He opened his mouth, ready to unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration, when a voice in his head stopped him cold. Shut up, you idiot, he thought to himself. You haven't exactly been pulling your weight around here.

Irvin's eyes flicked to the monster carcass behind him, a stark reminder of the deal he'd made with the group. The realization hit him - he needed these people. As much as he hated to admit it, surviving alone in this new world wasn't a viable option.

You can't hunt food by yourself, he reminded himself. You need them, whether you like it or not.

Swallowing his pride, Irvin forced his features into a neutral expression. "Does anyone know how to start a fire?" he asked, his voice carefully controlled.

Silence greeted his question. The group looked at each other, confusion and embarrassment evident on their faces. No one stepped forward.

Irvin bit back a sigh. Of course not, he thought bitterly. Why would any of these pampered college kids know basic survival skills?

Well, not like I do either.

"Alright," he said, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "That's what I'm planning to do next. Anyone willing to help?"

Sarah, the brunette who seemed the most proactive so far, raised her hand hesitantly. "I'll help."

One of the younger girls, who kept to her, also volunteered. "Me too," she chirped, her enthusiasm a stark contrast to the grim reality surrounding them.

As the rest of the group dispersed, muttering among themselves, Irvin turned his attention to Sarah and the younger girl. He studied them for a moment, keeping his eyes level with theirs.

At least they're willing to try, he thought. Better than nothing.

"Okay," Irvin said, gesturing to the pile of debris around them. "We need to gather some dry materials. Anything that looks like it might burn easily."

He had no real idea how to start a fire without matches or a lighter. He didn't like the idea of leadership, it was way too much responsibility in the past life and a lot more in this place.

He watched Sarah and the younger girl out of the corner of his eye as they collected twigs and scraps of wood. They seemed eager to help, desperate for something to do in this chaotic new world.

There should be use for them, a cold voice whispered in his mind. When they get desperate enough they will let me stay.

Without Mike around and with Tom being dead, these people were looking for someone to tell them what to do, for answers. And right now, that was the only currency that mattered. I just need a way to avoid taking responsibility for whenever shit hits the fan.

As he pretended to inspect claws the size of his forearm, Irvin's gaze drifted to the monster carcass. The sight of it made his hands shiver, a reminder of how quickly the world had changed. How dangerous it had become.

I have to be smarter, he thought. Stronger. I can't afford to make mistakes.

The weight of responsibility settled on his shoulders, heavy and suffocating. But beneath it, a spark of excitement flickered to life. This new world, as terrifying as it was, offered opportunities. Chances to rise above the mediocrity of his former life.

As the two women piled up the wood, Irvin's ears perked up at the sound of approaching voices. He turned to see Mike's group returning, but they weren't alone. New faces accompanied them, carrying what looked like wolf monster carcasses between them. Despite their obvious exhaustion, a sense of satisfaction radiated from the group. A few sported injuries, but their spirits seemed high.

Irvin's eyes narrowed as he assessed the newcomers. More mouths to feed, he thought. But maybe neutrals might be better to get on my side.

The girl next to Irvin let out a piercing scream, her finger pointing at the returning group. Irvin's head snapped around, confusion etched on his face. Then he saw them.

Five monstrous creatures, each about the size of a small dog, leaped down from the nearby trees. They swarmed one of the people in the returning group, their movements a blur of teeth and claws. In an instant, the group erupted into chaos. Screams filled the air as people scattered, some running for the relative safety of the rubble, others fleeing into the encroaching forest.

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Irvin froze, his hand instinctively tightening around one of the monster claws he'd been examining. He crouched low, his eyes darting between the five creatures as they finished shredding their first victim. Their heads swiveled, seeking new prey, and they took off after another fleeing survivor.

Shit, shit, shit, Irvin's mind raced. His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst through his ribcage. He wanted to run, to flee like the others, but his legs refused to cooperate. It was as if they'd turned to stone, rooting him to the spot.

"There's two more," Derek's urgent whisper cut through Irvin's panic. He glanced around, suddenly aware that Derek, Sarah, and Lisa, the younger girl hadn't run. They huddled close, eyes wide with fear.

Are they fucking morons? Irvin thought, his mind screaming at them to run, to do something other than stand there like deer in headlights.

Then he saw them. Two more of the dog-sized monsters, racing towards their little group. Irvin's breath caught in his throat. He tried to stand, to run away, but his legs shook so badly he could barely straighten up from his crouch.

The screams around him faded into a dull roar, his focus narrowing to the approaching creatures. The claw in his hand felt slick with sweat. He gripped it tighter.

As the first monster lunged, Irvin swung wildly. The claw whooshed through the air, missing the creature entirely. The momentum of his swing threw him off balance, inadvertently saving him as the first monster sailed past.

But Irvin had no time to feel relief. A weight slammed into his back, sharp claws digging into his flesh. Hot breath panted against his neck as the second monster latched onto him.

Pain exploded across Irvin's back. He let out a strangled cry, more of surprise than anything else. His mind struggled to process what was happening. One moment he'd been gathering wood, the next he was fighting for his life against creatures that shouldn't exist.

I'm going to die, the thought flashed through his mind. I'm going to die, and I haven't even figured out how this new world works yet.

Panic gave way to a surge of adrenaline. Irvin's survival instinct kicked in, overriding his fear. He spun around, trying to dislodge the creature on his back. Its claws dug deeper, tearing through his skin.

"Get it off!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "Someone fucking help me!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Irvin saw Derek frozen in place, his face a mask of terror. Sarah and the girl were clutching each other in fear, both of them trembling.

Useless, Irvin thought bitterly. They're all fucking useless.

He stumbled backwards, dropping the claw he grabbed for the mut. He grabbed it by its head and pulled, the monster gave in surprisingly easily.

Seizing the opportunity, Irvin threw himself to the ground, rolling clutching on, as its neck snapped.

Gasping for breath, Irvin scrambled to his feet. His back felt like it was on fire, warm blood trickling down his spine. But he was alive. Somehow, against all odds, he was still alive.

The first monster circled back, its eyes locked on him. It crouched low, muscles tensing as it prepared to pounce.

Irvin's looked for some weapon. The claw he'd been holding had fallen during the struggle. I'm not dying here, he thought, a grim determination taking hold. Not like this. Not today.

The monster leaped.

Irvin dropped to one knee and thrust his arm up, fingers grabbing for the, creature's soft underbelly. It was a desperate move, born of instinct rather than any real plan.

To Irvin's shock, his hand sunk into the monster's flesh. He felt something warm and wet envelop his fingers. The creature's momentum carried it past him, but not before Irvin's grip tightened on whatever he'd grabbed inside its body.

With a sickening tear, Irvin yanked his hand back. Something long and ropey came with it, trailing blood and viscera. The monster crashed to the ground behind him, twitching and without sound.

Irvin stared at his hand, now coated in blood he dropped whatever he was holding. His stomach lurched, but he fought down the urge to vomit.

Irvin's heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the area, searching for more of the monstrous creatures. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow, expecting another attack at any moment.

Then he spotted them - Alex and another man he didn't recognize, fighting desperately against three of the beasts at the narrow entrance to their makeshift shelter. The lifeless body of a woman lay crumpled at their feet.

Every instinct screamed at Irvin to run, to save himself. His legs tensed, ready to bolt. But then a thought flashed through his mind: Experience.

If there are stats - augments - killing monsters should give us more.

The idea took root, overriding his fear for a moment. Irvin's hand closed around the nearby claw he'd dropped earlier. He took a hesitant step towards the fight, then another.

This is insane, he thought. I should be running away, not towards danger.

But the allure of potential power was too strong to ignore. Irvin paused, focusing inward. In his mind, he saw two glowing orbs circling him, just as he'd hoped. Without hesitation, he pushed them into his belly bringing constitution to up to 3, feeling a surge of energy course through him as he returned to reality.

Irvin broke into a run, covering the distance to Alex and the other man in seconds. As he approached, one of the dog-like creatures sank its teeth into Alex's hand. Alex let out a howl of pain, trying to shake the beast off as he fell down.

Now or never, Irvin thought, gritting his teeth.

He lunged forward, driving the claw deep into the monster's side. The creature let out a yelp, releasing Alex's hand as it crumpled to the ground. Irvin yanked the claw free, blood splattering across his face and chest.

The other two monsters leaped back, momentarily startled by the sudden attack. Irvin swung again, but they were too quick, dancing just out of reach. The man beside Alex seized the opportunity, throwing rock down on one beast's head with a sickening crunch.

The last monster turned and fled, disappearing into the encroaching forest. Irvin's muscles tensed, ready to give chase, but he hesitated.

Is it worth it? he wondered, weighing his options.