Dylan called his brothers together to discuss on what to do about their mother’s case stating that the money their mother is owing was used on them and not for anything else, therefore they ought to take it upon themselves.
“I consider hunting, we don’t have another alternative” Dylan decided.
“I will stay back in the shop as you go for hunting, I maybe be lucky” Nazi said.
“Good idea. And to be close to mom”
“Jennie has been helping with that” Rickie said.
That night Rickie had a dream. It wasn’t pleasant. In the dream it was as if he was in another realm where there’s no sun light. And he was the only surviving human among vampires. They were badly blood thirsty and he was their only target, that made him to always be on the run without rest. There was no refuge, no fortress, no safe place. While running from a group he is running towards another group. When there was no way out and they nearly caught him he woke up violently sweating profusely, panting and looking terrified.
His brothers woke and asked him what happened. He narrated the dream to them. It was really scary.
“How did they look?”
“Disgusting. Blood all over their bodies. Some part of their bodies are chopped and deformed. Their hands are dried with sharp nails and teeth. They utterly look scary”
They were befuddled about the vampire dream. They were in doubt not knowing whether to believe or disbelieve.
“Does vampires exist?” Nazi asked.
“I have never heard such either” Mata said.
“I only hear it from stories. Mere fairly tales, so I don’t think it’s possible to see a thing like that even in a dream” Dylan confessed.
Probably it was hard to believe. But Rickie was sure of what he saw. That night he sat awake not only because he avoided having same experience, he just could not sleep. He became a watchman while others were sleeping.
In the morning they prepared for hunting. They got all that would be needed ready including their father’s rifle. Mata lubricated it because it was rusty and blunt. Three left leaving Nazi to stay in the shop. Hunting wasn’t as easy as they thought coupled with their lack of hunting experience and technics. Only Rickie knew how to set traps. Two traps however, and both were for bigger animals. But with patience and cooperation they gradually caught what they could take home. Though they had a little catch but at least they were going home with something, hopeful to be lucky next time.
They continue hunting on daily basis. They changed those staying in the shop, only Dylan goes every day. They were getting use to hunting. They go different directions and different length and returns not just with games but whatever fruit they could find and which they sell some in the shop.
With these they raised money to pay the debt their mother owe and freed her.
“Where did you get the money for my ransom? You borrowed?”
“We hunted” Dylan had the courage to speak.
“Why should you? Our people doesn’t hunt”
“Why?”
“They are likely to face danger”
“Who do you know that’s once a victim?”
“Many”
“But we haven’t heard any”
“Because our people no longer hunt”
“There is a man that bring his catches to the market”
“He is not from here. Ask well”
They began to think about it. It wasn’t a good news to them because it is stopping them from their source of income.
“There’s a man who went there. That’s during the days of my grandfather. It was a story from my own father. He saw a creature with a human face, big bright scary eyes. At first he saw his head and thought it was an old woman but it was just a glimpse. He went close and close to confirm it, suddenly the beast pounced on him. It has two hands and it’s body was like that of a snake. He was killed with his eyes and intestines forced out”
“God!” Jude exclaimed feeling disgusted. “But mom is that not just a fairly tale?”
“No. They happened real. What about six men who were chased by monsters of two heads? None of them returned”
“So who lived to tell the experience?”
“Sometimes people go to the bush and find the carcass of those creatures and that of the humans. Sometimes some escape. But those survivals swears never go into the forest not even if it becomes the safest place”
“So what are we going to do if we leave hunting?” Rickie asked.
“What happened to the shop or fishing?”
“We all can not continue selling in one shop” Mata said.
“There are no fishes in the water too” said Nazi
“And besides fishing is equally as risky as hunting”
“Says who?”
“Was it not in the river father died? Said to be taken by an octopus”
“That was because he exceeded limits. The water he went fishing is too dense”
“So..?”
“Leave hunting that’s what I mean. You can stay in the shop with me or do some quick jobs now that fishes are scarce in the water. You will wait to return when they are back.
“But mother our traps are there. We should go and get them”
“Why don’t you forget them?”
“If we should sell it, it worth something, mom”
“Mom, we have been going and returning safely. Going there just for our traps won’t cost out lives. If we were to be killed by the forest I won’t be now”
“I am saying this because its highly risky. Going into the woods, your lives are In detriment”
“We will be careful”