The darkness of the night turned Master into a blurry figure, but Hugo recognized it clearly. He lifted himself over the railing of the balcony and carefully climbed down to the bottom floor. He didn't want to let Master out of his sight. 

“Nice to see you again, Hugo,” Master said. His voice echoed throughout the forest. Master chuckled with a wide grin. 

When Hugo got to the ground he took the combat knife from his pocket and burst into a sprint. Master ran away, but Hugo could hear Master’s laugh loud and clear.

“Ha ha ha ha ha!” Master’s voice echoed throughout the forest. His feet made a heavy thumping sound as they hit the ground.

Hugo ran as fast as he could as he chased Master through the forest. 

—

In the morning, Carmen twisted and turned around in her bed. She threw her arm over to feel Hugo but she hit the sheet instead. Her eyes opened to find nothing beside her.

“Shouldn't be surprised,” she whispered.

She got out of bed, put on clothes, and walked to Lila’s room.

Lila was awake. She sat on her bed with her legs to her chest and her head facing the window with a blank stare.

“Come on,” Lila said. She motioned her head to the door to Lila.

The two of them were walking from the hotel to the village. Light winds ruffled the leaves of the treetops. The girls could hear the distant roaring of the waterfall.

Nearing the village, Carmen spotted one person standing in the forest beside the river. He zipped up his pants and turned around. He made eye contact with Carmen and immediately looked down, almost petrified in fear.

—

Hugo caught up to Master and shoved the knife into his back. SHLUNK

“Ah!” Master roared. He swung his fist at Hugo and hit him across the face.

It felt like blades, but in the dark Hugo could not clearly see.

Hugo stabbed Master again in the stomach. SHLINK

“Dam you Hugo!” Master yelled. He stumbled back.

Hugo pounced again and continued swinging the knife at Master. Left and right the knife cut Master’s skin. Hugo repeatedly stabbed Master in a frenzy.

Master let out a faint “Ahhh,” as he collapsed on the ground, lifeless.

—

Carmen and Lila continued into the village, where there was no one else outside of their tents. The grass was stained with the blood of those who Hugo killed yesterday.

Lila sat on an empty picnic table and Carmen stood beside the unlit fire pit. The sun was peeking over the mountain tops. The morning dew on the grass shimmered and reflected the run into every direction. Carmen put her hand above her eyes to block the sun, and she squinted slightly.

“Everyone up!” Carmen said loud enough for the village to hear. She didn't strain her voice though.

The zippers of the tents began to open and the villagers stepped outside. They were shivering from the cold.

Carmen looked across all of them. “Anyone seen Hugo?”

“No,” the villagers answered almost harmoniously.

Carmen nodded. “Okay. While he’s gone, we need new hunters.” She pointed at four random people who looked capable. “You. You. You. You. Go and don't come back without some meat.”

The four of them got their wooden weapons and walked into the forest as a group.

“The rest of you, start a farm,” Carmen said. She sat down beside Lila and watched the villagers start their day.

“Where is Hugo?” Lila asked Carmen.

“I don't know,” Carmen answered. Her eyes were moving along the forest. She glanced into the trees expecting Hugo to appear. She didn't know why she expected him to show up; he usually did not return so early.

As the day went on Carmen stayed on that picnic bench, watching for Hugo.

When it started getting dark, the four hunters came back pulling a giant furry mound.

—

Hugo stood up and looked over Master’s body. A chilly breeze went by. Hugo’s clothes were heavier and damp. He turned his left hand into a fist to feel his skin, but it was slippery and somewhat sticky. Noticing the distant fires of the mountaintops, Hugo raised his hand to catch some of the light and saw it reflect the orange glow. He dropped his knife and felt his other hand. It was also damp.

—

Carmen walked up to them. “What is that?” she asked.

They rolled over the mound and the head of a dead bear appeared, along with multiple deep cuts and wounds across the body. The blood had dried and gotten crusty.

“We found this as well,” said one of the hunters. He showed Carmen Hugo’s knife. It was crusty with the bear’s blood.

A shiver went across Carmen’s body.

“Okay. Do what you can to make it good to eat by tomorrow,” Carmen said. “Try not to let it go to waste.” She kept the knife and turned away from the hunters. She walked over to Lila. “Come on, it’s time for bed.”

Lila got up from the table and the two walked back to the hotel room.

Carmen placed the knife on the table beside the photo of her, Hugo and Lila at the waterfall. She looked down at it and took a deep breath in. Her eyes grew cold looking at the photo.

—

Hugo walked away from the body and continued deeper into the forest.

—

When Lila went to sleep, Carmen left the hotel. She went to the village and found the hunters who were preparing the bear. The fire was lit and the villagers were gathered around to keep warm. Carmen took a stick and put one end on the fire, creating a torch.

“You,” she said, pointing to one of the hunters. “Take me to where you found the bear.”

The hunter got up and led Carmen into the forest.

Using the light from the torch, they followed the trail made by dragging the bear. At the end, she saw the crusty pool of blood where the bear had died. Imprinted into the dirt were footprints mainly from the four hunters, but Carmen spotted prints that walked into another direction. 

Following the prints, they led around the valley back to the river where they first entered. 

But now, a barricade of fallen trees, rock and dirt had stopped the river from flowing. It had pooled into a massive reservoir. Above the dam was a massive wall of fire with no way across. 

—

Hugo walked up to the reservoir and gazed at the dam and the wall of fire. It reflected in the water and in his eyes. He walked into the water and began to swim to the dam. As he got closer, things up against the dam began to move. People who had tried to escape but died crossing the fire and were now wanderers stuck at the dam. They reached for Hugo, but couldn't move as their flesh had been melted to the wood.

At the dam, Hugo slashed some water over the wood, putting out a small patch of fire. He climbed up quickly and ran through. The heat was quickly engulfing him, but with just a few more steps, he fell down to the other side. He fell to the ground hitting the rocks with a hard THUD.

His breathing turned into a deep rumble. And every movement felt like pain, but he continued onward into the dark.

—

Carmen fell to her knees and let out a shriek. “NOO!” Her voice echoed like a banshee throughout the forest. Tears flowed immensely from her eyes. “Nooo!” she said as her screams died down. The roar of the fire masked her sobbing as she tried to control herself.

—

Hugo huffed and walked forward continuously throughout the night. He didn't know how long it had been. He walked into Oakhurst, but it was now completely abandoned with a few stray wanderers. He continued on the road down to the valley and by then it was morning. As he walked down the hill, he saw someone walking up.

Clear as day, it was Master holding a backpack. He was tired and looked hungry. He looked up at Hugo and his face turned to pure shock.

—

Carmen went back to the village, not expecting Hugo to return.