I Have Something To Confess

As Arthur slowly approached the back of the tent, he heard a rustling in the bushes. He reached for his hunting knife and slowly approached the source of the noise, ready to defend himself and Helena if necessary.

Suddenly, a giant rat leaped out of the bushes, scurrying towards Arthur's feet. Arthur quickly sidestepped, but the rat turned back towards him, baring its sharp teeth. Arthur realized this was no ordinary rat; it was huge, almost the size of a small dog.

The rat lunged at Arthur, its teeth gnashing, but Arthur was quick on his feet. He dodged the rat's attacks and drew his hunting knife. The rat circled him, its beady eyes fixed on Arthur's movements.

Arthur suddenly lunged, thrusting his knife toward the rat's head. But the rat was too quick; it dodged out of the way and scurried towards Helena, who had been watching the whole scene unfold from the safety of the tent.

Helena let out a shrill scream as she saw the rat approach her. She quickly grabbed a nearby rock and threw it at the rat, hitting it on its side. The rat stumbled but quickly regained its composure and continued its charge toward Helena.

Arthur knew he had to act fast. He ran towards the rat, leaping into the air and tackling it to the ground. The rat thrashed and clawed at him, but Arthur held on tight, his knife poised to strike.

With one swift motion, Arthur plunged his knife into the rat's chest, and the creature let out a final, pitiful squeal as it died. Helena breathed a sigh of relief and rushed towards Arthur, embracing him tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice shaking with fear.

Arthur held her close, feeling her heart pounding against his chest. "It's alright," he murmured, running his fingers through her hair. "You're safe now."

"I feel sad for the rat. But we had no choice," Helena said, her voice fading.

"I feel the same way, but we had to protect ourselves from him. We can't afford to get an infected bite, especially in our situation now. We can't afford to get sick," Arthur said.

"Yeah. I know. That was kind of stressful," Helena said, hugging Arthur.

"It was. It made me even hungrier."

"Same," Helena smiled. "We should have breakfast now to fill our empty stomachs."

A hearty breakfast of freshly scrambled eggs with diced bell peppers and onions, crispy bacon, and lightly buttered toast spread across two plates. On the side are a bowl of fresh fruit from the farmer's market, with slices of ripe oranges and strawberries.

After their mouth-watering breakfast, Arthru prepared the tools to set up traps. "Baby, what would you like to do today? If you want to continue writing, I'll have to roam around the surroundings and see if I need to set up more traps far from here."

"No. I want to help you."

"I appreciate that, but you don't have to," he said, trailing a finger on Helena's cheek.

"I insist," she said firmly. "I want to accompany you," she said. Helena's voice was soft and tender as she spoke, her eyes full of love as she looked at Arthur. Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she clung to his arm, trying to convey the depth of her feelings in the embrace.

"Sure. I always love to have your company." He kissed her forehead before gathering all the things they needed for traps.

"Baby, how did you get all the tools and materials to set up the traps already?"

"It's just an outdoor thing, baby," Arthur said. "I always think of the worst possible scenario. Better to be prepared than sorry."

"You're so cool," Helena cooed, smiling at him. "You know that?"

"Oh baby, thank you," he said, feeling accomplished.

"Can you teach me how to set up traps," she asked softly, almost begging as they walked far from the campsite.

"Sure," Arthur said proudly.

Arthur taught Helena how to set up traps and correctly identify the best locations to place and bait the enemy. Helena was a quick learner, and soon they were setting up traps together with ease.

They spent the rest of the day exploring the meadow and setting traps. Working together in harmony, they efficiently completed the task at hand. Helena was able to spot areas that could be improved or strengthened, while Arthur had a good eye for where traps should be placed for maximum effectiveness.

By dusk, they had set up twenty-six traps around the area, and both felt satisfied with their work.

"We can go back now," Arthur said with a smile as he began to pack up their supplies. "It's getting dark."

Helena nodded in agreement, but she spotted something in the distance before they could head back. A large brown bear sat on its hind legs just beyond the trees, eating berries from nearby bushes.

"Arthur!" Helena whispered in surprise. "It's a bear!"

Helena's eyes widened in amazement as she pointed to the bear in the distance. Arthur followed her gaze, his brow furrowing as he tried to take in the scene before them. The bear was large, with brown fur and a black nose. Its movements were slow as it munched on berries from the nearby bush, its tongue lapping up whatever remained on the plant.

Arthur quickly unsheathed his knife, ready to protect them if necessary. To his relief, however, the bear merely gave them an appraising glance before returning to its meal.

The two watched in awe as the majestic creature moved gracefully through the trees before disappearing from sight.

"You see, that's the reason I didn't want you to live here the first time you left for overnight camping," she said, her voice shaky and laced with fear.

Arthur gently pinched her chin, his expression one of mild surprise. "But as you have witnessed, my lady," he said softly, "the majestic creature didn't even give a damn about us. He was friendly."

She let out a shaky breath and clasped her arms around him tightly. "We never know what's coming our way," Helena murmured.

"Try not to think about it too much; it won't do us any good. If anything happens, let the misfortune befall anyone who'd dare to hurt us."

"I hope you're right. But I can't help but feel scared if they ever find us here."

Emboldened by their encounter with nature's wildest inhabitant, Helena, and Arthur made their way back to their tent, exhausted but satisfied with their progress. Arthur started a fire while Helena prepared the ingredients.

As they were done cooking, they settled down to enjoy their meal under the stars, sharing a bottle of wine.

When their dinner was ready, they settled to enjoy their meal under the crescent moon and a million sparkling stars. The first cup of wine loosened Helena's tongue, and she allowed herself to relax. She leaned against Arthur's chest as she felt him slip his arm around her waist and rest his hand on her stomach, letting it settle.

"Baby, do you know anybody who might want to hurt you? Might be a former bully or anything like that," Arthur asked as they ate.

Helena appears hesitant, her expression unreadable and far in thought. Her hazel eyes focus on something in the distance, and her lips stay pursed tightly. She fidgets with her hands and takes a deep breath as she debates whether to share about Israel's parents.

"Helena?" He called out her name.

Helena's eyes are filled with a hint of deep sadness, and her face is full of worry as she looks at Arthur. Her lips are drawn into a thin line, her eyebrows furrowed in contemplation, and her gaze steady as if trying to convey something to Arthur without speaking. "Arthur, I have something to confess."