CYOA Page 4
Sep. 15th, 2013 05:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lumy12Of course there's no one there. Eagle-eared Joel would've heard it. ...or is it just eagle eyes that are said to be sharp? You can't remember. Whatever... dude has uncanny-good hearing.
Just when you've managed to convince yourself you're paranoid, Joel gestures for you to move closer to him. You bring your horse alongside his, close enough to hear him when he all but whispers, "Someone's followin' us. Get ready."
I fucking KNEW it! you exclaim to yourself, though you refrain from enthusing to Joel, simply giving him a slight nod to let him know you understand. It would be hilarious if it turns out to be just a fucking rabbit or something now -- I could totally give Joel shit for freaking out while I remained calm. Ha! ...Except Joel doesn't really freak out in the normal sense of the phrase. But still!
You notice that the rocks and stuff are becoming a little more sparse up ahead on the side the noises came from, and you realize it's likely that Joel purposely chose this moment to confront the possible threat because of that; the upcoming lack of cover could force the person to act. And by act, you mean shoot us both from behind. Your 9-millimeter is drawn and ready, your horse turned the same direction Joel's is... although you keep your distance, to offer him better cover. And if the person starts shooting... if the horses get spooked... you're not completely out in the open yet. You could turn back... zigzag through the trees and make a hard target...
"Show yourself!" you hear Joel shouting.
Nothing.
"Show yourself or I'll come back there an' shoot you!" he amends.
"No! Don't!" says a voice. A boy's voice... a boy young enough to still have that child-like higher pitch to it.
You relax a little, even though you know the kid may very well have a gun. Joel doesn't relax. "Come on out, then," he says sternly. "I won't hurt you if you mean no harm."
A head slowly rises up from behind one of the smaller big-ass rocks.
"All the way out," barks Joel. "Hands up."
The boy does as he's told and starts moving to the end of the cluster of rocks.
"You alone?" asks Joel.
"Yes."
But Joel guides the horse to look behind the rocks anyway, as well as the area immediately surrounding them. You keep your gun trained on the boy while Joel's is not.
The boy stands completely out in the open now, and you give him an appraising look. He's maybe eight or nine years old. Dark-haired, skinny, dirty... wearing a hole-y T-shirt too faded to make out the picture on it, and cruddy-looking jeans that clearly haven't been washed in ages. He looks kind of familiar... you move a little closer, squinting at him as you try to place him. Do I know this kid?
If you recognize the boy, turn to page 8.
If, upon closer inspection, you're sure you've never seen him before, turn to page 12.
Annie
Date: 2020-10-03 09:11 pm (UTC)Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-03 10:32 pm (UTC)Carlos
Date: 2021-01-13 05:45 am (UTC)