Chapter 6: The Consequences Of Trust
Night had fallen over the Madi Forest. Frank was setting up the camp. Near the burning fire, Mark was cooking rice, while John sat on the ground, his hands chained around a thin tree.
Frank finished setting up the camp and returned to Mark.
Mark pushed more wood into the fire. ‘Depends on you. Kill one or protect one. But you have to kill one to protect another.’ The words echoed in his mind. He was tense, unable to decide, lost in a world of choices and consequences. He acted blindly, just pushing more wood into the fire.
“How much longer will it take?” Frank asked.
Frank’s voice woke Mark with a startle. His hand hit the pot, sending it crashing to the ground. The wet rice spilled everywhere. “Oh my god!” Mark shouted, startled. “I need to cook it again.”
“I’m tired, Mark,” Frank yawned. “I need to sleep. If you’re hungry, you can cook. But we need to sleep.” He turned and saw John, and his expression instantly twisted into anger. John watched him silently. With a final look of rage, Frank went inside the camp.
Mark cooked again, and he and John ate the rice. The firewood crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across their tired faces.
“I heard you survived the Enora Virus.” Mark said slowly.
“Yes.”
“It was impossible. How did you survive?”
“The wound,” John pointed in his head in a wounded area, “It entered from here. And I was lucky that I was beyond Walton. I was there to tell Patrick about the thing I saw, but he died before that.” He seemed like he forgot everything. “I need to go there to show you, how it worked. I would tell you after you decide.”
John muttered while eating. “So, what have you chosen?”
Mark finished his food. “I haven’t.” He clenched the leaf in which he'd been served and threw it away.
“Not yet.” John finished his food as well, running his tongue around his mouth to clean it. “We should not go to the headquarters rather beyond Walton, so we could found the cure of Enora Virus. And every step will take us away from our destination.”
Mark stood and said softly, “We will talk about it tomorrow. Good night, John.”
“Mark…” John whispered. “I’ll be here alone, please.”
Mark went to him and unchained him, then led him inside the camp.
The camp was lit by a torch. Frank was already asleep beside the sack of rice. There was little room, but they managed to lie down.
The sack of rice was right in front of Mark. He closed his eyes, still seeing the sack.
In the middle of the night, Mark’s eyes suddenly opened. The sack wasn’t there. He woke up in surprise and turned. John was gone too.
He shook Frank’s body. Frank woke up, groggy. “What happened?” he muttered.
“John is missing.”
Hearing that, Frank was instantly wide awake and furious. “What?!”
Frank stood and went outside the camp. The chain was still there, tied to the tree.
“He also took the sack,” Mark said.
Frank’s eyebrows narrowed. He went back inside the camp, but the sack was gone. “What the hell is this?” he said firmly. And he checked his pockets in his suit, but the pockets were empty.
They both grabbed torches and went to search for John in that big forest.
“How did he get unchained, Mark?” Frank shouted.
Mark was scared. “I don’t know.”
“I think you know how he escaped.”
Frank stared at him. “I’m… I’m sorry, Frankie.” He betrayed my trust. How could I have trusted him? Mark questioned himself.
“He escaped because of you! Not alone, but with my locket!” Frank's outrage burst. “Do you understand what this means?”
“Lo… locket?” Mark said curiously.
Frank grabbed Mark’s collar. “If I didn’t find that then you’re dead. Remember.”
Mark couldn’t see that face of Frank, that red like a hot iron. And Mark blamed himself for everything that happened. “I…I…I… ‘m”
Frank released Mark and stared him with anger, pointing his torch to the left. “You search him that way.”
Frank went in a different direction, and Mark went in another. Mark navigated through the trees until he heard the sound of flowing water. Was it the Marin? Mark thought. No, the Marin was a big river, and the sound wasn't large enough. It must be a small river. He heard whispering and ran toward the sound.
Mark saw a man holding a sack on the riverbank. It was John. John threw the sack into the river and was about to jump in after it, but Frank arrived and grabbed him with both hands.
“Leave me! Leave me, Frank!” John screamed.
“How dare you run!” Frank shrieked, pushing John to the ground. He took out his dagger. “Where is my locket?”
Mark was still running. “No, Frank! Stop!”
Frank lunged at John, pointing the dagger's edge toward him. John dodged. Frank grabbed John’s head and pushed the dagger down, but John caught the blade in the middle. Both men strained, trying to push the dagger away. Frank succeeded in pushing, but John dodged again.
Mark reached them and stopped, screaming, “Stop this madness!”
John and Frank were desperate, pushing against the dagger. John applied all his force to stop it. Both were covered in sweat. Finally, John overpowered Frank. The dagger dug into Frank’s stomach.
Frank gasped. “Fuck it.”
Mark’s eyes widened. “NO!” He ran toward Frank and caught him before he fell.
John stood numb. “OH NO!” he began to weep, tears falling from his eyes. “I’m sorry, Frankie.”
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