(CHAPTER 2: SUBJECT 2)

There are mortals out there

Trying to create life

Trying to replicate the acts of gods

The door of an old wood hut creaked as a man walked into the hut and shut the door. On his shoulder was a heavy sack of resources that he had just got as well as meat from the hunting trip. It's been 60 moons since he was trapped here, and day by day resources are depleting slowly but surely. He tried to explore but he just doesn't dare to. He've seen monsters that are capable of killing him in a hit. But someday when the forest he is living at doesn't provide, he shall set on a journey to find new lands. Every night bizarre dreams hit him, hinting that he may have a life before he was thrown into this world fill with madness.

Hero lit up the only lantern dangling on the middle of the shack. The brightness scare away the darkness and the cold damp atmosphere. He has barely spoken these days, especially when he is the only being around. Loneliness has started to consume him, living inside this shack was like living in a compressed tin can.

He took out the food he has collected and laid it on the crafting table. Some berries, apples and a few meat from the cows. He look out a small window and at his farm, the crops isn't growing these days, with the monsoon season coming, crops are either pulled and yeeted miles away with the wind or die soaking in the water that keep rises after every rain. He has to get ready to move.

He threw the meat into the campfire as he heard the sound of the fat sizzling when in contact with the heat. Suddenly, the shack was filled with the fragrant smell of grilled beef. Hero took a sniff out of the air and nodded, he sat down on his bed as he took out his cartography table. He created a map before putting it into a chest beside his bed, he is going to need it very soon.

As he was waiting the beef to be cooked thoroughly, it started to rain.

"Another downpour."

Hero mumbled to himself as he looked towards his farm, just as he expected, his farm was completely flooded. He buried his head in his hands as he let out another sigh. This can't continue any further. He has to leave, he need to leave, and he MUST leave.

Just as thoughts were crossing his mind, he heard a faint knock on the wooden door. At first he ignored it, he is spiraling too deep in his own thoughts. The downpour continues, as the sound of raindrops impacting the roof covers away the knocking sound. But then, he heard someone. He pause all his action as he look towards the door. He heard something. A faint call? Does mob nowadays know how to speak? To lure its prey? He had no idea.

But as the calling gets fader, he has to make a decision. But alas, curiosity beats his thought. He took his shield from the corner of the room and his diamond axe that was on top of his furnace. He had to prepare, no matter what lies behind behind that door, he had to prepare.

He approached the door slowly, but the squeaking planks beneath his feet revealed the fact that he was approaching the door. As the knocking stops. Then it all stops. It was dead silent for a moment, no one make a move.

Then suddenly, Hero slammed the door open with all his might, the sudden burst surprise the being though as it fell to the ground. Through the light of the lantern, he saw the "being" in front of her.

Oh, it just a girl

A girl?

A girl!?

A GIRL!!??

He looked at her. She was wearing a light green shirt with a long bright orange ponytail hanging to the left side of her shoulder. She has a pale fair skin, white eyes with dark green pupils, a pair of brown pants and grayish boots, both soaked in mud and rainwater. Not bad for a monster, Hero thought.

"Don't eat me."

"Huh?" Those words snap Hero back from reality. He let out a light chuckle as he draw back his axe and shield as he walk back to his hut. "I ain't gonna eat you, I got food." He say as he use his axe to take out the nicely grilled beef from the campfire. The girl look up at Hero. That's the first time he has saw someone's face other than the disgusting rotten face of the zombies he fought every day.

She looked at the beef, and gulped, she must've been hungry. She looked at his eyes once more, this time as if she was begging. "The meat won't fly to your hand, so do I. "Hero threw down those words and left towards his cartography table. He heard, the sound of the woods squeaking, and the door closing.

There are now 2 people in the house. One on the floor sharpening his diamond axe, another sitting on the bed, nibbling on the beef. No one spoke at first, only the sound of the campfire crackling as well as the sharp screech that emits from the stone everytime Hero sharpen his axe on the broad flat stone he crafted. The girl make the first move:

"Who are you?"

Hero paused his action as he thought for a while. It has been a long time since someone talked to him, or even ask a question. "Name's Hero." He say, before continue to sharpen the knife. "What about you."

"Me? I don't know." The girl say as she look at the campfire, the soft crackle of the fire somehow makes her felt warm, even though she is not near it.

"You don't remember? You got a book on you?" He had finish sharpening his axe. He walk towards the furnace and put the axe on top of it. "No." She say as she started to fidget with her finger, biting her lips softly, she seemed confused about herself too. He opened the furnace but found out that she had eaten all the food, even his share. "Looks like berry for dinner." He thought as he slam the opening shut. "This house ain't big enough for 2. So do this forest." He say as he walk towards the door. "I'll let you stay by the night. Tomorrow, we shall set off on our own ways." He said as he search his chest for some wool so he could make another bed for her. But he is one wool short. "Rat's." Hero cursed under his breath.

He has 2 choices, either gave up his comfy bed for a stranger or let the stranger hit the sack on the floor. But either way it is a tough choice. He peeked at the girl once again, she is about a head shorter than him, maybe more. Maybe they could squeeze in a bed.

He walk towards the lantern and blow out the fire.

"Hey, what are you doing?" She screamed as if darkness was a monster. And sometime it is.

"Sleeping, you don't wanted to spend a night awake here." Hero say as he put off the fire at the campfire with a bucket.

"Lay in, I need some space." He say as he approach the bed. She nodded as she squeezed herself into the corner of the bed, trying to stay as away from him as possible.

He lay down, and put out the last torch.