Chapter 40: Persist

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." ― Calvin Coolidge

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."

― Winston S. Churchill

***

Soon, the footsteps coming from all parts of the island revealed themselves as the Sultenians running after helpless bleeding Balmackians. Of course, not all of them do not have the guts to defend themselves from getting killed and eaten afterwards.

Those that were keen on surviving struggled against the trained warriors of the tribe. They did not let themselves get easily killed. However, having brute strength alone and intelligent did not save them from severe injuries. The worst was death.

One Sultenian was gagging from his own blood with both of his hands trying to stop his blood from leaking over his slit neck while the person that has the strength to kill a human being lost all sanity. Meanwhile, this sudden craziness helped this man discover the "gift" he received from the one above.

On the other hand, the triplets solidly began to move along while still clinging onto each other. Now it was tighter as ever as the people on the other end of the situation were both triggered and mortified.

Arduously, Zeb and Franzia, who were both fakes and some grown ass people pretending to be 10 years old kids, continuously try to obliterate the barrier protecting the triplets from utter danger.

They smashed it, hurled rocks at them, stabbed and sliced from every angle, however none of their efforts worked. Slowly, they were beginning to get exhausted from all the amount of effort they exerted just to murder and somehow make the gifts the triplets possessed theirs.

"Where are they heading?"

"I think they are going to meet with Xenia and the others!"

Franzia and Zeb knew that Xenia would not get any gifts from the one above because he was not a Balmackian. Their family was an outsider on the island. You could say that these fakes and Xenia's family both came from the outside world Balmack Island was isolated from.

"But how are we going to prevent them from doing so?"

An opportunity lit up their path when a cliff that was not that deep fell into their vision. It was surely the only thing they have against the triplet's invincible barrier, so they can't mess up.

As the triplets approached the steep slope, Jack, seeing the dignified looks on both of the siblings faces, knew that something was up. Franzia and Zeb picked up their pace, hurling more smaller rocks towards the triplet's direction.

"We must stay focused! Don't let such small debris distract or faze us!"

Pack, who was always strong and didn't easily get scared, was shaking from fear and the thought of dying. Or was her always independent character, which was shown to her friends was nothing more than a facade. Deep down her heart, she was just a tiny scaredy cat afraid of losing the people she loves.

The triplets haven't known yet but all three of them will be brutally devastated once they learned that their parents were already dead. However, people deal with grief differently. Coping comes in all sorts of forms. It could be entirely anything. How people actually cope is something only these will know unless they share it.

You, how do you cope with sadness, problems, and other negativities in life? Nothing? By doing nothing, does it ease up the feelings inside or is it the other way around? Are you one that likes to keep it to yourself and let it pile up until you can't hold it any longer, then just explode with it?

I guess our lives do not really matter since this story does not involve us in the first place. This story was made entirely out of boredom. So, if you deem this story as somewhat boring or plotless, then so be it.

Anyway, the siblings aim to distract the triplets from crossing the steep slope that leads to a much shorter path, hoping that they will miraculously encounter Xenia and the others. But they could not help the thought of their friends dying by the Sultenians' or the other killer's hands.

Again, the small rocks were deflected by the barrier. Every time each rock hits the invisible shield it creates a hollow thump that also sends a lightly tickling sensation at the back of their hands. And whenever it did so, the hair at the back of their hands would stand up, indicating danger.

The steep slope was like a slanted bridge leading to a much wider naturally formed path. This slope near the river was often used by townspeople trying to reach the river and not go the other way around whenever they were going to wash their dirty clothes. They were all for saving water but not for preserving nature's beauty.

When the siblings seemed to be done chasing the triplets, they did the outrageous thing and almost cleanly cut down a four year old tree.

"Oh, no! That tree is falling our way!"

They must hurry otherwise the tree will either smash them down or completely block their route.

So, Jack and Mack had to grab both of Pack's arms and hustle their way out of danger.

Knowing that the triplets will prevent themselves from getting crushed and have their path blocked, which the siblings predicted, they both hurriedly sprinted their way, heading towards the now unprotected triplets.

Their speed was impeccable and the triplets only had several steps needed to be taken to safely cross the path. And Zeb, immediately shortens the gap between them in a matter of seconds.

Seeing that Zeb was about to hurt his siblings, which he would not like, Mack deliberately had the other two lose their balance upon diverting their centrifugal force focused on the right side where the small cliff was.

And then, all three of them hold onto their lives as they painfully roll down a shallow cliff, leading to the end of the river. At the end of the river was a small rocky pond and thick bushes prone to bugs and insects.

The tree fell down the steep slope, closing the path, and creating a small landslide down the shallow cliff while the triplets felt the pain in their whole body at the bottom.

"Tch! I failed to kill at least one of them!"

Zeb bit his lower lip in frustration while Franzia was looking for the triplets down the bushes. Climbing down would not be easy since they were quite surrounded by thorny bushes. Sliding down the cliff will not do them any good. If they are prepared to endure the pain of getting pricked all over their body, then they will catch up to the triplets who were in a hurry, although suffering from some fractured bones.

"None of you are getting away!"

"Wait, Franzia!"

The persistent girl proceeded to slide down the cliff, ignoring all of the danger it has just to make the triplets shed their blood.

"This much pain is nothing compared to what we have to endure."

~