Chapter 4: Survival II

Point Of View: Christopher RooseveltI woke up with a sneeze. My worries about catching a cold immediately came rushing back, along with my mental checklist of priorities: food and a decent shelter. My current inventory? A stone knife and a rope made from braided leaves. As I mentally went over my supplies, the ground trembled. A chill ran down my spine. I stayed in the tree but climbed higher, between the branches, hiding in the leaves. I struggled to control my heartbeat, which seemed to be ready to leap out of my throat.Then I saw it. Near the riverbed, a gigantic creature, about four meters tall. It looked like a lizard with wings attached to its front legs, resembling a pterosaur but with a bulkier head, similar to a Komodo dragon, full of sharp teeth. Its body was covered with dark, scaly skin that gleamed in the sunlight. Its claws dug into the ground, making a metallic sound as they crushed stones.The creature dipped its head into the river, fishing or drinking water. "I'll call it Wyvern," I thought. If this thing can fly, it's better I stay hidden in the tree cover. I descended the tree, my thoughts racing. The river was no longer safe; drinking water or building a raft to go down it would be a monumental challenge now."Call me a coward, but I won't fight that thing, no way," I muttered to myself, letting out a nervous laugh. Since I had already drunk enough water, I decided to move away from the river and head into the forest. "Time to look for fruits." I followed my own rule: if animals are eating something, it's probably safe for me too, especially if they're primates.As I walked, I found a small tree with a thin trunk. I broke it and began carving it while walking, trying to make it as straight as possible. Once the shaft was well worked, I used a piece of fiber to create a spear. "Now I have a weapon. It's not very sturdy or deadly, but it's a defense mechanism."My hands were calloused and sore from the rope I'd used to improvise the spear. Every step felt heavier than the last, and my stomach growled with hunger. I knew I needed to find something to eat, but my mind was scattered, my muscles were exhausted, and the simple act of breathing seemed to consume me.Loneliness tightened my chest with every step I took, and the sense of helplessness, with no one to back me up, haunted me. I was alone, just me and my restless mind. "Maybe there's a busty elf lost around here?" I yelled, trying to chase away the weight of solitude. "Dwarves work too…"After a few hours of walking, I entered a small clearing. In the center, there was a huge rock, twice my height and ten times my width. A crack separated the boulder, probably a result of years of erosion. Cautiously approaching, I inspected the inside. The inner part of the rock was eroded, forming a small cave with stalactites dripping water. "Looks like a safe place," I thought as I entered."Where's this water coming from, dripping from the ceiling?" Inside, the cave was spacious, with solid stone walls. There was enough space for a man to lie down, but most of the floor was covered by a pool of crystal-clear water. Around it, the stone floor was covered with moss, which would need to be removed. Lighting a fire here would be dangerous.I approached the pool and knelt. It was then that I saw my reflection for the first time. My brown eyes were lighter. I looked younger, maybe sixteen, and more athletic than I remembered. I was never much into sports. I ran my hand over my muscles. "I'm going to have a lot of fun with this body," I said, amused.My hair was dark brown, completely messy and short, and my skin was white, but a bit yellowish. "Anemia?" I commented to myself, chuckling.Setting that aside, did I rejuvenate, or is this a new body? I wondered curiously, what kind of being would have the power to do such a thing? "Hero, huh? Let's see who's going to play the hero here!" I said aloud, looking at the ceiling. Talking to myself was something I had done in my old world. Now that the panic had subsided, I was starting to return to that habit. It would definitely help me cope with this situation.Just as I was about to stand up, my foot slipped on the moss, and my body fell into the pool. I tried to brace myself with my arms, but it was deeper than it seemed, and soon I found myself completely submerged. My whole body sank into the water. I tried to swim desperately, but I'm a terrible swimmer. You can't be good at everything, after all. As the scarce light from the cave faded above me, I realized I was running out of breath. Then, my feet touched the ground. With a push, I sprang up, flailing my arms. My head surfaced, and I leaned on a flat surface, coughing and spitting out the water I had swallowed.When I looked around, I realized I was no longer in the cave. "Oh, great. Random isekai event. Is this some sort of dungeon?" I muttered. I mentally began humming the opening song as if this were some kind of crazy anime.A corridor stretched ahead of me. Shivering from the cold, I got up and started walking, each step echoing in the darkness. This wasn't a game, and I had no interest in being the main character. I looked ahead, surrendering my sanity. The air was thick, and the only sound was the dripping of water somewhere."I'll kill a dragon with this pointy stick," I proclaimed, joking with the situation, if I find one. I would beg for my life.