The Vegan's Hunter by P. S. Turner

looked at him. He was slumped in his chair. Don’t show them any fear. “I’m not dancing.”
    Fred returned with the camera. All eyes were on Clifton.
    Kayley shivered and inched closer to the fire.
    Clifton stood up and removed his belt.
    He stumbled towards Kayley.

Tyler
     
     
    Tyler was running out of steam. He had been jogging through thick forest all day. It was already dark out and he had lost their trail. It was too dark to see footprints and he was wandering through the bush lost.
    Tyler suddenly realized that he was in a bad situation. He had left in such a rush after Natasha told him that Kayley was only going on Killzone to help save his show that he didn’t stop to pack any supplies. He had panicked when he found out that the hunt was this morning and ran off to follow them and keep an eye on the group from a distance.
    He recognized the look in Clifton’s eye when he watched Kayley. He was constantly around animals and knew a predator when he saw one.
    He parked at the entrance to the National Park behind Clifton’s pick up truck and ran all day trying to catch up to them. Their trail was easy enough to follow but now he was lost.
    It was dark and he had no matches, food, tent or weapons. He was thinking of Kayley’s well being all day and forgot to think of his own.
    Tyler looked at the stars to orientate himself. Head north.
    A scream cut the silence of the forest like a knife.
    A woman’s scream.
    Kayley’s scream.
    Tyler took off charging in its direction.

Kayley
     
     
    Kayley grabbed a stick from beside the fire and held it in front of Clayton like a sword. “Leave me alone,” she warned.
    They all laughed at her. She looked ridiculous holding a little stick as her only defense against four men with military grade assault rifles.
    “Wait hold on,” Billy said laughing. He reached into a bag, grabbed something and approached her giggling. Kayley swung around and held the stick out between her and the fat man.
    “Here you go,” he said and placed a marshmallow on the end of the stick. He burst out laughing and was bent over clutching his ribs. Kayley smashed the stick over his head as hard as she could. The thick stick snapped and broke in half. Billy fell to one knee.
    “Oh what the hell?” he screamed, rubbing the back of his head.
    Ray and Fred were laughing so hard that tears streamed down their cheeks. Clifton remained serious the entire time. He continued towards her with the belt in his hand.
    “Help,” she screamed.
    “Scream all you want,” Clifton said. “There’s no one here to help you. Look.” He put his hands to his mouth and called, “Help. Help. Help.”
    There was nowhere for Kayley to go. She wouldn’t make it twenty feet into the woods before they caught her, if the mountain lions didn’t get her first and she couldn’t fight off four guys. She glanced at the tents. The guns were packed away in them. Except for the pistol on Clifton’s hip. She couldn’t get to them and didn’t know how to work them even if she could.
    She would have to do what they wanted.
    “Okay,” she said, her voice trembling. Her vision became blurry from tears. “I’ll dance. Just please put the belt away.”
    “Well alright,” Clifton said and headed back to his chair.
    Kayley closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing. She tried not to panic as she wondered how she was going to get through the night.
    “I should get the first dance. I’m the one that got hit.” Kayley looked at Billy. He was still rubbing his head. Something rushed out of the darkness and plowed into him. His body flew across the campsite and slammed into the campfire.
    Everyone froze, staring at Billy in confusion. He was rolling around on the ground with his camouflage suit in flames.
    It was Tyler.
    Tyler cracked Fred in the jaw with a punch before the kid could register what was going on. The boy’s legs gave out on him and he fell to the ground unconscious.
    The fire was out on Billy and he