Shudders: Retribution

Chapter 8 - The Trees

    The two traveling demons started to develop a reoccurring atmosphere every time they set out on the road.

     Yama would start by detailing any plans he has. Scavenging, hunting, or just covering more distance. (Y/N) would nod along, not having many plans herself so whatever he wanted to do she followed. 

    He didn't have to tell her to be mindful of her surroundings, especially when it came to encountering other demons. The freeway was mostly devoid of anything but they did stumble across a pack of animalistic demons that looked like rodents. Due to their small statures compared to the two humanoid ones they mostly hissed and scampered off. Before they knew it they were finally coming off the freeway and walking onto a more secluded road. It was leading them into a small forest but in the distance were some small stores and a road stop with a flipped over tanker that blocked the whole road.

    (Y/N) placed a hand on the tanker trailer when they got closer to it. She followed Yama around it and saw that the doors to the trailer were open. The dark space only held crates with an old company logo on them that had since faded away.

"Should be a road somewhere..." Yama muttered to himself, scanning his eyes over the area. He had since stopped looking at his notebook for directions and must be going off memory. (Y/N) looked at him and tried to see if she could help find whatever road he was searching for. But she had to cover her nose once again at the cigarette smoke coming from him. Where was he even finding cigarettes? He pulls them out of thin air. "You know those are bad for you."

"They're bad for humans. Not for me." He started walking again so she followed.

"You still have lungs." She stated.

"Is me smoking a problem for you?" The stick lit up as he inhaled and the smoke escaped through his nose when he exhaled.

      She waved the smoke away. "I just hate the smell. I was around people who smoked growing up."

"How unfortunate." He blew out more smoke, not caring if she liked it or not. She glared and slowed down so that she was at least away from the cloud forming around him.

      From a distance hidden away behind one of the shops were a pair of eyes that watched the two, unblinkingly. They stared at Yama wondering who he was and why he was with the girl. What business does he have with her? What's with the suave and uncaring persona as if he thinks he's better than everyone else? This man was already infuriating.

     Then there was sweet (Y/N) who followed behind him like a lost lamb. So innocent and pure. She never failed to take their breath away.

    Yama soon found the familiar dirt path he was looking for that led deeper into the forest. It was wide enough to where it was easily visible but the trees that loomed over them and the large shrubbery growing on the path made it hard to detect anything around. This realization made the girl unsure of even entering the forest. Did they have to? There wasn't any clearer road they could take instead?

     When she tried asking her companion this he failed to answer. His eyes stayed focused on where he was going but he looked distracted. Lost in his thoughts again.

     She nervously stuck closer to him while darting her eyes around the trees and shrubs. Anything could jump out at them and they wouldn't see it. The Elitists could ambush them and take her away just like that. Then she'll have to go back to all those screams and cries of pain. Possibly suffering under their control and having to see that mask again. She doesn't know how she got away the first time only to wake up in that mall with no memory of anything besides a few things. But she didn't want to go through all of that again and end up alone because she got separated from Yama.