More People

Once again, I was sitting around a fire. There were just subtle differences. A hyena was being grilled this time. Also, instead of two there were four people now around the fire.

Those two were Jia and Alex. You heard right a women survivor has also been found.

After being saved both were very grateful to us. They had already thanked us many times.

Alex was a professional runner. A good addition. He was around 23 years, lean built and tall but was average looking, worse than me. I feel a little happy.

Alternatively, Jia was a cook. Yes, a cook.

I don't know whether I should be happy or not. At least we will now have good food. Jia was now already turning the hyena and cooking it slowly.

Looking at her, she is not very pretty, I had say pretty much average if not for the fact that I have not seen a woman for months. Even she looked damn attractive at the moment.

There is what do you say; a close atmosphere between them. My best guess is that they have some kind of relationship.

Well about their skills; they told us. I am not saying that I have such charisma to make people speak their secrets.

They were grateful and after my pep talk, similar to the one given to Robert they folded pretty quickly. Not minding the lifesaving benefactor Robert chiming in from the sides. It was pretty easy.

Also, the most important reason is the sense of safety that we get in numbers. Being in a society, forces us to lay our cards down and use them for collective benefit rather than individual fulfilment. Let's get back on track.

Alex was having the skill {Running}. Just a single skill.

While Jia was having {Cooking} as the skill. Along with the skill {Memorization}.

Two skills, while the first is pretty clear, the other one allows Jia to learn anything she memorizes. Of course, it has its own limitations. It does not mean she forever remembers that thing. Or she can learn everything in any quantity.

I have learned one thing after coming in this world that every skill is somewhat limited in a number of ways. Maybe that's why they are mortal. Why so?

What is needed to work them to the fullest? What is missing?

I don't think I could get any of these answers so soon. Instead of reaching beyond your means it's better to focus on present.

We are now four people, each having some speciality. We are a pretty balanced bunch.

Now a bigger question graced me. Whether to continue searching for more people.

Travelling in group of four is not cost effective & its not possible to cover a large distance. Especially considering Jia is weak in physicality & I don't think anyone will agree to discard her. So, the obvious choice is to create a camp.

I am thinking of surveying the area to find a tree which is large and high enough to serve as a vantage point.

I am thinking that then we can build makeshift houses on the nearby trees. Through the vantage point one of us can easily keep an eye on the surroundings and we can easily do the night watch job in shifts.

Furthermore, I am thinking of increasing our scope of surroundings.

Considering that the animals have been transported from Earth too in the area, with no presence of new and powerful species it is quite clear that their number though large are limited.

We can hunt all the animals which are dangerous in the surroundings, clearing our immediate neighbourhood.

We will leave normal animals (less harmful) as food for us.

This while seemingly a non-fruitful endeavor might as well prove to be important. Why?

If this area does not have other predators the humans that are present in the area might travel towards here because of no threatening animals.

Furthermore, I am thinking of burning a fire in each corner of our territory, to attract other humans. Let me correct myself not fire but rather smoke.

It is quite a coincidence, but I had noticed that the tree leaves that burned and the smoke that attracted us was burning for a very long time. The leaves might as well be called smoke-inducing leaves.

If they are burned, they could do so for a very long-time attracting attention from other people.

I noticed that Jia was sitting too close to Robert, she was acting a little proactively towards him. Talking and laughing while, Robert was blushing.

Alex while was looking from far with a pale face. He was having a grimace on his face.

Interesting. To think that conditions for conflict were met this early.

This woman Jia was sure an opportunist. First to survive she clinged to Alex, now to Robert.

Hmm. Why didn't she come close to me?

Could it be she thinks Robert is stronger. Thought so, considering his body, weapon and skills, it is quite clear that she thinks so. Also, she must have noticed that he is gullible.

Whatever, doesn't matter to me. I am here just to survive this initial phase. When I have gained all the important information and observations and am strong enough, I will move alone.

I talked about my intentions for tomorrow, they all gave some inputs, and we called the night.

...…

Two months later.

Its already more than 5 months. We have already adapted to this world. These two months were eventful.

Most of the objectives were met. We had already created a stable place to stay. We have already made a raft for crossing the river, we have even used it to cross it.

The best thing that happened is that we have found 3 more survivors.

They were Mia, Steven and old man Reid.

Mia was a college student. Nothing on her skills tab. How could someone be this bad. Steven was a mason. {Masonry} was the skill he had. I was amused, what will he build here, stone house.

Finally, was Reid. He said he was gardener. I doubt it. He is nearly 50 years old. He even showed that he could really take care of plants. He has skill {Gardening}.

I feel he is hiding something. He must have other skills or even a different profession.

Why so? It's because he walks straight just like those military men. Troublesome.

Another change was the dynamics of group. Robert and Jia have gotten a little too close. Robert has been now making interruptions to whatever suggestions I pose.

He must be trying to take whatever amount of control that I have on the group. My instinct is telling me that Jia is manipulating from behind.

Reid is also very much trying to interrupt in conversations. He is mostly supported by Mia & Steven. At this point only Alex is supporting me that too due to spite and jealousy towards Robert.

This group is coming to an end. Looks like it's time for an upheaval.

Well of course that will happen if we all our alive till the end.