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The man from The Cult
1 - Getting Bearings

1 - Getting Bearings

I somehow regained consciousness; it was incredibly dark looking around I realized I was sinking in water. I don't know why but I didn't feel the urgency to leave the water but I knew I am not meant to breath the water. I shrug off my heavy pack that carried some missiles for the launcher I was using and some clothes.

I notice my pack float away from me, logically that must be down so I swim the opposite direction. It felt like an eternity of swimming I ended up making it to the surface of the water and felt the water leaving my lungs barely keeping myself afloat with the armor I was wearing.

Strangely there was a shore nearby even with my tired body I could easily swim that distance. On the shore I contemplate why there is land here, the oil rig was nowhere neer any land, I would be dead if I was out long enough to be carried by the current to land.

Here I am alone on a beach with no weapons any only my armor. I remove my armor as it feels exceptionally heavy now filled with water. I start to feel cold so I move into survival mode and strip all of my wet clothes off I then gather materials for a fire, luckily I keep a survival knife and a lighter just incase I get separated from everyone.

It doesn't take long for a fire to get going I pull up some large rocks and lay my wet clothes on it hoping the heat will dry them quickly. I end up falling asleep thinking that the fire seems to make the surrounding feel more lonely than normal without the others to gather around and chat.

When I wake up it is morning I try to get a bearing on where I am located but I don't see anything out to sea not a ship in sight. I don't see anything in land either, I collect my clothes now dry thankfully and put them on. They feel a bit crusty with the salt but a few shakes it feels like I shook most of it out, still smells like a salty fire though.

I reach up and touch my mask, It seems I habitually slept with it on. Reaching up I pull it off and can feel where the salt is stuck to my face where the mask kept it trapped. I walk along the beach carrying my armor and mask, wouldn't want locals killing me on sight. Let them think I was a victim of one of the larger pirate fleets out there. I follow the wind as it blows at me bringing with it the scent of fresh water. While walking I found my pack, it still had the contents a simple med kit my canteen, and two large rockets for the missing launcher that is no longer attached to the bag.

I am kind of regretting not bringing a pistol on operations now, I bring a flare gun instead. I don't know what kind of forces are around or if this is an island so I decide not to launch a flare and wait for rescue. They would look for me but without access to the larger communication networks from before and the bands of marauders it would just end up with me captured or killed I hear the US put out a public bounty for information on any of The Cult members.

Still lamenting over the lack of ranged weaponry I practically stumble on a slow-moving stream. I reach a hand down and feel the cool water, cupping the water into my mouth I gasp when it enters my mouth. It felt sweet as if I hadn't drunken water ever before I ended up washing all my clothes and bag off in the stream.

I leave my clothes in the sun as I sit by the stream eyeing the jungle trying to spot if anyone is watching me. Nothing pops out though and it just looks like a normal jungle, I try to shake my head at the memories of an ex special forces unit that decided to hunt us while we were operating in a jungle. Everything looked like a normal jungle then as well, so I double my effort of trying to spot hidden enemies.

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I am rewarded by spotting the eyes of a small animal that when I spot them disappear as I stand up wielding my knife, although my knife probably wouldn't do much if any big animals decided to fight. While waiting another curious small animal approaches, this time though it comes out from the shade I see it is a fox. I lower my blade but then I think about it. A fox in a jungle?

It was crazy I know but foxes aren't supposed to be in jungles, at least none that I know of. I quickly pick up my still damp clothes putting on the driest set and packing the rest away I hope they don't get moldy. I try to get away from where I spotted the foxes by the stream. Do people train foxes? Are they for tracking anyone who enters their territory? These kind of thoughts increases my pace I end up finding a spot at the edge of the jungle that would allow me to set up a shelter that wouldn't be spotted if someone happened to be on the beach.

The remainder of the day was spent building the shelter, it actually looked pretty decent with my time at the commune allowing me to build what looked more like a shack rather than a survivalist shelter. It would keep the rain off at least if the clouds were anything to go by.

With no chance to really inspect them I look at the two large rockets that I spent most of the day carrying, laying them out on the floor of my new home in front of me. The light from the dying sun shown through the cutout I called a window letting me see that the electronics were broken, no more tracking aircraft for these two.

I take off the electronics and inspecting the old mechanical aspects of the warhead, it was an old one with a manual timer that you could set and leave it, or shooting it out making it burst in the air. I noticed some corrosion so I scrape off the salt from the sea water and tip them on their ends hoping that there wont be more wrong with the internals of the warhead.

Taking stock I got a flare gun, knife, Medical kit, and now two possibly dud improvised explosives. Leaving them to dry and hoping for the best is all I can do for them sadly. I spend the last of light stringing leaves across some sticks making a bed that is off the damp jungle floor. Luckily the med kit came with a body bag, surprisingly good sleeping bag when I stuffed my clothes inside for padding. I tried to sleep but it was difficult without the mask, I figured if anyone was going to be waking me up in the middle of the night they probably don't mean me any good anyways.

I go to the pack and pick up the mask placing it on my head I look out the window. I freeze when I see the two moons.

"Oh fuck..."

Two large moons are in the air one was large and illuminating, the other was small and seemed to peek around the larger one as if trying to get a look at the new person who just entered their house without being spotted.

There is no way earth gained a new moon in the time I was out. My gamer instincts from long ago started to resurface I couldn't help but smile at the two moons and say my favorite line from back in the day as I put on the mask.

"Hello, World"

Yeah I did a bit of coding before the world went to hell nothing too crazy more of a hobby and some college courses on it.

Now I can't sleep because of the prospects of the new world, I try to speak a few lines thinking maybe I'll get a menu or something. Nothing happens seems it's not that kind of world I hope there is magic at least, I've always wanted to do magic. The wind starts to pick up and the breeze enters the shack, I didn't realize it but it was starting to get a bit stuffy in here. I'll have to work on creating a path for the air to flow through the shack better tomorrow morning.

I can't help but think of the amazing creatures or monsters I might encounter but I stop and feel a bit sad for a bit when I remember how I got here. I hope they don't grieve for me for too long, I remember the first deaths they hit hard and I hope it doesn't get worse. I hope she doesn't feel like it is her fault I probably would have been fine if I didn't hesitate in that room.

Shaking the sad thoughts I feel a little less worried about the lack of ranged weaponry but at the same I feel the need for one even greater now especially if there are monsters about. Just as I was thinking of that the wind picks up and a loud thump echoes on the crude door, It startles me I am standing upright with the knife in my hand. I creep to the door and open it what fell down inside when it was opened was a long stick, like a walking stick... or a staff... I can't help but think of the fantastical casting tool now that you are in another world.