I look at the gun. If it's only a missing spring, we might find a similar one somewhere. "It's only the spring; we can find one somewhere else. Now, let's pack the canned food and leave. This place is empty."

We move to the backroom and begin packing the canned food. We both take ten cans of beef stew and corn alongside the extra gear. Our packs are becoming heavy but still manageable. As I lift the duffle bag over my shoulder, I tell Monty, "I think it's time to go to a more densely populated part of the dungeon. There’s bound to be something better there, maybe even a place to claim—something with a strong door, preferably."

Monty isn't surprised. He’d also like a place to drop these cans off and asks, "How are we going to find a higher-level area? It's not like we have a map."

"We don't need a map," I tell him. "Just follow the noise of gunfire. If someone with a gun is there, there must be something good. They’ve been here at least a while and found where they could get a working gun—or enough broken ones to make one."

Monty thinks for a minute. "Okay, you're right. We can't keep going like this. We need a proper place to rest. But are we prepared for a high-level area? We only have food and melee weapons. If people need to use guns there, what are we going to do?"

"While we make our way there, we’ll train your scout ability and try to sneak through while searching for weapons—and a possible place to claim." I explain my plan, and Monty eventually agrees.

"Alright, let's head out. Best if we find a safe place sooner rather than later." Monty begins to leave the store, and I follow as he scouts the way toward the origin of the firefight.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

On the way, we come across two more summoned buildings. The first looks like a regular house door, but the moment we open it, the stench overwhelms us. Inside, it looks like a hoarder’s house, and the sounds from within tell me goblins have made it their home. We close the door without even stepping inside and move on.

The second one is clean but weirder. The door looks like the backdoor of an ambulance. It’s locked, so I pry it open with my crowbar. Inside, there’s a lot of specialized medical equipment. As I search the shelves, I find some stuff I don't recognize—midazolam and etomidate—and two I do recognize: ketamine and fentanyl. The first I remember from the news—something about it being horse medicine, but that was a lie. The other, I thought, was just some street drug.

I ask Monty if he found any syringes while I wrap the glass bottles in paper towels to keep them from breaking. Monty, now in the passenger seat searching the glovebox, answers, "I think I saw them in the top drawer of the cabinet at the... front left side? Why do you need syringes?"

"I found fentanyl."

Monty turns. "You found fucking fentanyl?! The fuck are you going to do with that?"

"I don’t know, but it might be useful," I say defensively.

Monty, after his outburst, says, "Most of what's left isn't too useful for us. I did find a good first aid kit with most of what we could use and a bottle of antibiotics. You never know—we might need it."

"Alright then. Ready to go? I’d like to find a safe place soon."

We exit the ambulance and continue following the gunfire. But we don’t have to walk far as the sound grows louder. Peeking around the corner, we see a woman with an AR-type rifle shooting into what looks like a police station entrance. As her magazine runs out, she makes a run for it—away from us—while maybe thirty goblins chase after her. I want to help, but we’d probably just get in her way.

Moving away from the police station, we come across a giant double door—one that looks like it came from a church. "Hey, having a church as our hideout would be pretty cool."

Monty agrees. "It does look like one of those doors from a church we saw in France. It’s gotta be big inside, right? But there might not be much comfort—unless you like sleeping on church pews."

"Well, we might as well take a look inside. It seems quiet enough."