Page 52 of Hunt Me
‘It could be called that, looking back now.’I snort, remembering how innocent we were back then compared to now.‘We wanted to do some good. A kind of Robin Hoodexperience where we’d fuck over the rich and look out for the poor but then…’
‘Then the world went to actual shit and it became more than a little club?’She finishes for me.
I nod,‘Aye. Now everything we did back then seems like it was a game, child’s play. Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t running around sending strongly worded emails,’Fauna giggles, and it urges me on.‘We would have been arrested and charged with something, but I’d never killed someone. Never tortured them to send a message.’
I watch Fauna for a reaction for her to shy away from me, to fear me, but she doesn’t back away. In fact, she seemed more scared of me when I was being nice to her than when I’m telling her about my past.
‘So the stories are true then? About The Skulls being so violent and psychotic.’She asks.
‘When it’s black and white like that, yes. It’s true that we have been and can be violent. And who isn’t psychotic nowadays? Everyone alive has had to do things their past selves would never have imagined, let alone tried, much less gone through with. And if they somehow have gotten away with not killing, they have been a part of it in some way nonetheless.’I state plain and simple.
She knows I’m right. I haven’t forgotten that she cut me, and she almost definitely hasn’t forgotten how I hunted her.
‘We’ve all had to become monsters to survive,’Fauna admits.‘You’re right. I’ve done things to people that my past self would be disgusted with, but I did it to keep the people I care about safe, and I will never apologise for that.’
‘And The Skulls would never expect you to. We understand because that is what we have been doing all this time. We are protecting each other.’
‘He’s right,’the voice startles us both.
Fauna grabs a tin opener, and I swing my feet beneath me into a crouched position.
‘Ruaridh has protected me more times than I can remember,’Vish admits, his words aimed at Fauna from where he stands in the doorway.
Heart pounding from the initial shock, I straighten my legs, bringing myself to stand at my full height.
‘How long have you been there?’I demand not liking the idea that he has been eavesdropping.
‘Only long enough to hear about us doing bad things. The big bad wolf reputation and all that.’
Vish saunters into the room, his brown skin glowing in the sunlight that shines through the window.
‘Ruaridh’s one of the best guys I know, Fauna. You can make your own mind up about him, but I thought you should hear it from someone else since it seems like there have been a couple of other people speaking on his behalf anyway.’
I don’t say anything. What is there for me to say to that anyway? I know that what other people say in this world means nothing; it is their actions that mean everything. All I can do is continue to show her the man I am, not the one others' stories have made me out to be.
‘I’ll make my own mind up. I’m not one to be influenced by others' stories. I was the one who followed you in the first place,remember,’Fauna aims a pointed look in my direction, and I feel my shoulders rise with a chuckle of relief.
Maybe the big bad wolf is not wearing a skull mask but is instead hiding in plain sight. In fact, she’s not hiding at all. Instead, she is standing in front of me in clothes too big and the right side of her hair is stuck to her head whilst the left side is fluffy and clean. Her emotions might go up and down like a yo-yo but Fauna keeps me on my toes and it excites me.
‘Right well,’Vish says, clapping his hands together.‘I radioed Liam, and he said he’s going to head over. He’s been out a while, so I thought it would be good for him.’
‘He said anything to you about why he’s been acting like a kicked puppy yet?’I ask before turning to Fauna to explain,‘Liam is one of my closest mates, along with this dafty here.’
Vish grins like a cheshire cat, all straight white teeth on show.
‘And he’s acting like a kicked puppy?’Fauna asks, ignoring Vish.
The possessive voice in me is happy with her response to him. Vish, ever the charmer, can usually charm anyone, but Fauna seems immune to his cheesy ways, and I make a note to reward her for this later on.
‘Well, you see…’
I interrupt whatever bullshit Vish was about to say,‘he went on a scouting mission a couple of months ago and hasn’t been the same since. You know how people used to go on about golden retriever guys?’
Fauna hesitantly nods as if she is trying to search her memories.
‘Never takes anything too seriously and always jokes on type of guy.’
Fauna smirks.‘Yeh, I can think of the type.’
