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Leo looked at the dead spider, he wasn’t terrified of spiders, but they did make him uneasy, especially when 10 feet long. When he looked back at the door, he saw signs of cracked and splintered wood. Before he could inspect the room any further, the woman and her daughter came back down.

The trio headed off towards the camp, as Leo made sure to keep an eye out for any monsters that may have wandered into the city. He offered to help them carry anything they needed, but she insisted that they could manage.

“My name’s Leo, by the way, figured you should know since you’re joining the camp. What’s your name?” asked Leo.

“Bazya, named after my grandmother,” she replied.

“That’s a pretty name. Not to be intrusive, but how have you been handling the mass walkout?” questioned Leo.

There was hesitation in his voice when he asked, as he didn’t want to bring up bad memories for Bazya. He wanted to learn more about whatever has plagued this town, as every piece of information could be vital for the upcoming journey. He saw a sadness wash over her hardened face as she took a few moments to reply.

Bazya answered, “Hadn’t been all that bad for me and Lily. My husband and I ran a restaurant, so I just stayed there with my daughter. He was one of the people who left. I tried to follow him, begged him to stay put, but by the time we reached the forest, I had to go back. I couldn’t leave Lily alone, and I haven’t seen him since then.”

Leo saw a few solitary tears fall down her face as she recanted her story. He gave her a slight pat on the back and decided to not prod any further, as they continued on their journey to the camp.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the Mayor’s Office. As they walked through the marble entrance the sound of laughter and chatter echoed throughout the halls. Leo and Bazya arrived at the main room of the camp, which seemed to have gained new inhabitants since he was there.

Mr. Carrog was in joyful chatter with the small group of people, as they seemed wrapped up in their conversation until Leo and Bazya approached. Mr. Carrog stopped the conversation when he spotted Leo and started gathering the attention of the other survivors.

“Hello, Leon! You all should meet him— this is the young man that found me,” commented Mr. Carrog.

Leo watched as the new people in the room turned and approached him. They clamored around him and introduced themselves. Leo tried his best to reciprocate their pleasantries as he scanned the room for Marem.

“Yeah, it’s nice to meet you all, it’s Leo, actually. Anyone know where Marem is?” he asked.

One of the new people spoke up, “She and the young boy brought us here. They went back out to find more survivors.”

Leo realized that if she would keep getting more people for their camp, then he should too. He redirected the group’s attention by introducing Bazya and her daughter. With the group occupied by the new survivors, he headed out north to search for more civilians.

Throughout the day, he managed to stumble upon 4 new people in total. He found a pair of young Elf twins who had holed up in their house, a man who had sheltered in a clothing store, and an old lady who had to be carried to the camp.

Every time he returned to camp, there were more new survivors. He didn’t run into Marem during his return trips, but he quickly became more focused on finding people rather than meeting up with her. The people he found were afraid, their loved ones had left them behind, and a horrible beast stalked their streets at night. Despite what they had been through, despite the fear that they faced, they would find happiness at the camp.

They laughed at jokes, shared stories, and talked about their lives. He didn’t have time to get to know each person, but he was more than happy to see them find peace within the growing community.

When he brought back his latest addition to camp, it had fallen dark. He waited up for Marem, who appeared with a few more members alongside Mark. The two were happy to reunite in what was now a bustling encampment.

The people had quickly spread out in multiple rooms and hallways, as they tried to fight the growing population. They shared hot meals and supplies as if they would last forever. He knew they couldn’t sustain this for long, but hopefully if everything went to plan, then they wouldn’t need to.

Him and Marem still struggled to find time to talk, as they tended to the needs of their group. When most of the survivors had gone to bed, Leo met Marem outside of the main room. They walked down to where Philips was held, as they discussed their plans.

“So, we’re doing this tonight?” he asked.

“The camp has more than enough people to handle itself. I left a note that explained we went out to find help and more survivors, so they shouldn’t get too worried. We can’t afford to waste time,” answered Marem.

“I know, I just hope that this will be an easy trip. Are you sure you’re ready, you’ve been walking around all day,” asked Leo.

Marem rebutted, “Leo, I may not be able to match your raw might, but I’m certain that I can handle walking.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry for doubting you. I’m just nervous about the trip,” explained Leo.

“Don’t worry, the supplies are ready and he should be well restrained. We just need to see where he ends up,” comforted Marem.

“Alright, let’s get to it then,” accepted Leo.

The two of them walked into the room, where they had their backpacks filled with supplies and Philips tied down. Philips seemed to thrash as they entered, but the restraints proved strong. He was unable to free himself and unable to speak.

When Leo untied the restraints, a part of him worried that maybe Philips had gone back to normal. This fear faded away as Philips lunged at him, in an attempt to scratch his skin. Leo barely felt the failed scratch, as he proceeded to lift Philips while Marem got the supplies.

They walked out of the Mayor’s office and placed Philips down. Once freed, Philips seemed to go rigid, as he started to walk away from the office. Leo and Marem looked at eachother, hopeful that the infected Philips would be the key to saving Faelde city.