the dog

[JaySovereign]

 

I've had this idea in my head for a while now. It's a pretty simple idea and I'd like to write about it. I hope you all like it. I only have the mod on to get nice pictures for the story, don't worry! Also, disregard the day stamp on some of the photos, I took them from my screenshot folder across multiple saves.

 

 

Chapter One: Alone

I could hear the blizzard howling outside. This was going to be another day being holed up indoors, it looked like. I'd been waiting for hours for it to let up, but the cards didn't play in my favor. Being on my own out here, this was often the case. It was cold, frightening and oh, so lonely. If I were so bold, I'd like to say that I'd gotten used to it, but that would be a lie. Even if I really were the last one here, I'd never accept that fact. Deep down, I knew that it was entirely possible. Every person I'd come across had passed away long ago, their bodies eerily preserved in the frost. I caught myself actually talking to them. I gave a name to the one lying against the train tracks nearby. I call him Bob. Sometimes Bill. He's a quiet fellow.

 

The sign outside says "Mystery Lake Camp Office", or something like that. My ability to read was slowly melting away as my mind slowly reverted back to what I'd assume to be pure survival instinct. I'd already read my share of the books stashed in the office and the others I could find in the cabins nearby. Most had been used as fire fuel, unfortunately. Some days, I didn't have the energy to go out and chop wood in a blizzard. I remember one of the books giving techniques on how to start a fire when one is out in the wilderness. I found it kind of ironic that it's now served it's purpose in more way than one. As for the office, itself, it was pretty empty when I came across it. It was as though a party had broken out and it was abandoned shortly after. For a good few days, I spent my time organizing the empty cans and broken chairs, which had been thrown around or discarded on the ground like trash. Despite that, though, this place was my home and it sure beat sleeping outside.

My name wasn't something I could remember. Heck, I couldn't even accurately place exactly when I'd arrived here. Or why. I could only recall waking up in the snow somewhere near that old train tunnel. I recall there being another body out there, but the crows had claimed it as their own. Maybe those lights effected them as well. It sure drove the predators here wild. Bears should be sleeping this  time of the year right? But then again, what exactly -was- this time of the year? I felt like months had passed and the days only seemed to be getting shorter and colder as they passed.

That reminds me of something. A whole lot of things, to be exact. I heard them howling in the distance. They weren't even wolves anymore, I don't think. I'd seen them before on nature shows. They were noble, stoic animals who were always together in a tightly knit pack. It was really admirable. Those...things outside, though...those were monsters. Even worse than the bears, in my opinion! They had such hunger, such ferocity. And when those lights came into the sky, I swear something would come over them. I could see it in their eyes. My current ways to deal with them was feeble, at best. They were getting more and more bold, taking one step closer during every encounter. I didn't want to think about what would happen if they lost their fear of fire. They already don't fear man, or at least they don't show it. All my other options of dealing with them have run out, it seems. My rifle had run out of rounds weeks ago and I wasn't daring enough to venture along the train tracks to the next village. I found out quickly that the stupid tunnel took me to a frigid marsh where I nearly fell through that blasted ice!

After a long while of more pondering, I came out of my own thoughts and stood up. Blizzard or not, I had to eat. I couldn't be a coward forever.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Two: Freezing

When I got outside, the wind hit my face and I considered going back inside as it felt like frigid needles piercing my skin. The snow had weakened slightly, and I was quickly losing daylight, so I took a look around for something, anything I could forage. After a while of searching over the hills and around the train tracks, I saw a whole lot of nothing. I couldn't go back home in defeat. I'd already been stuck inside for the last few days with only a can of fish to satisfy me. I then remembered what exactly I'd done with that metal can. That's right, the camp office had a work table, so I was able to get a few pieces of scrap metal out of it. I tried making a few fish hooks with it, but I only had one line. It was the one I'd found while rummaging through the desk's drawers. I think I put it back in there because I didn't want it to puncture my jacket if I'd fallen or anything. It was in enough of a rough shape as is.

I took the trip back to the office and found the fishing lines where I'd left them. It was so dark inside that it certainly took me a while. I had to be careful once again. One wrong move and I could have a wound that might just do me in. I had enough cloth for a makeshift bandage, but to treat a wound without disinfectant was too risky. My oil lamp had run out too and I sure as hell wasn't going to waste a match because I couldn't see for a few seconds. I knew my way around the office well enough, anyway.

I went back outside and the cold greeted me like a punch to the face. I braced myself and walked over to the nearest fishing hut. I'd never done this before in my life, but one of those books had a few tips and tricks that I did somehow remember. Otherwise, I was out of luck if I couldn't find any more food out here. I heard the howling of those wolves again. This time, closer. I practically ran the rest of the way to the fishing hut. I didn't have the energy to bring any firewood for the stove behind me, but I did bring my oil lamp. That book did have a note saying I could use fish oil for it.

Fumbling around in the dark for a bit, I noticed that whoever was here last had left some wood behind. I was going to use it to cook up the fish I'd catch. That was, if I actually caught any. I sat down in front of the fishing hole and contemplated on how to crack it open. I didn't want to risk damaging my hunting knife, so I took out the hatchet and broke the ice away. It certainly wasn't an easy job. Taking out the fishing hook and line, I tied them together and dipped it into the water and thus began the waiting game.

Several hours later, I'd been lucky enough to not only catch a few fish, but keep my hook and line, too. But, my luck had come to a abrupt stop when I noticed that blizzard had returned outside. I chose to wait it out by cooking up the fish and make an attempt at getting the oil. The fish were scrawny and would hardly last a few days. I probably would have to make a few trips here until I finally lost my fishing line. After that, I wasn't sure. I did get oil for the lamp, though. I quickly turned it on and was bathed in its' comforting glow.

I took a few moments to relax, but I couldn't waste that precious oil, so I was met with darkness again soon after. Seeing as the blizzard wasn't letting up any time soon, I spent the rest of the night fishing and getting only winks of sleep in between catches.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Three: Decision

Around a week later, I came to a conclusion: I could not stay here. My line had snapped and I was out of options. Those tracks must go somewhere, right? I stocked up on everything and double-no-triple checked everything over before heading out. It wasn't a bad day to travel, light snow was falling from the sky and there was a light breeze. I arrived to the tracks and looked both ways. To the left was the tunnel with that frozen swamp. I didn't where the right lead to, so I chose that direction and kept walking.

It had been a few hours and wolf encounters later that I came across a bridge which lead to the Carter Hydro Dam. I'd came across a few train cars on the way which gave me only one mere scrap of cloth and that medical kit had a moldy energy bar in it for some reason. I couldn't afford to be picky and I desperately needed the energy so I gobbled it down.

I wondered if I should go through the dam to see what was in there, but the gated door was locked and a sign said something like "No Trespassing" so I left it be. There was probably a treasure trove of useful things in there, but I wasn't about to take a chance with that barbed wire. All wasn't lost, though. There were portable trailers nearby and I took a quick look through them, coming across a few cans of pop and a chocolate nut bar. Behind them, someone had left a useful prybar. It was beat up, but was bound to be still usable somehow.

I continued along the train tracks and soon realized that the trail came to an end and the cars had fallen down into the ravine. I did spot a fallen tree limb that would give me perfect bridge if I could stomach the frightening sight. Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward and carefully made my way across, my heart in my head the entire way. Arriving at the other side, I was glad I'd never have to go through THAT ever again! Feeling a bit proud of myself, I followed the tracks until I realized it was getting darker. Spotting a nearby cave, I chopped up some fallen tree limbs and got myself enough firewood to last the night.

Sometime during the night, I woke up to an eerie green color flooding in from outside. I added more wood to the fire and took a few steps out of the cave to take a look. I'd seen them so many times now, but each new sight just had me in awe every time. I don't recall them ever being this bright in the past...

 

 

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Four: Coastal Highway

I was wrong about the heights. It did happen again! The train trestle had been damaged and I'd had to inch across it with fear in my heart and panic in my head. I swear that experience alone took a few years off my life, whatever was left of it, anyway. After that, I came across another train tunnel. Seeing as it went on for quite a ways, I took a minute to rest, downing one of those cans of orange soda and the chocolate bar. It was still surprisingly fizzy despite being left behind for such a long time. Coming out the other end, I squinted and saw another bridge in front of me. Luckily, it wasn't broken. I didn't think I could do that again. The only thing that gave me peace about what'd happened was that I wouldn't have to do it again. I wasn't going back.

Coming up to the bridge, I saw another train tunnel nearby. It had caved in, though and didn't look passable. There was a portable trailer nearby, though. I found another hatchet around back and another oil lamp inside. I left the lamp behind seeing as I already had one. If I had the time, I'd try to break it down for the metal.

So, now my path had come to an end. I wasn't sure what to do. Going back over the bridge, I saw a steep path go down a hill into the unknown. I couldn't afford not to take the chance and went on my way.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Five: Ravaged Evidence

I spent the next few days getting familiar with this new region. There were a lot of houses to explore. I probably sounded like a filthy plunderer, but if anyone had a problem with it, I doubt I'd ever hear from them. I still think I'm the only one out here. It's becoming more and more clear that either people have deserted these places, or were caught off-guard and succumbed to the elements. My guess it both.

While mapping out the area, I came across a mine that I assumed would lead to another region entirely. I hated the idea of being in a cramped space that could collapse on me any second and really didn't want to enter. The curious part of me did want to go look, even if it was just a peek. I gave in went through gate, which had been left open, turned on my lamp and went through. I didn't get to go too deep inside as I quickly came across something unsettling.

It was a wolf. One of Those wolves. One of the monsters. It was lying dead at my feet and it looked as though something had torn into it. I didn't wait around to find out exactly what kind of animal could do this and left. My mind raced as I wandered back to the townsite. I knew the wolves did die from natural causes. Of course they did. I just didn't know what would actually like to dine on one. I'd never come across such a thing in my experience this far. The most I'd find was a few deer carcasses left behind by other predators. Even the meat I harvested from that had been gamey and almost rancid-tasting. Whatever had done this was clearly hungry. Hopefully, not for me.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Six: Encounter

What had happened in the mines had scarred me in some way, it was clear. What if another person had hunted it? I wasn't ready to go back to being around people. For one, I'd be held accountable for everything I'd broken into, every thing I'd taken, every car trunk I'd pried into... But, seriously, who were they to blame me? They were  desperate enough to eat a wolf, for Pete's sake! For some reason, despite all my worries, that curious part of me wanted to go back and get more information. This time, I didn't give in. I stayed put and went about my routine. I'd gotten good at making the fishing lines. I could stomach being around those deer carcasses long enough to get my hands on the guts to take them back home to cure. It really was all I could make the lines out of at the moment. The gas station I was living in had a lot of metal lying around and had a work bench! I was living comfortably in there for the moment. I'd hauled out one of the coolers that I had found inside and kept my extra fish inside. I didn't want them attracting those wolves.

I was currently heading out to the one of nearby fishing huts to stock up on more fish when I heard something in the distance. It was a noise I didn't recognize. It resembled that of a wolf when it was warning me to stay away. They'd give a few warning barks before charging. Lately, they didn't even give me that and just went for the kill the second they saw me. It was especially worse with those lights in the sky. What I was hearing was coming closer as the barking was echoing less and less. I saw a few wolves run past me, taking off into the woods close by. A few moments later, I saw something that resembled them, but was a little smaller and I assumed it to be a dog. I hadn't seen any wild dogs out here. Perhaps its' owner was somewhere nearby?

It paid no attention to me, but gave up chasing the wolves and went off further down the road until I could no longer see it. It would make sense if that dog had come across that carcass of that wolf that'd fallen through that hole in the mine and had a meal of it. I wasn't sure why they'd flee from it, though. Sure, its' barking was intimidating and noisy, but I didn't believe that alone would fool those wolves.

Not thinking much more of it, I headed out to the fishing huts and spent the rest of the day and good half of the night stocking up on fish. On my way back to the garage, I noticed those lights in the sky. They lit up some of the electronics and the artificial lights came to life. As pretty as it was, those wolves surely wouldn't give me any time to appreciate them. Especially not here. They seemed to prowl this area without remorse.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Seven: Hunting?

A few days later, I got sights of the dog, but saw no sign of the owner. I wasn't sure if it even had one. I assumed it was a German Shepherd because of its' size and markings. It still had no interest in me. I did think it would make a great hunting dog, but it probably didn't trust being around humans anymore. It didn't stick around for me to try and tempt it close with some bait, either. I had to try something else.

I was never much of a dog person and after the countless attacks by the wolves, I was pretty sure I was not open the idea of having anything from the canine family come close to me any time soon. It was, however, very lonely out here. I'd gone through all the books I found out here a while ago and I could only be so entertained while making up the dozen or so fishing lures I needed. I did find a few bullets I could use for those bucks out on the lake, but I chose to save them for now. I'd learned my lesson from the other region I'd lived in.

I currently was contemplating going out to get some firewood until I heard crows in the skies nearby. They let me know whenever something had died, but they weren't afraid to peck at your hat if you stayed too long! Following the noise, I went out onto the lake, still a little wary of the ice, and came across an elk carcass. It looked fresh enough and the meat should sit well enough in my stomach. I could also get my hands on the guts for the fishing lines. Overall, it was an opportunity I couldn't waste.

I approached it and took out my knife to started to harvest the elk. I was still a little clumsy and would often end up with more bone than meat at times. Those books surely didn't give you the first-hand experience you'd need out here. They were better than nothing, though. I was about to head back until I heard growling behind me. It didn't sound like a wolf.

That dog stood a good few meters away from me, snarling at me. There was a scary, wild look in its' eyes. I wouldn't have enough time to reach for my flare or torch if it were to charge right now. I flinched when it barked a few times. It probably wanted the elk carcass behind me, though I hadn't left much meat on it. I began to feel a little bad. The dog was just trying to survive too. Looking back at it, I noticed it was staring at the bloodied knife in my hands that I'd used on the elk. It's disposition became slightly less aggressive once I put it back into my pack.

Coming up with an idea, I took out some of the meat I'd harvested and held it out towards the dog. It didn't budge, but stared at me and the meat. We both knew it wanted to eat. I didn't waste time and set it down on the ground and backed away. The dog came forward, but was on guard. It scooped up the meat and retreated towards the snow banks nearby. I then saw it look in my direction once more before taking off into the fog.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Eight: Blizzard

The fog carried on onto the night. It was mild outside, so I gather up some wood and cooked what remained of the elk meat and raw fish. The guts and hides were curing inside. I'll be honest, the smell wasn't the most pleasant thing I'd come across. The meat wasn't much better, but hunger overcame that thought almost every time. How my stomach managed to keep it down was something short of a miracle. You know, aside from everything else I'd been through surviving out here. I told myself I should probably look into finding other people, or at least a society somewhere. Only, I didn't want to leave. My few memories I had of my life before weren't very exciting. I recall having a boring desk job filling in spreadsheets with data for hours on end.

I hadn't asked for this, though. I didn't think anyone would, deep down. There had been a few days when I did feel myself getting weaker from starvation or slowly freezing over from the cold. The experience was unpleasant, to say the least.

As if in tune to my misery, the wind picked up and the snow started to plummet from the sky. I sighed and put out the fire before going back inside. The wind was at my back as I went through the entrance of the gas station. I knew the food I'd cooked up would be safe outside in that container. I almost never had anything warm unless it was a really cold night. I carried a few cans of soup on me for that very reason. It was difficult to not give in and go through all the preserved, packaged food during my first week or so here. The date on the can read that they should be good for another year or so. I almost cursed when I realized I could be out here for that long, or perhaps even longer than that.

I looked over to the closest fire barrel once I noticed the cold was biting through my winter coat/jacket combo. Seeing as I was surrounded by a plentiful bounty of firewood, I tried making a flame indoors. I failed the first time due to my own clumsiness and inexperience. I refused to waste another match and went for my firestriker. It was a little time consuming, but I had more success with it. I searched my pack for one of the cans of soup and warmed it up. It certainly worked wonders when you were as down in the dumps as I was.

I made a choice that night.

I was not going back to society.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Nine: It's Quiet

I woke up to silence. The blizzard had passed in the night. I walked out into the shed and checked on the progress of the curing for the guts. Apparently, they'd still need a good few days. Some of the older ones were ready to be fashioned into lines. The workbench was close by, but covered in the tools I used to make the fishing equipment. I found some better quality tools hidden underneath the tool shed, but I decided to save those for later. I had to think for the long run. Especially now.

I spent a good few minutes making new fishing lures. I wondered if there was another way I could hunt those elks. There was an archery book I found that I hadn't touched. I just didn't think it was enough to bring down such a big, powerful animal. Once I was done stocking up on fresh lures, I looked through the shelves for the book. It said "Keep on Target!" and I skimmed through the first few pages. It was generous enough to instruct me on how to get my hands on a bow in the first place. Cured Maple Sapling? What on Earth even was that? It sounded like a tree? Maybe a small one, I guess? I do recall seeing a few on my way over here, though. It wouldn't hurt to go check those areas later.

As for the arrows, it called for Cured Birch Saplings for making the arrow shafts along with arrow heads and feather. It seemed like such a difficult endeavor, but at least I had the option now. I knew as a fact that those crows did molt their feathers at the scene of a carcass. Maybe I could use those? As for the arrowheads, they were just shaped metal, right? I didn't think I could make the fire here hot enough to work the metal, though. That would require a forge, or something.

The road here did continue along the river. I knew there wasn't a forge here because I was pretty familiar with the area. It had to be further along the coast, somehow. I heard that the old ships used coal to power themselves, or something like that. Maybe some were docked up there? I didn't have much of a choice. I couldn't live on fish forever. 

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Ten: Journey

I spent the rest of the day getting prepared for my trip. I packed an extra few cans of soup, an energy bar and bandages. I didn't plan on going too far, but it didn't hurt to be prepared. Once I got outside the next morning, I heard the same crows in the sky circling the same elk from before. I wondered if they'd dropped their feathers, so I went over for a quick look. To my luck, the wind hadn't blown them away yet. The archery book called for a good number of them. I took a mental note to pick up any I came across in the future. They has almost no weight to them, so I figured why not.

 

I continued along the road and came across a little grove of rabbits. They were much too fast for me to catch, so I stupidly threw rocks at them, missing horribly. I mumbled curses to myself before turning away and leaving them behind. If I ever got my hands on that bow, I'd make a quick meal out of them if I couldn't get the hang of throwing the rocks.

Hearing the crows again, I saw them flying over a body nearby. It was another person. I checked them over for anything useful and found nothing. All their clothes were frozen to their body, rendering them useless. I did get my hands on a few more feathers, though! There were also a few cabins nearby. Only one was still in tact. The others had been taken by the wind and storms, I assumed. Inside, I found more cloth, a few cans of food and a new pair of socks. I could break down the couch and chairs for materials, but that was incredibly time consuming. I chose to leave it for later and went back outside to get back to my journey.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Eleven: Follower

I was about to get back to walking on the road until I heard the rabbits cry out and barking behind me. Turning to see what was going on, I saw the dog from before chasing after them. The rabbits looked to be too fast for it to catch, too. The dog kept trying, though, which was admirable. For a moment, I wondered if it had been following me. I figured that if it had been hunting me that it would've taken the chance already. Seeing as it was too occupied with the rabbits, I took my chance to keep walking along the coast and further up the road.

I came across a car of which I searched through. Prying open the trunk wasn't an easy task and once again I did feel bad for doing it. There was a red and white hat inside along with a scarf. I quickly replaced my cotton hat with it and wrapped the scarf around myself. I already felt better. Inside the car, I found a chocolate bar and a package of jerky. I figured them to still be edible.

Beyond the car, though, the rocks had collapsed all over it. There was still a way to pass through, though. I squeezed through the narrow passageways until I found myself on the other side. It wasn't easy, though. I even had to crawl underneath a rock of which I barely even fit under. I did find some red berries that I did recall growing everywhere. I'd picked a few to try for later, but I couldn't help but be worried over becoming poisoned.

The rest of the roadway was pretty rough in this region with trees and rocks just strewn about. I did find an elk carcass which I stripped a little meat from. There wasn't left and it had clearly been sitting there for a while. I picked up two more feathers took a look around the area. The houses here were wrecked and it didn't look as though anything could be salvaged until I noticed an entrance to an outdoor basement. Inside, was a medical kit which had an emergency stim along with a washer and dryer. I got another warm sweater to wear, but the thin t-shirt was useless, so I broke it down for cloth and set out again.

Once outside, I caught sight of the dog again. It was quite a distance away from me, sniffing for something along the lake. I was pretty sure it had to been following me. But, what for? Was it because I'd fed it that one time? People had said that dogs had only learned to stay with us because we fed them. I wasn't sure what to think. The optimistic part of me, as reduced as it had become, liked to believe that there was an actual bond there. For now, I left it be. As long as it wasn't actively hunting me, I was fine with it being there.

My attention went to a nearby car, which was empty except for a few pieces of newsprint. I found it made great tinder. Off to the left I found a few rabbits making use of the long golden reeds by munching of them. I tried to hunt a few with the stones, but the grass made it very hard to get a hit in. Once I did manage to hit one, I walked over and realized it was only stunned. I didn't have it in me to finish the job and left it.

I didn't expect to see the dog swoop in and take off with the rabbit in its' mouth. I should've been more upset, but I'd already decided to leave it behind. Elsewhere, I heard the dog digging into its' new snack. I left it be and chose to continue walking along the road, but not for long. It had collapsed, which meant I would have to go around. The snow down there looked to be at least waist deep, so I made sure to avoid it. Once I arrived to the other side, I realized it had been for naught as another landslide had taken place here, completely blocking the road. Disappointed, I wondered if I should head back. There was a truck parked nearby and it was then that I realized just how tired I was. It was warmer inside and I slept a few hours away behind the wheel.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Twelve: Miner Delays

When I woke up again, I heard the wind had picked up and snow drifted in with it. This certainly wasn't weather to travel in. I got out and took another look around, spotting a path with logs lined up along the side of it. Seeing no other option, I followed it and came to the entrance of a mine. I still had a fear of them, but it was either go through or walk back in a blizzard, so I opened the hatch and went through. I did leave the gate open just in case that dog was bold enough to follow me.

It was dark inside, but happened to be slightly warmer at least. I took out my oil lamp and turned it on. Not really knowing which direction to go, I just chose a path and went with it, following it to the end. I had to crawl under rocks and get dirt all over my coat. There were a few metal containers I came across, though. One of them had cured leather and I found some lamp oil sitting on one of the metal shelves. This place also had coal and a whole ton of it. I picked up a few pieces for the forge and kept going.

I eventually came to the end of the mine and found a red tool storage box. I found a pair of gloves that were made out of leather and wool. They were warmer than what I was wearing and I took the time to switch them up, putting my old ones back into my pack. Then, I turned out my lamp and went outside. I dreaded coming back this way, but there wasn't any other way.

Being in this brand new region was a little overwhelming and confusing. I followed the path down to the road and wandered along it for a while. I saw a structure in the distance and made that my new destination. From here, it appeared to be a church made out of stone. I hope it was good enough shelter to sleep in tonight.

 

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Thirteen: Stone Church

When I finally reached the building, I took note of the windows that were all blown out. It probably wasn't the best shelter, but I wasn't about to head back out as the weather was getting worse by the minute. Heading inside, I looked through everything and looted a can of pop and a couple stacks of reclaimed wood. The fire barrel nearby would be useful, especially tonight. I didn't think I'd survive the night without it. The type of wood wouldn't burn for long, though, so I searched nearby for some fallen limbs to chop up. While I was doing so, I came across what appeared to be a shelf mushroom growing out of a tree stump. Those were edible, right? Getting them off the tree stump took a while as I didn't want to get any further wear on my knife.

I also spotted a few rabbits nearby and took a few minutes to practice my stone-throwing technique. Or lack of, it seemed. I managed to get a general grasp of it until I was forced inside. It just got so cold too fast. Immediately, I fired up the wood in the barrel and tried to cook the the mushrooms. There wasn't much substance to them as they kind-of shriveled up when boiled, but they made a nice-smelling broth. I also tried making those berries into a tea. It tasted a little strange, but was light and I warmth I felt was welcomed.

The blizzard stayed for a few days and while that was going on, I broke down a few of the planks that were strewn everywhere and did my best to relax. I knew things would get worse if I imagined it so, so I did my best to keep my cool. It was far too chilly to leave the church for long to get more firewood, so I had to settle with that the planks gave me for now. I was never much of a religious person, but I prayed that this would be enough.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Fourteen: Lighthouse

It was cold when I woke up again. The fire had gone out. The blizzard was over, but I was exhausted. I'd gone through what little food I'd brought with me and I wasn't sure if I had the energy to hunt again. I walked over to where the rabbits where and saw the dog trying to catch them again, not really going after one, but chasing after any it saw. It was probably hungry. When I approached, I heard it growl quietly and then look at the stone in my hands. I threw it a few times before hitting one of the rabbits. I made no move to retrieve it and the dog seemed to have taken the hint to claim it. The dog took off with it and left me behind.

"You're welcome!" I commented sarcastically.

Looking off to the coast, I saw a lonely lighthouse out there. I wondered if there were some supplies, or if it even had a fishing hut nearby. I gathered what was left of my energy and set off to it.

I wandered over to it. As I did so, I could feel my energy draining away. I started to a little dizzy, and nearly fell off the bridge that lead to the lighthouse. Going up to the door, I found that it was locked. Oh, no. I was not going to give up that easily. With a good kick, the door flew open and I went inside. I hastily went through everything and felt instant relief when I found a can of peaches and downed them on the spot. I also found a few bandages in the medical kit along with some piles of wood next to the stove. The drawers were unfortunately empty though, so I went upstairs to continue my search.

Up there, was a bed and a package of crackers hidden underneath it. I also found a can of soup and a few books. Doing a quick scan of them, they didn't hold any useful information and I didn't have the room to carry them, so I left them behind. Upstairs, there were lockers, most I had to pry open, but I quickly found that it was worth it. A nice new winter coat was in there along with what appeared to be snow pants. They needed repairs, but I was confident I could manage to repair it just fine. To the left, there was a ton of things I could break down for wood if I needed to. Then, I arrived to the lighthouse hatch which lead to the roof. Outside, there was a metal container which had a scrap of fabric in it. I'd use it for repairs later. I then looked out to the scenery before me.

I saw a ship and what looked to be an old whaling yard in the distance. No fishing huts, though. I knew the forge had to be over there, or at least a capable hot furnace they used. Whichever worked. I'd brought most of my scrap metal with me, so I really hoped this would be the case. Going back inside, I wondered if I should stay here and rest a bit or go straight to the ship. I didn't think I had it in me to make it that far on a single can of peaches and ate the salty crackers before taking a few hours worth of nap.

 

[JaySovereign]

(The screenshots might be a little different as I'm on my laptop now. My back hurts too much to continue playing on the desktop for now, sorry! Also, please let me know what you think!)

Chapter Fifteen: The Ship

I felt slightly better after resting for a bit and went outside to face the day before me, or what was left of it, anyway. The ship was clear in my sights, though, so I made it my target and set out towards it. Unfortunately, there were a number of wolves prowling nearby. I readied my flare and continued. I kept my distance and they left me well enough alone. Now at the ship, I realized it was much older than I imagined, it's wood rotting away before my eyes. I wondered if it was safe to enter, let alone explore. Taking out my lantern, I took my first step inside.

First of all, this was one messy ship, but I was rather excited to see all the different things around I could break down into some scrap metal! There was a body in the room up the stairs. The smell had me turning away to go back down. I peeked through the rooms until I found it. The forge:

I found a ton of coal lying around and collected them. I started the fire and added the coal after letting it heat up for a bit. It took me a while to figure out how to get it hot enough so I could work with the metal, but in the end I got a good number of arrowheads. With that done, I wondered what to do next. With that tempting whaling area nearby, it would be foolish to leave without visiting that at least, right?

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Sixteen: Alpha

Before heading out, I chose to spend the night curled up next to the forge. It had already gotten pretty late once I was done making those arrowheads, anyway. I'd also melted and boiled some snow while I was waiting for the metal to both heat up and cool down. It was a tedious, yet productive process. I snacked on a candy bar I found on one of the shelves, took a couple sips of water and went to bed.

When I woke up again, I was reminded that I wasn't alone. There was barking coming from nearby. I got up to check and saw the dog trying to scare off a pack of three wolves. They, however, were not buying it. The largest one of the pack started to run after the dog and was clearly intent on taking it down. The rest of the pack followed it without hesitation.

I knew I had to do something. Taking out my rifle, I cursed having to use it. The amount of rounds I had left I could count with my fingers... I hastily loaded it up and took the shot.

The rest of the pack took off once they heard the shot, clearly startled. Their alpha was dead a few meters ahead of me. Walking up to it, I couldn't help but remember I was really running low on food. Its' pelt would also be warm, I figured. I could also use the guts for fishing line. I was about to harvest it until I noticed that there was blood on the ground that didn't belong to the wolf. My shot had been clean, precise. It trailed off towards where the dog had fled. If it was injured, the animal wouldn't have long to live out here.

It was getting cold, and fast. I chose to leave the carcass and go look for the dog. This didn't prove to be hard as the blood trail lead me right to it. The dog had collapsed from exhaustion and didn't take notice to my presence when I approached. It remained completely out of it as I carefully scooped it up and brought it over to the whaling yard. Hopefully, we could find shelter in here, at least for a night or two.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Seventeen: Healing (Same Day)

Okay, so I didn't know anything about veterinary care, so I just pretended like I was treating another person. The dog had been bitten in the leg, but it wasn't very deep. I applied some antiseptic and wrapped a bandage around it. I then laid the animal down on one the nearby mattresses and went to go look around. It was dark in here, so I took out my lamp and let it light the way. I was running low on fuel. I needed to head back home soon. Looking through the building had been worth it, though as I found a number of tools, scrap metal, cloth and a locked safe. I spent what felt like hours trying to unlock to stupid thing, but to no avail.

I left it behind and continued searching downstairs. There were whale bones strewn about along with a ton of other junk. I found more scrap metal and stashed it away. I found a hacksaw which could give me even more of it, but I didn't exactly have much of a need to do so right now. I brought it with me anyway so it could find a place in the gas station back home.

Coming back upstairs, I heard footsteps and assumed that the dog was awake. It growled when I approached, so I kept my distance. Hearing the blizzard outside, I couldn't go out there, either. I found another mattress in the room next to this one and set up camp to sleep for the night. Hopefully, the dog wouldn't try anything while I was getting my rest.

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Eighteen: Missing

When I woke up, the dog was gone. I took my time going through the building once again and trying that safe. After many many MANY hours of tinkering with it, the thing unlocked and gave me a single bullet. Now, I should've been more upset, but that single shot might save my life one day. I know it did the same for that dog, that's for sure. After only finding a few pieces of reclaimed wood, I decided it was time to leave. It was a mild enough day to set out back home, anyway.

Getting back had been quick enough. The weather co-operated up until the second I got home. A heavy blizzard had set in and didn't let up for the entire night. I didn't mind though, I had to unload and organize everything I'd found, including those valuable arrowheads. I still had to find the saplings for the proper wood, so I made that my next goal. I set the arrowheads along with the feathers on the workbench, filled up on water and a piece of fish before finally turning in for the night.

When I woke up, the blizzard had passed, but I could feel that it had gotten colder. There was a noticeable chill in the air. One that wasn't welcomed one bit. I'm sure the days were getting colder and shorter and that it wasn't just me being pessimistic about the whole thing. Whatever was happening to the world, I didn't know. Things were going to get more difficult from here, though. That was certain.

I needed to be prepared for it.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Nineteen: Thin Ice

I spent the next day searching for the saplings. I couldn't remember if it had asked for the Maple or the Birch, so I gathered a few of each. There weren't many around so I had to make sure that I wouldn't lose them. I noticed that some of the tops had been munched off, possibly by a large elk or a moose? I didn't want to stick around to find out if that were the case, so I headed back home to set them down to cure. I soon headed out again for yet another fishing trip.

After going out to the hut I usually used, I wondered if I could find some supplies in the others and went about checking the nearest ones for anything. I found another useful hook and line, along with a rifle cleaning kit. Some kind folks had also left some ceder firewood behind too. It wasn't long before I noticed that there were several items that had washed up along the shore. I was afraid to get too close to the water that was most likely frigid and just waiting for me to inch a bit closer, but I had to see what it was.

It had been a pile of reclaimed wood, which I then used soon after as the temperature got chilly once again. I hadn't caught any fish, either...Things were so far looking quite rotten today. I mean, other than finding those saplings, that was something positive, I guess. I was about to head back before I heard splashing nearby.

The dog was there, but had fallen through the ice a ways away from me. It, too, seemed to have gotten curious over what had washed up earlier and I soon found out why. A fish was lying not too far from it. I knew I couldn't make the same mistake and figured that that space had thin ice. I wasn't about to head back, no. I wasn't that heartless.

I dropped my pack and any extra things that weighed me down. If I fell through, this could be it for me. I didn't even know why I was doing this. The dog would probably have been fine if I left it alone. It would've just jumped out and been on it's way. Only, if that were the case, it would've done so, already...

Going across the ice and hearing it crack underneath me send shivers of fear up my spine. It reminded me of when I'd almost fallen through the ice in that swamp area. I didn't want to relive that memory, so I had to be careful. I had no idea what I was going to do once I even got over to where the dog was. When I got close enough, it spotted me and started barking and growling out of distress. I started to have second thoughts when it had bitten me when I'd tried to reach out towards it.

I chose to keep trying despite everything telling me that I shouldn't. The ice wasn't going to hold for much longer. I held my hand out towards the dog once more and once again it had bit down, but it was then, I grabbed a scruff of fur behind it's neck and with a big tug, I pulled the animal out. As if from sock, it stood there shaking and didn't seem to know what to do. I carefully sat up and went back over to the fishing hut to get some bandages over the bites, but to my surprise, the dog had started to follow me.

 

[JaySovereign]

Chapter Twenty: Home

We both returned to the garage soaked and cold. The dog was shivering and didn't seem to know what else to do. It almost seemed dazed, or something. It was hesitant before coming through the door behind me. I lured it in with a fish, I think it was salmon. They got pretty big here, which I found out first hand. Once I started to light a fire, I took off the wet jacket and spread it out on the desk beside me. I cooked up a few pieces of fish which I retrieved from the storage outside. I had no idea how to take care of a dog or if they could eat raw fish or not. I still had yet to get my hands on any deer meat, so I'd have to settle for fish for now. It seems the dog did too and it knew that.

It took a while for my jacket to dry out. It obviously wasn't that waterproof and I'd been foolish with putting it as my top layer. The fleece sweater I wore underneath looked even less water resistant. I did manage to dry out my gloves as well. The dog had fell asleep next to the fire barrel, but it certainly took a while. It still didn't trust me, but that was fine. This was going to take some time. I wasn't sure if I wanted a companion, really. Even more so, one that could easily eat me alive. If things really got difficult, I just liked to think that it's loyal nature would come back to it.