Day 32: New Toy
The sky was a deep, oppressive red as Eli, Luke, and Cass continued their trek through the ruins. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the faint, eerie hum of distant creatures echoed through the crumbling streets. The previous day's fight still weighed on Eli's mind, and he could see the tension in Luke's body. But there was no rest for them. Cass had made that clear.
Every day was training now. Each fight a step toward something they could only guess at.
Cass led them through the broken streets with her usual quiet determination. She moved ahead with purpose, scanning the ruins for anything useful. Food, weapons, shelter—anything they could use to stay one step ahead of the dangers that lurked in the shadows.
As they rounded a corner, Eli spotted something unusual among the debris of a collapsed building—a glint of metal, faint but noticeable.
"Wait," Eli said, holding up his hand. He crouched down, brushing aside the dust and rubble. Beneath the debris lay a sleek, black bow—still intact despite the surrounding destruction. The compound bow had a faint sheen of wear, but it looked functional, its limbs unbent and cables taut. Beside it was a quiver with several arrows still inside.
Luke crouched down beside him, his eyes wide with surprise. "A bow? Out here?"
Eli carefully picked up the weapon, inspecting it. "It looks in good shape," he said. "Could be useful."
Cass stepped closer, her sharp eyes narrowing at the bow. For a moment, she seemed to consider it, but then she shook her head. "I'm not the best with a bow," she said, her voice matter-of-fact. "One of you should take it."
Eli glanced at Luke, who was staring at the bow with a mixture of interest and uncertainty. Luke had always been more comfortable with close-range combat—his machete was practically an extension of his arm at this point—but a ranged weapon could give them an edge, especially against the more dangerous creatures they were likely to face.
Luke scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not exactly Robin Hood, but I could give it a try."
Cass gave a curt nod. "Good. Learn quickly. A bow could keep you alive when a blade can't."
Eli handed the bow and quiver to Luke, who slung the quiver over his shoulder, adjusting the strap. The bow felt heavy in his hands, the weight of it unfamiliar. He tested the draw, pulling the string back slowly, his arms straining slightly before he relaxed it.
"Guess I'll need to build up some strength for this," Luke muttered, frowning as he inspected the bow more closely.
Cass folded her arms, watching with her usual critical gaze. "You'll need more than strength. You'll need patience and precision. Hitting a target from a distance isn't like swinging a machete."
Eli could see the challenge settling into Luke's expression. He wasn't one to back down from a fight or a new skill. And the bow, with its clean lines and deadly potential, offered a new kind of freedom—a way to fight without getting too close.
Luke nodded, a look of determination crossing his face. "I'll learn. We'll need every advantage we can get."
Cass gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Practice when you can. The creatures we're going to face won't give you many second chances."
Eli glanced around the ruined city, his thoughts drifting to the days ahead. Cass hadn't said much more about the timeline she was so focused on, but the sense of urgency she carried with her was growing stronger each day. It felt like they were running out of time—like the world was closing in on them, and they had to be ready for something big.
Something that Cass wasn't telling them.
They pressed on through the ruins, Luke occasionally stopping to test the bow on distant targets. It wasn't easy—his first few attempts missed completely, the arrows clattering uselessly against the rubble. But with each shot, he adjusted, learning the feel of the bow, the tension of the string, the weight of the arrows.
Cass remained silent, watching but never interfering. Eli could tell she was observing, measuring their progress. Every step they took, every new skill they learned, was part of her larger plan—one she hadn't fully revealed to them yet.
After a few hours of travel, they found a clearing among the wreckage, a rare spot that wasn't completely overrun with debris. It was quiet, save for the distant howl of the wind, and for once, they didn't sense any immediate danger.
"This is a good place to stop for the day," Cass said, scanning the area. "Practice here. Get comfortable with the bow, Luke. We'll move again at dawn."
Eli nodded, settling down against a pile of rubble as Luke set up a makeshift target—a piece of metal propped up against a broken wall. He nocked an arrow, drawing the bowstring back and aiming carefully.
The arrow flew, missing the target but landing closer than before.
"Better," Luke muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Eli watched him, feeling a strange sense of hope. The bow was more than just a weapon—it was a chance to fight smarter, to survive longer. And they needed every edge they could get.
As the day wore on, Luke's aim improved. He still missed more often than not, but the shots were getting closer, and his movements were becoming more fluid. Each success, small as it was, felt like a victory.
Cass kept her distance, her eyes constantly scanning the horizon. Even though they were resting, her mind was never still. Eli could see the weight of something pressing down on her, the same burden she had been carrying for days now. Whatever was coming, it was close—and they weren't ready yet.
As the sun began to set, casting the ruins in deep, red shadows, Cass finally spoke.
"Tomorrow, we'll find a creature for you to test the bow on," she said, her voice calm but direct. "Something fast. You'll need to hit it before it reaches you."
Luke glanced at her, his face pale but determined. "I'll be ready."
Cass gave a curt nod, her eyes unreadable. "You'd better be."
Eli watched her closely, wondering what was going through her mind. She was always focused, always thinking several steps ahead, but now more than ever, it felt like she was preparing for something specific—something she wasn't telling them. The countdown she had mentioned, the fifteen days, the urgency in her every movement—it all felt like part of a larger plan, one that she hadn't fully revealed.
As they settled in for the night, Eli couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time.
And that whatever Cass was preparing them for, it was coming soon.