Survive [1]

After I finished my farewell to the dead villagers, I started thinking about what I should do from now on. There's a town south of here if I recall correctly.

There many wild animals and beasts in forests, I should at least get a weapon.

I went back to the ruins of the village. Dried blood everywhere, corpses of the shadowed figured that attacked us were everywhere as well and the ground was littered with weapons.

When I went to check what exactly were these things that attacked us, it was strange. Their eyes were fully red, including the white part. Their clothes were all black and it was a tight fit on their bodies. When I tried to remove the clothes to see the person inside, it disgusted me. Their entire bodies were incredibly veiny, it freaked me out. Some parts of the body were even rotting, and I think they were already rotting even before they were killed. Bodies don't rot that fast as far as I know unless bodies do rot immediately after they are killed, which I doubt. The villagers didn't show signs of rotting not until I was burying the very last batch of bodies. In any case, I don't think they're human anymore.

I look at the scattered weapons. I need a weapon if I ever want to survive. The forest that surrounds the village has many wild animals.

I try to pick up a sword. I felt the weight of the weapon that was as tall me. I could wield this if I use Aura, but it's too big for someone my size. Even the one-handed shortswords are a bit unwieldy for me. I need something smaller.

I look around more and saw a dagger. It was a simple dagger. I don't know what kind of metal was used to make it but it was good enough.

I picked it up, felt its weight. It was around 10 inches long, the blade being 7 inches, and the handle 3 inches. Not too long, not too short.

Before I left the village I looked around for more stuff to scavenge. I found a couple of very stale bread with some parts starting to mold. I removed the moldy parts and put them in a leather bag that I found. I also found a leather water bottle and filled it in the nearby river. I took some other stuff like bundles of rope and put them in the leather bag.

I head towards the south of the village. I look back and saw the ruined village. Memories flashed in my eyes once more. I turn back and left, entering the woods.

...

"Cmon cmon...." I muttered while hiding behind a bush. It has been 5 days since I've left. My supply of stale bread is almost gone and I really need meat.

I found an unsuspecting rabbit earlier, however it noticed me and it quickly fled. I set up a trap soon after that and waited behind a bush. As I was waiting, I snacked on bugs to alleviate my hunger. My days camping with grandpa made me develop a tolerance for eating insects. I still don't like it, but I'm not in any position to choose. I either eat or die.

I waited and waited until I finally heard a rustling sound. I peek through the bush I was hiding in. There it is! The sweet and meaty rabbit.

I instinctively drool and wiped it off my mouth. The trap I made is really simple. It consists of a box I made with a couple and rope. The box is upside-down and held up by another stick that's tied with another rope. The other end of the rope is held by me. The bait is pieces of fruit I found in the forest. The idea is that I'll pull on the stick holding up the box and the box will fall and catch the rabbit. That rabbit might push away the box so I immediately ready myself and imbue Aura into my legs, ready to push down the box if the rabbit tries to escape.

Soon the rabbit noticed the bait and approached it. I held my breath in anticipation until finally, the rabbit is eating the bait. I pull on the rope and the box fell on the rabbit, covering it.

I push at the ground with my feet and dashed toward the box. I quickly reached it and immediately held down the box, preventing the rabbit from escaping.

"Hehehe... meat!" I said as drool was dripping from my mouth...

I carefully picked up the rabbit. It was trying to bite me but unable to as I was holding its head in place. I snapped its neck, killing it as quick and painless as possible.

I walked back to a flat area of the forest where I left my bag. Taking out the dagger I skinned the rabbit and removed its organs. I pushed a long stick through the rabbit.

I started a fire using the tricks grandpa taught me. I threw in more dried twigs I found to increase the flame. When the fire was big enough I embedded the rabbit spit-roast into the ground next to the flame. The only thing I needed to do was wait for it to cook while I spin it around occasionally.

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Nighttime, a four-legged beast was trotting around the woods. It looked in a certain direction and sniffed. It was hungry, and it found something delicious.