NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 81: Day 3 A Good Night
The night had quieted down. The singing was over, and the drinks were done.
Amber approached Atlas, her expression both hopeful and a little uncertain. “We’re completely 100% safe, right?”
Atlas took a small sip from his drink, letting the moment hang for just a second before answering, “Yep. All the way until tomorrow night this time.”
A smile spread across Amber’s face as she reached out and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go for a quick walk around the settlement,” she suggested, her tone light but with an undercurrent of something more.
Amber looked at Atlas, her eyes softening. “You know, I feel close to you, Atlas.”
“Yeah, Amber, you have no idea,” Atlas replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. For her, this was just the beginning—she had only really just met him. Before that, he had been an internet celebrity, someone she admired from a distance, watching his every move online. As Atlaswife44, she had even bought an embarrassing trashy magazine about him.
But for Atlas, it was different. He had seen her in ways she couldn’t even begin to understand. ‘There’s nothing like a wasteland full of demon dogs and emergencies every day to really show a person’s character,‘ he thought.
Amber looked at him curiously, not fully grasping the weight behind his words until he told her. He told her about his time traveling, about the plan to prepare, and that this wasn’t the first time they had met.
For Atlas, this wasn’t just about the here and now—it was about everything he had seen before, everything he knew about her that she didn’t realize. He had witnessed her strength, her resilience, and her heart in ways she couldn’t imagine.
To her, it felt like they were just starting, but for Atlas, this connection had been forged long ago, in another time and place.
Amber and Atlas passed the settlement, their hushed conversation a stark reminder of the stakes. Atlas squeezed her hand a little tighter, knowing that he had to do better. As they continued their walk, Amber hesitated, glancing up at Atlas with a mixture of nervousness and resolve. “Atlas,” she started, her voice soft but steady, “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
Atlas stopped walking, turning to face her fully. The dim light of the Mana Dome cast a soft glow on her face, highlighting the uncertainty in her eyes. ‘She’s been through a lot,‘ he thought. ‘Hell, we all have.‘
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to be,” he said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of everything unspoken between them. “Not tonight. Not ever.”
Amber’s breath hitched slightly as she looked up at him, her expression searching his for any hesitation. But all she found was warmth and a sense of safety she hadn’t realized she needed so badly.
“Come on,” Atlas said, taking her hand again, but this time leading her toward his tent. “Let’s get out of the cold.”
The inside of Atlas’s tent was simple but comfortable, with a thick blanket spread across the floor and a few personal items scattered about. He gestured for Amber to sit while he rummaged through a small bag, eventually pulling out a second blanket.
Amber took a seat, feeling a bit out of place but comforted by the fact that Atlas was right there, making sure she was taken care of. “You really didn’t have to do this,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Atlas looked up, catching her gaze. “I know. But I want to.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them charged with an unspoken understanding. Finally, Amber spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you, Atlas. For everything.”
Atlas moved closer, his hand resting on her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to thank me, Amber. We’re in this together.”
She nodded, her heart pounding as she leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder. The warmth of his body, the steady rise and fall of his chest, it was all so grounding, so real.
Atlas shifted slightly, wrapping the blanket around them both, pulling her closer. “Get some rest,” he murmured. “I’ll be right here.”
Amber didn’t respond with words. Instead, she curled up against him, letting the tension of the day melt away in his embrace. As the night wore on, their breathing synced, the chaotic world outside fading into the background.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Amber fell asleep feeling safe. And for Atlas, as he held her close, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was exactly where he was meant to be.
That walk was the beginning of a very good night for Atlas, planting a smile on his face that would stay with him long after the sun rose the next day.
‘‘‘
The sun rose over the wasteland. Uncaring of the thoughts of the mortal lives below.
John stood tall at the front of the gathering area, where the Portal Crushers were chowing down on their breakfast bars.
“Today we’re going to do something different, folks,” John announced, his voice carrying over the chatter of the team. “Today, we’re going to gear up.”
The statement grabbed everyone’s attention. The weight of the previous day’s events still lingered, and the thought of gearing up brought a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
“We have until the night before the demon dogs appear,” John continued. “Our goal is to gather a whole bunch of supplies and weapons. Each basic weapon will cost us 5 coins. We’ve got 49 coins right now, our goal is gearing up the whole team.”
Yesterday, we pulled in close to 400 coins, thanks to everyone working together, it was used for saving lives.”
There were nods of agreement and some murmured conversations among the group. They all remembered how frightening the day had been, but the reward had been worth it.
“Yeah, also thanks to some of those fuckin’ skellies dropping close to ten coins, not one,” Stu chimed in, smirking at the memory.
John, choosing to ignore the interruption, pressed on. “So yeah, we want to hit that 400 again today. But we’re not just looking at weapons. We’re going to be spending some coins on armor too. No more fighting in just military uniforms.”
The mention of armor brought a wave of anticipation. The group had been through hell wearing nothing more than basic gear, and the thought of something more substantial was a relief.
“Here’s the breakdown,” John explained, raising his voice to cut through the crowd’s buzz. “Underarmor costs 10 coins each. That’s 110 coins right there. Basic armor costs 50 coins per person. If we gear up everyone, it’ll be 550 coins.”
The group collectively let out a low whistle at the numbers. That was a hefty investment.
“Don’t worry,” John reassured them. “We’re going to start with gearing up some of our tanks and less dexterous folks first. It’s not ideal, but we’ve got to start somewhere, and this is where we’re starting. We’re planning to use 300 coins for that.”
There were nods of understanding, though the pressure was understandable. Everyone knew how important this gear would be for their survival, but the cost was significant.
“And I know you’re all plenty sick of sleeping on the floor,” John added, his tone lightening a bit as he saw some of the team shift uncomfortably. He glanced at Stu, who had been the most vocal about the conditions.
“Yeah, I got god damn bug bites in places you don’t want to see,” Stu chimed in, drawing a round of laughter from the group.
John shook his head with a slight grin, choosing to ignore the comment as the laughter died down. “Instead of those shitty tents they offer, which cost ten coins each, we’re going to be doing some arts and crafts. By the end of the night, you’ll have somewhere comfortable to sleep.”
“Well, ‘somewhere‘ comfortable,” he corrected himself with a wry smile.
The group exchanged looks, some amused, some doubtful. Arts and crafts weren’t exactly what they had in mind when it came to comfort, but the promise of a better night’s rest was enough to keep them hopeful.
“We’re going to make the most of what we have,” John said, looking around at the faces of his teammates. “It’s not going to be easy, but we’re all in this together. We’ve been through worse, and we’ve come out stronger every time. Today’s just another step.”
He paused, letting his words sink in. The group had faced countless challenges already, and the road ahead was still uncertain, but they had grown into a formidable unit. The trust they placed in one another was the bedrock of their survival.
John had just laid out the day’s plan, setting the tone for a day of gathering supplies and gearing up. The Portal Crushers were ready to tackle the tasks ahead, but Atlas had something else up his sleeve.
As the group began to disperse, Atlas stepped forward, commanding their attention once more. “A whole bunch of you have been asking why we’ve been collecting all these skeleton bones,” he began, his voice carrying a hint of mischief. The team paused, curiosity piqued. They had indeed wondered about the purpose behind the growing piles of bones, and now it seemed they were finally going to get some answers.
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