The following morning, Jack stirs in his sleep, body covered in sweat. He begins mumbling to himself, "No... I have too..." Repeating those same words over and over until the sun's warm rays wake Jack up.
As he gets up, he looks over toward Rebecca who appears to be sleeping soundly in the warm embrace of two different heavy blankets. She snuggles into the blankets as Jack gets a drink of water and starts getting dressed.
A ding goes off in his head as a notification pops up in front of him.
'You have unspent status points' The system said inside Jack's head.
Jack opens his status screen and sees he has levelled up! He quickly signs his status points to his Agility.
<
Player Name: Jack
Race: Human
Class Job: None
Level: 4
Health Points: 28 / 28
Stamina Points: 35 / 35
Stats:
Strength - 3
Agility - 9
Intelligence - 5
Luck - 10
Experience: 680 / 5,000
Unspent Status Points: (0)
Skills: Increase in status points when level up by 2
Improvised Weapon Mastery: 10 / 1,000
Stealth Mastery: 145 / 1,000
Knife Mastery I: 680 / 5,000
>
Happy seeing his new stats he closes the screen.
A few moments after he finishes getting dressed, he looks over toward Rebecca who is still sleeping. He takes out a pen and paper and leaves her a small note, telling her he went out to get some food supplies and that he'll be back soon.
Jack leaves the tent and starts journeying toward the yellow dot on his mini map.
As he comes up to the alleyway where he'd met up with the Xelon yesterday, shivers run down his spine remembering the pain and anguish it caused Rebecca and him. He rolls his shoulders and departs through the alleyway.
As he comes out of the alleyway, he sees the carnage and destruction from the fight he had with the Xelon and sees the decomposing corpse of the creature. It appears several wild animals came last night and tried feasting on the Xelon, as there are several missing pieces of its body and new wounds all over it.
Jack lets out a heavy sigh as he continues his journey toward the yellow dot.
Soon enough he comes up to a rundown market store, he can't tell the name as it has been removed from the store front.
Jack approaches with caution as two red dots appear on his mini map, located in the center of the market store.
As he closes in on the two men, the smell of fresh cooked beef fills his nostrils. The room is dark, and a small glowing fire appears in the back end of the room. Casting a dancing haze over the two individuals that are standing in front of the fire.
Once he is about a couple meters away, he hears what appears to be a woman's voice.
"I can't wait to eat! It's been days since our last meal, honey."
Then a low booming male voice says, "Yeah, it's been a while. It should be done soon."
The two continue their small conversation as Jack listens in.
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As soon as the meal finishes, Jack slowly stands up.
Unsuspecting of his presence they start devouring the food in front of them.
Jack gets a good look at what the two are eating and it turns his stomach upside down. He almost vomits from the sight.
The male takes a bite of what appears to be a human arm.
"This is so damn good; I can't believe we waited this long!" The Man says as he takes another bite into the arm.
The woman face appears to be dripping in blood as she sinks her teeth into what appears to be a human calf. "Y-yes! This is good."
Jack thinks to himself, 'Thank god Rebecca isn't here to see this...' Shaking his head in both disgust and disappointment on what has become of humanity.
He resolves himself and sneaks up behind the man. Swiftly digging the knife into the back of the man's head. The woman was to engross in what she was eating that she didn't realize her husband vanished into the dark room.
< 20 Experience Points Gained >
Jack laid the dead man down on the ground as he slowly approaches the woman.
He grabs her by the head slamming her face into the fire. She lets out a agonizing scream as Jack pushes her face into the fire. Her arms flailing every which way, clawing at Jack's hand, trying to make him release her from her torment.
Jack eventually picks her face out of the fire, and flesh slowly drips off as her face begins melting and harsh burns all around the left side of her face. He whispers into her ear, "You disgust me." And swiftly slits the woman's throat. Blood sprays everywhere as she falls to the ground gurgling on her blood and gasping for air.
Jack walks over to her and stomps on her face. He hears and feels the bones of her face crunch as her body twitches and eventually subsides.
< 20 Experience Points Gained >
Jack stands over the two dead bodies in a moment a silence before letting out a few words, "I don't know what caused you people to become this desperate, but I can't let you live after seeing how much you enjoyed it."
Jack scavenged through the room, grabbing a few canned foods. As he put the canned food into his bag he shook his head, "Even though you had these to resorted into eating human's, I'm glad I did away with you like I did!"
He found about two gallons of purified water stashed away in the back corner. Picking them up with a bag semi-full of canned goods he makes his way back to his tent.
With no mishaps on the way he gets back to his tent just as the sun reaches its zenith.
<
Quest Completed: Find Food source.
Reward: 100 Experience Points
>
Rebecca, still sleeping, fills his footlocker with the canned food and stores the two gallons of water off to the side.
He checks on the sleeping lady, seeing her peaceful breathing makes him slowly forget the horror he had just witnessed. A small smile appears on his face and a sigh leaves his body.
Not knowing when Rebecca is going to wake, he shrugs his shoulders and starts preparing a small lunch for himself.
The smell of food reaches Rebecca's nose, and she begins stirring in her bed.
She lets out a small groan which catches Jack's attention. He rushes to her bedside as Rebecca slowly opens one of her eyes. As it appears her other eye is too swollen for it to open.
"Easy, easy now. You're still recovering." Jack says as he gently places both of his hands onto Rebecca shoulders.
She lets out a small groan.
"You want something to eat?" Jack motions a eating to her.
She slowly nods her head.
"Alright, it'll be done soon. Just hang on for a few more minutes." Jack says as he moves his attention toward the food.
Rebecca gives him a weak smile as she watches Jack cooking.
A few moments later he finishes the food and begins serving it to Rebecca. Since she is still injured and can barely move, he is forced to hand feed her the food.
He finishes feeding her and wipes her mouth.
"I'm going to change your clothes and check your dressings on your wounds, is that okay?" Jack asks her in a serious tone.
She slowly nods her head.
Jack carefully strips the young woman, seeing her body covered in bruises and scrapes, he begins treating her wounds. Putting some healing cream on her more serious looking wounds and bruises. She lets out a small sigh of relief as Jack applies the healing cream. Changing her bandages and then changing her into loose and comfortable clothing he found in the clothing department a few hours ago.
Jack nods his head in approvement, "There all better now."
He covers her in the blankets again and then sits by her side.
"I went and got some supplies earlier so, we're pretty much all set for a few days. I'll be staying by your side until you're able to move around again." he says with a smile and holds Rebecca's hand.
Rebecca gives him a weak smile and nods her head.
"Get some more rest and I'll wake you for dinner."
Rebecca closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep.
Several hours later the smell of food fills her nostrils again and she opens her eye to see Jack prepare her plate.
He slowly approaches her, "Dinners done. It's some beef stew. Hopefully you'll like it." He says as he slowly brings a spoonful to her mouth.
She accepts the food as the warmth fills her mouth and a smile appears on her face.
Jack smiles back as he continues to feed her.
In about a minute or two she finishes all her food and Jack begins eating his.
As he finishes his own, he turns his attention to Rebecca.
"When were about to go to sleep I'll change your bandages again and apply the cream if that's alright."
Rebecca nods her head.
"Alright."
He stays down and softly hums a peaceful tone that he used to hear as a child, "Hmmm, hmm, hm, hmmmm, hmmm, hmmmmmm, hm."
Rebecca smiles as she enjoys the peaceful atmosphere Jack is providing her.
About an hour passes and Jack begins changing her clothes and reapplying the cream on her wounds and bruises.
After he finishes, he tucks her into bed, and she drifts off to sleep.
Jack journeys to his own bed and slowly follows into a deep slumber himself, but just before he goes to bed, he thinks of how far humanity has fallen since the apocalypse has begun and the Xelon's invasion. He ponders on whether or not we are allowed to survive this trial. These thoughts eat at him for about an hour before his exhaustion takes over and he drifts into sleep.