“Dude what are you on about?” The young man seemed frustrated with Austin. “You did what had to be done.”

  ?

  “But…I killed someone,” Austin choked on the words, still in disbelief at what he did.

  ?

  The young man knelt down next to Austin and looked him face-to-face. “Look, I don’t know you. But you’re a dad, right? I know that I would rather my dad come home to me than let some psycho kill him. Even if it meant my dad killed the psycho.”

  ?

  Austin was quiet. He did not know how to respond. He never once thought that he would kill someone. It felt like such a heinous act. He had no right to take the life of another. His mind started to race and think if he could have handled the situation differently. Maybe if he had subdued him instead of giving him a chance. But then he would be responsible if that man killed others.

  ?

  “Hey, man,” the young man broke through Austin’s thoughts. “I can’t say I know how you feel. But I know that if it wasn’t for you, I would be dead, and others would be too. There would even be a chance that the guy found your wife and kid.”

  ?

  “…I guess that’s true,” Austin responded quietly. “It just feels so wrong.”

  ?

  “If it felt right, then you would be no different than him,” the young man offered his hand to Austin and helped him up.

  ?

  “Thank you,” Austin said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever feel right about it, but I appreciate your words. My name is Austin. What’s yours?”

  ?

  “It’s Josh,” the young man replied. “So I do have a question for you.”

  ?

  “What’s that?” Austin asked with a confused expression.

  ?

  “When you confronted that guy, you moved unnaturally fast, and I don’t know if you have noticed, but the wound in your side has already healed. What exactly is up with that? It was really strange,” Josh asked.

  ?

  Austin felt his side and noticed that the stab wound was completely gone. It still felt a little tender to the touch and the texture was off like it was scarred but it had completely sealed up. There was only one possibility in his mind; the events that unfolded must have forced him to become aware of his Essence.

  ?

  Austin was not sure what it meant to be aware of his Essence. All he knew was that it was somehow a part of him. He decided to close his eyes and try to focus on himself for a moment. As he did, he felt a warmth in his chest. It was like a tiny flame that resided inside of him. The image of the flame started to form in his mind. It was like the flame of a candle that burned a pale blue inside of him.

  ?

  As he focused on the image, he could feel the Aether around him. It brushed against his body and gave him a slight tingly sensation. This, too, formed an image; it was like streams of red and purple lines flowing around him. Austin could only assume that the Aether took this color because of the state of the forest. Or maybe it was the forest that was influenced by the Aether.

  ?

  “Hey, dude, I asked you a question.” Josh reiterated in a somewhat annoyed tone.

  ?

  “Oh, sorry about that,” Austin said as he snapped out of his focus. “You seem like an okay guy, so I don’t see the problem in telling you. There actually is a point to this Survival Game. It’s to force people to become aware of Essence.”

  ?

  Austin continued to explain everything Maya told him. He explained that they found these books that explained the whole thing, and he was skeptical, but now that he has become aware, he trusts them more. He even explained to Josh how to become aware of his Essence.

  ?

  “So I’m trying to find that fruit so I can give one to my wife and son,” Austin concluded his explanation. “Originally I was looking for myself too, but I guess I don’t need to now.”

  ?

  “You know, I wouldn’t believe any of this if I didn’t just see it,” Josh responded. “I do wonder what qualifies as traumatic because I was absolutely terrified when that psycho attacked me.”

  ?

  “Yeah, I wonder that too,” Austin agreed. “There must be some sort of other condition. Otherwise, I think almost everyone in the Survival Game would become aware of their Essence.”

  ?

  “If that’s the case, then I guess I need to get one of those fruits you were talking about,” Josh concluded.

  ?

  “Oh yeah, I guess so,” Austin looked Josh up and down. He could not blame Josh for wanting to get a fruit, but that meant that he would be another person in his way.

  ?

  “No need to be so intense,” Josh said. “I want one for myself, but I also owe you. So, how about I help you get them for your wife and child? Then if there is any extra, I’ll take it.”

  ?

  “Wait, really?” Austin said with a confused expression.

  ?

  “Yes, really,” Josh replied. “I wouldn’t be alive or know about this if it weren’t for you. So this is my way of paying back.”

  ?

  “Thanks, I guess I just didn’t know how people in this Survival Game would act,” Austin explained. “I sort of expected the worst out of people.”

  ?

  “I really can’t blame you,” Josh said. “I was terrified of encountering someone because I thought the same.”

  ?

  “I’m happy to know that my assumptions were wrong,” Austin said before he extended his hand for a handshake. “Partners then?”

  ?

  “Partners,” Josh shook Austin’s hand. “Now let’s get going. I’m sure not everyone knows about the fruit yet, so the quicker we are, the better.”

  ?

  “Agreed,” Austin grabbed his gear. He tried to wash off his knife with water, but blood had already dried on it. Sadly, the logical part of him knew that he might need it, so he returned it to its sheath.

  ?

  “I don’t quite like the idea of looting, but should we take his food at least?” Josh motioned to the pack of the man who attacked them.

  ?

  “You’re probably right,” Austin replied before he searched the pack.

  ?

  The man had thirteen nutrition bars, which Austin assumed meant the man was not lying about killing someone before them. Austin split the bars between himself and Josh. Josh let Austin keep the extra one because of Maya and Elliot. Afterwards, they started their walk through the forest once more.

  ?

  As the pair continued for a better part of an hour, Josh finally spoke up, “So, do you have any idea where these fruits are? Or are we just wandering aimlessly?”

  ?

  “There was no clue as to where they are,” Austin admitted with a frown. “So I am trying to see if I can find them. I have been checking every tree as we pass.”

  ?

  “…did you even remotely have a plan?” Josh sighed and asked.

  ?

  “Besides that, not really,” Austin said as he scratched the back of his head.

  ?

  Josh let out a deep breath as he tried not to get agitated, “Maybe we should come up with one. I mean, I’m sure that if these fruits are so valuable, they probably are in a specific place.”

  ?

  “Oh yeah, that’s probably true,” Austin replied. “I was so focused on finding it that I didn’t stop and think about how.”

  ?

  “Well then, let’s figure that out,” Josh said.

  ?

  “Yeah, we should do that,” Austin agreed. “We should probably stop in the morning. Do you have a camp?”

  ?

  “No, I couldn’t find a place I thought was appropriate,” Josh replied. “You have one, though, don’t you?”

  ?

  Austin hesitated for a moment before replying until he said, “Yes, I do.”

  ?

  “Ah, right,” Josh seemed to realize the situation. “I understand if you are hesitant. I can just sleep nearby.”

  ?

  “Sorry, if it were just me, then I would be okay with you sleeping at my camp,” Austin explained. “But I have to worry about my wife and son.”

  ?

  “Don’t sweat it, I completely understand,” Josh waved it off casually. “I just will set up sort of close so we can start again in the morning.”

  ?

  Austin nodded and thanked Josh for understanding before the pair started their way back to camp. After the events of the day, he was ready to see Maya and Elliot, too. He just hoped that he would get the chance to explain his state to Maya without her getting upset. He really wished that he at least had a shirt he could change into.

  ?

  As the pair grew closer, Josh separated from Austin. Josh stopped in a spot where he could see the building, but was not right next to it. Soon, Austin arrived at his camp and took a deep breath. He needed to get himself ready before he walked into the building. He just could not imagine what Maya would think.

  ?

  Austin’s legs felt like bricks as he took a step inside. He feared this moment more than anything else. It felt like time slowed around him as he took his steps forward. Then he saw Maya reading in the corner and Elliot sleeping in his sleeping bag. The tension in his body started to break away as he saw the two.

  ?

  Maya looked up from her book and her eyes opened wide in shock. Austin felt worry come back inside of him as he saw her shock. Just as quickly as the worry came, tears filled Maya’s eyes, and she ran towards him. She embraced him in a deep hug. As she did, tears flowed from Austin’s eyes.

  ?

  “What happened to you?” Maya asked in a worried tone as she looked up at Austin from his chest.

  ?

  Austin tried to find the words to say in between his tears. It still did not feel real to him, and he did not want to tell Maya, but he knew that he had to. He managed to force the words out, “I…had to kill someone.”

  ?

  Maya did not get angry but did raise her eyebrows in confusion. “What do you mean you had to kill someone?”

  ?

  Austin explained the events of the day while Maya nodded along. He did not spare any detail, including the fact that Josh is working with him and how he became aware of his essence. He finished by telling her that they want to come up with a plan to search more effectively.

  ?

  “So you’re telling me that you saved someone’s life?” Maya asked immediately after Austin’s explanation.

  ?

  “Yeah, I guess so,” Austin replied. “I just took a life to do it.”

  ?

  “I don’t see what’s wrong with what you did,” Maya said in a calm tone. “Not only did you save someone’s life, but you made sure to come back to us. I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t come back to us.”

  ?

  Austin embraced Maya tightly in response to her words. “Thank you. I was so scared of what you would think of me.”

  ?

  “We both knew that this would be dangerous,” Maya said. “It’s not like you killed someone for the fun of it.”

  ?

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Austin agreed.

  ?

  “I usually am. You just have to listen to me,” Maya smiled before she changed the subject. “So where is this Josh guy?”

  ?

  “Oh, he is camped out not too far from here,” Austin explained. “I wasn’t sure how comfortable I felt with him staying here with the two of you.”

  ?

  “From what you said, he seems pretty trustworthy,” Maya pointed out.

  ?

  “I mean, I guess so,” Austin admitted. “I just feel wary of everyone in this Survival Game.”

  ?

  “I think you should trust people more,” Maya said. “If he meant you harm, then he probably would have already done something. Go get him, and we can use the night to plan.”

  ?

  “Fine, if you are sure it’s okay,” Austin sighed as he left the building to get Josh.