upnorth

Well thank you kindly! I agree that we have something pretty cool going on here. It's been a slow progress from time to time and a few side-quests to keep track of, but I'm very impressed with how on point the writing have been from everyone so far tbh

Christine finished making all of them tea and a small snack. After having Amy check that all the windows and doors were locked they sat down at the table, there was no sign of the bear or any other immediate danger. Emma had stopped drawing and sat close to her mom to feel more safe. - Ok, we got lucky there... We will have to be even more careful traveling from the house in the future. Christine noted. - I will try to reach the authorities to hopefully get some news and report what's been happening here as well. You can always try to reach your boyfriend again too if you want to Amy. Christine continued. - But honestly I don't really know what to do long term. Unless the authorities get the power grids back up and things go back to normal, including wildlife, survival is going to get difficult fast. Christine suddenly regretted being so honest when she looked down and saw Emma's worried eyes look up at her. But she had to get it off her chest too. - Hopefully we can get a hold of the authorities and get some good news! She quickly added. - Anyone up for peaches for dessert? She continued, hoping to increase the morale a bit. - Yeah, that would be nice. Amy smiled having warmed up a bit again. Emma said nothing, just daydreamed of her up until recently normal life, now leaning up against her mom.

Amy being preoccupied with her conflicting thoughts, mostly staring at the ground while navigating to the store from Erik, still did not notice the tracks she crossed. Granted, she was not very outdoorsy as her boyfriend but she might had ran the rest of the way if she had. She finally reached the store front and found a closed door. She wiped snow off some sort of note, and immediately recognized the artist. She read it. - Damn, I should have known. Oh well, no surprise then, will have to ask for the key first I guess. She muttered. The rest of the trek back to the house was cold but eventful, just the (now) usual wolf howls in the near distance. She was happily unaware of the large creature slowly making its way after her having picked up on her scent.

Erik woke up with a shocking thought in the middle of the night. The bear! Amy and the others doesn't know about the new apex predator currently roaming their little town and attacking humans! - Damn. He thought out loud. - I shouldn't have let Amy go back alone, what was I thinking!? Oh well, been long enough that's there's no point in going out to check the footprints now I guess. They either made it or not... Fuck. Not being able to sleep again, he got up for a couple of minutes, put some more fuel in the stove and cooked some tea to try to calm down. Eventually he stumbled back into bed and got a few more hours of restless sleep.

Erik was alone in his cabin again, finally. The past couple of days had been a lot more eventful than what he bargained for, but it might not all be bad. The girls had been pretty resourceful, he liked to have a dog around again too. As he thought about it a tear dropped from his left eye onto his chin. He quickly wiped it. - Man, what the hell was that police doing there alone without backup? He spoke out loud trying to process his most recent experience. - And that bear. I was an idiot shooting it I suppose, but I had to do something right? He paused, feeling a little embarrassed. Ma' always had good answers, he started to feel ashamed over how things had ended. He just wasn't the feeling type. - Well, I better stop talking to myself and get cleaned up. He muttered. In silence, he felt thankful for the gun and ammunition. He should go back and retrieve the body some day, bury it properly. Christine could perhaps report it to the authorities on the landline as well. If they have people stationed here some help and relief might have reached all the way up to Great Bear already? He spent the rest of the day going through and repairing his clothes and equipment to relax. The future would have to wait for tomorrow. He fell asleep after taking a quick look at the bloodied photograph. Cute kid, how the hell do you tell a child that their dad got mauled to death by a bear....

About an hour later, Emma started to become impatient from waiting. - Mom, can we please go home now! She requested. - I told you, I want to make sure we are all back safely first, I'm sure Erik will be back soon enough. Christine replied. Emma pouted but didn't push it. She just needed to relax and have some fun with her paintings again, too much grown up stuff lately. - You can go home if you want, it seems like the storm has subsided a bit. I can wait here for Erik. Amy suddenly offered. - Are you sure? You have both been injured recently? Christine replied. - Yeah. There's plenty of food and easy to get water, and we have some medical supplies left still. But perhaps we should go to the store and resupply fairly soon. Amy replied. - Well thank you. You know where to find us if you need anything. I will try to reach the authorities on the landline again. Emma, did you hear? We can go home now! Christine replied, while getting up and ready to leave. - Yay! Thank you Amy! Emma shouted happily. - No worries kid! Take it easy out there, see you soon ok? Amy replied with a smile. It was still snowing when Christine and Emma left, but the sight was pretty good. No more footprints though, so Erik would hopefully find his own way back.

Would you consider uploading this to some site where it's possible to order high resolution physical posters/paintings? Displate perhaps?

Emma felt a little bad, she hadn't noticed that Erik was gone too. But to be fair, she had mostly been living with Amy and Mocha for a couple of days at least and a lot had been going on recently. Too much. They almost got shot, she had forgotten about that too. Perhaps it's just good to forget about some things? - Mom, I'm hungry, can we go home and have breakfast? Emma asked. - I'd like to go home to, but I think we should stay here until everyone are back safely. Perhaps we can make something from Erik's stash for now and replace it later. He does have a lot of canned food. Christine replied. After a while, Christine got the stove fired up again and cooked some breakfast. Amy and Mocha returned without having found Erik. After the brush with the wolf Amy didn't want to wander too far and get lost, which both Christine and Emma completely understood. They had breakfast while playing with Mocha and waiting for the storm to subside. No one was particularly worried for Erik, they had finally noticed that his backpack was gone so he should be better prepared than any of them outside in this kind of weather after all.

So we sort of missed a pretty special occasion! 3 days ago we marked 1 year of collaborative fan fiction in The Long Dark universe and in addition got our latest contributor! ☺️ Pretty cool to see the views of the thread tick up over the year as well - I hope everyone find it both entertaining and inspiring for further exploration of the game itself! It's at least more fun to write it knowing there are some readers 😉 Merry Christmas! Looking forward to where we take it next year 😁

Not my first language either, you did great, didn't notice anything odd. Cool use of the emergency shelter for the story and nicely built on the previous posts as well!

Back at the cabin, Emma being the youngest and earliest to fall asleep, woke up next. She had been on a sleepover or two, but she had never started her day in a place like this before. Rubbing her eyes awake, she notice that it was quiet and that everyone else seemed to be sleeping still. But also that Amy and Mocha were gone. - Mommy, wake up! Amy and Mocha are gone. She tried waking her mom up. After a couple of attempts, Christine started to move awake. - Morning honey. What are you saying? She replied with a sleepy voice. - Amy and Mocha are gone! She said again with a concerned tone. - Amy is probably just out for a walk with Mocha. But we can have a quick look outside too. Christine replied. As she got up to stretch and looked around the cabin a bit, she notice a scrap of paper on the bench.

Yes, everyone is very welcome to contribute! I wrote some basic instructions/suggestions in the first post, and there has been some discussions for different things, but otherwise you should just read through everything to be up to date with what's happened so that the story(ies) can make sense going forward.

Christine put Emma back on the bed as gently as she could. Everyone in the room had got tired from the new information and the general lack of opportunity to do anything about it. But were now trying to be calm and not argue to not wake her up. Even Mocha seemed to understand. - I'm going to try to reach the authorities while the aurora is still going. Christine turned towards the radio. - You know how to use it? Erik asked, honestly. - I think so, I have a similar model at home. Christine replied. - Knock yourself out. I'll prepare something to eat. Erik started to prepare food for the 3 persons still awake and 1 dog. Christine fiddled with the radio for a minute and despite the noise, Emma seemed to sleep through it. But she tried a few emergency frequencies that she learned as a child but there was no discernible response. - Too bad, but I guess we can still use the landline for now. We should report about both the stranded hunter and the emergency at Perseverance Hills if possible. We are most likely the only available help but it couldn't hurt. Christine remarked. No one answered. Erik served dinner and they all went for an early night in the small cabin. Managing to make fairly comfortable "beds" for everyone with the supplies at hand. Mocha was the first to wake the next day at dawn, and immediately started to lick Amy's face.

A lot of alarming things had happened in one day. Emma was not used to the grown ups around her crying, shouting and being worried. Normal life had all but been wiped from memory in just a couple of days and nights. She didn't know what to think as her mother held her in her lap and she started to fall asleep from exhaustion after a very long day, dreaming about dancing skies and a talking machine asking her for help she didn't know how to provide.

You could do it as part of the story, have a character think about a past event and illustrate it.

"Stay inside for now, and don't waste your ammunition if you don't have to. All wildlife have become more aggressive since the last aurora for some reason, so you will need it. Not sure what's happened, but you are not alone. The emergency services still answer on the landlines but didn't know much more than us. They are scrambling to find vehicles less dependent on electronics to keep the order and help people. Great bear is pretty isolated though so we probably won't get any aid any time soon. Over." Erik answered. Hearing this again made the whole room reflect on everything that had happened the last couple of days. They felt lucky to still be alive, but also anxious about the future again. Gave them chills despite sitting together in a warm and relatively safe cabin. "Oh, damn. That's right, I thought it was some sort of power surge when my radio went haywire last time, but I guess there was an aurora at the time. They always just seem like a beautiful weather phenomena... This is a lot to take in... I'm just here on holiday to hunt and fish, my cabin is not anywhere near a populated area with a landline, hence the radio. I guess I'll have to just wait it out for now, but being out here alone doesn't feel safe any more, and I have to resupply soon anyway. Over." The voice, now a lot calmer replied. "Sounds like a plan. Good luck. Over" Erik replied. "Thank you. Good luck to you as well. Over and out." The voice ended the transmission. "Well, it works just fine so that's something..." Erik thought out loud. "Should we try to see who else is listening, or try different frequencies" Christine suggested. "Yeah, we will have to utilize the radio as much as possible now that it's working I guess". Erik agreed. He reached for the knobs when the radio lights suddenly flickered a bit and made him hesitate. But only for a moment. Then the radio started transmitting a signal again, this time weaker. "H...llo!? C... any... hear ... This ...s ...severence M... calling. We nee.. aid. It's ... ...ergency. Over." The room could just make out a faint voice sparking from the radio speakers.

"Damn, I didn't think it would work, let alone that someone would be on the frequency... but I guess everyone with a radio is trying to communicate at the moment" Erik thought out loud. He proceeded to prepare it to answer, the lights flickered a bit and he checked a couple of things to see if he could stabilize it a little. But after about 10 seconds he gave answering a go. "Hello, I read you loud and clear. Over." Erik answered the stranger on the other end. A few seconds passed. Everyone was staring at the radio. Mocha whining a little between Amys legs, not understanding what was going on, but a little comforted by everyone around seeming in suspense but calm. "Oh thank god! I never thought this thing would work again! Uhh... I don't know what to do. I was just out collecting firewood when I got attacked by wolves - usually they run away from humans!? Luckily I was near my cabin and just managed to run back and close the door behind me. But I only have an old hunting rifle and not a lot of ammunition..." everyone listened intently to the panicked voice as it calmed down slightly from suddenly being less alone in the world. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling here but I'm just so confused, and terrified to be completely honest. Did you experience anything like this yourself, do you know what is going on? Over." the voice finished. Everyone turned their eyes from the radio to Erik.

Mocha woke up and started barking. Amy tried her best to calm her down by putting her hands on her ears and holding her tight. She looked up at Erik and Christine with worried eyes. - Mommy! Emma shouted and ran from the bed to Christine, nearly burning herself on the still very hot stove as she jumped off the bed. - What's happening!? Christine asked Amy. - It's the Aurora again, it affected the appliances in my house last time too! Amy answered with a slight panic in her voice. Mocha had calmed down a bit though, seemed like a reaction similar to hearing fireworks. - Everyone calm down and be quiet! Erik said clearly but quiet, gesturing with his hands. - Wildlife seem to become more aggressive during these events and we are right next to the woods, this isn't a very sturdy cabin so if we get surrounded by wolves we might not be able to fight them off, he continued. - What should we do? Christine asked him? - I don't know, but the radio seems to be working again, we might be able to get news or contact someone outside town now, I think we should give it a shot... Erik answered as he started to walk towards the radio, not sure what he should expect. Hoping he wouldn't get electrocuted simply touching the damned thing.

The storm subsided along with the daylight outside a now pretty warm and cozy cabin. Laughs were slowly replaced with yawns and thoughts of getting back to a more roomy house with beds for everyone. - Thank you so much for letting us wait out the storm and for the peaches, but I think it's possible for us to get back home safely now. Hopefully we can contact the authorities again, but until then we'll start setting traps and make it possible to last for as long as possible. Christine noted. - Yeah, it's been an odd few days for sure. Thank you for helping me with my wound, hopefully we can avoid any further wolf encounters... Erik replied. Amy sat in the bed with Mocha in her lap who had fallen asleep as the cabin got warmer. She looked at Emma staring out the window. - Can you see anything, Emma? - The sky is dancing again... Emma almost whispered. Amy quickly leaned over and noted that Emma was indeed right. Suddenly there was a sparking sound in the cabin and everyone stopped talking to turn around and see the old radio coming back to life...

- Damn it's cold! He muttered to himself. He had hoped that his stolen winter gear would do the trick, but mother nature is seldom so easily fooled. He had found a small cabin beside the road and managed to "get inside". He had never been a very handy person or good at planning, so making a fire had proved harder than he imagined. From movies he understood that staying awake was important so that would be the next best thing. - I wonder if the others made it to the coast yet... damn weasels sneakin' off like that. Sure things got weird and they wanted to get away, but you don't leave each other behind, right? He managed to stay awake through the night eating some of the supplies from the store for much needed energy. Then left then cabin and huddled along the road tired but relieved as the dawn came. He would see faint footprints going the same direction which gave some comfort and encouragement. This was not what he signed up for after all...

Christine proceeded to check, clean and help Erik get bandaged properly with the supplies at hand. Amy, Emma and Mocha just watched in nervous silence. - Have you tried hot peaches? Erik suddenly asked, looking at Emma. - No... but I had some with ice cream once. Emma replied. - You have to try hot peaches! My grandmother used to make them for me. Let me get the stove going and cook all of you a treat. Erik continued and started catering to his guests. - I'm afraid I don't have much to sit on, but please use my bed. It's close to the stove and pretty warm too. Erik gestured for his guests to get comfortable. They spent the next couple of hours enjoying some of Erik's more sweet tasting stash of canned foods making local small talk while waiting for the wind to die down a bit. Eventually they started on patching the door after snow started to blow inside.

- Traps might be a good idea. Nature isn't itself any more with wolves being very aggressive so we shouldn't be roaming away from shelter or fire unless we really have to. And it would save on ammunition as well which we might need for defense. Haven't set traps in a while but I know where we can find rabbits. Erik replied. - I think I should mention, I met a suspicious looking dude climbing out of a store window with seemingly all new winter gear. I managed to send him on his way with some good advice and hope that he wont return. He was trying to catch up with a group of friends, not sure why they got separated, but apparently they were heading to the coast. I suspect one or more of them might return if they figure out they are as stranded as we are and that might mean trouble if the authorities doesn't get things back to normal fairly soon. Erik added. - I met someone too, not all geared up though. Amy suddenly mentioned quietly. - Oh, what did he look like? Erik asked quite curious. - Well, suspicious I guess. I didn't invite a long conversation, but I think he was headed towards the store we "visited" earlier when he left. Amy replied. - Probably the same guy then, right before I bumped into him. I found his footsteps at my cabin and followed them there, was a bit odd that he came from the woods. I think they might have been in a hunting or logging cabin around here. Erik noted. - Well, that's interesting. Thanks for updating us. I guess I should check on my grocery store again to be safe. There might be old or sick people venturing outside to get help now and they probably try that first. Do you mind if we hang out here until the weather winds down a bit first? Perhaps we can help you with something, look at the wound at least? Christine commented. - Yeah, that's fine. I hope you like canned food, can't offer you much else. But I do appreciate it if you could make sure I bandaged myself properly, bit of a rush job so to speak. Nasty day. Erik answered with a grin.

- Mommy, are we in trouble? Emma suddenly asked after noticing the somber air in the room. - Oh, no we are fine sweetie. We just need to think about how to go about things the next few days until things go back to normal. Christine answered, while Erik and Amy looked away to hide their reaction to the white lie. Amy suddenly shuddered. It was hard not to imagine the worst and having lost her house and not being able to reach the one person she felt comfortable with it was very strange and lonely to stand here listening to such a conversation. Mocha noticed and came back to comfort her.

Haha, I actually got Sims 3 after about a decade in order to try to model my apartment and try different furniture

Christine listened carefully and thought for a moment, Emma clenching her leg. Amy watched Mocha getting acquainted with Erik. - I agree. Until we know more we should probably stay put, at least for a couple of days. We recently got supplies to the store, but there are probably more people in town that couldn't leave, so we can't assume that we can use it all for ourselves. We should probably try to reach the authorities again though, or even regularly a couple of times per day. Christine responded. - We might have to move more supplies to keep them safe, that's not a bad idea. We have already done that for ourselves but perhaps we should go for another pickup. You seem to have food to sustain you for a while, but I digress. Until we get a better idea of what has happened or get to a well resourced area, or get aid, we are technically stranded. I think we should start putting out traps and prepare to hunker down to be honest? Christine asked, eyes on Erik.