Deadman

Book 3 Chapter 25: Meat

Bastien watched as Leandros finished his vomiting, and let out a long and hardy laugh, followed by an equally long and hardy belch. He gestured to the crowd, speaking a bit in Kaijin, then turned to me.

I will give you this one. I think if thered been a third gator to eat though, I wouldve won.

I picked at one of my teeth, pulling out a piece of bone and flicking it away. Sure Whats next?

Bastiens expression flickered for a moment, but then he smiled and drew himself up to his full height, near the same as my own. We will rest for an hour, and let the feast turn to fuel. After that, he paused for dramatic effect, a hunt!

A hunt for what? I asked.

Meat, of any kind and we hunt with spears only. No weapons to make up for the lack of skill you wasters are afflicted with.

I nodded, ignoring the insult, especially since in my experience it was generally true, just not in my own case. See you in an hour.

I walked away, ignoring the equal mix of dirty and impressed looks I was receiving from the crowd as I moved. I made my way back to the tree, placed my pistol in my hand, tipped the brim of my hat over my eyes, and started taking deep breaths. The heavy weight of the meat in my stomach and the lack of sleep working together to drag me swiftly into the darkness of dreams.

I awoke to the sound of a spear thudding into the tree above me head. I calmly pushed the brim of my hat out of my eyes and saw Bastien standing, holding a second spear jauntily in his hand.

Ready for your second challenge? he asked.

I grabbed the spear above my head and yanked it free with an easy motion, then brought myself to my feet. I took a large sack I had folded into my back, and cracked my neck. Any other rules aside from, whoever has the most meat wins?

We have until sunset. Though youre welcome to concede before that.

I yawned, adjusting my hat with the tip of the spear. Same to you.

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His jaw clenched and unclenched, then he gestured further into the village. I followed him, watching as he spoke to his people, winked at the younger women in the crowd, and threw out a few flexing poses here and there for good measure. I had no way to know whether or not he was a good leader, but from what I could see he was at least a beloved one. Its not something I wouldve ever expected to see, but the Kaijin were different, and didnt have the same issues with Deadmen that the average waster did. It made sense that Deux had got along with them so well.

We passed through the village, though I realized at its edge that it was more like several dozen villages all connected to one another, and made it to the first patch of undeveloped land. The Chief twirled his spear expertly between his hands seemingly without effort and smiled at me. I could tell he believed he had an advantage. This was territory hed likely hunted for a long time, with prey that he was familiar with. Much like the heavy spice on the meat in the eating contest, hed tried to give himself a benefit, to enjoy a home-field advantage. Unfortunately for him, I was no inexperienced hunter, and I had the recent benefit of a sense of smell that told me the locations of all the prey within a mile.

Lets go! yelled Bastien, starting to run ahead of me.

I activated my freeze ability and he staggered slightly, confused, while I walked past him. He recovered quickly and ran past me, and I activated freeze again, but hed adjusted and kept running with only an almost imperceptible dip in speed.

I kept a steady pace, mentally mapping a route and a list of prey, trying to maximize my efficiency as much as possible. Bastien was overconfident, that was clear, but he did have some reason to be with his experience in the region. I walked quickly, but quietly through the murky swamp, reaching the first prey Id scented, a large beaver. It was chewing through a tree with the efficiency of a chainsaw. He started to turn as I approached, and I threw the spear embedding him to the tree hed been chewing on with a thud. I tossed him into the sack, and kept moving.

The next prey was what I presumed was some kind of boar. Instead of stubby, hooved legs through, it had long, disturbingly human ones that ended in feet that looked like hands. It was eating some fruit off the high limbs of a tree when it noticed me. I threw the spear again, but missed, with it ending up in the trees. The boar took noticed and began to run. I gave chase. It had the advantage of long legs, but wasnt very coordinated. I managed to grab onto one of its legs and drag it down to the ground where I brained it with a nearby rock before retrieving my spear and moving on to the next scent.

After that was a deer, with antlers that glowed bright green. It charged me when I entered its territory, and I caught its antlers, which burned like fire against my skin. I gave a firm twist of them, and snapped the creatures neck, causing it to fall limp. Then I hauled it over my shoulder and started walking to the next scent.

After the deer was a gator, then some kind of armadillo that I had to drown to kill, and finally a massive cockroach that I skewered on the tip of my spear. It was a massive amount of meat, but I still felt I needed more to compete with Bastien.

I smelled something, a human, approaching me from behind. I checked the height of the sun. It wasnt yet sunset, so I had more time to hunt. I waited until the human came into sight. He was holding a small rifle, with a club at his waist.

Can I help you with something? I asked.

He raised the rifle, You will embarrass the Kaijin, no longer.

I activated my energy shield bracelet, and the bullets he proceeded to fire bounced harmlessly off it. I then froze him, and slammed the side of his head with the butt of my spear, knocking him into the muck. I considered killing him, but decided it wasnt worth the possible diplomatic incident. I sighed, smacked him around a bit more to make sure he stayed compliant, broke his gun in two, threw his club to the side, and started hauling him, along with all the game Id killed, back to the Kaijins villages.

I reached it just at sunset, slowed by my captives struggles. I could smell Bastiens pile long before it came into view. It was impressive. I counted two more of the gators wed so recently eaten, some kind of racoon with a diseased hide, a massive fish with rows of sharp teeth, and a vulture the size of a bear. Bastien himself was talking to his people and laughing, not taking notice of me until I was close by.

I tossed my own sack of meat next to him, then raised his Kaijin villager by the collar and tossed him toward Bastien.

I think this is yours, I said.

The Chief stepped toward me with his spear raised. What did you do to him?

I shrugged. Roughed him up a bit. He tried to kill me. Thought Id ask directly if you asked him to cheat, or he was just a bit over enthusiastic.

Bastien bared his teeth. I would never cheat on a challenge such as this.

TRUTH read my lie detector ability.

You attacked him? Bastien asked the man.

He looked as if he was about to lie, then nodded instead.

You have so little confidence in me? In your chief?

He had no response for that.

Bastien turned to me. His life is yours.

I walked over to the man, his eyes were pleading, and he began to open his mouth to beg.

I lifted my spear and swiftly drove it through his skull, killing him instantly, then I lifted his body and tossed it on top of my meat pile. I looked over to the Chief. You didnt specify what kind of meat. Id say he counts.

Bastien grimaced, but let out a grim chuckle. I suppose I didnt. he looked at his pile, and my own. It was clear that with his former follower on mine, I had the advantage. You win this challenge, though had it not been for that fool, victory wouldve been mine.

I nodded, letting that sit, but Angela approached along with a few of her men.

You going to have an excuse every time Donny wins?

Bastien frowned, clearly no longer in a mood to smile. Another hours rest, then we will have the final challenge.

Name it. I said simply.

A fight. No weapons, or armor, just hands. The truest test of strength.

A smile pulled at the edges of my mouth. Finally.