ran towards the kitchen feeing satisfied at the little revenge.

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'Then she took off her shoe and hurled it at him, it hit it at the back and he was like 'oofs'. Irena demonstrated.

'Then she took my hand and we ran here'. She concluded and started laughing with Eleanor.

'You're one mean girl aren't you?'

'Only if I want to be'. I smirked and winked.

'You're a real badass'. Eleanor laughed.

'Only. Only, I would advise you to be careful. I would try to make enemies if I were you. Considering where you're--uhm-- going'.

I took her shoulders and held her.

'you have nothing to worry about, my granny told me before she died that my mom will always look after me'. I assured.

'Yeah, I trust she would but you should also be careful'.

'I will'. I promised.

'And you too'. She said facing Irena.

'Oh come on, you know I'm not a badass like she is'.

I hit her arm playfully.

We spent the rest of the day talking and telling stories of our past. I learnt that Eleanor had a child named Amy.

'Is she dead?'.

'OH My God, Maya. How can you say that?'. Irena asked panicking.

'I was just--'.

'It's fine'.

'No, she's not'.

'She's currently living with her boyfriend'. She said sadly but I choose not to ask her more.

Luckily Irena did the same.

We all went down to play with Roddy.

It was fun and we would have called ourselves 'the four musketeers' if not for Eleanor's disapproval.

Roddy was so happy and he kept jumping and lapping at my face.

We finally decided to settle for the day.

Eleanor retired to the staff quarters while Irena and I returned back to our room.

We bathed together and I told her about the mark on my back. I got from when my dad hit with his belt when I slapped Sadie for calling my mom a slut.

I was just 13 years then and she was 12.

She had a boyfriend who was in my class, she always kept track of what the guy did in school when they were not together so she was told by her friend that the guy and I sat together for a class and how he had talked to me.

She flared up and barged into my room and started on how I was a slut and how I got the trait from my mom.

I had gotten angry and slapped her so hard it left the traces of my fingers in her cheek.

She had gone to my dad crying and telling him a fake story then he had come to my room, removing his belt and well, I was trashed so badly.

Unfortunately, what hit me most was the iron part.

The story made the hatred for Sadie in Irena grow ×1000 and she kept cursing at her that I had to pull her from the bathroom to prevent her from breaking the mirror thinking it was Sadie's face.

'The day I meet her, eh. She's really going to regret being born'.

'I know , I know. Lets sleep'.

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