I lay my head back down comfortably, rubbing my cheek appreciatively to the cozy fabric of the cotton pillow.  I’m usually a morning person, that’s the way the Hunters are because its best to hunt before the morning light shines too brightly and it’s too hot to be comfortable while hunting.

My interrupted sleep continues, my body clock obviously shifting. I kicked off my blanket and rub my eyes unknowingly, my fingers twitch and a lone tear drops from my eye to the side of my head and meets my hair.

I sweep my eyes beside me, concentrating on clearing my vision. I am crouched on a tree branch, my beautiful, thin unblemished hand clutching on my bow.

A beautiful melody calms me further, the birds were singing and the wet, lush forest sounds hollows out the melody. I spot a deer, its antlers have fallen off during the winter season, little stubs of it just a few centimeters jutting out of its head, definitely a male.

I grab my bow and position it, my hands caress the smooth arrow and aim for the deer. I exhale and close my eyes momentarily, emptying my mind like how the forest empties the twittering of the birds. I open my eyes and let go of the bowstring simultaneously. It was at least 50 feet away but before my arrow could hit it, its eyes spoke to me though I could not completely comprehend the meaning of that look and what it evoked in my heart.

I wondered, as I scale down the moss covered tree, why I am hunting alone. I slowly trekked on the wetlands, the bottom of my feet cooled as it touched the wet greenery. The issue of why I am alone gets buried in a new one, how am I going to bring back this deer? I can carry it most definitely but I am miles away from the Hunters.

The twittering intensifies in volume and in pitch, there seems to be a disturbance in the canopies but it’s not reaching me from where I stood.  I spot my arrow and another until I saw four of them buried in, not deer, but humans. All of them dead with their eyes wide open staring at nothing and pupils too wide to respond to light.

It’s as if the skies fell on me and dam of tears rush out of my eyes. Leo, Hyuk, Ravi and Hongbin are dead and I shot them. Their pale bodies were decorated with vines and their lips blue as the deep trenches of the sea. More angry twittering, and it sounds like the birds were making their sounds right beside my ears.

I gripped myself and kneel beside their mangled bodies. I reach my hand and close their eyes gently. Tiny hairs on my arm stood on end, their cold seemed to have intensified as I touched them with my warm hand.  I decided against retrieving my arrows as they were buried deeply into their chests. I stepped away, just enough so I can still see their empty shells and crouch down beside a tree, resting against its trunk.

If I wished to be dead, it would not matter because it’s an impossibility. I tried to clear my mind but the loud, high pitched twittering never stopped.  A shadow falls on me but I couldn’t recognize her face yet I know she’s one of us, her only hint is her eyes, reflective silver like mine.

I smelled the air now and it smelled coppery,like blood. I swallowed and I tasted blood. I wanted to shut down my senses but it was no use, every inhale smelled foul and every swallow tasted mettalic.  The hunting knives hung around my torso felt heavy and cold, I grabbed it and pointed it to my chest.

I shook the last thoughts out my head, their blank eyes and my dying brother. The knife slipped off my hands, blood covered them. My hands were too slippery to kill, I wiped them off but it was no use the blood never dried and it never left my hands.

The shadow was still there, laughing mockingly at me. She picks up the knife, holding the blade in her palms. She wipes the handles and the blood disappears. I could only see her eyes, but they were expressive and I understood every emotion reflected in her face. She nods at me, seemingly understanding of my demise and just like that the blade gets lodged in my chest. 

I awoke calmly, eyes opening bit by bit. I took a deep breath and relief washes over me because the air I breathed in was clear. I felt fine, until I lifted my body off the bed. My extremities were tense and my heart squeezed in my chest uncomfortably. I checked my pulse, it was weak and a short pause happens in between pulses.

It was a bad omen, killing deers that turn out to be people.  My stay here has been prolonged too much, it’s feeding my imagination bad images. Queen mother, Queen please take me back. I have learned everything I need to learn so please take me back.

The day passes slowly, I had no appetite until mother arrived home for dinner. Still, she prepared everything. I was getting in her way and just excused myself to rest in the living room.

The next day started the same but without the intense dream. I was up early, mother was still asleep. I opened my windows and my books, picked up my pen and notes and started studying.

Mother peeks