Free The Agent by Brock E. Deskins

university?”
    “Really?”
    “I told you, I’m awesome. Just have a little faith in me.”
    “Even the most devout priest would find it difficult to have that much faith.”
    Garran grinned. “I thought you weren’t a priest?”
    “I’m not, but since you have shown yourself to be so challenged by the notion, I was trying to keep it simple.”
    “Simple, just like I prefer my prostitutes.”
    Adam stopped and turned. “Did you just liken me to a prostitute?”
    Garran gripped him by the shoulder and gave him a slight shove forward. “Naw, prostitutes don’t ask for as much money as priests.”

 
    CHAPTER 6
    “Where are we?” Adam asked. “Are we anywhere near a town or even a farm?”
    “What are you, a cartographer?”
    “What I am is distressed, distraught, exhausted, and starving”
    “My apologies. Maybe I can find you some more nuts.”
    “You are such an ass,” Adam grumbled. “My stomach is cramping enough without having to digest your revolting words.”
    “Are you sure it’s hunger cramps and not menstrual? It has only been two days.”
    Adam glanced at the ground drew a line in the dirt with the toe of his shoe. “It was my weekend of fasting. I haven’t eaten in four days.”
    “What kind of person willingly starves themselves, especially before running off into the woods without any provisions?”
    “Suffering brings us closer to God, and you are the one who dragged me out here and forgot to bring any food!”
    “I had food, but the stupid horse wandered off with it. You are right about one thing though. If I had left you there, you definitely wouldn’t be hungry.”
    “How many times do I have to tell you that I appreciate your help? It just would have been smart to be better prepared. I am not accustomed to deprivation like you are. My muscles are aching, and I feel lightheaded from lack of food. I don’t think I can go on much farther if we don’t find something to eat soon.”
    “Fine, we’ll go look for some food if it will stop your whining. If suffering brings a person closer to God, then I must be near to ascending.”
    They hiked along the narrow game trail until Garran stopped and knelt next to some deer tracks leading up the slope and disappearing into the dense brush.
    “These are fresh, and this is a well-used trail,” Garran said. “The winter berry bushes already have some early blooms, and I bet the deer come through here a lot.”
    “I thought you said there weren’t any berries this time of the year?”
    “Eat them if you want to, but you’ll be pouring pints of butt beer for the next week.”
    “Must everything be disgusting with you? How are we going to take down a deer anyway? We do not have a bow.”
    Garran found a stout sapling, hacked at it with his reaping blade, and sharpened it into a spear. “You really are helpless. The trail comes down over a gulley and creates a perfect blind. All we have to do is wait until a deer comes bounding down the path and stab it when it bursts into the open.”
    Adam looked dubious. “Have you actually done this before?”
    “No, but I have seen it.”
    “You’ve seen it?”
    Garran shrugged. “I heard about it from someone who said they saw it. Come on, you stand there, I’ll stand over here on the other side, and when the deer comes back, we’ll stick it and eat like kings.”
    Adam shook his head and hefted his spear. “Or starve like fools.”
    Garran poised himself off to the side of the trail, gripping his reaping blades in both hands as he stared intently ahead. As the minutes crawled by, Adam constantly shifted his grip on the spear to relieve his fatiguing muscles. After an hour, he set the butt of spear on the ground and leaned on it. He looked over at Garran and saw that he not moved so much as an inch. Not wanting to look weak, he hefted his spear once more and set himself into position.
    Another hour dragged by, and his patience waned. He was not a hunter, but Garran’s concept seemed