Chapter 40: Needs Must

Chapter 40: Needs Must

After our experience with preparing rabbit, gutting and cleaning the fish was quite straightforward, if a little messy.

We roasted them over a fire and picked the flesh off the bones. There were a lot of bones. It tasted like regular fish, thankfully. We now had a ready supply of food and water. We also had the chance to wash our clothes and ourselves.

The girls went first while the boys sat on the road pretending we couldnt hear them splashing about. Images of naked girls kept invading my thoughts, so I got up and started practicing with the sword.

I was really regretting giving up my spike. It was light and easy to useaim at the head, stab, stab, stab. With a sword, you have to know what youre doing. All I had to go on were movies Id seen, and Im pretty sure they werent the best source of reliable info.

What I discovered very quickly was that even a short sword that feels quite light at first, will make your arm ache after a few minutes of swinging it around. Id alway planned on getting into shape at some point, like we all do I guess, but never really needed to. The bus stop was down the road from where I lived, and my job involved me sitting around most of the time. It never occurred to me one day Id be fighting monsters.

Maurice followed my lead and waved his spear about, while Dudley examined the passing clouds. What we needed was more muscle.

How many pushups can you do? I asked Maurice.

He shrugged. Ten? Twenty?

Really? Have you tried recently?

No, but ten isnt a lot, is it?

What about you? I said to Dudley.

I couldnt say, off the top of my head. About the same, I expect.

Okay, then, lets see. Neither of them moved. Fine, Ill go first.

I got into position and started. The first two were easy. Number three and four were a bit of a struggle, and number five was a battle. Six got me down, but there was no getting back up. I stood up, panting.

Five. I nodded at Maurice. Your turn.

Maurice put down his spear and got on the ground. He did three.

Two birds, one stone, said Maurice.

Brilliant idea, added Dudley.

We waded into the water, all three of us relieved we would have a chance to let things settle down before getting naked. If you have no idea what Im talking about, thats probably for the best.

Once we had bathed and given the clothes a good rinse, we returned to the girls. They had hung up their clothes on branches to catch the sun and were lying on their backs, the blankets falling away here and there to reveal even more flesh.

Damn, I said, clutching my stomach. I need the bathroom. I might be some time. And I rushed off. I didnt need the bathroom, although I did need to relieve myself. It didnt take very long. Both times.

When I returned, Maurice and Dudley had needed the bathroom too.

Theyve been gone ages, said Flossie, sounding concerned.

Whats wrong with you guys? said Claire. You think the fish wasnt cooked properly?

No, you two would be affected too, then, I pointed out. Just, er, nature taking its course,

I hung up my clothes on the nearest branches and lay down feeling much more relaxed. Within a few seconds I had fallen asleep.

When I woke up, my right arm, shoulder and back all ached. My stomach was also cramped up. Pretty normal reaction to doing some exercise after years of doing none, but if it was like this now, by tomorrow morning Id be crippled. It was late afternoon and the others were all dozing in the sun. I got to my feet and did some stretches, which helped a little, and then I woke the others up. No one felt like more walking, but a few choice swear words and a threat to leave them behind got them moving.

Our clothes had dried and we quickly got dressed and set off again. We decided to travel along the river bank rather than the road. We found various bushes and brambles covered in berries growing along the bank and picked loads of fruit. It was slower than the road, but we had a rolling buffet to keep us busy, which made things more interesting. And then it got a bit too interesting.

There was a roar from somewhere in the forest. It didnt sound very close, but it did sound very terrifying. We rushed back onto the road. We heard the roar again, this time a little closer. We started jogging.

Ahead of us, the road continued to the horizon with no signs of buildings or people.

There was a noise like a tree falling over. Followed by more trees being ripped out of the ground and hurled into the air. We were so fixated on watching for any signs of a monsternot that I knew what to do if one did turn upthat we nearly missed the path leading north through the field.

It was two thin tracks divided by a mohawk of grass, like it had been made by a wagon. Far in the distance, there seemed to be something, but too far to make out what exactly. A building?

As we stood at the intersection wondering if it was worth diverting from our planned route to investigate, a crash followed by a lot of splashing made the decision for us. We sped down the track.