Blaze rubbed his head and said, "… and the lightning was weird too…"
He wondered if he survived the virus because of the lightning, but that didn't explain how he survived the lightning that should have vaporized him judging by how powerful it was.
He guessed that there might be some link or relation between the lightning and his survival, but he didn't know what it was.
He had seen many people survived from electric shocks or burns, but he had never seen anyone survived a direct strike from a thunderbolt. He had no clue how he did that, or what it did to his body.
"Strange… Guess there's more mystery surrounding the lightning than we expected. I didn't even have any wounds at all." He said in disbelief as he checked his skin carefully for any signs of damage.
He examined his body, expecting to find some traces of the electric shock that had hit him, but there was nothing. His skin was as smooth and flawless as ever, showing no signs of injury. He wondered if the lightning had somehow healed or regenerated him, or if he had just been incredibly lucky.
Blaze glanced at his notebook, where he had written a summary of his experience. Along with the words, he had also drawn some lines and circles, and some doodles that he made while thinking. 'How is it possible that I have no scars?' he thought. 'I can still remember how the zombies were biting me…'
He remembered how the undead creatures had sunk their teeth into his arm, ripping off a piece of his flesh and blood, and then how the lightning had struck him.
Blaze shook his head and closed his notebook. He realized that he had wasted too much time reminiscing about the past, and that he needed to concentrate on the present.
He had no clue how long he had been unconscious, or what had happened in the world during that time. He had to figure out where he was, and what he should do next.
He grabbed the backpack and goods that he had found in the house, and left a note on the table, saying "Thank you."
He also copied the embroidery on the backpack and sketched it below the text, as he always did.
He walked out of the house, and muttered to himself, "Now, where am I?" He looked around and saw a village-like place, with houses that had a modern design.
He surveyed his surroundings, looking for any signs of life or movement, but there was nothing.
The place was once a subdivision, but now it was a ghost town, covered by overgrown vegetation and crumbling houses. It was a place that had been abandoned and forsaken by civilization. It was a place that was silent and decaying.
Blaze checked his compass and climbed a tree. He tried to estimate the direction of the settlement, but he could not recognize any familiar features. He had no idea which gate of the settlement he had been thrown out of.
He ruled out the north to southeast side of the settlement, knowing that it was a wasteland there. He had seen it once, and he despised it.
It was a place where the earth was scorched by the sun, and the wind whipped dust and sand into your face. It was a place where you could perish from thirst or heatstroke in an instant, or be assaulted by twisted zombies in a blink.
He was relieved that he was not there, but he still had a long way to go. He had to narrow down his options and pinpoint his location.
He needed to spot some landmarks or hints that could help him orient himself and determine his position. He needed to locate some water or food sources that could nourish him and keep him alive. He needed to find some shelter or protection that could defend him from the elements and the foes.
Blaze was still uncertain if he should return to warn other protectors, and he was not eager for revenge knowing that he stood no chance against them.
He felt torn about his situation. On one hand, he wanted to inform his fellow protectors about the treachery and the new menace of the fire zombies. He felt a sense of obligation and fidelity to them, and he wanted to assist them in surviving.
On the other hand, he wanted to steer clear of the settlement and the people who betrayed him. He felt a sense of rage and bitterness towards them, and he wanted to evade them at all costs.
But knowing where he was, was a good start to move forward and he didn't want to unwittingly go back to the settlement by chance.
He decided that the first thing he needed to do was to figure out his location and direction. He did not want to roam aimlessly in this perilous world, nor did he want to accidentally encounter the settlement and face his enemies again.
He wanted to have some control over his fate, and some choice over his actions. He wanted to find a new path for himself, and a new purpose for his life.
He was lucky that the few undead had passed him by, oblivious to his presence. He was far enough from their rotting senses, more than fifty meters away.
He scanned the surroundings with his keen eyes, looking for anything of interest or danger. His attention was drawn to a massive hole in the ground, a stark contrast to the urban landscape.
It seemed like a meteorite had struck the earth, leaving behind a wide and circular dent. It was not very deep, but it spanned about a hundred meters across. The soil around it was blackened and fissured.
He had a hunch that this was where he had been dragged and tied up, and the crater was the effect of the lightning. He could not believe how he had survived such an event.
Having nothing else to do, he ended up deciding to go and check out the crater, definitely not out of curiosity, though the smile on his face was apparent as he seemed to enjoy a discovery that no one had ever encountered before.