20 days Timeskip
Day 27
Almost three weeks had passed since I returned from the Military outpost with the guns and no ammo; at least, that's what I told them.
In truth, I broke into the Station on my way back from the outpost, but I hid the fact that we had bullets, as I didn't trust everyone here, especially Nick.
Only three people knew the truth: Kenny, Lilly, and Carley. Since these three were the only people I could trust, I did trust Clementine too, but her friendship with Alicia held me back from telling her. She's sharp—smarter than most of the group members---but she's too gullible.
Carley and I had grown closer over the last few weeks, making out whenever we got a moment alone.
Lilly knows. I told her when we were going at it the other day. She didn't seem surprised, or jealous. Just amused.
The System remained silent. Twenty days without a single guest. I didn't know if it was broken, waiting, or testing me, but the silence only irritated me more. Still, I had made progress. Killing Walkers helped me level up and get points, if nothing else.
[Name:] Albert Wesker
[Condition:] Healthy
[Level:] 4
###
[Strength] – 18
[Stamina:] 23
[Endurance] – 20
[Agility] – 22
[Dexterity] – 19
[Perception] – 21
[Intelligence] – 24
[Marksmanship] – 23
[Melee Proficiency] – 22
[Stealth] – 20
[Kill Points - 58]
[SKILLS]
Tactical Map Lv-2 | 200KP to Level up
A mental map that records locations you have physically visited. Now, it updates in real-time the approximate locations of known allies within a 50-meter radius, along with terrain and structures.
Metabolism Lv-2 | 200KP to Level up
Increased digestion efficiency, stamina regeneration, and minor toxin/venom resistance. Healing factor(-F)
Reaper's Momentum Lv-2 | 200KP to Level up
Each kill briefly boosts speed and attack power, chaining into relentless strikes. Momentum resets after 3 minutes.
****
I exhaled, sitting on the makeshift chair beside Lilly and Carley. The Clarks were adjusting more or less. Alicia was calmer and more reserved except with two people; she helped around the Inn as much as she could. Madison kept her motherly act intact, even going through all this, she was mostly with Katjaa, helping her or the kids.
Nick? He was cracking. He seemed more and more irritated and angry as more days passed. Perhaps the tightened security of supplies was the reason.
The others were noticing. His sister, especially. Her tone had grown more clipped, more annoyed with each passing day. It wasn't just a sibling thing—it was tension, ready to snap.
As for me… I was still trying to make sense of it all, this world felt so strange yet familiar. Sometimes, I wonder if I even belong here; the thought I had pushed aside three weeks ago has clawed its way back up.
Flashback – 2 Days ago, Hershel's Farm
I arrived at the farm under a grey sky, clouds hanging low and heavy. It had been weeks since I was kicked off after I hacked Shawn's arm off to 'save' his life. At the time, Hershel's fury made sense—his son bleeding, passed out. A father's rage outweighs reason.
But I needed to know if he survived. It was crucial that he did. Our supplies were thinning, Macon was an empty husk, though we did have supplies that could last us for almost a month, if rationed right, but I needed insurance.
I stopped the car a little away from the farm. I stepped out, wearing black from head to toe. My harness and pistol vanished into the outfit unless you looked closely.
I took off my shades, feeling no heat of the sun. It would rain soon, I thought, looking up at the sky, finally seeing the dark grey clouds above.
That's when I saw him.
A young man crouched near the edge of the barn, fumbling with a rusted toolbox. At first, I didn't recognize him. He was thinner, pale, and draped in a flannel shirt. One cuff hung limply.
Shawn
He turned at the sound of my footsteps. His eyes widened for a moment. "You," he muttered as he relaxed.
I continued to walk toward him with no change in my expression. "Glad you're alive." He gave a dry chuckle, though his eyes were tired. "I'm alive thanks to you," he said.
I nodded once. "I came to trade. Food's running low in Macon. I figured you still have crops, and we have medicine and gear you might need."
Shawn put his arms behind his back and looked past me, toward the distant car. "You came alone?"
I nodded.
"Alright," He said, then motioned toward the house. "C'mon. Maggie and Beth are still here. Dad's…" he trailed off. The silence finished the sentence for him.
We walked together in silence. Inside the house. Maggie sat on the couch, brushing Beth's hair as the younger girl hummed quietly on the floor.
Maggie turned to us, hearing the door open. "Wesker," she muttered unconsciously.
Beth's humming stopped. She looked over her shoulder, fear tightening her posture.
"Why are you here?" Maggie asked, voice flat. "I came to trade," I replied.
Flashback² – Hershel's Farm
Day 2
In the forest near Hershel's farm, a fat man with a full beard, dressed in a plaid shirt and brown pants, walked carefully among the trees. Otis's breath was heavy, each step labored under his weight. The strap of a black hunting rifle dug into his shoulder as he scanned the surrounding, squuinting in the dim morning light that filtered through dense tree leaves.
Birds fluttered above, their songs blending with the distant rustle of the wind through the leaves. Otis wiped the sweat from his brow, pausing to catch his breath beside a tree, muttering, "Just a couple of rabbits… Maybe a deer…"
Suddenly, the echo of three gunshots cracked through the forest. Sharp. Distant.
Otis froze. His head snapped toward the direction of the sound—toward the farm.
"Patricia," he hesitated, his heartbeat surging as panic took hold. Without thinking, he bolted.
Branches snapped underfoot as he stumbled through the underbush, crashing through the bushes and over roots. His boots slipped on the damp soil as the terrain turned uneven. He hadn't run like this in years.
Then, he hit the incline.
A steep, grassy hill cut through the woods, the same one he had always avoided. But not today.
He pushed himself up a slope, arms pumping—but his balance failed. His foot snagged a loose root, and gravity took over. Otis tumbled down hard, hitting the ground with a sickening thud. His head struck a rock near the base.
Then—nothing.
Back at the farmhouse, chaos erupted.
"Get the fuck out here, all of you!" Hershel yelled.
Wesker didn't argue. He didn't plead. He simply nodded once, then turned away and left.
Maggie and Beth stood frozen behind Patricia, silent and shaken, eyes glued to Shawn.
No one noticed that Otis hadn't returned.
No one except Patricia.
Her hands trembled as she glanced out the window, the uneaten plate of food on the table beside her. "Otis should've been back by now," she whispered.
She opened the door and stepped out in the heat of the afternoon, her eyes darting toward the tree line.
A moment later, she was running.
Forest Edge.
Patricia gasped when she saw him—Otis, sprawled face down at the bottom of the hill, unmoving. She rushed to his side, cradling his head, sobbing with relief when she saw his chest rise ever so slightly.
She ran back to the farm, her hands shaking, her heart pounding against her chest. She was unable to move him on her own. She screamed, standing outside the house, "Dad! Maggie! Beth!"
They came out seconds later, and together, with grunts, tears, anxiety, and sadness, they dragged his limp body across the field and into the house.
.
.
.
***
200 Stones or 5 reviews and you get 1 extra chapter.
****
Read +3 or +7 chapters ahead on my Pat*eon
First_Endless
********