“Where… the fuck am I.” Roky thought to himself, though the mere thought caused him absurd pain. He felt a rough, coarseness against his face, it was cold and wet, the only comfort he seemed to have been allowed in his new world of pain.

Everything hurt, from moving his eyes to thinking he simply wished he were dead. His entire body felt as if it was going to tear itself apart, every inch of his body ached. He defiantly sat up. His body surged with pain beyond pain and turned to empty his mouth of the bile and vomit that had come rushing up. “Fuck…” he groaned and vomited again. “Where.” He grimaced, barely holding back another rush and peered out one eye.

The moon was out, full and perfect, illuminating everything in the valley, the trees beyond casting devious shadows over the valley. The grass, grey-blue under the moon shimmered. Roky smiled at the beauty, not caring about anything, not wanting to think, only to feel a cool breeze on his face and sink into silence where his mind couldn’t attack him with pain he had never felt before.

“Hello!”

Roky heard the voice and pushed it away, there were tiny jewels shining on the grass that needed his attention. A gust of wind blew into the valley, the grass seemed to flow like beautiful waves following a current.

“Hello? Is anyone else out there? Hey!”

He heard it again, Roky tried to put a face to the voice but the pain returned and he clutched his seething head. He tried again, his mouth still tasted of vomit, he didn’t think he minded the taste so much now. ‘I know… voice… where… I know.’ The pain returned again but his cold hands numbed it enough for him to make sense and rise above his own suffering.

“Shut up you stupid kid! D’you want the whole damn forest to hear us?” Came another voice, barely audible but Roky understood that the first voice knew the second, but he didn’t.

“If it gets us the fuck out of here-” The voice said curtly. “I’ll scream at the TOP OF MY FUCKING LUNGS!”

The numb pain pushed through with the violent roaring of the first voice, becoming its former, vomit inducing self. Roky let his insides push it out, tears streamed down his face, his sobs choked by mucous and throw up. He choked and started to gag, he felt his throat ignite and a rush of panic swept through him. Roky sat hunched over his lap forced everything he could out of his stomach and began tearing at the grass and shoving it into his mouth.

‘Eww… fuck! Eww… fuck! Geh-ouh-of-mah-moufth!’ he said, realizing his words sounded as if a new born had attempted them. He took a moment and inwardly laughed at himself, finding he was quite incapable of doing it physically.

He pulled as much grass from his mouth as he good and scooped his hands along the grass and lapped at his soaked palms. The dew slid down his throat and along with it grass scratched at the raw and tender flesh as it too was swallowed. Roky bit down and held his breath. He wanted to run but he didn’t know why and felt as if his body were a weight that only moved when it had too. ‘Hey! Hey here’s someone! Look Dan there’s a guy over there!’

Roky carefully turned his head but the voices were coming from behind him and couldn’t reach his head back to see. He could hear their heavy steps plodding the ground, one faster than the other. He wanted to stand and walk, to greet the on comers and beg them for water, he’d do anything for something to ease his throat but he sat, quite silently, sobbing in pain that he could not bear nor diminish.

“My… what is that smell? Shit-”

“He’s puked all over himself, fuckin’ gross, let’s leave this one Rich, he looks like he’s O.D.’d on fuckin’ everything!’ The second voice, and the body belonged to it, moved around to Roky’s front and grimaced at the site. ‘Shit… it’s that fat weird kid from the tour, Dokey or something.’

‘Roky, asshole.’ Richard barked and laid a cold hand on Roky’s neck. ‘Hey, Roky, you don’t look so good. Can you stand?’

‘I want to… die.’ Roky said, choking back another go. ‘I think so…’ He leaned forward and raised himself up to his feet, he wobbled but Richard held his arm and ordered Dan to grab his other.

‘Weird how we missed him.’ Richard thought aloud. ‘He’s so close to the camp, no shit they have fire! Come on Dan, the faster we drop him the faster we can warm ourselves up!’ He said heaving one of Roky’s arms over his shoulder, Dan mimicked and they set off to the camp and the warming fire.

They entered the light of the camp, Roky could see they had several makeshift beds and even a thick branch three people used as a bench. “Found another one did you?” A rough voice came from behind them, followed by a rasping hack and cough. “Kinda smells.” His lip curled in a sneer as the two boys dragged Roky to a tree and set him down.

“You’d smell too if you were covered in vomit you idiot.” Richard snapped and rested on the edge of the log bench beside a rather fat woman, clutching a disposable camera in her shaking hands, she jumped as the log shifted and let out a gasp.

“Yeh… probably.” The man said, his movements drawing attention of a few people as he leered over Roky, who shifted away and fell into a crevice between the trees massive roots and was consumed by shadow.

“Leave him alone you arrogant fucking Brit.” A girl growled and shoved him away. “Don’t want to smell him? Piss off then.” Her eyes glowing fiery in the light of the campfire.

“Clean the fat bastard then…’ The man sneered again. “I can smell ‘im from ‘ere.” He then went about nervously circling round the camp.

The girl sat down and let her eyes adjust to see into the darkness that consumed Roky. Her heart jumped a bit as she focused on the apparent hatred in his eyes, he watched her as if she’d been the one firing insults at him. His façade disappeared as she spoke. “Take off your shirt…” She eyed him and almost laughed. “You want to smell like that? I’m not coming on to you, you stupid kid, I just want to be able be near you without wanting to puke. And since you’re the only one who hasn’t said anything, that makes you best the most interesting person around.” Roky cringed and leaned forward, thought for a moment and bit back his pride as he took off his shirt and threw it away.

“Happy?” It was more a statement than a question as he leaned further back into the darkness to hide himself.

“Can’t see you can I? Though the smell’s a bit better.” She stood and went to the discarded shirt, tore the back off and handed it to him. “Try and clean up a bit, I’ll see if I can find you something else to wear okay?”

“Sure.” Roky mumbled, taking the ripped cloth and dragging it across his skin and eventually, even his pants, though they were a bit stained, were fairly decent. He watched her go and heard her ask around the fire. She seemed to have found something when he heard a loud, deep voice exclaim and she spat a stream of curses so fast the other voice didn’t seem to know how to respond.

She came back and sat down again. “Found you a vest, it’s a little big, fat ass over there seemed to think he didn’t have enough padding to keep his sorry self warm.” And she handed the puffy red vest to Roky. He took it, watching her as if bracing for an unexpected rant or rave. “Warmer?”

‘Thanks.” Roky nodded under the huge vest.

“I’m Danielle. You any good at talking or do I have to amuse myself by talking to people too scared to move?” She laughed and sidled over to lean on the big root. She watched him, a smile widening over her face and more laughter came.

“Piss off.’ Roky spat and pulled the vest down so he was able to see over the shoulders. “Where are we? And why is everyone so scared? It’s a forest?”

“Well, for starters, how’d we get here? All I remember is a flash of light and smacking my head off the ground. Not to mention England’s got no forests to speak of, not to mention we were in the middle of a field not an hour ago, without sign of a tree for miles. I’m not scared though, someone’ll find us sooner or later.” She nodded hopefully, Roky laughed to himself. “What?”

“I don’t know, I remember a girl had stayed behind in Stonehenge so I went to tell her the bus was leaving. Next thing I know my body feels like its going to rip itself apart. Not that any of it’s funny, I dunno.” He shook his head and leaned back. “There wouldn’t be anything to drink would there?”

“Nope, not a water bottle among us. Tomorrow we’re going to look for a stream or something, kill us a squirrel or two, cook em up hill billy style! Mmm mmm!”

Roky laughed harder, the pain had seemed to have gone and all that was left was the ache in his throat and stomach. “Hey look, you are human.” Danielle laughed with him.

Roky wiped his eyes. “I try to be sometimes. Hey, who’s that British guy that keeps circling the place?” He could see the man hopping over a root, glaring at the people who surrounded the fire.

Daniel laughed and looked in the direction where Roky had spotted the man. ‘Jesse Battington, Stone Henge tour guide and bus driver. Probably served too. Wouldn’t doubt it. Freaky old guy if ever there was one.’ Her gaze returned to Roky, she watched as the grin crossed his face.

‘Battington.’ He chuckled and shook his head. ‘Probably thinks he’s royalty too.’

Danielle agreed and silence overcame them, Roky stared off into the high branches of the trees and Danielle fiddled and looked around, bored and care free. Time passed slowly for the group, no one seemed to move except when the fire began to get dim and everyone seemed to jump to find more wood to keep it lit. The silence wasn’t broken until Jesse Battington stepped out from behind an exceptionally large tree, nearly tripping over the massive root he had climbed up and announced that Cedric and Ahmed had come back with three more kids, scowling and looking even more retched, thinking himself sore for having to put up with more tactless brats.

Just as he had said it, a tall Middle Eastern man and a shorter black man came into view. Ahmed carried a thin, blond girl in his arms and spotted Roky, eyeing him with a bit of interest, more so to the fact of the large red vest he wore, and looked absolutely unbelievable in. Cedric kept looking back and ushering in the other two girls, telling them to hurry or be left in the dark, scary woods. His face was pleasant, and the fire light gleamed off his sweating, bald head, he grinned and nodded to everyone, showing the two girls to an empty bed.

Roky watched as they silently melded into the group, he watched as Ahmed lowered the girl down beside the other two and turned around to approach where Roky and Danielle sat. Roky shifted uneasily, wondered what kind of questions he’d be asked, and why this guy even cared. He looked over to Danielle who seemed to have drifted asleep, her head slumped to one side.

The tall man walked around to the front of the little crawl space and sat down to Roky’s right and stretched out. ‘Been out for hours.’ Roky was surprised by his English. ‘When’d you get here kid?’

‘Roky, thanks.’ His eyes narrowed and tried to relax into a more comfortable position. ‘I don’t know, hour or two ago. I don’t have a watch, don’t really know.’ He looked over to Danielle, her eyes seemed to have just snapped shut.

‘Wouldn’t do yah much good if it did.’ Ahmed held up his arm to the light. Roky saw a festering, circular burn on his wrist and grimaced. ‘Mine melted right to my damn arm. Hurts like a bitch.’ Roky nodded, unable to look away from the scarred hand. ‘Had to peel it off with a stick, lucky I can still even use my hand.’

‘Why don’t you wrap it up?’ Roky said a bit too quickly for his own liking. ‘It’ll get infected won’t it?’

‘Oh probably.’ Ahmed scratched around the wound. ‘But as we have no water or spare cloth, it’ll have to wait till we find someone, or someone finds us.’ His let his head drop back and Roky felt pressure on his side.

He jumped seeing Danielle pulling the vest down and using it as a pillow. She didn’t say anything and faced towards the root wall. Roky groaned and felt his butt go numb, he didn’t want to disturb her, and rolled his eyes as Ahmed silently laughed to himself, understanding the boys discomfort and situation his laid his head back and fell asleep almost instantly.

Roky sighed stretched out as slowly as possible, moving only to place himself in a slightly more comfortable spot. “So, I heard we’ll be going to find water tomorrow, you think we’ll find any?”

Ahmed shrugged. “Hopefully, can’t do anything until we find out our bearings.” He patted Roky on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

“Can we keep the clichés to a minimum?” Roky eyed him. “I can’t seem to make anything of where we are, and when that happens, and someone says everything’ll be fine, they usually end up getting attacked by a wild animal or people with harmful intent.” He wiggled around trying to get a little more comfortable. “I’m sorry, I’m just… really hungry, I got a huge headache, let’s just try and get some sleep huh?”

“No arguments here.”

When Roky awoke, the moon was just going down and the forest was filled with a light fog. He took off the vest and laid Danielle down on the ground. He stood and watched curiously as the fog slowly drifted through the trees. Roky noticed a few people stir, the fire had gone out groups of people had huddled together for warmth. He felt cold, his fingers were numb from it but he walked slowly and quietly against the fog current, no one will care if I’m gone anyway, Roky thought stepping over a few people.

Roky stuck his hands in his pockets, he felt around and felt a pen and marker he’d used to draw with on his way to Stonehenge. He looked back and considered the people, then used the pen to peel off the bark of the roots and draw X’s on the exposed flesh. He walked on, marking as he went, for nearly an hour. The fog grew thicker and light found its way further into the forest.

The trees began to get thicker Roky realized and he squinted past the brightly lit fog and thought he saw something. He moved faster until he was running and emerged into a clearing where the ground consisted mainly of the writhing roots of the trees as they dove deeply into a large lake. He dropped to his knees, never feeling so relieved and carefully made his way to the lake. He smelled the water and dipped his hand into it. “Looks safe.” He gulped and bit his lip, the water was dark and his mind kept thinking about what creatures would lurk in a pool like this. Roky decided to chance it and lowered his face to the water and took a mouthful. It tasted a little off but he drank again until he was full and sat back, surveying the area.

He couldn’t believe it, the size of the trees, the roots that fought to get into the pool, hard wood flooring, he chuckled and stood. He could hear noises and looked around, on the other side of the pool he saw some animals drink from the pool, none of them saw him, he sighed as they finished and faded back into the trees. He decided on doing the same, he wanted to go and wake the others, regardless they’d be starving and thirsty too.

Roky got about half way back when he saw Ahmed, Danielle and four others including the bald black man from the night before examining one of his marks. “You guys will never guess what I found!” He called out, they jumped and looked at him nervously. “Water! Back this way!”

The group ran at him and began questioning him, the three Roky didn’t know took off the way he had come. “How’d you find it?” Danielle looked surprised at him.

“I think I heard somewhere fog travels away from water. I could be entirely wrong, but what was there to loose?” He rubbed his head. “Go drink, be careful though, try not to make too much noise, I saw a pack of something across the lake, the fog was too thick. And be careful of the water…” He paused remembering its darkness. “I didn’t see anything in it, just be careful. I’ll go tell the others.” He waved them off and ran back to the camp.

Roky had everyone at the lake before the sun had ever fully risen and everyone seemed grateful to him, except for the bus driver, though he didn’t like anyone. Roky wasn’t used to having so much attention so resided himself to a vacant patch of roots near the trees. Danielle came over smiling, she waved and sat next to him. “How does it feel to be the hero? Last night no one knew you even existed.” She patted him on the back playfully.

“I found water, I’m no hero.” Roky sighed, the group looked to be stirring.

“That’s good enough for them.” She said looking to all the chattering people, they seemed to be no more than people on vacation. “We would have died without water, who cares if you didn’t slay the dragon, we need water to survive.”

Roky looked at her and scoffed. “You guys would’ve found it eventually.”

“Maybe.”

“Who cares, leave it alone, it’s only water. ”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“The same as everyone else-”

“I don’t mean that.” She glared at him. “Everyone’s tried to thank you and you just walk off and ignore them. What’s that about?”

Roky looked away, he thought he saw something in the trees but let it go. “I don’t like being the center of attention, okay? I’m just like everyone else, I don’t like being treated differently.”

“Hey that’s cool, not many humble guys around you know?” She laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “But its common politeness to acknowledge people when they thank you. Everyone’s scared here, don’t make it any worse. We need to make the best of a bad situation, we’ve got water, that means something good, now we just need to find are way out of this place. It looks like everyone’s getting ready to leave, you going to come with us?” She stood and looked down at him, Roky looked up and cocked an eyebrow.

“Of course I’m coming, no point in staying here is there?” He got up and brushed himself off, he laughed at himself and the big red vest and shook his head. “Once it gets warmer I’m ditching this stupid thing.”

Danielle laughed. “But you look so cute in it!” Roky glared at her. “Don’t be like that! You look…”

“Stupid.”

The group moved surprisingly fast Roky thought trailing near the back, his knees had already begun to hurt and cursed himself for being so fat and out of shape. He listened to the conversations of the people ahead of him, talking about home, friends and family. He scoffed at them, they hadn’t been gone a day and already they were talking as if there was no hope.

Hardly anyone spoke to Roky, even during the many breaks they took on the journey, they’ve forgotten me already, he shook his head happily. He noticed the day seemed to drag on without end. They had been walking for hours and still the sun was high in the sky. Roky figured it was his stomach playing mind games on him.

After another four hours they came across a stream and everyone immediately settled down. Their was grass around the stream instead of roots like the lake and everyone stretched out on the soft ground, drinking from the clear water as they relaxed. It was decided that they would stay there for the night and gather what food they could find. Roky had begun pulling up grass, he hadn’t seen a single bush or shrub the entire way and doubted very highly that they would find anything. He sucked idly on the blades of grass until he was approached by a big man and three others. HE stared up at them and they glowered down. “Get off yer ass and held out, and give me back my jacket.”

Roky swallowed the grass and looked away. “The jacket you can have.” He threw it to the man. “But the help you can’t. I’m fine with my grass thanks.”

“I’m tellin’ yah to git off yer ass boy!” The man’s glare intensified.

“And I’m tellin’ yah to fack off.” Roky glowered up him defiantly. “I found the water, I’m not asking anyone for any of their food, fuck off and leave me alone.”

“Starve then yeh little shit. I’ll tell everyone not to give you nothin’.” He spat and grabbed the vest leading the others into the trees.

“Fine,” Roky chuckled at the man’s use of his double-negative. “I suppose I’ll be the only one to eat well then.” He said to himself and chewed on some more grass.

Roky watched the gathering parties come back empty handed and downtrodden. They drank deeply from the stream before collapsing on the ground. Roky had torn some bark off the trees and broken it apart while the others were out and had formed a large pile beside him. He waved some of the people over and nodded to the brown pile. “Bark’s edible, not much taste to it though.” He let the five take handfuls for themselves. “Eat it with water, but don’t eat the grass, it’ll give you the shits.” He winced, the group laughed and thanked him as he continued to mulch the large hunks of bark.

When the big man and his group came back he watched everyone eating the brown food and looked to Roky who still had a large pile by his side, Ahmed, Danielle and the black man, Roy, all sat with him. He stormed up to one of the other groups and asked what they were eating. “It’s bark actually.” A woman said through a mouthful of chewing. She pointed to Roky. “He made it, none of us found any berries or anything, but he gave us this, doesn’t taste too bad actually.”

The man growled and stormed over to Roky. “Give me the food.” He demanded walking right up to Roky. “You gave everyone else food, now give it to us.”

Roky looked up at them unsurprised. He sighed and shook his head. “Well, seeing as you told everyone not to give me anything, or tried to say that, I’ve decided to take that comment very offensively. And do you know what that means?” His eyes widened questioningly. “That means, I am not going to give you any, because I think you’re an asshole. However, if your friends, who have not insulted me, would like some, all they need to do is ask and they can have as much as they like.”

The others looked hopeful and one by one politely asked and took handfuls of the ground up bark. The big man stewed angrily, he wanted to throttle the boy, drown him in the stream and eat Roky. “I’m sorry.” He grunted out, Roky looked back up at him.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.” The man grunted through ground teeth.

“For what?” Roky asked innocently.

He took a deep breath and cracked his knuckles. “For insulting you, and for telling everyone to not feed you. Can I have some…” Roky looked at him. “Please?”

“Sure thing, help yourself.” Roky motioned to the bark and restarted his conversation with the others. The man stomped away, night had begun to fall and fires were popping up all over the camp.

The night passed as slowly as the day Roky felt as he munched on some of the left over bark. Danielle was fast asleep beside him, Ahmed and Roy circled the clearing, Roky watched their outlines, wondering what they were talking about. He felt at ease, food and water were taken care of, all that was left was to find civilization, that couldn’t be too hard, he thought looking down on the dreaming girl.

He sighed and looked around, his gazed settled in front of him. His skin crawled as a blood curdling scream ripped apart the silence of the night. Roky’s gaze went to the fires, he watched four figures burst from the trees and attack the closest group of people. They looked like humans with leathery faces and beaks, Roky blinked and made to get up but two shapes burst from behind the tree, right passed him and ran into the light. He scrabbled back into the tree and cupped his hand over Danielle’s mouth. She awoke instantly and squirmed under his grip, he let her go and spoke quietly into her ear. “I don’t know what’s going on, but people are attacking the camp.” She made to talk but his hand covered her mouth again. “Don’t talk, we need to get out of here. Don’t say a thing, just keep in the shadows, you go first and I’ll watch to make sure no one sees us leave. Now go.” He pulled her over him and she shakily watched the scene unfold by the stream. “Go!” He whispered and she quickly disappeared into the trees behind him.

Roky followed quickly but his ears could here something besides their foot steps. He turned to see two figures jumping like animals over the roots and sailing closer to them with every leap. He noticed the glint of metal from their hands and he picked up the pace. “Go right! I’ll try and distract them!” He barked and Danielle quickly made a right.

He looked back, the two stopped, one watched the girl run and the first said something Roky couldn’t hear and he dashed off in her direction. The figure held up his hand, three long, metal hooked blades jutted out and Roky gulped. The figure stood and launched himself at Roky. Roky’s legs wouldn’t move and the figure smashed him to the ground. He flailed wildly and grabbed a hold of something hard and pulled. He looked for a second to see a long knife in his hand before a fist came down and struck Roky in the face.

Stars blinded Roky as he punched up trying to defend himself but the knife fell out of his hands and the figure atop him continued its assault on Roky’s soft points. Roky fell limp and the figure emerged triumphant, standing above Roky in the darkness. Roky opened one eye and carefully felt for the knife, he found the hilt and clutched it, trying to remain as still as possible. The man knelt down to pick Roky up, he took his chance and Roky’s arm shot up and into the man’s chest. Blood rained down on Roky who stabbed him again and rolled the man over.

Roky went berserk on the figure, he drove the knife down and cracked ribs apart in a fit of rage. He backed away from it and started off in Danielle’s direction. As he rounded the tree she had dashed around he saw nothing. He looked around and suddenly realized he couldn’t hear anything. He ran towards the stream and saw nothing, everyone had disappeared. He ran into the clearing, the fires had been neatly stomped out and covered in grass and dirt. “What the fuck?” Roky jogged around the site, confused and his anger boiled to the surface until he collapsed on the ground.

The darkness and night consumed Roky but he fought off the fatigue and lumbered back to where he had killed the figure. Roky dragged the body to the clearing and in the moonlight ripped off the leather mask and stared into a pale face. “You deserved it fuck head.” He spat and patted the man down, he wasn’t carrying anything except the scabbard to the knife and the hooked gauntlet that Roky removed and tried on. It was too big for him so he threw it aside and stared at the body. He hated the dead man, Roky knew he couldn’t question him, he didn’t know where the man had come from, he didn’t know anything.