Crash-landed On An Island With Nine Beauties
Chapter 79

Claire grunted as she pushed her body tirelessly against the hard bark of the Boabab tree. Her arms wounded around the trunk. She was hugging the trunk so passionately that you'd think that it was a hidden lover. She was halfway on the trunk, making gentle and thoughtful pushes.

She didn't for once look at the bottom. One, she was scared of heights. The phobia wasn't in its extreme state, yet she dared not look. The second reason was the fear of the Cannibal. She wanted to get to the top of the tree before the Cannibal return.

If you ask her how she was able to replace her way up to that level of the tree trunk, she might not be able to justify her actions.

When she tried to throw one of her arms up, to see whether or not she could catch the branch of the tree which seemed close enough, she lost her balance and glid violently and uncontrollably down the tree.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

She screamed on top of her voice, shutting her eyes in dread of how scary the impact on the earth would be.

She dropped on her butts, groaning. She couldn't stand up immediately, because she heard a crack at the contact. "My bones..."

She mumbled, super scared to even turn her neck let alone her body. But then she heard hurrying footsteps behind her.

"Huh? The Cannibal?"

She realized that she wasn't left with much choice. She jumped up at once. Her eyes straying to the front. She was right. It was the Cannibal. He had a leopard sitting across his shoulders. For a moment, Claire took a risk of pushing the side of her butts to a side to figure out if there was a pain. Yes, it hurt, but not as much as she thought it would.

She took a step forward and heard a snap below her. She looked, it was a tiny twig which had broken halfway before. She figured that that must be what made the sound when she dropped. She sighed in relief.

But it was sad to realize that the feeling wouldn't last for long. The approaching Cannibal never stopped for once. His eyes were scary and tough. There was a strange wave of urgency and rage seeped in the corners of his eyes.

"I should run."

Claire gulped, looking around her to see which part was the best to take.

"Jerk!!"

She called and started running away. She had no idea how it happened. But all she could feel in the next second was a rough palm gripping her fragile arm.

She turned to see the Cannibal growling at her. His dirty yellowish teeth produced such strong stench that could make her pass out... make her ghost pass out, then revive her corpse.

"Let me go, you jerk!!!"

She tried to fight herself free but she wish!!!

"Let me go now!!! Or I'll call Damien for you. Don't you have respect for his queen?"

QUEEN?

Damien who had been watching for quite a while now muttered. He didn't know why he smiled like a goat. Probably the feeling was so refreshing that he forgot that he was in a sort of danger. Perhaps he would realize sooner or later.

"Let her go!"

He called at the Cannibal. The Cannibal let go of her arms and wanted to run in the direction of Damien's voice.

"Stay fool. Don't bow. Don't do anything suspicious. Claire is a tough one. Don't give her more reason to want to prove further."

He warned the Cannibal who seemed to be blinded by loyalty and work. Though Damien knew that he had just one day more and shouldn't be worried about Claire replaceing his body which was on the watchtower. Yet, he'd learnt and now know too well that the unexpected could happen, so he would take caution whenever there's a need to.

The Cannibal changed his route and ran to stand at the base of the tree.

"Huh?"

Damien heard Claire wonder. He walked closer to her and stood at her front. He was in a luck because she couldn't see.

"Why did that bastard suddenly let me go! Was it because I mentioned that I'm Damien's queen? But he doesn't understand me, naturally."

While she wondered, Damien pushed his frame forward, tilting his face towards hers, till his lips were hovering over hers. He wanted to prove something.

Point in time, Claire turned away and began to head back towards the path which led to the castle.

"I feel like something isn't right. Why is he still standing there?"

THAT BITCH!

Damien growled watching her go. She halted again and turned, looking up the tree.

"Why do I feel like there is something on top of that tree. What's that construction."

At last she noticed the watchtower.

"Could Damien be here?"

She shook her head,

"No, that doesn't make sense. Those bastards almost killed us when we tried to take his body."

She tossed her head to a place,

"But what's he doing here? He couldn't possibly just stay here for no reason. The way he ran to stop the leopard from climbing, then came for me at once. I feel like he's watching over something." She didn't get a gist of yet.

"Let's make a try for it."

She decided to turn and walk towards the Cannibal again.

"What shall I do, divine one?"

Damien was impressed that the Cannibal was beginning to act civil, inquire before acting.

"Pretend as though you are not interested in her until she she's close enough. They chase the hell out of her."

"What is that jerk saying?"

For a moment, Damien thought Claire had refered to him, but then he recalled that he couldn't be seen. She must had directed that to the Cannibal.

"But why does he look so collected. He doesn't seem bothered. Whatever."

She sneered and advanced.

"Now!"

Damien called and the Cannibal charged at Claire.

"Damien!!!!"

She turned so quickly that you'd think that she had been expecting the change.

"Ah... go away from me."

She ran like she just left a haunted house and one of the ghosts was after her.

"Somebody help me!!!"

Damien felt pity for her, seeing her run so swiftly and wildly. She didn't even care that throwing her body everywhere was almost going to leave her naked.

Damien for a moment couldn't control his laugh. He laughed for a while, till his eyes became teary.

"Enough!!!"

He called at the Cannibal and the latter stopped at once. So smoothly and beautifully.

She didn't stop running until she was a mile ahead.

"WAAH... that bastard. I thought I was dead for a moment."

She stopped running, pushing her chest towards the earth, her arms pushing her back up, palms clasped to the knees. She was panting heavily as she turned to look at the Cannibal who had zoomed back to the foot of the baobab.

"Who knows that the sassy Claire, hot model could run so tirelessly!"

Damien cracked up, getting to her.

"Why did he stop chasing me though? I thought he wouldn't stop until he got to the castle."

"Should I call him back?"

Damien teased as though she could hear him.

"That weakling. I thought you could do better."

She gloated.

"Hey, come over here."

Damien called at the Cannibal who started running towards him.

"No, no please, don't come."

Claire looked bewildered as she made to resuming the death race.

"Go back to your spot. I had a change of mind."

At Damien's order, the Cannibal ran back to the foot of the tree.

WHY DO I ENJOY THIS SO MUCH?

Damien smiled sheepishly, looking at Claire. Suddenly, she bursted out crying.

"Huh?"

WHY IS SHE CRYING?

"Damien... Damien..."

She kept repeating as she flooded her eyes, sniffing.

"You bastard."

She added. Damien just stared at her. He sighed.

"How could you just leave us alone? Didn't you say you would take responsibility for us? Didn't you call us your queen? How could you do this to us? How could you die without my consent. Why didn't you wait for me to --"

The words dug deeper into her emotions as her tempo increased, wailing.

"Aww, come here."

Damien walked closer, opened his arms, pushing his frame towards her. Could someone please remind that dummy that he couldn't be seen?

"ARGGGHHHHH!!! FUCK! FUCK! THIS SYSTEM SUCKS!!!"

He kicked violently against the air, jumping from here to there.

Then he remembered that even if he was in flesh, he wouldn't be able to hug her. She wouldn't let him. He decided not to be too hard on himself.

He felt pity towards her. He didn't blame her anymore. Yet, a dark part of him wants justice. It seemed as though the good and evil forces were having a conference in his head.

"What's that?"

Her eyes widened suddenly.

"Huh?"

Damien was confused too. He looked around to figure out what she meant.

OH

He realized that jumping here and there had made him kick some group of plants, which to her was a rustle.

She began to hurry up the path towards the castle. He followed her.

"Is that how much you miss me?"

He waited for her to push the gate of the castle open. He followed her.

"You kept mentioning my name. Did you miss me, or did you miss using me?"

He decided not to push the feelings and questions further. He followed her into the castle.

There were the rest of the girls staring at one another.

"What is this bitch doing here?"

Laurette lashed out at Claire.

"She must have missed her way."

Claire didn't care, she walked past them and climbed up the stairs.

"Hey come back here."

Tendzel jumped on her feet and made to follow but Allison called,

"Let her be. Give her two to three minutes, if she doesn't come back, then you can do whatever you want with her."

For a fact, Claire returned under a minute with a foam board. She climbed down the stairs.

"Huh, where are you taking that?"

Tendzel and Laurette began to advance towards her. Claire dug her fingers into her side and brought out a knife.

"You have guts huh, come closer. I'll stab your guts out!"

She swore.

"You think you can take us all out?"

Tendzel edged even closer.

"Let her be, Tendzel!"

Mira called but Tendzel didn't care.

"Drop the foam board now and return to where you belong!"

Tendzel barked, very close to her now. Claire moved her body sideways, dangling the knife. The knife cut Tendzel in the arm.

"Ahhh!!!"

Tendzel screamed, taking steps back.

"Anyone else."

Claire looked wild and desperate. Telling by her eyes, it was safe to say that she could do anything.

Fear hopped from one girl to the other, making a confetti of the courage they feigned.

"I thought as much."

Claire walked to a corner of the living room and grabbed a torch.

"She's taking a torch."

Allison called at the girls.

"How about you go to her!"

Mira snapped. Allison was shocked at Mira's audacity.

Claire got all she needed and walked out of the castle. Damien followed her.

When she got to the safehouse, she clutched her hands to her breasts.

"Oh God, that was close."

She sighed deeply. She quickly rushed to the door and looked through,

"Are they coming?"

She waited for a while but didn't see a movement. She walked away back into the safehouse and sat on the foam board.

"Tendzel... is she alright? I hope I didn't cut her deep. Why did I do that?"

She scolded herself. Suddenly her face grew tough.

"Whatever. She brought it upon herself. I couldn't let myself keep being bullied by those bitches. In a place like this jungle, everyone would want to power trip, the weakest takes the fall."

"I pity Evelyn. She's too naive for those bunch of weirdos."

She closed her eyes and leaned on the cold wooden wall of the safehouse.

Drake walked away to replace a dry but big granite stone, sharp enough. He returned to the safehouse when darkness had began to eat into the consciousness of the jungle.

He waited for Claire to walk out of the safehouse, then dropped the stone at the entrance. When she walked in, she stumbled and fell.

"Ouch, that hurts."

She touched her toes to ease the pain.

"What the fuck was that?... A stone?"

She picked the stone up.

"Those bitches. They must have put it here when I was gone!"

She picked up the stone and was going to hurl it away. Then she hesitated.

"A stone... yes, a stone."

Her frown melted into a wild smile. She ran back inside and brought out the knife. She started to brush the side of the knife against the sharp stone. There was a spark of fire.

"Yes, yes... fire!!!"

She rushed to the torch and placed it close. She started doing it again.

"Come on, come on."

She was way too excited. Finally, the spark of fire touched the torched soaked in oil (by Damien) and slowly fire started traveling across till it was strong enough.

"Fire! Fire!!!"

She screamed on top of her voice, running out of the hut. The rest of the girls ran out at the shout.

"Fire!"

"She made fire!"

"How did she do that?"

While the girls gathered, muttering and chatting, Drake left the compound into the woods.