Chapter 48: Riverside Calm
The sun slowly rose in the east, its scorching rays dispelling the eerie red glow the blood moon had cast.
Under sunlight, the carnage on this rural road was exposed in brutal clarity.
Two vehicles—barely recognizable—sat crooked on the bank of a muddy river.
Like steel carcasses dragged from a meat grinder, they reeked of nauseating odors everywhere.
Every surface was festooned with severed limbs and drying blood.
The RV Kenny drove had an alarming crater dented into the hood.
The spider-webbed windshield was smeared with black-red filth.
The entire body was covered in deep scratches. One side mirror had vanished entirely, leaving only a few broken wires dangling. The front bumper was twisted and nearly falling off.
Hanks climbed down from the pickup bed. Landing, he felt every bone in his body groaning.
He quickly scanned their surroundings. The riverside terrain was relatively open—road behind them, river ahead and to the left, sparse woodland to the right. Visibility was decent.
A defensible position.
"Lee, turn the pickup sideways, front facing the road."
"Kenny, angle the RV against the pickup's rear. Form a corner."
Hanks's voice rang clear and commanding, directing everyone to build a simple camp and defensive line.
Though the voice still inspired confidence, anyone could hear the exhaustion he couldn't quite hide.
Lee and Kenny immediately moved, enduring their body aches as they maneuvered the battered vehicles.
They slowly backed the vehicles together against the riverbank, constructing a crude V-shaped defensive position.
Hanks rummaged through the RV's toolbox and pulled out fishing line and empty cans, setting up several simple early-warning devices at the perimeter several dozen meters out.
Only after finishing did he relax slightly, leaning against the RV's cold tire.
Once the adrenaline faded, extreme exhaustion and muscle pain surged like a tide.
He touched the bullet-impact dent on his tactical vest. His chest still ached faintly.
"Hanks..." Clementine poked her small head from the RV door, ran over, and threw herself into his arms.
"We're okay now, Clem."
Hanks could feel her suppressed sobbing. He gently patted her back, saying nothing.
In this hellish world, fear was normal. Being able to cry was actually a good thing.
Lee's eyes were bloodshot. He rubbed his somewhat stiff face hard, trying to restore some mental alertness.
"Here." Carley handed him a bottle of water.
"Thanks." Lee took it, unscrewed the cap, but instead of drinking, he poured it directly over his head.
Splash.
The ice-cold water washed over him. He couldn't help shivering, but his spirits lifted considerably.
He couldn't rest yet. Only three men remained in the group. He had to ensure the women and children were safe before he could close his eyes for a moment.
Carley frowned slightly, grabbed another bottle of water for him, and opened a can of food to hand over.
Lee nodded, finally accepting it and eating, wolfing it down.
"Slow down. No one's fighting you for it." Carley sat beside him, using a towel to wipe the blood from his face.
Kenny held the still-trembling Duck, whispering soft reassurances in his ear.
Katjaa retrieved food supplies from the RV—various high-energy canned meat and bottled water—distributing them to everyone.
The supplies they'd piled into both vehicles would last them comfortably for many days.
"Everyone eat something. Restore your strength." Her voice was soft, carrying a maternal resilience.
The grease from the canned meat glistened faintly in the sunlight, but no one cared about taste now.
They just swallowed mechanically, replenishing their depleted bodies with the most basic energy.
Hanks forced himself to take big bites of canned beef despite his arms' numbness.
The Iron Gut passive efficiently converted the energy, alleviating the weakness that had seeped into his bones.
Only then did he remember his status panel.
[Name: Hanks Adolf]
[Level: 9]
[Experience: 89/90]
[Attribute Points: 5]
[Perception: 2/10] (Instinct LV1, Awareness LV1, Enhanced Senses LV1)
[Strength: 2/10] (Load Bearing LV1, Burst LV1, Toughness LV1)
[Fortitude: 2/10] (Iron Gut LV1, Healing LV1, Vitality LV1)
[Agility: 4/10] (Speed LV1, Parkour LV1, Stealth LV1)
[Intelligence: 2/10] (Mechanics LV1, Energy Systems LV1, Information Science LV1)
Hanks quickly reviewed the various notifications, forming a rough plan.
Either push Agility up to unlock the specialization, or invest in Fortitude first to better control his body's power.
He buried these thoughts for now. Adding points required stability—the previous enhancement process was still fresh in his mind.
Hanks's gaze swept the camp.
Kenny and Katjaa flanked Duck on both sides, the boy still trembling slightly.
The couple hummed tuneless lullabies, eyes somewhat unfocused. They clearly hadn't fully recovered from last night's bloody escape.
Lee and Carley sat beside the pickup, chatting idly, savoring what little warmth remained.
Clementine ate beans from her can in small bites, pressed tight against Hanks's leg as if drawing what little sense of security she could.
"Rotate rest periods." Hanks's voice broke the silence—weary but still clear.
"Kenny, Lee—you both worked hard last night. Go rest for four hours first."
"Katjaa, you too. Take Duck and rest."
"Carley, you're on first watch with me. Two hours, then we'll swap with Kenny and Lee."
Carley nodded without comment, checking her pistol magazine.
She climbed nimbly onto the RV roof, finding a spot with relatively clear sightlines and lying prone.
Kenny seemed about to object, but after opening his mouth, he just nodded wearily.
Katjaa carried the already drowsy Duck and crawled into the RV's rear cabin.
Lee leaned against the pickup's tire. Almost the instant he closed his eyes, his breathing grew heavy.
He was too tired.
Everyone was too tired.
No one mentioned the three people left at the motel. The silence was unanimous.
Hanks found relatively dry ground in the RV's shadow, where it was cooler.
He guided Clementine over, sitting with his back against the cold metal wall.
From this position he could observe movement on the road while keeping most of the camp in view.
"Get some sleep, Clem." He spoke quietly, adjusting his position so the little girl could curl more comfortably in his arms, her small head pillowed on his leg.
Clementine's eyelids were already fighting to stay open. She just mumbled a drowsy acknowledgment.
Her small hand unconsciously gripped a strap on his tactical vest as she immediately fell into restless, shallow sleep.
After confirming she was settled, Hanks finally exhaled a breath of stale air.
Moving extremely slowly to avoid waking the little one on his lap, he pulled the assault backpack closer.
He unzipped it.
The first thing he saw were several bulging magazine pouches and scattered cardboard boxes.
Brass 9mm rounds and red-shelled 12-gauge rounds glinted faintly in the dim light.
He first drew the P226, ejecting the chambered round, then removed the magazine.
His fingers trembled slightly from exhaustion and continuous firing, but he forced himself steady.
One by one, brass rounds were carefully pressed into the magazine with soft, crisp clicks.
The repetitive, focused task actually helped ease his highly strung nerves somewhat.
He refilled several empty magazines, sliding them back into the mag pouches on his tactical vest.
Then he addressed the nearly-empty shotgun bandolier, filling the loops with thick red shells one by one.
Every movement was deliberately gentle, blending with Carley's occasional footsteps on the RV roof, Kenny and Lee's suppressed snoring, and the distant river's murmur—
Forming the brief, peaceful soundtrack of this moment.
patreon.com/Twilightsky588 - 100 advanced chapters