Day 49: Stories of Survival
The museum's grand hall had taken on a different atmosphere with the arrival of the newcomers. The group had retreated to the center of the room, keeping a respectful distance from Derek and Sarah as they recovered. The woman, still pale and weak, leaned heavily against the wall, her breaths shallow but steady. Derek sat beside her, his shoulders hunched, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him.
Cass handed Derek a piece of bread from their limited supplies, watching him closely as he accepted it with a nod of gratitude. The silence between them was heavy, filled with the unspoken question: What happened to them?
Eli sat a few feet away, his back against the cool stone wall, the weight of the knight's helmet still firmly on his head. He kept his distance, his eyes hidden behind the narrow visor, but he listened intently, every sense alert for any sign of deception or danger.
After a few moments of silence, Derek began to speak, his voice quiet and strained. "We were part of a group," he said, his eyes fixed on the ground. "There were about ten of us… survivors, like you. We were trying to make our way south, away from the worst of the WrathKin territory. We thought… maybe we could find something better."
He paused, swallowing hard, as if the memories were too painful to recall. Cass waited patiently, her expression unreadable but attentive.
"We found a small settlement," Derek continued, his voice growing more distant as he spoke. "Just a few people, living in a fortified camp. They offered us shelter, food… It seemed too good to be true, but we were desperate. We took the chance."
Cass exchanged a glance with Luke and Raya, her posture tense but controlled. "What happened?"
Derek's face tightened, his hands clenching into fists. "It was a trap," he said, his voice thick with bitterness. "They weren't survivors—they were looters. They took everything we had… our supplies, our weapons. They killed two of our people before we even realized what was happening. The rest of us tried to fight back, but we were outnumbered."
Eli felt a cold chill run down his spine as Derek's words sunk in. Looters. The word carried with it a sense of dread, a reminder of the dangers that came not just from the monstrous creatures that roamed the world, but from other humans—people driven to violence and cruelty by desperation.
"Sarah and I… we managed to escape in the chaos," Derek continued, his voice faltering. "We ran, just kept running, not even knowing where we were going. We lost the others… don't even know if they're still alive. We've been on the move ever since, trying to stay ahead of them."
Cass's expression darkened, and she leaned forward slightly, her voice low and urgent. "Do they know you're here? Did they follow you?"
Derek shook his head, though his uncertainty was clear. "I don't think so. We've been careful, tried to stay out of sight. But… we didn't know where else to go."
Sarah, who had been silent until now, opened her eyes slowly, her voice a weak whisper. "They're still out there… searching."
Eli felt the tension in the room increase, the weight of their words hanging over them like a dark cloud. The looters were still out there, hunting for survivors, and now they knew that their new guests had escaped from a group of them. The danger wasn't just from the monsters in the ruins—it was from people who would kill for the resources they had painstakingly gathered.
Cass nodded, her expression hardening. "You're safe here, for now," she said, her voice steady. "But we need to be prepared. If they're still looking for you, there's a chance they could find us."
Luke, standing nearby, tightened his grip on his bow. "We can't take any chances. We need to be ready for anything."
Raya stepped forward, her eyes sharp. "What can you tell us about them? How many? How well-armed?"
Derek looked up at her, his face pale. "There were about a dozen, maybe more. They had guns, knives… they were organized, ruthless. They knew what they were doing."
Cass's jaw tightened. "We'll fortify the entrances even more. Make sure they can't get in."
Eli listened to the conversation, the helmet's visor hiding the concern etched on his face. The museum, once a place of refuge, now felt vulnerable, exposed. If the looters found them, they'd be in for a fight—one they might not win.
"We'll keep watch," Cass said, her tone firm. "Two people at all times. If they come, we'll be ready."
The group nodded in agreement, the weight of the situation sinking in. Derek and Sarah had brought with them a new threat, one that couldn't be ignored. The museum was secure, but if the looters found them, it would become a battleground.
As they began to discuss their plans, Eli remained silent, his mind racing. The helmet felt heavy on his head, the metal a constant reminder of the scars he was hiding. But now wasn't the time for hesitation. If the looters came, they'd have to fight, and Eli would need to be ready.
But as the conversation continued, a new sound interrupted the planning—a sound that made Eli's blood run cold.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knocking was soft, almost polite, as if someone were gently tapping on the door. But the sound was unmistakable, echoing through the museum's stone halls like a harbinger of doom.
Everyone froze, the tension in the room snapping back into place. Cass's eyes narrowed, and she motioned for everyone to stay quiet, her finger pressed to her lips. The group exchanged uneasy glances, the fear in their eyes mirrored by the pounding of their hearts.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sound came again, more insistent this time, but still strangely calm. It was as if whoever was outside knew they were being heard, and was waiting patiently for a response.
Cass motioned for Luke and Raya to take their positions by the door, their weapons ready. Eli's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing with the possibilities. Was it the looters? Or was it something else, something even more dangerous?
Cass approached the door cautiously, her hand hovering near the latch. She exchanged a glance with Eli, who moved to her side, the weight of the helmet grounding him in the moment.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knocking continued, slow and deliberate, a sound that seemed to carry a hidden menace. The group tensed, every muscle ready to react, every breath held in anticipation.
Cass took a deep breath, her voice steady as she called out. "Who's there?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then, a voice, muffled by the thick wood of the door but unmistakably human, replied.
"We mean no harm."
The voice was calm, almost friendly, but there was something in the tone that set Eli on edge. He couldn't place it, but it was enough to make the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
Cass's grip tightened on the door. "What do you want?"
A pause, then the voice came again, just as calm. "Just shelter. We've been on the road for a long time. Please, let us in."
Eli's heart raced, his mind flashing back to Derek's story, to the looters who had set a trap for them. He glanced at Cass, who was weighing her options, the conflict clear in her eyes.
"We can't trust them," Luke whispered, his voice tight. "It could be a trap."
Cass nodded slightly, her expression hardening. She stepped back from the door, her decision made.
"We're not opening the door," she said, her voice loud enough for the person outside to hear. "Move on."
For a moment, there was silence, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the voice outside replied, still calm, still polite.
"Alright. We'll leave you in peace."
The group waited, every nerve on edge, listening for any sign that the stranger was actually leaving. But after a few moments, there was only silence. No footsteps, no movement—just the quiet that had fallen over the museum once more.
Cass held up a hand, signaling for everyone to stay quiet. She pressed her ear to the door, listening intently for any sound. But there was nothing—just the eerie stillness that seemed to settle over the ruins outside.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Cass stepped back, her expression grim. "We're doubling the watch," she said, her voice firm. "No one lets their guard down. We don't know who that was or what they wanted, but we're not taking any chances."
The group nodded in agreement, the unease lingering in the air. The knock on the door had shattered the sense of security they had worked so hard to build, reminding them that the world outside was still filled with threats—both known and unknown.
Eli's heart slowly began to calm, but the sense of dread remained. The museum, for all its strength, was still just a temporary refuge. And now, with the threat of the looters hanging over them, every shadow, every sound would be a reminder that they were never truly safe.
As the group resumed their watch, Eli stayed near the door, the knight's helmet still securely on his head. The world outside was a dangerous place, and they were living on borrowed time.
Whatever was coming, they had to be ready.