Chapter Text
«Super Craig saves the day again.»
It is a small convenience store, in a gas station. The closest in sixty miles. It doesn't have much but you don't need much, either. You go there from time to time to get supplies. You have learned to get by on your own, but there are some things you just can't produce yourself or find in the woods. Not yet, at least—you are hopeful and believe that there will come a day when you become self-sufficient. Right now, however...Winter is here and everything in your house that was supposed to protect you from the freezing cold and the starving wild animals decided it was the proper moment to break, all at once. On the way back home, you got hungry and thirsty, since you still had some dollars on you, you stopped to get something, and, seeing that you had enough, decided to buy a few whims. Even if you have lived up there for so long that you barely remember what it was like to live like an average person, there are a lot of things you still miss from civilization.
However, there are some others you don't.
The cashier is distractedly watching a little television he's got in a corner. From where you are, in the batteries aisle, you can see a young man wearing no armor, no helmet, absolutely no protection measures, facing a furious mob throwing molotov cocktails, fireworks and bricks to everyone wearing an uniform. They have already injured ten cops, the chyron says. All those hit his skin without causing any kind of harm to him, or even making him blink. A cloaked guy thinks his fists will change this, and he grabs him by the neck and hits him three times in the face before breaking it with a headbutt.
«The hero broke up the riotous mob which had crashed the pacific climate demonstration, looting stores and damaging public property...»
You stand in there, watching those images for long...
...Images that send you back in time...
Until the cashier turns his eyes from the screen to attend a customer who has just walked in and towards him. "Night, w—?"
And said customer takes out a rifle and aims at the space between his eyes.
"Gimme all the money!"
This one didn't even bother to cover up his face. It is bald man with a grey chin beard and biker outfit. Most probably a 211, by the looks of him. There is another one at the door, blocking the way out. You look around to see if there is someone around who thinks this is some sort of twisted prank too, but find that the only ones in the shop right now are you and the cashier—and that armed fellow.
The cashier mutters a profanity, tries to get his own weapon from under the desk and the robber notices it and fires, bursting his chest and filling all the counter with blood and little chunks of meat. Nope, this is not a prank.
"That's what you get for playing heroes, asshole!" The assaulter insults the corpse.
This is the part where you are left alone with them...Perhaps you can hide behind the snacks rack and act like...
Oops. Nope, you won't be able to do that. He just saw you.
"Hey, you! Turn around and empty your pockets!" He says, approaching you with his rifle ready to shoot again. "Gimme everything you got! Your wallet, your phone...And the coat! Give 'em to me!"
You just wanted to take a break and recharge. Just that. You don't deserve this. And your day hasn't been very good...You are pissed. You are way more pissed than scared.
"Come on!" You hear the man grunt in your neck.
But you don't move. You don't even turn around.
"Are you deaf or what?! I said gimme all you got!" He shouts, and hits your kidney with the tip of his big gun.
Oh, no. You won't.
You promised yourself you would never do it again, but if there is a moment to use force, it is now.
You close your eyes. The store vanishes, along with everyone inside of it. The soft, boring ambient music ceases. Nothing exists except of your body. You focus all your attention to your intestines. You can feel the blood streaming through them. All the gas inside, moving.
You slightly bend forward, open your legs a little.
And shoot a fart at the assaulter.
He is propelled backwards, hitting the wall and knocking a shelf on the way. He doesn't get up after that.
"Huh? What was that? DJ?" The accomplice at the door, having heard the blow, turns around and peeps inside.
Now you fart on your hand and throw the air at him, right to the face, making him let out a choked moan before collapsing on the ground.
And thus you are left alone with a corpse and two unconscious men.
You hesitate what to do for a moment, then check the pulse of the cashier. There is nothing that can be done for him, so there is no point in calling an ambulance for him. And for the assaulters? They both seem to be alive, just terribly hurt and stinking very badly, but you don't care for them enough to call anyone to help them. You are sure that they will regain consciousness and some point and leave with their tail between their legs.
It is at that moment when you notice the security cameras recording. Somebody will come sooner or later.
For that reason, that fact fills you with dread. So you forget your hunger, your thirst, everything, and quickly make your way towards the exit, off to your house, to safety...
You end up running. Through the snow, the rugged terrain. It must be a record of some time, to run this distance, through so many obstacles, at such speed.
You reach the tiny, isolated hut you currently live in. Lock the door, close every curtain. Stay in the dark for the rest of the night, not making a sound, barely moving.
A routine that repeats for days, because you try to forget about all of this but the memories come back to haunt you. Every. Fucking. Second.
You thought you could escape from it, but it seems like you can't. No matter what you do, you will never escape from it...
Your evil magic is not welcome here, darkling!
Hey, kids...You want some candy?
I'm gonna break every bone in your body with my booty, baby!
I hope you enjoy eternity in the fiery pits!
NO, NO, SWEETIE, NO!! YOU'RE KILLING MOMMY!!
You open your eyes as daylight starts pouring into the room.
Your heart is racing...
A nightmare, you tell yourself, it was nothing but a nightmare. None of that can hurt you anymore...But perhaps you could use a little distraction.
Letting out a small yawn, you lazily stare at the ceiling.
WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?
To go check your firewood supply, go to Chapter 2
To go hunting, go to Chapter 3
To check your water supply, go to Chapter 4
To stay in bed, go to Chapter 5