“I still want to leave,” said Mandy finally. “Immigration is going to start in an hour and I’m worried.”
“We’re surrounded by a high Mana area,” I said. “Well, where we came from was a Medium Mana area. It could be worse in other directions. We have practically no gear. I intend to stay here and use the town as a base, at least until we Level some more and build up enough Credits to buy gear that might make moving cross-country something less than suicide. Not to mention trying to get messages to our families.”
“How are we going to get that much money?” said Samantha, worriedly. “Based on what you said first, we’ll have to send emails or whatever and hope our families enter a Trade Center, or else send physical messages and hope somebody nearby gets them and tells our families to go to the Trade Center.”
“I’ll tell you how,” I said with a sardonic smile. “Kill things and take their stuff.”
Joe laughed, though he didn’t look that amused. “Murder hoboes, unite,” he said.
“Exactly,” I replied.
“Last time we nearly all died,” said Mike. “I don’t like those odds.”
“Last time we got taken by surprise, we had little kids to protect, and we weren’t the Levels we are now. Most of us should have gotten another Class Skill slot and several Attribute points. If we fought that bear now it would go very differently,” I said with confidence.
“I have a new Skill that causes fear in creatures around my Level,” added Danielle. “Now that I’m higher Level, if a fight looks rough, I can try that too.”
“That assumes we’re staying,” said Anthony.
“I’m staying,” I said. “I like you all, but I’m not striking out across country until I have better gear and more Levels, period.”
“I don’t understand half of what you’re talking about,” said Dave, “but if you’ll have us I think we’d be smart to stick with you. And either way I agree that walking into the mountains is a bad idea.” Emily and Michelle nodded, though I saw some reluctance on Emily’s face.
“Do what we say, stay out of the way until you Level some, and that’s fine with me,” I said. No one else objected. Emily looked very relieved, for all she’d said she wanted to go earlier.
“Can I offer a suggestion?” I asked Mandy. She nodded.
“Samantha should probably go check on Kaa.” I looked at her. “I’ll give you some meat in case he hasn’t hunted.” She gave me a grateful smile. “Anybody who doesn’t want to be in town when Immigration opens, go with her. Hide in the treeline. If you need to, you can run for town. If nothing terrible happens, we’ll come get you. If we don’t come get you, you can make a break for… well, I don’t know, wherever you think you can get.”
Mandy looked at me speculatively.
“Best I got, Mandy,” I said. “I see your point. I’m not saying you’re definitely wrong. But I don’t like our chances in the woods without some gear.”
Finally, she nodded. “I don’t see a better idea either. Joe, we’ll go with Samantha.”
“I’ll go too,” said Anthony. Mike just nodded.
“You should go with them, Emily,” said Dave.
“Oh fuck no,” she said sharply. “You’re the only family I’ve got left, even if you weren’t the only family I liked in the first place.”
I coughed and looked at Sally and Billy, who were sitting down the table next to Samantha and Mike. Emily just rolled her eyes. “Sorry, dad.”
“And on that note,” I said with a chuckle, “Let’s get this show on the road.” I stepped over and handed two pieces of Black Bear meat to Samantha, who Inventoried them so fast they were barely visible for a second.
There was some handshaking and some hugs. I was sure we’d see each other again, but we hadn’t been apart more than an hour for going on three days. It felt weird. Then most of the group headed back to the tent to get their stuff. They said they’d drop Sally and Billy off with Sheila. Sally looked like she wanted to argue but I told her I needed her help to keep everyone in the tent safe and she agreed. I didn’t know how much longer that would work but I was glad it did.
Meanwhile, Danielle and I walked back to talk to the head cook. She saw me coming and said something I didn’t catch to her helpers, then waved me back around a wagon they must have used to transport some of the food to the refugee center.
“Do you have any more of that meat, sir?” she said in a low voice. “Can you get more?”
“A little,” I said. “And if we go hunting, we can get more meat. Why?”
“Because the food in town isn’t going to last long,” she said in the same low tones. “We’re not supposed to talk about it, but you’re the only person who’s brought any food in since it happened. The City Manager and the Sheriff have been trying to get all the food accounted for. All the refrigerators stopped working and the fresh stuff will be spoiling soon. We’re cooking and smoking as much as we can but that won’t last forever. The hotels and shops have some canned goods, but there’s not even a Sam’s Club or anything in town.” She looked… well, not even nervous. She looked scared.
“Okay,” I said. “Why me?”
“Like I said, you’re the only one who brought anything,” she said. “And that meat… did you see how small the pieces were?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Did you feel full after you ate it?”
I thought about this. “I did, yes.”
“Nobody asked for seconds,” she said. “And it wasn’t because it tasted bad. It was delicious. It was better than the best steak I ever had. But it fills you up. A little of that will go a long way. We sure could use some more.” Her eyes were pleading with me.
“I only have a little left,” I said. “And I want to save it for when we go hunting. It gives you strength. But if we do go hunting, I’ll bring more if I can.” She looked a little happier at this. “Also, the Trade Center will probably sell us food. We’ll just have to get Credits.”
“What?” she asked, going from hopeful to confused. “The blue box? It sells food?”
“It should,” I said. “But it doesn’t use regular money. It wants to trade. It bought some of the claws and teeth from the bear and things like that.”
“What in the world does a metal box want with bear teeth?” she said incredulously.
“No idea,” I responded. “But it’s not the box itself. It’s like a store. Whoever owns the store are the ones who want the stuff. It’s automated, though. We don’t know who actually owns it or what they do with the stuff.”
“That’s the strangest thing I ever heard,” she said.
“Imagine what you’ll know tomorrow,” I said in a deadpan voice. It got me the giggle I wanted from Danielle, but also something I didn’t want.
“Ow!” I said, rubbing my shoulder. Again. “What was that for?”
“Don’t tease the normies,” she said. “I’m sorry, he’s a bit of a smartass.”