The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 28: Worst. Tame. Ever.

Part 1/2

Ben and Gary continued to wander the writhing swamps, surprised that they hadn’t run into the infamous Kaprosuchus yet. In that book that Skyler was so keen on, the Kaprosuchus in the story was a stalking beast that hid and ambushed its enemies like no tomorrow.

Yet for some reason they still couldn’t find anything.

Gary was twirling his pistol and looking up at the sky. Looked like afternoon, they had been in the swamp for hours already. They needed to hurry things up or it’d turn dark soon. Ben stared into his eyes and noticed a spark of worry.

“You are nervous about something,” Ben observed. Gary looked at Ben with a raised eyebrow, and confusion plastered on his face.

“How’d you know?” Gary asked with wonder.

“Oh, just an old little trick someone taught me way back when,” Ben smiled, adjusting the hibiscus in his pocket. Gary sighed, solemnly looking out into the distance.

“You are right. I am nervous. Well, worried, more than anything. It’s about my sister, Sunny.”

“Sunny? Well what’s bothering your mind?” Ben gently asked with relaxed eyes.

“It’s her implant attribute. Heat manipulation is not combat-oriented,” Gary replied quickly, “It’s not fit for survival here. I’m worried she’s going to get hurt and she won’t be able to defend herself.”

“Well there’s a reason she stays behind at camp and we don’t. Because we’re more fit for the job,” Ben responded.

“But what if one day she has to get into a fight? What’s going to happen then?”

There was a pause in the air, as Ben scratched the back of his head.

“Try not to worry about it, okay? Besides, she’s a tough girl. Just cause she doesn’t have an implant attribute like ours doesn’t mean she can’t fight. I bet ya’ she’s a strong warrior.”

“You’re right on that, she always won in our squabbles back in our childhood,” Gary recalled, “But still. You never know who you can meet out there.”

Gary turned to Ben with a serious look on his face.

“Ben, you’ve got to promise me something,” Gary muttered grimly, “You’re the only one in the Book Club who I can count on. Please. I need you to promise me you’ll ensure Sunny’s safety. If I’m not around.”

Ben looked at Gary, then felt a creeping feeling crawl up his gut, and his vision began to blur. He felt his mind wander and he blinked his eyes rapidly, the memory of what once was echoing within his thoughts.

“I-I can’t make that promise for you,” Ben replied hastily while looking away, “But I’ll try my best. I’ll even help train Sunny. Or at least try, I’m not exactly the best with a blade, but I can teach her a few tricks that someone I used to know taught me.”

Gary sighed, and gave Ben a slight smile.

“Well thanks anyway. I knew I could count on you-”

Suddenly, Gary’s hairs stood up on end and Gary jolted to the side in shock. A giant crocodilian creature had leapt out of the water and almost caught Gary in its jaws, but with Gary’s implant attribute he had dodged just in time. The crocodilian creature had smashed its snout into a nose and let out a cry of fury, turning around and looking at the two spitefully.

“Ah, here we go, another one of those alligator things out to get us,” Gary smirked as he stared the beast down. He took his pistol out and spun the barrel, aiming at its snout. Ben quickly put his hand out to Gary.

“Wait, don’t engage yet,” Ben warned Gary, “I think this is what we’ve been looking for. A Kaprosuchus. It matches the behavior and description of the one in The Obelisk.”