A reactionary creature like this was even more fearful when it sprang into action.
It’s going to get Tessa! I hastily picked up the branch I’d spotted earlier on the ground and jabbed its sharp side at the snake.
Thankfully, that single thrust pierced through the snake’s mid-section and successfully pinned it down.
Its head and tail, however, remained wriggling furiously.
Tessa was still recovering from her fright. Anger and shock coursed through her, forming a volatile mix of emotions.
She picked up the stone that Tabitha had flung away earlier, then brought it crashing firmly down on the snake’s head.
Its head thus maimed; the snake seemed to be caught in a daze. Without hesitation, Tessa vehemently crushed it with a few successive blows.
Blood splattered everywhere. Tessa only stopped, satisfied, when the snake had been utterly reduced to bits of mangled flesh.
The other girls looking on turned a sickly pale. Nora gulped, then quickly said, “Let’s go. It’s getting late, and we should get moving.”
As we slowly forged our way forward, we managed to pick quite a lot of mushrooms. The forested mountain was ancient and teeming with rich, bountiful wildlife.
Whenever we stumbled upon the occasional spring, we’d settle down to eat and drink. No matter what else happened to us, at least we knew we wouldn’t go hungry.
After half a day’s journey, we spotted a red fruit, resembling an apple, growing on a tree a few steps ahead.
“Are those apples?” Nora panted. The near-constant rate of trekking had left her face flushed and dripping with perspiration.
Tabitha quickly scaled the tree and tossed a few down. “It’s grown in the wild. It’s not very sweet, but it’s edible. We can pick them all and bring them along for something to eat.”
It sounded like a good plan. We quickly ascended the tree after Tabitha. Tessa, however, sat a little way off fiddling with her own belongings. She’d eaten quite a lot of mushrooms along the way and was no longer as concerned about getting food as the rest of us were.
Laurel gave it her best shot. Being rather plump and short, however, climbing naturally posed a rather insurmountable challenge for her.
She clumsily made a few attempts but gave up after a while. Laurel was resigned to waiting on the ground below, picking up the fruits we lobbed her way.
Nora perched leisurely on the branches. She greedily ate any fruits she’d managed to pluck, blissfully indulging in the fruits of her labor.
Tabitha, however, maintained a clear head. She’d sensibly warned, “Look out for snakes!”
“Ah!” Nora shrieked, terrified at the thought of having to face another snake. She wildly surveyed her surroundings, then took another huge bite of the apple in her hand. “That made me nervous! Let me eat another apple to calm my nerves,” Nora exclaimed.
Tabitha shook her head helplessly, then continued throwing fruits down. Laurel continued picking them up in her ungainly manner.
Tessa remained aloof at the side. Looking down, Nora observed, “What is that woman doing? She’s been fumbling with her things ever since we got here! Did killing that snake mess with her mind?”
Tabitha merely shrugged in reply.
“What are the two of you talking about? Let’s be quick! Once we’re done picking the fruits, we should hurry along,” I broke in.
Why are they wasting time discussing trivial matters? These girls can be so flippant about things sometimes! I fumed to myself.
To ensure that we had enough and a little more besides, we’d wiped out the entire tree. We even took the few that weren’t yet ripe to be consumed later on our way.
Fortunately, that snake that we’d killed was the only aggressive one we encountered. The rest of the way, though bumpy, contained nothing as treacherous as that snake.
With our ample supply of water, fruits, and a side of mushrooms, we considered ourselves rather fortunate travelers.
After we’d crossed few peaks, daylight slowly began to fade. We still hadn’t found ourselves a suitable resting spot for the night, however. Nora grew visibly anxious, insisting, “Let’s keep going forward. I saw a couple of manmade paths along the trail, which means there must be a village or two nearby. If we walk on, we’ll surely meet someone! We’ll be able to call for help then.”
That seemed to be the only viable solution for now. The other girls found Nora’s proposal agreeable and continued their walk with renewed vigor.
“Come on, everyone! Let’s get to the village quickly. We’ll be home soon,” we urged each other. Our spirits lifted at the thought.
Quickening our steps, we crossed another peak and indeed saw flares of light ahead of us in the distance.
We rejoiced. As Tabitha strode forward, she fantasized out loud, “When I get home, I’ll surely take myself out for a good foie gras and a seafood buffet. Besides, I’ll treat myself to some cosmetic products that I’ve been eyeing for the longest time.”
Laurel, too, joined in. “I’ll take everyone out to high tea, then. My treat!”
“I have to eat some steak. I feel as if I could eat a whole cow,” Nora declared exaggeratedly, popping the rest of the stash she’d picked into her mouth. Nora was a rather lovely girl, particularly when she smiled.
Tessa, however, remarked rather evenly, “We’re lucky to make it out of here alive. Let’s focus on getting out first.”
Her cool statement rather dampened our cheeriness. Exchanging glances, the rest of us decided to pay no heed to Tessa’s comment.
