.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"I got a wife. Had a wife. Have a wife?" Marlow spoke as he looked at the photograph of his wife before looking at James and Mason, "Guess I don't know anymore. We got hitched right before I deployed." Analeah smiled at Marlow's story, Slivko absentmindedly running his fingers through Analeah's hair like it was the most natural thing for him. "Got a telegram from her the day before I got shot down, she said we just had our baby boy. I got a son out there. Grown man I've never met," Marlow finished off with a solemn expression. "Yeah, she definitely thinks you're dead, man," Slivko spoke up earning a pinch from Analeah and James hitting the cabin roof.

"I'm just saying," Slivko defended himself while Analeah shook her head. "You don't know that," James replied to him. "You'd be surprised how long people wait," Analeah added as she turned her head to look up at Slivko, the man looking back at her with a small smile due to her words. "Ah, truth is, I don't expect them to be waiting," Marlow told them as Analeah rested her head in the crook of Slivko's neck, her eyes closing as she relaxed against his body; Slivko biting his lip as he tightened his arm around her more securely. "I'd be fine either way. I just want one last chance to see them. That'd be good enough for me," Marlow continued with a sigh.

"We're gonna get you home," Mason assured the man with a smile. "Fox Five, come back. Is there anyone out there?" Mills' voice came through Slivko's radio causing Analeah to jolt upright allowing Slivko to grab the radio phone. "Hey! This is Fox Five. We hear you. Yeah! We're on a boat. We're on a boat headed up north on a river," Slivko responded instantly. "A boat? Where'd y'all get a boat?" Mills asked Slivko. "We met this, like, crazy Santa Claus time-traveler guy from World War II. You'll meet him," Slivko replied to him. "What kind of boat y'all got?" Mills asked while Slivko smiled at Analeah.

Analeah smirked before grabbing the radio phone, "It's more of a plane than a boat, really. I've been calling it a Ploat." Mills had turned to Reles and Cole with a smile hearing Analeah's voice through the radio. "Good to hear you're alive, kid," Cole's voice came through the radio. "Someone has to keep Slivko alive," Analeah teased making Slivko roll his eyes playfully. "True that," Mills replied through the radio, Analeah handing the radio phone back to Slivko. "We need their location, Slivko," James called up to the soldier. "Send up a flare so we can find you," Slivko instructed through the radio. "Roger that, Fox Five," Colonel Packard's voice replied.

A flare went up in the distance making Analeah smile and cheer happily. "I repeat, we have a visual. Two klicks to our north," Slivko informed Colonel Packard. "Roger that, Fox Five. Fox One out," Colonel Packard responded before Slivko wrapped his arms around Analeah, resting his face in the crook of her neck in happiness. But the cheers faded as Nieves screamed out in pain, a small bird similar to a pterodactyl lifted the man from the boat before more flocked towards the man's body; the flock working together to peck and tear his body apart. Slivko had lifted his gun ready to shoot when James motioned for them to lower the guns, Marlow solemn in his words that the man was good as gone.

Analeah hid her face in Slivko's chest after they moved off of the cabin roof, his arms wrapping around her as they stood under the roof for safety as the prehistoric bird's consumed Victor Nieves. Analeah never thought she'd watch a person be consumed in such a painful way, she mourned for the man who despite his complaints still had a life back home and family who he'd never get to see again. Slivko rubbed her back, his eyes locked with James who looked at his sister with a solemn expression knowing she'd feel guilt for not being cautious about the animals and threats. "It'll be okay," Slivko whispered to Analeah.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Slivko kept Analeah close to his side as he had since the helicopter crash but his protective guard was stronger at the knowledge that he could lose Analeah to anything in the jungle. Analeah had removed the T-shirt sling to pull the T-shirt over her tank top, moving her arm around to prevent it from being stiff; she had realized that she may need to risk damaging her arm further if it meant surviving or protecting the others. "Their flare was only two klicks north. They should be here soon," James informed the group once they reached a creek bed not too far from where they docked the ploat, Analeah was leaning against Slivko who stood behind her.

"Unless they were eaten by something bigger than us," Mason commented, Analeah frowned at that and leaned her head back to look at Slivko. "Let's hope not," Analeah said before looking towards the creek, she couldn't believe how quickly she had become reliable on Slivko's protection; it truly was the only way she felt safest. She knew her brother was stressed protecting everyone else so she wouldn't add to his pressure in hopes that it'd assure him he didn't need to worry extra for her. What she didn't know was Slivko had sworn to protect her, he knew he liked the girl but he couldn't bare the thought of losing her.

A rustling in the trees a distance away had Slivko move to stand next to Analeah protectively, he stood ready with his gun for anything that would come their way. However, their tense stances faded at the sight of Colonel Packard walking over with Cole, Mills, Reles, Randa, Steve, and a few other soldiers. "Holy shit!" Slivko spoke as he walked towards the trio. "Slivko!" Mills cheered before the two embraced in a hug. "Thought you were taking a dirt nap by now, Slivko," Cole teased before he embraced the younger soldier he saw as a brother. Analeah smiled as Mills noticed her, he went to pull her in before spotting the wound.

"What'd you do to yourself, Doll," Mills asked as he moved her arm cautiously. "Happened in the crash. A piece of metal went through my arm," Analeah told him before the two hugged before Reles and Cole moved to her hug respectively next. "But Slivko handled it," Analeah added after she pulled back from Cole's hug, Slivko moving to stand next to her. "That's our boy," Reles commented as he clapped his hand on Slivko's shoulder. "Just glad to see you guys are still kicking," Analeah told them with a smile. "Good to see you fellas," Marlow spoke up gaining the new group's attention including Colonel Packard.

"Who the hell is this?" Colonel Packard questioned James. "We picked up a hitchhiker," James answered as Marlow stepped forward respectively. "Lieutenant Hank Marlow of the forty-fifth Pursuit Squadron of the fifteenth," Marlow introduced. "You've been here since World War II?" Colonel Packard inquired. "Yes, sir. I miss the parade?" Marlow questioned Colonel Packard. "I'll be damned. Snap to, Lieutenant," Colonel Packard stood in a salute, Marlow responding in a straight stance. "We're gonna get him home, sir," James said, "If we follow this river, we'll make it to the boat, and we'll make it to the north in time."

"That sounds good. But we're not leaving yet," Colonel Packard responded to James causing Analeah to furrow her brows. "Why the hell not?" Analeah asked as she stepped forward, she owed the Colonel nothing. "Because we still got a man out there, Conrad," Colonel Packard answered her with a stern look but she could see the crazed glint in the man's eyes prompting her to step back and share a cautious look with her brother; she'd witnessed enough rabid animals to know the calm is an act. "Wait a second. You got someone out there?" James asked pulling the attention to him rather than his little sister.

"Chapman. He's with the downed Sea Stallion just west of here," Colonel Packard answered while Slivko and Analeah shared a worried look, as much as she hates to admit it, she doubted the man was still alive. "West? We can't go west!" Marlow spoke up with wide eyes, "That's where the skull things live. We have an old saying here 'East is best, west is worst!' That's why we say it," Analeah felt anxious hearing that, she really didn't want to face a Skull Crawler but she wouldn't let the people she'd grown to care for and her brother go alone.

"Guys, I think that we should listen to Marlow. This is crazy," Mason spoke as she stood from the log and turned to everyone. "Mason's right. I mean... I'd genuinely hate to leave him out there but... we don't know for certain that he's alive," Analeah spoke with a frown, she swallowed as she avoided looking at the four soldiers beside her thinking they'd disagree with her but truthfully, they stood on her side. "Hey," Colonel Packard focused James' attention, "Your job is finding lost men, right?" Analeah sighed knowing that Colonel Packard had just gotten his way by using James' empathy. "Okay, sir," James responded sealing their fates.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Rosemary Speaks

What a rough situation. But how cute is Analeah and Slivko?
I truly adore them.

See you in the next chapter!