The moon had long since taken the place of the sun by the time I found the road again.
Everything looked different in the dark. The trees seemed taller, the silence heavier, every shadow stretching farther than it should.
A roamer stumbled out from behind a trunk before I could move past it, Its jaw clicked uselessly as it reached for me.
I ducked beneath its hands, grabbed the nearest rock and drove it into the side of its skull.
Once.
Bone cracked.
Twice.
The body dropped.
I stayed crouched for a second longer than I meant to, the rock still clutched in my hand. Then I pushed myself upright and immediately caught myself against the tree beside me.
The world tilted, just enough to make my stomach roll.
I shut my eyes and waited for it to settle.
No food.
Barely any water.
No sleep.
Brilliant combination.
My arms felt heavy.
My legs worse.
Every part of me begged to stop.
Not yet.
