15 Operation Hog Nose part 2 (2/2)
Her short scream is stopped by the splash of fecal matter into her face. She purses her lips and closes her eyes before anything major can make it into her orifices. She jumps up and slips out of the latrine. It's wide and not very deeply dug. Sia gags and holds her hands up away from her body. She opens her eyes and takes a few steps away from the hole.
INSUFFICIENT WARNING TIME
WARNING PROMPT TIME ADJUSTED
Sia groans and wipes her hands off on the grass.
”No time. No time.” She grumbles to herself before fleeing once again.
The gunshots are starting to diminish gradually and stop.
”Sia?!”
Sia plows through the high grass. She huffs as she rushes forward through bushes and low hanging branches. She still hears voices calling out her name. As she breaks through some more trees she stops and looks at the flat plains ahead of her and the water to her right. There is nowhere to run. She can't wet the things within her backpack, and she isn't confident the grass would hide her at all.
”Sia?!”
As she is debating on where to storm, she hears the calls getting closer. She veers to her left and gets behind the thickest tree she can find. Barreling into her hiding spot, she sits still for a few moments.
She hears heavy footsteps break through the trees and someone loudly gasping for air. Sia slows her breathing and swallows thickly. The sound makes her close her eyes. It seems so loud within her own head. The person trails along the tree line towards her then runs out into the field to the highest point.
Sia can see it is Vanessa. She eases herself to the side little by little to be better hidden by the tree and away from Vanessa's perspective. Vanessa is turning in a circle when another person runs through the trees to join her. Sia looks away and pushes herself further behind the tree.
”Sia!!!!” Vanessa hollers.
”Stop! It might attract something here. We've drawn enough attention to us. She's probably circled back to the truck by now,” Raymond speaks softly at the exasperated woman.
”That damn idiot. She should have hidden under the truck like I've told her before.”
”Come on.”
They retreat into the trees and double back to the camp.
Thick brown and green leaves are littering the ground around her. Sia waits for their footsteps to become completely inaudible. After a few moments, she reaches for the leaves. Collecting a few green leaves gives her a pile of ”tissues” to wipe her face.
She is spitting and wiping fecal gunk off her neck when she sees Ika's sneakers.