[A/N: Hello everyone.
A quick reminder for Ron.
An adventure in the future, and the apocalypse is getting closer.
Hit the heart button on my Webnovel profile or rate the novel.]
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It was nighttime on Ron's doorstep.
I was faced with a dilemma he himself had posed. I knew that if I used his resources, we could gather supplies to help many people for a long time. We would have the capacity to create a shelter, a safe place that would accommodate many people, equipped with warehouses, emergency power systems, protective walls, weapons, and even an infirmary.
"But hadn't I seen this in my dreams?", I mused, recalling my notebook full of visions of the future. "If I accompany him, I might have the opportunity to alter my destiny and that of those I meet along the way", I said to myself, keeping my gaze fixed on Ron's eyes.
He silently awaited my answer, as if it wasn't just a random idea, but something he'd given enough thought to consider me an essential part of his plan.
"Sorry, I won't be able to help you", I answered honestly, after much consideration. His expression revealed surprise; Surely, he expected me to accept without hesitation. "Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want to help you; I just have other plans, and there are people I need to support", I added, sensing his disappointment. I feared my refusal might upset him and affect his willingness to offer me the resources I had in mind.
"I understand", he replied, with a slight tone of disappointment.
"However, I can offer you some advice", I said, noticing his confused expression.
"I'm listening", he replied seriously.
"He seems to take my words very seriously", I thought, observing him closely. "First, you must gather plenty of resources, of all kinds, and it's crucial that you don't leave them in one place. Plan escape routes and make sure each one has supplies that can sustain you for a while", I recommended, introducing what I considered to be essential advice. "Furthermore, it's essential that the place you stay, as well as any alternative shelters, be as safe as possible. Plan as if you were defending a castle: think about what you'll need and prepare it appropriately", I continued, taking a moment to breathe.
"Remember the essential needs: water, food, medicine, energy, weapons, tools, and, most importantly, people. This last resource becomes vital when you have the basics", I told him.
"Finally, it's essential that you understand that those infected with rabies cannot be saved. There is no immediate cure for this disease, so those who are infected must be expelled or eliminated. I know it sounds cruel, but it's the decision you must make", I explained subtly, without directly mentioning the zombies. "Take care of those around you; don't allow them to be in danger", I concluded in a solemn tone.
"And the last thing I want to tell you may sound like I'm rambling. However, believe me when I say this is the most important piece of advice you'll hear tonight", I explained to Ron, who was staring at me in amazement. "Aim for the head. When those people catch it and start running a riot, the only way to stop them is with a shot to the head. They won't stop if you shoot at the heart or some vulnerable area of the body. Remember, only the head", I said, looking him seriously in the eye. I knew he probably wouldn't take my warning seriously, but I still felt the need to tell him, even if it meant he might see me differently after hearing such cruel words.
"Fuuuu… You sure do give people the creeps", Ron replied in a joking tone, trying to lighten the mood. "I believe you, Alex. I'll keep everything you told me in mind", he said seriously. I didn't expect him to take my words seriously; I thought he'd see them as an empty, unfounded warning, but his response surprised me.
"Thanks for trusting me", I said in a grateful tone. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me", I commented as I began to leave his house.
"You can call me if you need anything too", he clarified. "I'll keep you updated on your order, should I hear anything", Ron added.
"Thanks, Ron... Goodbye", I said goodbye.
"See you later, Alex. Take care", he replied as he began walking down the street toward the truck.
An hour later.
"Time to sleep", I mumbled as I settled into bed.
My head barely touched the pillow, and dark thoughts immediately surfaced again. I was afraid that when I closed my eyes, my dreams would take me to important places I wouldn't be able to remember when I woke up. Or worse, that I simply wouldn't remember anything at all.
"I just need to rest. Today was a very long day", I thought, trying to clear my mind so I could finally fall asleep. "I'll worry tomorrow about what happens, or doesn't happen, in my dreams", I murmured. It became clear to me that my way of thinking was changing a bit; I didn't seem to fear the possibility of not having visions as much, or perhaps the suffering I experienced that morning had made me not want to relive that same stress.
Morning.
"It's this ceiling!", I thought, relieved. It seemed like the dreams weren't going to end.
I found myself in that room that had accompanied me in my visions for the past few days. I woke up staring at the ceiling, as always, and this simple fact brought me a relief that mitigated all the bad thoughts I'd had in the real world.
I woke up a little later than usual, as I didn't have any commitments to attend to. I started the morning as usual, exercising, washing, and preparing breakfast. As on previous days, this time I cooked for two. Once I finished organizing everything and setting the table, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
"Good morning, Alex", Anna said to me, her voice still sleepy.
"Good morning", I replied. "I thought I mentioned yesterday that you should get up early", I said, noticing her face blushing.
"Heh… I'm sorry, Alex. I was really excited about today last night, so I was up really late, although I won't deny I'm a little scared too", she said embarrassedly.
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[A/N: I once overslept and missed an important trip just because I stayed awake from anxiety.
Has something similar happened to you?]
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"I understand", I said calmly. "Everything will be fine, just follow my instructions without hesitation", I clarified preemptively.
"I will", she said enthusiastically.
It didn't take long for us to eat and get ready. We left the house and headed toward the back entrance of the villa. When we arrived, Anna paused for a moment.
"What's wrong?", I asked.
"Nothing, I just remembered something", she said, looking at the shed.
After that moment of nostalgia for Anna, we walked back in the same direction as the pharmacy I had visited before. We passed by the park where the bodies of the zombies I had killed a few days ago were. I showed Anna the results of the fight while explaining some things that might be useful to her in the future when fighting zombies.
We continued our way and saw the cart. It looked like it had been searched by people looking for supplies, but since I hadn't removed anything from the pharmacy, only the bags I had packed for that trip remained. We arrived at the pharmacy; it showed no signs of having been looted by others. I checked the items I wanted to remove last time, and we headed further west.
"It's your turn", I told Anna, pointing to a lone zombie that had appeared in front of us.
"Okay", she said in a serious voice, trying to hide her fear.
Anna approached the zombie, jabbed the tip of the spear into its chest to gauge the distance, then stepped back, gripped her spear tightly, and impaled it from below.
"You did very well", I told her with a hint of pride. "You just have to remember to measure your strength and where you strike the spear, so it doesn't get stuck between the bones", I explained as I watched her easily pull the spear out of the zombie's head.
"I understand", she said in an erratic tone, her hands shaking.
"Maybe she's in shock", I thought as I watched her behavior. "Are you okay?", I asked worriedly.
"I'm fine. It's just that I feel a strange emotion inside me", she told me in the same tone. "Before, I felt very weak in front of these beings. I was afraid, I felt desperate, not knowing what to do to live, but now I feel strong... I think I can face them without hesitation", she continued, explaining excitedly. Her voice went from a tone of doubt to one of ecstasy.
"I know you now feel you can do things you couldn't before, but you must remember to approach all these challenges with caution", I gently reminded her, hoping she wouldn't lose her way and expose herself to unnecessary danger.
"I know. I won't do anything I know I can't accomplish", she said, easing my worries.
We spent the rest of the morning scouring some nearby streets. We jotted down addresses of places that might be looted, some places with supplies, essential materials, even some clothing and entertainment, in case we felt like looking for something unnecessary. Anna killed a few wandering zombies, getting better and better at it, and the most surprising thing was that her spear never got stuck. "Maybe it's because of her knowledge of anatomy", I thought after remembering Anna's profession.
We also faced a few groups of zombies, just three or four of them. At first, Anna wanted to run away in fear, but I convinced her that we could easily take on such a small group. With Anna's spirits restored, we took on the zombies using our speed difference, easily dispatching them.
"Incredible", Anna said, seeing what I was capable of.
At noon, we stopped at a place to eat the provisions we had prepared. We ate in silence, savoring the cookies and some snacks, as if it were a home-cooked meal. When we were done, we packed up our things again to continue searching. We were about ten blocks from the base, and we could take our time returning; even if we didn't make it, we could stay temporarily in some of the places we had already checked.
Just as we were leaving the place where we had lunch, I could see some people signaling from an apartment building.
"Let's help them", I told Anna without hesitation. "I didn't think she'd act without hesitation", I thought, seeing my future self so unhesitatingly refuse to help.
"What?!", Anna exclaimed doubtfully.
"There are people who need help in that building", I said, pointing at the building.
We approached the building and saw that it was surrounded by a large group of zombies. There weren't more than a hundred of them, but more than fifty. Anna immediately panicked; she'd probably seen how dangerous these zombies are, which brought back bad memories.
"We can do this", I said, placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her emotions. She nodded, but she was still very nervous. "It seems like it will be a challenge to ask anything of Anna", I murmured, seeing her state.
"You stay here. I'll distract the zombies and guide them a few blocks away", I said, explaining a preliminary plan. "It'll take me about half an hour. You'll try to communicate with them, but you won't enter their building until I arrive", I continued.
"But it's very dangerous for you", she said, a little worried.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine", I consoled her. "You just have to follow my instructions, is that clear?", I asked.
"Yes", she said with some hesitation. Although those hesitations seemed more focused on my safety.
I left Anna at a store near the building, but not before checking every corner of it, looking for any danger. Then I left the store, grabbed my bike, and tied some soda and beer cans that were on the floor to it. Then I started riding near the zombies, making a lot of noise. I caught most of them's attention with the noise alone, and the rest joined the chase thanks to the herd effect, following the others in search of food.
"If someone were filming this, it would be just like in some of the movies", I thought as I watched a mob of zombies approaching behind me.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Thank you all very much.
Little by little, a story is starting to take shape.
At first, it seemed simple, but now it's becoming increasingly complex than expected. It's not for nothing that the genre is Kingdom Building.
Read my other novel called Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time.
You can find it on my profile.]