20 The Lovely Jewel

This was only day two of being in this damn forest and I was already feeling paranoid. I was only seven, but I had already been in five forest games within just this month. It was exhausting and always pushed me to my body's limits.

Like I just said, this is day two and I still haven't seen anyone. I usually see someone within the first hour or so of being dropped at a random location in the forest. Something was very off...

The rustling of leaves had me drawing and throwing my knife behind me at breakneck speed. A yelp and more rustling let me know that I'd startled them into falling. Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepare myself for what I'm going to do.

When I turned I was completely caught off guard when there was no one. I heard no more rustling, no sign that the person had left. So where were they..? My eyes scanned the darkening forest, stopping on a pale hand peeking from behind a high branch.

So they climbed the tree... Well you know what they say, Tarzan, look out for that tree! Ha, sorry. I quietly climb the tree next to theirs and get to a branch higher than theirs, giving me a view of my target.

Other than their pale skin and bright crystal grey eyes, they blended in perfectly with the darkness. They must of sensed my eyes on them and turned toward me. Good sense of direction and fast reflects... A worthy opponent, but I'll win.

That may sound cocky or egotistical, but it is quite the opposite. I may be skilled, but I don't rely on that, I rely on my need to survive. If you want to survive that bad, then no one will win. You have to do anything you can to keep on living, no matter the cost.

The person, no girl... The girl's grey eyes widened in shock when I took a running jump and landed on the tree limb she was on. But unlike all my past foes she wasn't afraid, only determined and it scared me.

I'd never seen anyone show that type of determination, except... Me. In my surprise she had rushed me and tackled me, making us both fall. The breath knocked out of me and I nearly passed out, her breathing heavily on top of me.

Pushing her from me with my remaining strength, I stand and face her. We moved as one and rushed each other. A punch to her throat should have knocked her to her knees, but she only visibly shook herself off and swept my legs out from under me.

I wasn't trained to dodge or even look for this move, so I was downed before I could react. That was a move that I would later learn and master, I told myself. But who am I kidding? I knew in that instance that I was dead.

This ravenette, only a few years older than me, drew a beautiful silver sword from her side. Who even has a sword, let alone brings it to the forest games?! Wait a minute... The sword was slim and silver with a black engraved hilt that had a sapphire.

Is that... It was too hard to make out the engravings, but that sapphire was an unmistakable sign of her family. My father mentioned them as one of the big investors in the corporation, but for the life of me I couldn't remember the family name, only the seal.

A blue sapphire surrounded by black thorned vines. The sword was painfully pressed against my throat, a bead of blood being drawn at the force. I'm not going to die! I'll fight until I can't anymore.

I stared the girl down with a glare so frosty that I could see her shiver. This wasn't the end for me, it couldn't be! I won't allow it!

Kicking my feet out, they connect with her chest and knock her backwards. I quickly stood and straddled her, drawing my knives and crossing them over her neck. Even at death's door she was staring at me with such a raw look of determination that I faltered.

Her ebony hair spread along the grass like waves and her pale skin had a thin sheen of sweat from the fight. This girl had her sword at my throat and yet... She didn't kill me.

This whole time she has been fighting, but it wasn't to kill. Only self defense against my attacks. She was really fast and I know for a fact she could've killed me, but she didn't.

I remove the knives from her neck and stand up, offering a hand to help her. She takes it without hesitation and brushes the dirt of her clothes. There is enough distance that I'd be prepared if she ran at me again.

"Why didn't you kill me?" I ask quietly.

With those observant, cautious pewter eyes she could see every open spot, so I know she didn't just overlook it. I also don't think she underestimated me, so why?

"I don't like killing. You just caught me off guard." her voice was strong, but had a sweet undertone.

My body tensed up when she approached, but relaxed once again when she used her black sweater sleeve to wipe my neck. Her face was scrunched in disgust and her eyes held a sadness I've never seen from a gamer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I'd used that much pressure..."

"I'm fine. It's part of the games. Is this.. This, is it your first game?" I ask curiously.

She drew her sword fluently and moved like it was just another limb. She knew the sword and her fighting wasn't bad either. Who is this girl?

"No, I'm a victor like you."

"How do you know I'm a victor?" I ask carefully, letting my hands rest on the hilts of my knives.

She noticed my tension and raised her hands, voice calm, "The silver knives. You're the silver devil, right?"

She's more observant than I originally thought. Wait, she's a victor?!

"You're a victor?! What's your name?"

"Your father didn't talk about my family to you?" When I shake my head she continues. "I'm Jewel and you are?"

"I'm Eren. You said earlier you don't like killing. How are you a victor then?"

"I have to survive, just like you. We have a reason to fight on, so I'll kill if I have to. I can tell you don't like the killing either."

"Don't act like you know me! I should've killed you, because now you're one more person I'll have to kill by the end of this damn game." I hiss, walking off towards my usual camp spot.

Her soft footsteps followed me, but I wasn't worried about her stabbing me in the back. I feel, oddly enough, comfortable in her presence. And she said she hates killing anyway, so...

"Where are we going?"

"WE are not going anywhere. Either kill me or leave me alone!"

"Don't you want to get out of here?"

I stop in my path and she runs into my back. My teeth are gritted as I speak, "There is no way out of here without winning..."

"There is always a way and I know it. My father funded this twisted game, so I have all the forests mapped. We should work together."

"I can't just leave and neither can you. You said you have a reason to survive, so you can't just abandon them."

"How do you know it's a person?"

"We are very similar in the fact that we're trying to protect someone we love. Who is it? Your mother? Friend? Sibling?"

"As you said, don't act like you know me." she mutters before walking around me towards my camp.

"You don't even know where I was going!"

"Your camp!" she yells behind her, still walking.

We walk in silence while she leads me to MY camp. How does she even know where I camp? On the next episode of My Stalker... Seriously though, don't you think it's kinda creepy too?!

I sit down and lean against a tree, watching her do the same across from me. My eyes close and I start to relax for a night of restlessness.

"My little brother."

"Huh?" I startle, opening my eyes to her sitting right in front of me.

"I'm fighting to protect my brother."

"Then, why would you spare a competitor to your survival?"

"You... It's just.. You remind me of him. You guys look nothing alike physically, but when we were fighting.. It felt like I was fighting with him in spirit and it didn't sit right." she looks down while speaking softly.

She was fighting to survive for her brother, like I was doing for my mom. We really are similar, aren't we?

"If we're going to do it. Leave, how would we do it? I doubt you want to abandon your brother."

She perks up and starts talking animatedly about this huge plan. A plan, I have to admit, is pretty thought out.

"... And the drones are spread out, but they stay away from trees, so we can jump from tree to tree. The trees are thick until we get near an exit, so that gives us the luxury of surprise on any possible guards."

Her plan was to climb a tree and travel along the branches, avoiding the drones' eyesight. The idiots who made the drones only made them with a downward and sideward camera. The drones are also too big to fly near trees.

It was a pretty solid plan, but we still need to figure out how to get my mom and her brother. It's one thing to escape the forest and another to get back home. I'm seven, I can't drive. This isn't GTA.

"I know where the drones—"

"One problem..." I interrupt. "Once we leave the forest and knock out the guards, how do we get home and where do we go from there?"

"I'm almost fifteen, so I know the basics of driving. We can steal keys off a guard and drive to pick up my brother and whoever you need as well. Then, we disappear... For good."

"To where though? How do we disappear?"

"I know some people and I have my own separate bank account that I can draw from. Fake IDs, makeovers, money, place to live, all of it's handled. You worry more than my little brother." she says the last part with a giggle.

She's talked so much about her little brother, but I know nothing about him. If we'll be living together then I should know at least a bit about him.

"So what's your brother like, Ju?"

"He's a stubborn, smart ass punk, but he's also a very caring person beneath that. He's only a few months younger than me, but I like to remind him I'm older anyway... He.. Doesn't know where Dad takes me.."

"My mother is the same. She doesn't know where I go, but I think she suspects."

"What's your mom like, if I may ask?" she asks with a yawn.

"My mom... Umm, well she's beautiful and kind. The complete opposite of my dad in every way. The only similarity they have is that they both have dark hair. She used to be a Kindergarten teacher, but quit when she had me."

"What's your family name? And your brother's?" I ask.

When I don't get a response, I turn towards her and see her leaning against my tree, sleeping. Her head falls on my shoulder, but I don't push it away. She makes me feel.. Safe, if I even know what that is.

Sleep found me quickly and left me just as quickly. At least it felt that way. Jewel was shaking me lightly with a grin and tangled hair. Her hair honestly looked like a birds nest..

"You. You're hair looks like a bird nest.. hahaha.." I burst into giggles, holding my aching stomach.

She sends me a playful glare and runs her hand through my hair, messing it up.

She giggles and skips off, "Now we're even. Come on, time to get out of here!"

I rush after her, not wanting to be left behind in her haste. She swears that she has everything planned and ready, so I'll trust her. I have little choice anyway..

"So, do you remember what to do, Ren?"

She's the only person, aside from mom, that I'll let call me that. It warms my heart to hear her call me that. She acts more like my older sister than a friend and... And I am starting to enjoy it. The companionship.

"Yeah, we'll travel in through the trees until they are distanced. Then, we'll climb down and find and exit to the forest. Check for guards before we leave and then you'll do everything else, right?"

"Correct, Mr. Smartypants. That's some memory of yours. You remind me more and more of my brother the more time I spend with you."

After that, we climb a tree and start jumping from tree to tree, using the branches. It took some getting used to and I almost fell quite a few times. We were silent throughout the day so we wouldn't accidentally get the attention of a drone.

Jewel was graceful and never misstepped. Not once. She was like a modern day Tarzan, without the running into a tree part. Somehow her hair had ended up in a braid and it was swishing behind her like a whip.

Wouldn't want to get hit by that... No offense girls, but your hair is deadly. We passed over a still smoking campfire, but there was no one there. It must have been put out pretty recently if it was still smoking a bit.

I jumped to the next branch and grabbed Jewel before she could jump. She opened her mouth, but I instantly put my hand over it.

"Campfire below us and it looks like it was just put out. We need to keep an eye out... And stay quiet." I whisper lowly in her ear.

Who knows if this person is still nearby. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I don't know if it was just paranoia, but I felt like we were being watched. This will end badly if they catch us off-guard, so we need to be careful.

She nods and I let her go, loosing a breath and relaxing my tense shoulders. We went back on track, jumping from limb to limb, but it was tense. Our eyes never leaving our surroundings except to time our jumps.

Something felt off, but I don't know what.. You know that feeling where you think something bad is about to happen? Yeah, it's that kinda feeling. And I really don't like it, not at all.

Eventually, we have to stop since it's too dark to see the branches. We decide to camp in the trees, just to be safe. We were just sitting and talking quietly, waiting for morning. Neither of us would be able to sleep tonight.

"So, do you live in Shiganshina too? Probably should've asked that before, so I'd know where to drive."

"I live near the middle of town. It's 'bout a five minute walk from the elementary school."

"Oh, we live close to there!" she whisper-yells excitedly.

"Really, where?"

"We live on—"

I look over at her when she doesn't continue. Her eyes are wide and her mouth is opening and closing, only stopping when blood spills from her mouth. Her body falls backwards before I have time to react. What happened?!

I'm about to jump down when a figure steps out of the darkness and approaches her. He must of not seen me, but why wait until now to attack?

"Where is your travel buddy, girl?" his gruff voice floats up to my hiding spot.

And there's Jewel, glaring at him and pinching her bloody lips in a thin line. She's protecting me... Wait, that voice! I'd know that voice anywhere.

At training camp there was this buff teen a few years older than me. He was mean and didn't talk to anyone there unless he was insulting them. But I have to admit that he was skilled, frighteningly so.

He was good at hand-to-hand combat, but that wasn't his strongest skill. Though buff and big, he was surprisingly stealthy. He always carried around these special knives. They were small and thin, so I don't know what type of damage they could do.

They are small, but there has to be a reason he'd accute that skill at training camp.. Think think! Stealth, throwing knives, stealth... Paralysis! Jewel had no frontal injuries and with his accuracy, he must've hit her spine.

"I'll give you ONE more chance to answer, bitch!" he yells angrily, drawing an axe, his second weapon of choice.

Before he could swing at her I threw one of my knives, engraining it into his back. Right into where his disgusting heart laid. He dropped before he could react and I dropped down too.

I make sure to rip my knife from his back and stab him a few more times for good measure. Stabbing my friend in the back and thinking he can get away with it. I hope he felt pain before he passed!

I knelt next to Jewel and hovered over her, trying to figure out what to do. Tears were blurring my surrounding and quiet sobs were escaping my mouth. I'm not a big crier, but I'm only seven, so ya gotta cut me some slack.

"Wha... What can I do, Wel? Please.. Tell me, please." I whimper out, grabbing her cold, limp hand.

Her eyes are rimmed red, but she only smiles at me sadly. She's paralyzed from the neck down. There is no way she'll survive...

"Eren, win this for the both of us and destroy that sick corporation." her voice is soft, too quiet.

I rest my head on her chest, hearing the soft thump of her heart... Too slow. I just met a true friend that reminded me of Armin, I can't lose her. I can't! I won't!

"No! We're both going to win together. I'll get us out of here, just... Tell me what to do." I pick her heavy body up and throw her over my shoulder.

But, I'm still only seven, carrying a fourteen year old that weighs more than me. We didn't get far before I collapsed, her falling on her back next to me. Her pleading eyes held mine and I knew what she was asking...

Make it quick, painless. Jewel, my friend, was in pain and I was trying to force her to stay. Again, I kneel next to her and take her hand.

"Please don't make me, Wel... We can get out of here."

"You.. You will get out of here and take a car. I live in a white two-story with a blue roof, behind the elementary. Promise me.. Promise you'll save my brother." she sobs, staring at me with tear-filled eyes.

I would do this last thing for her, for my friend. She reminded me what I was fighting for when I needed it most. She saved me and she didn't even know it.

"Please.. Just make it quick. Get out of here and save your mother and my brother."

"I.. I.. I promise! I'll win and I'll get your brother." I whisper while stroking her pale hand.

I grip my knife tightly in my hand and shove it into her pale neck. No cry of pain and her breathing stilled. My friend was gone and all that was left was the promise I made to her. My fingers lower her eyelids and then I grab the sword at her side.

I'm not skilled with a sword and I doubt I'd be able to walk around without looking suspicious. But... I wedge my blade into a crevice and jiggle it until the sapphire pops out of the hilt. This, I'll keep.

Shoving the sapphire in my pocket, I take off toward the exit we were planning to escape from. Peeking from the foliage, I see only one guard, leaning against a dirty black Jeep. This will be easy with only one adult.

The bow strapped to my back was drawn and an arrow was shot with no hesitation. I'd honed my accuracy with a bow and knives since I could walk, so it was no surprise I hit my target. The older man fell to the ground, clutching the arrow in his knee.

Don't even start with the Skyrim guard jokes... I needed to immobilize him and I did. Okay, so maybe I did it kinda for the memes but so what! I'm a kid, what do you expect?!

The click of a gun behind me has me falling to the forest floor. The shot meant for me hit the Skyrim guard... I mean recovering arrow man.. No, the.. Oh, whatever!

The recovering man had stood on shaky legs and was instantly downed again with a shot to the chest. I used Jewel's leg swipe against my opponent and heard his gun fly from his hand, hitting a tree.

When he crawls toward it, I throw one of my knives at his hand, impaling it in the dirt. He screeches and struggles, but I'd already grabbed the gun. Since he'd already shot, the others probably were already headed here.

I don't have time for these people! The trigger is pulled with ease and then I'm ripping my knife from his hand. Both dead men are searched for keys, but neither have any.

What am I supposed to do now..? This is usually the part where the person would hot-wire the Jeep GTA style and get the hell out of dodge. But, and I know I've said this many times, I'm seven and don't know how to do it.

The 10 mm in my hand was cold and heavy, foreign. I just killed two people. Not for the games, I just killed them... Can't think about it.

I heard shouts in the distance and took off running, trying to be anywhere but here. The shouts distanced, but then a loud roaring entered my ears. What is that noise? My legs kept moving me away from the others while I covered my ringing ears.

My body fell hard, momentum making me keep rolling as my body started twitching. Living electricity moved through me making my body tremble violently and blood to drip from my lip. Guess I bit it when I fell...

A hand pulls me up by my neck, "The only reason I am not killing you right now is because you won me a lot of money. Got it, you little shit!" Grisha growls out lowly.

I nod still trembling and fall limp in his grip, fading into darkness.