CHAPTER THREE

POISON 

Xavier opened his eyes. It was still dark but he could tell it was morning already. He reached under the blanket to touch his wound but it was gone, almost like it was never there. He saw Vanessa huddled against a tree sleeping. 

He sat up and tapped her.

“Am keeping watch.” She muttered sleepily. He smiled at her and helped her lie down and cover her body properly.

“Who knew you were capable of a smile.” 

“I’ll keep watch” he responded

Vanessa nods closing her eyes.

Vanessa looked directly at the blue sky as Xavier walk around her gathering things. The events of the previous day were finally hitting her.

She had killed a man without second thought. She had killed a man. 

The same way Drew had taught her

“We need to get moving.” Xavier said breaking her from her thoughts.

He offers his hand and pulls her to her feet and he leads the way. They walk quietly through the trees until they get to what seems like a path. The grass looked like it had been trampled down by numerous feet. 

Vanessa thought of something to say to fill the silence but she could think of nothing, her mind kept revolving back to the man she killed. She wondered what her father would say if he knew, what would he think of his innocent daughter that he locked up from the world? 

What if the man had a wife?

Or kids?

Or loved ones?

She had robbed him of the chance to see his family again just because he was doing the job he hand been assigned to do.

She glanced at Xavier’s square shoulders, and she noticed the sun was setting.

Her stomach grumbled.

They hadn’t eaten anything all day she could feel her hunger wearing her down. She had checked their bags and no food was packed in them.

As she continued willing her feet to move a fruit caught her eye

Xavier could feel the silence and the sun eating away at his senses, he had to admit she was unusually quiet for a girl. If it were any of his sisters they would have killed him to death with their constantly flowing words. 

He wanted them to get to the stream so they could freshen up and stop for the night. Some crunching sound filled his ears and he turned to see Vanessa eating.

“What the hell are you eating?” he snatched the fruit from her hand and threw it away.

“Why are you shouting so much, I saw it on a tree and it was ripe.”

“So you just eat any fruit you see on a tree?”

“It’s not like you offered me something to eat, it was the only thing I saw that looked edible.” She retorted

“How many have you eaten?” he asked instead

“The one you threw away was the third. Why are you asking?”

“THE THIRD!!! What the fuck is wrong with you, you can’t just eat any random fruit because you’re hungry!” Xavier exclaimed and placed a palm on his forehead trying to still his rage

“What’s wrong?” Vanessa asked slanting her eyes choosing to ignore his tone

“Is there a way you can get it out of your system? Or vomit it?” he asked more calmly

“What is wrong?” she asked again

“The berries you’ve been eating are poisoned, you need to get it out of your system now.”

“Nothing will happen to me.” She replied nonchalantly

“How do you know this?”

“Because my body heals itself”

“Your body healing itself isn’t any reassurance that you’ll be fine, and even if you heal yourself, you’ve taken three already.”

The sound of Xavier’s voice drifted away into the wind, she raised her hand and tried to count her finger. They swayed side to side. It was no use she’d forgotten how to count. The poison was starting to take effect. Vanessa looked up from her hand to Xavier’s face, he had a weird expression. He actually looked concerned for her.

“If it’s any re- reassurance I- I’ve poisoned myself be-before.” She slurred

She looked at her feet as they danced before her eyes, it felt like the earth was losing its balance she couldn’t think clearly, she stumbled to regain balance. Her head was spinning.

Xavier reached out and caught her before she fell, she moaned against his chest.

“Are you okay?” 

She gripped his hands and pushed herself away from him and fell to the floor vomiting some of the mint berries and blood. He knelt beside her and helped hold her hair. She stopped after a while and Xavier got some water for her to rinse her mouth.

He hung the bag with her on his shoulder and carried her in his arms. Vanessa lifted her hand and lightly touched his cheek. 

“Drew” she muttered and caved in to her body’s weakness