Sam continued to move along the shore, breathing heavily as he tried to process what he had just witnessed. The sea appeared calm, but his mind was turbulent. He didn't know where to go or what to do. Everything felt strange, and his fears grew with every moment he spent in this unfamiliar place. The thought of returning consumed him—everything here seemed unknown and fraught with danger.
"I miss the feeling of safety," Sam whispered to himself, gazing at the vast sea ahead. He decided to walk in the opposite direction of where he had seen the figures in the forest, leaving that area as quickly as possible.
He began walking along the shore, avoiding any paths that might lead to unknown places. His only concern was survival. He kept walking, his eyes shifting between the sea and the land stretching before him. The sunlight was fading slowly, and though exhaustion began to show, Sam was certain he couldn't stop now.
Along the way, he noticed remnants of old clothing and scattered objects on the beach. He examined some carefully and found pieces of fabric he could use to wrap around himself and shield against the cold sea breeze. As he continued, he collected small rocks that might prove useful later and stumbled upon strange shells and clams he had never seen before. He wondered if they could be used as food.
But he didn't hesitate long before cracking them open and devouring them ravenously—his current circumstances left him no other choice.
The biggest discovery was a coconut he found along the way. His heart swelled with relief when he spotted it, as it seemed to solve his pressing need for water. Using a nearby stone, he cracked the shell and drank the fresh water inside, feeling a small sense of comfort in his exhausted body. "I think I've survived for now," he thought.
Sam kept walking along the shore. The sand teemed with marine life, and though his steps were heavy, he pressed on. Each step on the muddy ground seemed to lighten the burden of his thoughts, allowing him to focus solely on survival.
As night approached, the air grew colder, prompting Sam to search for shelter. He found a tall tree near the shore and decided to climb it, reaching a wide branch sturdy enough to provide some comfort for sleep.
"Maybe the night won't be so bad here, in this tree," he said to himself, lifting his gaze to the star-filled sky. At least the sky offered something constant, something he could hold onto.
The next morning, Sam awoke to the soft sound of waves in the distance. After a light meal of shellfish, he continued walking until midday, when he noticed a small river flowing into the sea on the horizon. "If I follow this river, I might find civilization. This could be the path to survival," Sam thought to himself.
With that, he decided to follow the river. He was certain that in a place like this, where the wilderness knew only chaos, finding humans was his best chance of survival. He believed the river could lead him to a populated area, where he might find someone to communicate with.
He was sure of one thing: any contact with humans would mean a chance to survive. He hadn't risked approaching the figures he'd seen earlier because they seemed somewhat primitive in appearance. As he walked along the river, he began to feel a glimmer of hope that he had started to lose.
As time passed, anxiety crept back into his heart, but he knew he couldn't stop now. "If I'm going to stay alive, I have to keep following this path."