The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 55: The Bodyguard

Part 3/4

“R-Really?”

“Yes, really. I just was doing some scouting for my group, we’re looking for someone. We’ll be on our way now if you just-”

The fear on the stranger’s face transformed into anger, and he scrunched his eyebrows.

“The last scouts that came by tried to hurt me and my friend. YOU want to hurt me too!”

The man let out a flurry of punches, and Samuel weaved through each one. In a fit of panic, he grabbed Samuel by the robe, pulled him up into the air, and threw him to the side. Samuel went crashing into the mud, and it splashed over his robe and face.

Aurora’s eyes darted to the spear fragment, and with a pounce she grabbed the sharp end and snuck up behind the stranger. Samuel’s eyes widened, and without thinking he screamed out,

“LOOK OUT!”

The man turned around right as Aurora was about to stab him, and he let out a cry and slapped Aurora so hard in the face she went flying to the dirt too. Aurora let out a groan and tried sitting up, staring at Samuel and glaring at him.

“Why, did you, WARN HIM?!” Aurora screamed.

Samuel stared right back at Aurora, unsure of how to speak.

He had warned him out of instinct.

The man was breathing hard, his stamina spent. Sweat began to accumulate in his hair, and he blinked hard, a dizzy look in his eyes. Samuel slowly got up from the ground, clutching his chin.

“I don’t want to hurt you. My friend…Don’t worry about her. I’m her leader. I won’t let her get you. And all we’re doing is searching for someone. Really, that’s it. There’s nothing to worry about.”

The man lowered his fists, letting out a huff of air, and then inhaling hard. He really was spent.

“I’m sorry, for, hitting you two,” he apologized profusely, “I was scared. I’m sorry. Who are you looking for? My friend might know who you’re talking about.”

Samuel considered telling the stranger for a second. What if Tiffany was an enemy of this man’s friend? What if the man would do something about it?

“Don’t tell him,” he tried to tell himself, “He may hurt me.”

But, would he, really?

Samuel brushed his hair to the side, and explained their situation.

“Me and my friend, along with three others, are looking for a woman named Tiffany. She has information, and we want to be allies with her.”

The man’s eyes began to sparkle, and his face lit up, the fatigue gone from his face.

“Tiffany?? No way, that’s my friend!” he said with a big grin.

Samuel was speechless. This man was literally the only link to Tiffany, and they had almost ruined their chance by scaring and trying to hurt him!

“Well, if you guys are looking for Tiffany… Hmm, I think she told me something like this would happen, and that when it did, I… invite you guys in? That’s what she said. Well, come on in, if you like! I just finished making some delicious brew that’s very very sweet, I think you’ll all love it!” the man said with a cheer. He walked up to the front door and swung it open for the two. In a second he had transformed from a paranoid, impulsive man fighting for his life to a friendly kid who looked like he liked making friends.

Aurora got up from the ground and walked up to Samuel.

“I don’t trust this guy… what if it’s a trap?” she asked Samuel.

Samuel looked at the big guy. He looked so jolly. But even if it was a trap…

Samuel would come out on top.

“It’s not. How about this? I’ll go in with Star, you go down to the others, get yourself cleaned up, and tell the others we found her. You three can relax and I’ll have a chat with this friendly man here.”

“Okay…”

Aurora began to walk off, and as she did Star eagerly rushed out of the crowd of Dodos and walked up to Samuel. Samuel looked down at Star, and she looked up right at him.

“Hey, how about we start with introductions first? We never got your name,” Samuel yelled out as he walked up to the front door. The stranger frowned, as if he had forgotten to do so.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you. My name is Andres,” he said with a sigh, “I got so excited I forgot to tell you my name.”

“It’s okay Andres,” Samuel replied, “My name is Samuel. My friend right here is Star, and that girl who uh, tried fighting you earlier was Aurora. You don’t have to mind her. She has a bit of a no mercy mindset.”

“Oh, well that’s kind of… heartless.”