"Nonetheless," Brandon said, "we should continue the search. You can never be too sure if there's anyone left out there."
"There isn't! There really isn't!" the male survivor insisted, panicked, his movements exaggerated.
"But—"
"Brandon," Liam interrupted, his eyes scanning the forest outside the cave. "We should at least get these two back to the shore. Only those willing to fight should stay with us."
"Uh…"
"What?" Chris snapped, his face turned fierce in a second. "You're telling me we're just going to send them back? When it's just the two of them?"
"Better than nothing," Liam replied flatly, his apathetic voice still persisted. "The longer we're out here, the longer we're risking our own lives."
"Only those willing to fight, huh?" Chris shoved the male survivor hard. "You wanna fight, don't you?"
The mals survivor trembled under Chris's glare. He was intimidated, so eventually, hesitantly, he nodded weakly.
"See?" Chris flashed Liam a wry smirk, "He wants to fight. So don't pussy out on us now."
"She doesn't want to fight," Liam pointed out, motioning to the female survivor.
Chris scoffed. "You wanna turn around now and make the whole trip back just for her? We can protect her."
"Guys, no time to argue," Brandon interjected, stepping between them. "We'll form a circle around her. She stays in the middle. Anyone willing to fight, hold the line. Let's move." Brandon gestured forward, and they moved forward.
"There's no one left…" the male survivor muttered again, desperately, while being forced to follow.
"We still have to try," Brandon said, his eyes unwavering. "Circle up."
"You just wanna save your own ass," Chris muttered into the male survivor's ear as they moved. "Man up, coward. I'll kill you before the snakes do." He whispered all of these with a grin.
Liam caught Chris's words. "He knows," Liam thought to himself. "That guy wants out. He's trying to use the excuse that no one's left to end the mission early." Liam sighed. "It was a stupid excuse. I tried to provide a better excuse. But Chris is in the way…"
The male survivor's body shook even more severely now. Each step seemed heavier than the last. Sweat dripped from his chin, and his knuckles turned white from gripping the tree branch Chris had shoved into his hands too hard.
"Chris is an asshole," Tyler said quietly to Liam.
Liam gave him a glance.
Tyler caught the glance, and continued, "I mean it. I get it, you're right. They should've been sent to shore. We shouldn't be forcing them to fight. Those who wants to be at the shore should be at the shore."
"I'm the one that wants to be at the shore," Liam thought bitterly, his eyes rolled.
"Wait!" Brandon halted, raising a hand. "I hear crying." He strained his ears, then, "That way, let's go!"
"He screamed again," Liam muttered.
Tyler raised his voice, "You screamed again, Brandon! The snakes can hear it!"
"Shit…" Brandon cursed, realizing it too late.
Hisssssss
From all directions, the snakes came.
"Front!" Brandon yelled, intercepting the first strike with a well-timed swing, crushing the creature midair.
"Your side, James!"
"I got it!"
"Liam, behind you!"
A snake lunged from Liam's blind spot, just a blur of scales and fangs, but he ducked instinctively, and Tyler behind crushed it with his branch.
"Got it!" Tyler said, panting. "You okay?"
"I'm good," Liam replied.
The male survivor coughed suddenly.
"The smoke from the fire'll kill you," Brandon warned the survivors. "Cover your faces!"
"I have…" He coughed again before continuing, "nothing... !"
"Rip it off your shirt, dipshit," Chris growled, slamming his branch down hard, taking out two more snakes.
But the two survivors just followed in silence, hands shielding their mouths, eyes watering.
"We're here to help!" Brandon shouted. "Yell again!"
"Here!" a voice called back.
They followed the sound through charred undergrowth and roaring fire, finally spotting a man crouched in the bushes behind a large tree.
"Oh my god…" the man sobbed, rising to his feet.
"He's screwed," Liam thought grimly. "He yelled too much, stayed too exposed."
And just like that,
thump
A snake dropped from the tree above, sinking its fangs into the back of his neck.
"NOOO!" Brandon charged forward, ripped the snake off by its tail, and slammed it against the tree. The impact made it explode like a water balloon filled with blood.
The bitten man collapsed.
Brandon knelt beside him, cradling his head. "You're okay. Stay with us. Just stay with us…"
But black veins were already spreading from the bite. His skin paled. His lips turned purple.
"Tell… tell him I… I'm sorry…" he whispered. Then the darkness reached his eyes.
Gone.
"Shit…" Brandon muttered.
A heavy hand landed on the male survivor's shoulder. The grip tightened, sharp and unforgiving. Chris leaned in close.
"See? There was someone left."
"What was that about?" James added. "Saying no one else was out here?"
"They just wanted to live," Tyler cut in. "They didn't sign up for this. We should send them back."
"Send them back?" Chris scoffed. "Then come back out here afterward? That's a suicide trip."
"You're asking them to die if we don't." Tyler argued.
"I'm not asking anyone to die," Chris retorted. "I'm asking them to fight, and to stop being a goddamn—"
"Enough!" Brandon stood, his voice sharp with frustration. "Both of you... enough." He pointed.
He turned to the male survivor, who stood frozen in fear.
"If you really don't want to fight, let me try to change your mind," Brandon said, stepping forward. "Out there are people just like you. They're terrified and alone... and they're begging to be saved. We can't afford to turn back now. The trip to shore is way too long. Way too risky. Think about those people out there who needs us. Think about what you would want if we never had found you."
Brandon ripped two pieces of cloth from his pants and handed them over to the two survivors. "Here. Cover your faces."
They accepted the cloth. Slowly, reluctantly, shakily.
"Now you'd better fight," Chris whispered harshly into the male survivor's ear. It wasn't encouragement. It was a warning.
The man looked at Brandon's expectant gaze… then back to Chris's looming presence.
He didn't have a choice. He eventually gave a shaky nod.
"Thank you," Brandon said, patting him on the back with a smile so faint it doesn't constitute a smile.