Chapter 28: (part 1- Difference between beast and human)
On the 15th day, I was finally able to step out of the cave again. I went near the trees to gather twigs, pick mushrooms, berries and wild weeds, and even hunted frogs and crickets—just like I used to before.
"Because I have already tasted the bitter pang of hunger, the gnawing ache that knows no respite. And in that moment of desperation, I have found the importance in the sacrifice of another life."
"For I know one shall die for the one shall eat and survive,"
"Your getting better and better" SOMEONE/SOMETHING, the dealer whispered in my head. As I gutted the frog although I'm able to do it I still find it hard. I responded "yeah I have to do it"
"OK it's already been 15 days shall we go to the next step?" He said and add "kill a dear horned rabbit" I froze for a second and gulped hard and said with a shaky breath "OK... I will do it"
Then the dealer said "I will teach you how to capture them and how to make a trap"
*1st step Gathering Materials* Find a strong, flexible sapling about 3 feet tall and remove any leaves or branches.
*2nd step Sharpening* Sharpen one end of a straight stick to a sharp point.
*3rd step Digging* Dig a shallow trench in the ground, about 2 inches deep and wide enough to fit the sapling.
*4th step Laying* Lay the sapling in the trench, leaving about half of it sticking out.
*5th step Tying* Take a vines and tie it tightly around the base of the sapling, 6 inches from the end in the ground.
*6th step Attaching a noose* Attach a small noose made of thin wire or strong thread to the free end of the sapling. Leave the noose open.
*7th step Propping* Prop the sapling up at an angle with a forked stick, positioning the noose at rabbit nose height along a known trail.
*8th step Baiting* Place a few pieces of mushroom or weeds near the noose as bait.
*9th step Waiting* Wait for the deer antler rabbit to enter the noose, triggering the sapling to snap up and constrict around its head, horn, or neck.
I listened intently as SOMEONE/SOMETHING explained each step of building the rabbit trap. Carefully, I followed his instructions, gathering the necessary materials.
I carefully select the smallest yet strong, flexible sapling and dig a shallow trench in the ground. Placing the pole inside, I secure it with a strip vines. Next, I craft a delicate noose from thin wire and attach it to the end of the sapling. Propping it up with a forked stick, I position the noose at the perfect height for a passing rabbit. A sprinkling of small chunks of their favorite irresistible bait, its a rare mushroom called woods Glimmercap. Settling down beside the trap, I wait patiently, my senses attuned to the rustling of the grass. Time seems to slow as I sit in quiet contemplation, my mind wandering to the ingenuity of SOMEONE/SOMETHING who relied on such methods to capture his food. The sun begins to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the clearing. Still, I remain vigilant, determined to see if my efforts will bear fruit.
I stepped back to examine and double check my work. SOMEONE/SOMEONE chuckled approvingly. "Now we wait," he said. "The rabbit will jump for the bait, triggering the sampling to snap shut." I sat quietly nearby, eager to witness if my efforts would be successful. The trap was set; now it was up to my trap.
I crouched close, barely breathing. A faint squeaking sound reached my ears—light, cute, soft, almost like a whimper. I slowly peeked, and there it was—a small, fluffy white rabbit, but with deer-like horns curving from its head.
It lowered its head, sniffing the air. Its tiny nose twitched again and again as it crawled toward the mushroom I had set. Then—snap!—the trap triggered. The vines lashed out, wrapping tightly around its neck. The rabbit jumped and kicked, letting out a loud "krii! krii!" followed by a faint ""nnnkhh!" as it struggled. It tried to break free, but the vines only pulled tighter.
Before it could escape, I stepped out from my hiding spot and moved quickly toward it. Its horns glimmered faintly under the dim light. I reached out, gripped the antlers firmly, and lifted it up. It struggled in my hands, letting out another weak "kii... kii..." sound. Surprisingly it was heavier than I expected maybe around six kilos, maybe more.
"Finally, I caught one, ohh it's strong! And it's heavy!" I muttered, tightening my grip around its antlers as it thrashed, trying to break free from my hands.
I sound exited for a while after capturing one but when I look at its eyes i hesitated.
In SOMEONE/SOMETHING's thoughts now as I hesitated, "It's understandable. Humans kill bugs, frogs, and snails without a second thought. Small lives mean nothing to them."
"But when it comes to small animals, they need to build up their resolve first. A rabbit, for example—people can chop up a dead one for food and eat it, they can handle seeing bones and skeletons every day, yet they lack the strength to kill and take one's life themselves."
My hand trembled slightly, my grip tightening at the rabbit antlers.
"Just this hesitation, this weakness of his—it will take a while. Even though he knows very well that pity and hesitation will lead him to death, specially in this place."
"He already killed a humanoid creature, something that resembles a human weeks ago and still, feel guilty about it. Humans might say 'I'll kill you,' but in the end, they never do. They only curse, shout, and walk away... because it's better than dying and killing."
"It's already been almost two months since he entered outside," it murmured. "If this keeps going... the potential vessel for myself will die."
Then SOMETHING/SOMEONE spoke, its voice faint but deep, like a echoing through the fog. It asked me a question that felt more like a riddle than a question.
"Tell me," it said slowly, "what's the difference between humans and animals when they kill?"
I hesitated before answering. "Humans are more intelligent than animals," I said quietly. "Animals don't think twice. They just kill because they have to. They don't care who they kill."
There was silence for a moment. Then it spoke again.
"You're right... and wrong," it said. "If intelligence is what makes humans different, then tell me—why do they kill when they don't need to?"
"Animals kill to live. Humans kill for fear for they safety, for anger, for greed, for pride. You say they're smarter, yet to me, they look more like wolves. At least a wolf protects its pack. They hunt together, eat together, sleep close to one another. They kill only to feed their family."
It paused, and for a moment, I could almost feel its breath close to my ear. "Humans," it whispered, "kill even those they call their own they are more worse than a beast."
"Why do animals kill each other? It's simple for food. Because they must. There's no hesitation, no emotion they just want to survive. The forest doesn't care who dies first. The strong hunt, the weak run. That's the only law they know."
"But humans... they were never made for this kind of world. They think too much. They fear too much."
"When you look back at the past, humanity ancestors are different they are like wolves, Even when they stood alone and weapons had not yet been created. In a world where everything hungered and every sound could mean death, had to forget what it meant to be human. They stopped feeling pity, stopped hesitating, stopped thinking about right and wrong. There was no safety to dream in a world full of danger, they only care is survival."
"They became like beasts in the name of survival—moving when it was time, striking before thinking, tearing before being torn. Because in a place where the nature feeds on the fallen, mercy is suicide. And those who held on to their humanity... were the first to die. As civilizations grew, people began to fear even the smallest things that could harm them."
"So act like a beast that cares only for survival—like the old ancestors did—or you will die. If you can't even kill such a small creature then forget survival."
I nodded and gulped, then went to the nearest flat stone. My hand shook as I closed my fingers around the sword. I lifted it with a short, sharp motion and brought it down. The blade cut clean — the rabbit's head came away with a wet *Shhk.* it stop moving, it's hot blood spurted across the stone, painting it, and the iron smell hit my nose. I forced myself not to gag.
SOMETHING/SOMEONE smiled inside my head and leaned close, as it whispered into my ear in a very cunning way, "That's right, sell your humanity in the name of survival. Don't show any mercy or pity to something that may harm and endanger your survival."