Chapter 6: The First Lesson

The morning sun barely warmed the apartment, but it was enough to remind everyone they had made it through another night. The group slowly woke up, rubbing their eyes and stretching on the floor. For a few seconds, there was peace.

Then the stomach growls started.

"I'm starving," one of the younger boys mumbled.

Aiden was already in the kitchen, sorting through the supplies. He placed a few cans of food and water bottles on the table. "Eat quick. We start training after."

"Training?" Jake asked, walking over with a sleepy look.

"Yeah," Aiden said, handing him a can. "You all need to learn how to fight, move, and survive. If you can't handle yourself, you're a liability."

Jake opened the can and sat at the table. "You think we can really learn that fast?"

Aiden gave a short nod. "You'll have to. The world isn't going to slow down for you."

Once everyone had eaten, Aiden led them to the rooftop of the building. It was open, quiet, and surrounded by high walls that kept them hidden from view.

"This is our training ground," he said. "It's safe enough to start with."

The group gathered in a circle, looking unsure. Aiden stood in front of them, arms crossed.

"Lesson one," he said, "panic gets you killed. If you freeze, if you scream, if you run without thinking, you die."

He walked up to the nervous kid who had fallen back in the supermarket. "What's your name?"

"T-Tim," the boy stammered.

"Alright, Tim," Aiden said. "Show me how you swing that bat."

Tim hesitated, then held up the metal bat and swung it awkwardly. It was slow and unbalanced.

"That's not going to help you," Aiden said. He took the bat and showed a better stance. "You hold it like this. Swing from the hips. Aim for the head or knees. Go again."

Tim tried again, this time stronger and cleaner.

"Better," Aiden nodded. "We're not aiming for perfect. Just good enough to survive."

Jake stepped forward. "Can you show us knife fighting too? I've only ever used it to open cans."

Aiden pulled a small blade from his belt and handed it to Jake. "Knives are dangerous—for both you and your enemy. You need to stay close, be quick, and never hesitate."

He guided Jake through a few movements—slashing, blocking, and retreating. The others watched carefully.

For the next hour, Aiden rotated through each person, correcting their form, teaching basic stances, and showing how to use anything as a weapon—from pipes to broken chairs.

"Survival isn't about looking cool," Aiden said. "It's about living long enough to see another day."

Everyone was sweaty and tired by the end, but they were standing a little straighter.

Jake wiped his forehead. "That was... rough. But it felt good. Like we're actually doing something."

"You are," Aiden said. "And we'll do more tomorrow. But now, it's time to clean up and check the perimeter."

They all nodded and followed Aiden back downstairs.

In the apartment, Aiden gave out tasks—check the doors, refill water from the rooftop tank, sort supplies. Even the younger kids had something to do.

Jake caught up to Aiden while checking the windows. "Thanks. For all of this. I think... I think we're starting to believe we can make it."

Aiden looked at him seriously. "Hope is fine. But never let it make you soft. Every minute you waste pretending things will go back to normal is a minute closer to dying."

Jake swallowed hard and nodded.

The sun started to set, and Aiden checked the rooftop again before locking everything down. The night would be colder.

The group gathered around a small battery-powered lantern. They ate in silence, tired but calmer than the night before.

Aiden sat by the window again, his sword by his side.

It was a small win today. But in a world full of monsters, small wins mattered.

Tomorrow, they'd train harder.

And the day after that—maybe they'd fight back.