Chapter 8 I'm Sorry

The huge hyenas sprinted away with their tails between their legs.

I watched for a while longer to make sure they had left.

Hazel welcomed me back into the cave by asking, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I replied. I smeared the blood that was on my hands on the rocks at the entrance of the cave. "I just don't know what the hell those were. I've never seen such huge hyenas before."

Not only were they larger than an average hyena, but more frightening in appearance and more dangerous in combat.

If it weren't for the narrow entrance of the cave, we would all be dead now.

Rosie stood at the entrance of the cave with a strange expression. She was staring at the dead hyenas.

"I might recognize this animal," Rosie said. "It looks like Pachycrocuta brevirostris, or the giant, short-faced hyena. I'm not certain, though..."

"Is there anything special about this animal?" Eliza prompted Rosie to continue.

Rosie shrunk back into the cave. "They shouldn't exist anymore!" she said quietly, with a tremble in her voice. "The species has been extinct for a long time!"

We all fell silent. Terrifying thoughts filled our minds.

I clapped my hands and said, "Regardless, we are safe for the time being. You all go to bed first. I'll keep watch on my own."

The horrifying ordeal had tired the women out, and they all quickly fell asleep, curled up on the dry grass.

I sat alone by the bonfire, put the urn next to me, and rubbed it gently.

The battle with the hyenas reminded me of when my days were filled with gunfire. I lived in constant danger, knowing I could die at any moment. My comrades and I were running low on hope. The only thing that kept me going was getting messages and calls from my now ex-girlfriend every day.

The memories of my ex-girlfriend made my stomach sink.

It made me ill to think that she was with my friend right now, while I was trapped on an uninhabited island.

I heard a sound behind me. I turned around and saw that Hazel was awake.

"Marlon," she said, and sat down beside me.

"Don't you want to sleep?" I asked.

Hazel shook her head. "You saved us again. Thank you."

I smiled and stared into the bonfire without saying anything.

Hazel hesitated and asked, "Why do you have to carry that urn everywhere you go? When the plane crashed, there were many more important supplies that you could have grabbed."

I shook my head. "To me, this is more important than anything else. He's my comrade. He's been through a lot with me. I'll get him home, no matter what it takes."

My fingers rubbed the edges of the urn and I said slowly and firmly, "We went on a cross-country hike together. Together we killed our enemies, and he rescued me when we were surrounded. Now it's my turn. I'm taking him home safe!"

Hazel looked at me in shock, and her eyes reflected the light of the bonfire. She reached out to hold my arm and rested her forehead on my shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss," she whispered. "I'm also sorry for what happened on the plane. I shouldn't have said those things. I'm sorry."

I looked carefully at Hazel. I hadn't expected such an arrogant woman to admit her mistake, and to act so intimately towards me.

"It doesn't matter. The most important thing right now is that we all stay alive," I replied.

"There's something else I want to tell you," Hazel whispered. "Be careful of Eliza. She's more complicated than she seems."

I digested her words for a moment. Before I could ask her anything, there was a sound from behind us.

I turned around and saw that Eliza had turned over and seemed to have woken up.