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Ethan watched in horror as the villagers dragged the figure away, but strangely, he felt little sympathy for him. The man was just another stranger in a world filled with danger, and Ethan had enough on his plate. He couldn't afford to care about someone who had made the choice to get involved. His only priority was survival.
As the tavern buzzed with malicious laughter, Ethan's heart raced. He felt a deep instinct to flee. The very air around him seemed thick with the scent of desperation and hunger, and it made his skin crawl. He knew that if he lingered any longer, he might become their next target, a stranger ripe for the picking.
He glanced around the dimly lit room, searching for an exit. The heavy wooden door he had entered loomed in front of him, but there were also windows, albeit small and barred. He needed a plan—quickly.
Steeling himself, Ethan slipped deeper into the shadows, moving quietly through the crowd, careful not to draw attention to himself. He could hear snippets of conversation, each one reminding him of the danger he was in. They spoke of "flesh" and "meat," their words chilling him to the bone.
As he neared the door, he noticed a few villagers focused on the struggling figure, their attention divided. With his heart pounding in his chest, Ethan seized his chance. He ducked low, inching toward the exit, praying that no one would notice him.
Just as he reached the door, a loud crash resonated behind him, followed by raucous laughter. He didn't dare look back. He pushed the door open and slipped out into the cool night air, the weight of the grocery bag heavy against his side.
Ethan stepped outside, breathing in the crispness of the forest air, which felt like a welcome relief from the oppressive atmosphere of the tavern. He needed to put as much distance between himself and the village as possible.
The darkened path stretched before him, framed by the looming trees that had once seemed menacing but now felt like a refuge. As he moved deeper into the woods, he couldn't shake the gnawing sense of unease. He had escaped the immediate danger, but he knew he had entered a world where survival was a game of wits and luck.
As he walked, he mulled over his options. He could try to find a safe place to hide until dawn or keep moving to see what else the forest had in store for him. One thing was clear: he needed to stay alert and trust his instincts if he hoped to survive in this brutal new reality.
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