章 8: hunting
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Daryl was now off the road, having entered the forest beside it. He didn't know what scared him more: the fear of possible zombies or the fear of failing. He had never done this before, in his previous life, and his heart was racing.
Daryl: "Two hours, huh... I wonder if I can find something in that time. I have to try."
Daryl looked at the sky, as if to confirm the time. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to do so.
Daryl: "It's still early, there has to be something alive around here."
He started walking, going deeper into the forest. His steps were slow and careful, not to scare off any possible prey. Then he heard a noise.
Daryl: "What is that?"
As he got closer, Daryl saw a small water source. He took the opportunity to drink a little. The water was a bit dirty, but it didn't bother him.
While drinking, he noticed a strange mark on the ground.
Daryl: "This is..."
Strangely, Daryl knew exactly what it was: animal tracks. A deer, one of the big ones. He walked a little further and found the animal's droppings. Somehow, he knew the size and type of the animal.
He dropped his backpack on the ground and had an idea. His body acted on instinct, as if he knew exactly what to do. He opened the backpack, grabbed his knife and a rope. He went to a tree near the water source and started setting up the trap. He began by bending the trunk to form a tight arc, tying the rope at the top, and securing it firmly so it wouldn't come loose. He did a few tests, making sure it was well tied.
Next, he made a sliding loop at the other end of the rope and adjusted the size carefully. Daryl placed the loop in the middle of the trail, analyzing where the deer would have the best chance of passing. He cut some small branches to use as improvised triggers to keep the branch in place. He placed the loop on the ground and, with skillful hands, picked up some dry leaves to cover the trap, completely hiding it.
Daryl: "This will work."
Daryl: "If everything goes right, you'll step here, and this will pull you up..."
Daryl grabbed his crossbow and moved as far away as possible without losing sight of the trap. He couldn't get too far to react if the trap was triggered. He focused on not moving, remaining still to avoid alerting the deer. He stayed there, watching, breathing carefully, silently praying that everything would go right.
Daryl didn't know how many minutes had passed. He felt like he had been there for hours, but in reality, only a few minutes had passed.
In the forest, the only sound was the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the insects crawling on Daryl's body, which remained motionless. It was a test of patience; minutes dragged on, feeling like hours.
Daryl was starting to lose hope when he heard the sound of an animal walking. He held his breath to avoid alerting the prey. His hands started sweating. Then he heard the noise of the rope and loop stretching. Quickly, he grabbed his crossbow and stepped out from behind the tree, aiming at the trap. His only chance was there. He knew the trap wouldn't hold a medium-sized animal for long. The deer would break free, and he couldn't miss. Daryl fired his crossbow, hitting the deer's head with precision.
When Daryl was celebrating the shot, the deer escaped the trap. The headshot was fatal, and Daryl knew the animal wouldn't survive. It was only moving now because of the adrenaline.
Daryl began following the blood trail of the deer. After a few meters, he found it dead. The animal was large.
Daryl crouched down and removed the arrow from its head. Before taking the deer back to the group, he said a prayer, thanking for the food.
Daryl: "Thank you for this food, my God."
He also made the sign of the cross, in a Catholic prayer gesture.
Before carrying the deer, Daryl closed the wound to prevent blood from leaking while he carried the animal. Once done, he threw the deer over his shoulders and headed back to the camp.
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