Cold Awakening

Nooo!

Bang.

My body flung up, my eyes snapping open to the sight of the dark-gray wooden hut.

It was a dream. Just a dream. Nothing more… but

It felt real.

The cold. The pain.

The Wolf.

Unwrapping the covers, I sat on the bed, looking down.

It was just a dream. But it felt so real every sensation, every moment, only to be an illusion.

If only this world was also a dream.

Even now, thoughts of my past life lingered. I couldn't shake the feeling of what could have been the lab, the friends, the people, and... Aurora.

"I must move on. I must accept it. I am Ash no more. I am Elliot."

Knowing how this world works, there was no time for me to be sad about the past or what could have been.

I need to understand where I am, and survival is the most important part. Even though I seem to die so much, if this is truly my second life, I must not hope or imagine that I will get another with luck.

And in this life, I will not die in such a way. I can't.

Though I had lived only for 23 years in my past life, the many experiences and teachings I had learned allowed me to be calm and smart in how I do things.

Opening the wooden box, I found a cup with no more water, the heater, and a silver bowl. There was also half-eaten bread.

Using my last ounce of strength and resisting the urge to devour it in desperation, I reminded myself—I didn't have much left to eat. I had only three more grains, enough to last me six days if I rationed carefully, eating only half a bread a day. Barely enough to survive.

Either I steal more grain or find a job, because this won't last.

Most of my memories seemed to have returned during my sleep. I recalled that because of the war and the ban on trade with other villages and cities, food and resources had become scarce. However, there was a shipment of food coming for the hundred soldiers stationed here.

Every month, the soldiers would bring batches of food for the villagers, each person receiving only four grains a week—just enough to keep them from starving, but never enough to be full.

But luck was on the village's side. Nathan was known for its farmers, most of whom kept enough supplies for dire situations like this.

Going over it again, I concluded that if I ate only one bread a day, my body would truly be on the edge of death. My only choice was to find a job of some sort.

When morning came, I would clean myself up and do my best to find work.

Before going back to bed, I decided to look outside. The hut had only small holes for light to seep through—no windows, only an entrance with no door.

Walking toward it, I glanced outside and was struck with confusion. The moon was gone, yet light was rising. Wait—was it already dawn? My dream had felt so short, and my mind was still lost in thought. Had time moved that fast, or was my body just that exhausted?

Though I could still sleep for an hour or more, I decided to start scouting for jobs.

Before leaving, I once again hid all my belongings, making sure nothing was left in the open.

Looking at the entrance with no door, my mind wandered, it would be best to find a way to cover it.

Even if the hut was small, it was enough for now. Until then, I had to accept where I was.