I walked past the old burnt tree trunks, the place still smells like it happened yesterday. And then I made my way to the outskirts of camp, where the trees became more sparse, and now the sunlight could reach most of the floor. Around the last batch of trees stood the borderline, the fence was looser than the last time I saw it. A male cardinal flew and made his last willed decision by parking itself in one of the edges. The wooden planks had a few cavities of radioactive decay from the poisonous substance we domesticated the other day. It was Chief’s idea to use it as coating. At least it kept the beast out. We never saw him again nor her tho. All of us have insisted on keeping looking for her for three moons now, but Chief insists on giving up. I have a feeling we all know that Chief is right deep inside. But accepting the fact that Amala might be gone, will make everybody hopeless. And right now, Chief–all of us–need all of the courage sprouting from these false hopes.

We originally had built this fence to keep him out, but recently I’ve been getting a feeling it was meant to keep us in. The outsiders told us it was the best way to protect ourselves. Chief bought it. I bought it. Chief is too afraid to lose another one of us, and I did not want to see that beast ever again. Or It would be my turn to cut his arm off. I stared at the fence for a while and thought of my mother. She’ll be mad if I don’t return before dusk, I tightened my fists and exhaled forcefully. I struggled more than I expected, I forgot I could not apply so much pressure with my left arm. I landed on some bushes and startled a few warblers.

I was now standing in no man’s land.