System Fall

As I dug into my meal, I could feel the energy returning to my body. Each bite of the sandwich, each sip of the water, seemed to reinvigorate me and put me in a better mood.

"Wow. You were hungry?" Willow asked, watching me as I polished off my meal and wiped my hands.

I nodded with a mouth full of food. Realistically with my calorie burn, I doubted if I’d be able to eat enough in the coming days, or get the chance to.

It was remarkable, the simple pleasure that came with a full stomach. I didn’t feel stiff, or tired, or anything. All I felt was renewed.

Perhaps it was my body's metabolism working overtime to digest the food and use it to fuel my muscles. Or maybe it was one of the vitality boosting achievements I’d managed to get, or even my Tenacious Vitality coming into effect. Or maybe it was just the simple comfort of a good meal after a long day. Whatever it was, I was feeling ready for what lay ahead.

"Yeah, I was famished. That'll do for now though," I replied, eyeing the time on my watch. The third day of System Fall was coming to a close, and the impending update was almost upon us. “I’m getting ready to take off.”

Officially, it was called the Dark of the Night, an ominous title, known to survivors in my past life by the more common name of “Those Damned Nights.”

As I got up to leave, I noticed May shadowing me.

"I'm not interested in being a leader, not for what’s coming next," I stated flatly, not even bothering to slow down.

But May continued to follow.

"I know.” She replied, “But I can’t stay here, and if I’m going to get strong enough to survive in this world, the best place to learn to do that is with you.”

"I’m not asking anyone to come with me for a reason, it’s going to be dangerous." I threw her a quick glance over my shoulder.

May finally came to a halt, processing what I was trying to says. She wanted to be with me, not just for my survival know-how, but because I was as honest as I could be, even when it was brutal. Perhaps she saw something in me that was worth the risk.

"However," I added, turning to face her, "if someone chooses to come after me of their own accord, ready to face the consequences and carry their own weight, not expecting me to clean up their mess... well, I can't always stop them. It's not like I own this place."

At my words, a spark of hope ignited in May's eyes. She'd already discussed parting ways with Willow while I was eating. It was clear that May had decided her path. Whether that path would lead to safety or peril, only time would tell. But if she could keep up with me, she’d do well.

"Nick has no intention of sticking with us. He might as well be dead to us," Willow spat, feeling irritable. "But if the opportunity arises, I won't say no to traveling with him. Until then, I guess the two of us should stick together, until we find Jason and the others."

Willow didn’t want to keep looking after May forever. She wasn’t her guardian. At some point, May had to grow up and start doing things for herself, and by herself. Willow found some measure of peace at least in knowing that May had come with Nick, even as she cursed him for leaving her and Alvin behind.

Alvin didn't particularly like the idea, but he didn't want to argue with May. In simple terms, he had feelings for her. He had hoped that without Nick around, May would have relied on him and given him the chance to prove his worth.

Instead, the other group had come in and had easily overpowered him.

But the continuous mention of Nick’s name had become too much for him. He was struggling.

Now, as he watched May walk away with Nick, all he could do was clench his jaw in frustration.

The real trouble, however, started once the sun had fully set.

The group of seven, prepping to venture out, noticed a surprising lightness in the bags they’d been preparing to take back to the surface.

"Where the hell is all the food?"

The initial reaction was one of shock and confusion. Willow and Alvin watched the unfolding chaos with growing anxiety. One of the group dashed into the convenience store to grab something else and as soon as it was pulled from a case and out of the building, it disappeared.

“Something is wrong with the food!”

Then, a message appeared on everyone's menu.

[System Fall Notification]

Title: Special Event Starting – The Dark of the Night

 

Attention! The Dark of The Night has begun. As a result, any food that is not in System Fall approved containers, or stored in designated safe zones will be removed by the system when collected. An exception to this rule is fresh meat from hunting and plants from gathering.  It is now more important than ever to rely on the resources around you and the ways of the system for survival.  Embrace the challenges ahead.

 

Panic followed.

"It was them!" Accusations flew, fingers pointed at Willow and Alvin. "They must have some kind of ability to make the food disappear. They are just trying to get even with us.”

Willow instinctively stepped back, eyes wide in shock. It was clear that rational conversation was off the table. Without wasting another moment, Willow turned on her heels and sprinted away as fast as she could. To stay any longer was the real danger.

"Please, please let me catch up with May," Willow murmured in a fervent prayer. In her state of terror and haste, she barely noticed her male companion wasn't at her heels.

Instead of fleeing, Alvin made the unfortunate decision to unsheathe his sword and try to leave by force instead of just running. Within moments, a stringy substance ensnared his legs, pulling him to the ground.

"Quite a handy skill, this Spider Web, don't you think?" someone joked.

Glancing at his ensnared legs, Alvin found them entwined in white, sticky filaments. The mass of strings bore a resemblance to stretched taffy but boasted the strength of steel wire. He couldn't wrench his legs free. In a desperate attempt, he raised his sword and started hacking at the threads, but it was a futile endeavor.

Though a few strands were severed, it was too late. The members of the other group were upon him.

"Not so fast, friend. You're going to explain just how you two knew all about this."

Alvin hung his hung head. “How can you blame me for this? This can’t be happening. Just let me go!”

.Despite her breathless panic and overwhelming guilt, Willow managed to reach May and me quickly enough. Catching up to us turned out to be the easy part. The harder pill to swallow was the fact that she had left Alvin behind, alone and surrounded by an irate mob. My attempt at reassurance wasn't particularly comforting.

"They probably won't kill him. He's a valuable source of information for them. He'll live," I said, maintaining our brisk pace. The night was creeping in, and we didn't have the luxury of time.

"Where are we going?" May asked, trying her best to divert her thoughts away from Alvin. The mental toll of the day was weighing on her heavily, and right now, her priority was her own survival.

"I don't know about this 'we' you're talking about. As for me, I'm heading to Central Park. Seems like a good place to find something edible, don't you think?" My stomach rumbled in agreement, but I suppressed the urge to eat with sheer willpower. My body was still adjusting to the new world's reality, even if my mind was already there.

"Ah, so we're going hunting? In the zoo?" Willow attempted to solidify our loose group, although I was more inclined to work alone. It seemed increasingly clear that I would be saddled with them until they could fend for themselves.

"I am. Can't speak for the rest of you," I responded tersely.

"But we're right beside you. What's the difference?" May chimed in.

"The difference? Well, I didn't abandon anyone back there," I retorted, shrugging my shoulders.

"…That was harsh," May murmured after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

"He'll survive. Trust me," I said nonchalantly.

"And if he doesn't? Will you feel guilty?" Willow asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The guilt was gnawing at her, and it was clear as day. “Should we party up again?”

“No.” I sighed and decided to offer some semblance of comfort, "For you, it will be better if you stop worrying about Alvin, you can’t do anything right now."

"So, what happened to you after you ventured alone into the dungeon?" Willow sought to change the subject, her curiosity picking up.

"Well, I almost died down there," I replied casually, "And then I took a swim.”

Behind my back, I could sense the startled glances exchanged between the two girls.

"But after drying off,” I continued, “I fought my way to the second floor, and then I found you guys."

Our journey continued in silence for about twenty minutes. We walked down the middle of the deserted road, an experience that was both strange and liberating for the girls. With no cars or human traffic, the roads felt wide and, in a strange way, safer. They provided ample space for dodging and maneuvering in the event of an unexpected attack.

Suddenly, I came to an abrupt halt before picking up the pace again, transforming our leisurely walk into a swift jog.

"Wait, what happened?" May rushed to catch up to me, her breath uneven.

"I'm hungry!" I declared, grinning at their puzzled expressions. “Food is on the move!”

"You're full of it! You just had an idea!" Willow shot back, panting heavily from the exertion.

The cruel reality of our new world dawned on us - while some would continue their futile attempts at trying to restore the world as it was, others would need to adapt and evolve to survive in the harsh, unforgiving environment.

Survival was not for the faint-hearted.

Or the weak stomached.