Chapter 36: CH 036: My fault

Chapter 36: CH 036: My fault"Our attempt at clearing the beasts off the road hasn’t worked. It’s pointless to keep trying. We have to go back." Dave said. The words hung in the air like a thick fog, and the man who had questioned him froze for a moment before eventually speaking. A sharp laugh, half in disbelief, half in anger escaped his lips. "What?! Do you understand what you’re saying?" His voice rose, his face contorting with disbelief. "You’re telling us to go back? To go back to the direction we just came from? Are you out of your mind?" Dave’s jaw tightened as the man’s voice sliced through the tension, the bitter taste of failure still lingering in his mouth. He was beyond tired of arguing, of being challenged at every turn. His patience was running thin, and with each passing second, the weight of their situation pressed down harder on his shoulders. "Yes," Dave responded, his voice colder than before, "unless you’d rather be swallowed whole by one of those things. The road is blocked, and if you think you’ve got a better plan, feel free to leave. But the rest of us are going back. We don’t have the luxury of time or choice." His words were sharp, cutting through the air as if they were the only thing holding him together. He wasn’t just frustrated with the situation; he was angry with himself, angry that he hadn’t completed his daily quest from yesterday, that this entire mess had been set in motion because of the system’s punishment. If he’d done things differently, they wouldn’t be in this position. The weight of that failure gnawed at him, making his frustration seem endless. And yet, someone seems to be bothering and questioning his offer to help? The group stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment. No one dared to speak, as if they they could feel the pressure mounting in the air. The man who had spoken up opened his mouth, but no words came out of it. He wanted to argue, to challenge Dave again, but the harshness in Dave’s voice had made him hesitate. Finally, with a reluctant grunt, Dave turned and began to walk back. The others followed, some more willingly than others, their steps heavy as they retraced their path, moving towards the truck which was only but a few distance away from where they are. Dave, leading the way, kept his eyes focused ahead, determined to push forward despite the gnawing guilt and anxiety gnawing at his gut. Gunther was gone, swallowed by the very beasts they had tried to outrun, and the weight of his absence sat heavy on Dave’s chest. It felt like a suffocating blanket, one he couldn’t escape. The loss was a constant reminder of his failure. If not for the daily quest he has, they probably wouldn’t have been attacked by this amount of beasts, and Gunther would still have been alive. Gunther’s death was burned within him, sharp and unrelenting. But there was no time for self-pity, no time to dwell on what couldn’t be undone. His mind raced, scrambling for a solution, a way to get everyone out of this alive. An escape plan formed quickly in his mind, the outline is clear but fragile. They needed to leave before the boulderbacks closed in on them, before the situation turned even more disastrous. But what if one of the members, one of those who hadn’t trusted his judgment earlier, decided to go against his plan? What if they made a reckless decision that jeopardized everyone’s safety? The thought made his stomach tighten, but he couldn’t afford to dwell on it. If anyone was too stubborn to see reason with him, then they’d have to face the consequences on their own. He couldn’t keep dragging them along. Without waiting for any further arguments or responses from the man, Dave began to walk towards the truck. His steps were determined, his body moving almost on autopilot. Behind him, the rest of the group exchanged hesitant glances but, sensing that this was the only viable option, they started to follow. The man who had challenged him earlier, his face a mixture of disbelief and reluctance. But he sighed loudly, a deep exhale that seemed to echo in the tense silence between them. After a long pause, during which Dave didn’t slow his pace, the man finally shook his head and followed after them, muttering under his breath. Simbi, however, wasn’t as silent. As Dave approached the truck, her voice broke through the tension as she appeared behind him. "Hey," she called out softly. Dave glanced over his shoulder, recognizing her familiar face. "Hi," he replied, his tone flat, but his eyes softened a little. He hadn’t expected any conversation right now, but it was good to hear someone’s voice that wasn’t filled with frustration or fear. Simbi fell into step beside him, her lips curling into a bittersweet smile. "I can’t believe your first expedition is turning out like this," she said, a light chuckle escaping her despite the grim circumstances. Dave let out a breath, the sound deep and tired. In his mind, he couldn’t help but think, ’Yeah, and that’s all because of the system.’ But he didn’t say it aloud. Instead, he forced a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "We’re going to survive this," he said, the words coming out with more conviction than he felt. "I’m going to make sure everyone survives this." He needed to believe it, needed the others to believe it, even if he wasn’t sure of it himself. Simbi looked at him, her expression thoughtful but unwavering. There was a sense of trust in her eyes, one he wasn’t sure he deserved, but it was there nonetheless. It was enough to keep him pushing forward. As the group gathered around the truck, preparing to climb in, Dave couldn’t help but feel the weight of Gunther’s absence once again. It wasn’t just a tragic loss; it was a stark reminder of his own failure. ’Gunther’s death was on me. It was my fault,’ he thought bitterly. He would never let something like that happen again. Not on his watch. Not if he had the strength to stop it. With one last glance at the truck, Dave took a deep breath and climbed in, the others following suit. His mind was already spinning, trying to figure out how to end the punishment the system had put him through. There was no way he could let the same thing happen to anyone else. Not again. He wouldn’t let that happen. As everyone started filing into the truck , Dave then stared ahead with a determined expression. He wasn’t sure how he would fix things, but one thing was certain, he wouldn’t stop until he had found a way to end this nightmare.