The last pig that was slaughtered brought Faye relief. At last, the carnage was all over. She didn't mind sitting on the mud. She was already covered in it. All she knew was that she was exhausted and hungry. The cold she felt from the rains had gone from the physical exertion of just catching and holding down flailing pigs.

About five feet off to her right was Nathan, toying with the blade in his hands thoughtfully. Panic rose in her chest. Was he really contemplating on killing her? What for? They had always gotten under each other's skin. Unless...he realized everything he has revealed to her the night his tongue was lose and that it was the kind of secret that would merit the phrase, "If I told you, I would kill you."

But he wouldn't do that.

Would he?

All Faye knew was he was definitely a different person from their childhood and she decided not to risk it. The safest place was to go to where there were adults. It wasn't like the children could do anything if he started hacking her to pieces. At least some grown native might be able to stop him if he tried.

"Faye."

She froze as he called her. She cursed herself for moving too slowly. "Yeah?" she asked nervously.

"How much did I tell you about myself last night?" He asked, his voice barely audible in the rain, the blade still bared as he toyed it between his fingers. "You know...about my job and all that stuff?"

Oh sweet baby...she was right! Oh, heaven forbid! She was going to die! Her body was suddenly fueled with adrenaline and she bolted out of the enclosure and ran. She didn't know where she was going but she was running in panic. The only thing she could do was press on as footfalls stomped behind her in pursuit.

By the time her mind caught up to her adrenaline, it was too late to figure out where she was exactly. She should have run to the hut of the village chief, but instead, she ran outside the confines of the village until she could no longer see the path. But maybe it was better. At least none of the natives who helped them would be in harms way from the psychopath chasing her.

Oh sweet baby Jesus! Her body would not be found for years if he killed her here!

"Faye! Come back here!"

"No! Stay away!" She refused to look behind her as she ran blindly though the thickets hearing branches being hacked behind her. Shit shit shit! He's coming closer! Her mind gave her images of being brutally massacred with no one hearing her scream and it frightened her. What frightened her even more was that he was doing it.

The images were suddenly cut from her mind and her feet suddenly found air. The next thing she knew, she was falling as if her world had suddenly gone in slow motion, yet still unable to scream. Her hands grasped for anything to hold onto but unable to clutch at anything.

Her arm suddenly jerked and her shoulder felt as if it were being pulled out of her body. In a swift moment, her freefall came to a grinding halt as her feet dangled above the churning sea and raged rocks. She looked up and saw him holding her just below her wrist. Beside, the blade was sandwiched between his hand and the ground and she panicked again.

"Would you stop...flailing about!" He grunted. "You're...heavy enough...as it is!"

"I'll flail as much as I want to!" She said hysterically. "Let go!"

"Are you crazy? You're going to...die!" His face showed so much strain, reddening at the effort he was putting into holding onto her.

"You're going to kill me anyway! Let go, Nathan! I'll take my chances."

"What? No!" He grit his teeth. "I'm not...going...to kill you. Are you... out of your.. mind...I just...want to talk." He continued when she didn't respond. "Come on, Faye! Stop...being...stupid! Can't hold...on...too...slippery!"

She thought about it and held onto his arm. He did look as if he was genuinely trying to save her. And alarm bells didn't go off in her head when he told her he wasn't going to kill her. Slowly, she pulled herself up with his help and finally laid on the ground thoroughly exhausted.

The rain continued to fall around them making a soft continuous melody on the leaves, the ground and all around them with only their heavy breathing breaking through. Through her closed eyes, she could see the forest through the music the rain made and it made her smile. For the first time since she had moved to the big city, she was at peace and the small-town girl inside her loved the feeling.

"Did you really think I was going to kill you?" He asked the moment their breathing evened out.

"Well..." she looked away to the horizon, embarrassed. "You said you work for the government and that your job is sensitive information. Since then, you were acting all strange and you always looked very thoughtful. And then you were killing those pigs as if they were nothing. That scared me. So when you asked me so seriously while you were toying with that huge butchering knife, what was I supposed to think?"

"Dammit! I'm sorry I scared you..."

She was so surprised that she looked at him. He never apologized for anything, and when the words came out in his mouth, they were usually used for sarcastic purposes or in a condescending manner. But as she looked at him, his eyes reflected genuine concern and remorse. It was so honest, open and vulnerable that it sent chills down her spine and her face heated up. She was reminded of her stupidity for running away for a schizophrenic fear that he would kill her in cold blood. It made her face flare up even worse and she had to look away. "Sorry for being paranoid."

No one spoke for a while until it got so awkward she had to break it. She turned to him and asked, "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"I know I blabberd about my job. I had a hazy memory of it. But what did I say, exactly?"

"I don't remember it verbatim, but you said something about being a weapons expert for the government, weapons and what you are being sensitive information."

"Did I say anything else? Like what I did, what I went through, places I went to?"

"No. Why?"

"How about anything I felt? My thoughts? Anything?"

"Just about how you're sad at being alone and you're not happy with any of the girlfriends you had. Why?"

He turned his head toward the sky and closed his eyes as if fighting relief. "We should get back." He sat up to reinforce his suggestion.

She said nothing as she stood up, puzzled. If everything about him was sensitive information, then he should be relieved that he had told her nothing. But it seemed more like he was struggling against something the moment he found out he hadn't really revealed anything to her. She watched him and saw that his muscles were tense as he sheathed the blade, reflecting his troubled mind.

"Do you know how to get back?" She chose to divert the topic.

"We follow the marks I hacked on the trunks. Come on."

She nodded following him. She was dying to know what had changed in him since he had recovered, but it didn't seem to be appropriate, if skittering her questions was any indication. At the same time, it also seemed like the right time to ask since they were about his personal life already. She chewed on her lip thinking whether or not she should ask him.

Finally, she resolved to ask him. She had the right to know since she was the one being affected in the first place. "Nathan, you haven't answered me yet. Why are you so concerned? And why are you avoiding me as if I had the bubonic plague or something? You haven't made a quip or a jeer in three days!"

He stopped walking and turned to her. "I was scared I said too much and even more at how you would react or what you would say to me about them."

"Like what? I always knew you to be a worm. What could you say that would surprise or offend me anymore? Don't tell me you have worse things to say about yourself," she smirked trying to make a joke out of the situation and bring the lighthearted atmosphere back.

He only smiled, turned away and kept on walking.

She could do nothing as her insides churned. Could he really have done anything worse than anything she had ever known him do? The new Nathan scared her. He had completely transformed into something but she didn't know what it was he transformed into.

"I'll assure you of one thing, Faye," he suddenly said. "I will never think of killing you. I never have." He turned his head to her as he stepped over a root and smiled. "But don't forget that you still have to pay for those slaps. That's in your tab," he said, joining her in her effort to make the atmosphere lighter again.

Hey guys! Did you like this chapter? How was it?

So, Nathan's not gonna kill her? He cleary didn't have any intentions. Faye is such an over thinker.

Btw I would really like to know about you guys who are reading this book. Hehe please do an online comments beside the range of age you belong to so I can know you better.

13-18 years-

19-25 years-

26-35 years-

36-45 years-

45 years above-

Also, please, tell me your views about this book. I don't know if its going on the right track or not. I don't have many readers for this book but the few ones who are reading, I would like to thank you for reading this book and giving love. Love you all! ❤

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