Chapter Five: Pick Up The Arrows

I took the cauldron off the bonfire and placed it in the dirt. I ate my fill first of the broth, vegetables, and some of the leaner pieces of meat I had cut until my stomach was bulging.

Boo cried and I smiled helplessly. I know dude, just one second. He kept trying to crawl inside the cauldron, and I had to hold him back by the scruff of his neck.

Once his tiny stomach started protruding, I said enough and put the stew away.

There was a little left that I was going to save for later. I’m pretty sure the [Inventory] has preservative effects but I plan to eat it soon.

He already had an entire raw rabbit earlier anyway. Anything more and he won’t be able to walk.

“…meow…”

Boo pawed at the ground where the food was last seen before I whisked it away. Meowing mournfully without actually shedding any tears.

Still. Heartstrings might as well have been taffy in his cutie little paws. Fine.

What can I give him to calm down? I have to save Pet Feed since there’s such a limited amount of them.

The bones!

“Here, boy. Yup.” He trotted over hopping around once he saw food reappear.

Boo clawed and chewed on them while I took a nap.

“Baby…Baby, wake up.” Heavy hands tried to be feather light once they landed on bunched shoulders. Already aggravated from bad country music and sick from the rocking of the sinking ship he called a car.

I growled. “In the name of Satan–Let me sleep!”

“…”

“…”

“Pfft!”

Broken chuckles scattered like shards of sunlight as I curled up even tighter next to the door. Dad wasn’t giving up though. “We’re getting ice cream?”

“…”

“There’s authentic pizza next—”

One eye popped open and his stupid friends belly laughed from the soul.

Wryly. My forever college roommate Father shook his hair out with the same words written on his forehead and passing through his lips.

”Do I know you or what?”

“So, you know you’ve dragged me to purgatory,” I gritted out. I wasn’t brave enough to say the obvious but man..Why didn’t you bring your real kids? Is it because their Mom cares and mine doesn’t?

“It’s camping. For the weekend. You’ll survive.” Two hands reached under my armpits and unclumped his unwilling offspring. Putting legs and arms where they belong so she could sit up straight in the hippie van.

Daisy.

Stupid name for the deformed kid of a bus.

One of his friends snickered and reached out to poke my pouty cheek.“We’re going to the breakfast bar. Want to have some healthy carbs before you dive into grease?”

“I’ll take care of myself. I’ll thank you kindly not to explode on the way there.” Water buffalo. I can’t believe the things I had to do just to breathe in here. I put my poor head on a car seat.

God knows what’s been there. You deserve to be food poisoned.

”Later, kid.”

When I woke up again the sun was still shining and Boo had made a pillow of my lap.

Dreaming.

Initially I thought I’d dreamed this and I would wake up in that orange van again. Stuck between has-beens, who-cares, and the coward.

Back when he still had a full head of hair.

His dream job.

Way too many kids and an especially surly one with a sparkling personality.

It didn’t hurt as much to think of that childhood memory.

In fact. Once I realized this was the real real.

I couldn’t help feeling filled with the emotions I woke up with that day.

Even though I did hate the cold airport, the stuffy ride over, his stupid friends, basically everything about that stupid impromptu weekend abduction.

That was probably the best weekend of my life.

And I got to repeat it one more time minus his friends.

Grinning softly, I played with his tail and peeked at the meadow. Phew. Still there.

The bonfire was still going, but it had burned through a significant amount of wood. My clothes were dry, and I had an idea.

"Let's practice."

I sighed, removed Boo from my lap and took out the bow again. Retrieving the arrow I had failed to shoot earlier, I picked a tree twenty feet away and tried shooting at it.

It failed again, and I groaned. Over and over, I shot the arrow. Every time I got a little closer to my target, but failed to hit anything.

I threw the bow away and had a quick mental breakdown before trying again.

"Come on. Come on."

I shot the arrow, and it shot out but fell in the air. More drawback? I drew the string holding the arrow back and grounded myself.

One more time. One more time turned into ten times. My arms felt sore from having to lean over to pick up the arrows and nock it again.

Twenty times. Sweat collected on my forehead and trailed down my neck.

Fifty times. I hit the trunk but not in the center. Raw fingers. Criss crossed painful lines painted my palms. Callouses formed where baby soft used to be but I couldn’t stop.

One more time. Last time. One more time.

I took a deep breath and released it. Thud!

"..."

The arrow barely sunk in the very center of the trunk. Mouth gaping I watched as it slowly fell off, but…a win is a win!

I screamed in delight and woke Boo up.

"I did it!"

[Basic Archery]

"Huh?"

I clicked on it and realized I had earned a skill. Penguin did say something about that. This time, I aimed at the tree again, and my arrow sank deeper into the trunk.

[+15 EXP]

Over and over until I trained the skill enough that I was confident I could use it again.

Two days passed that way, and I tried not to let it bother me. Two days wasted.

I tried not to think too hard at all about the timer but how could I get away from the ticking clock following me around?

Practice.

Eat.

Sleep.

Don’t count. Numbers are only numbers when you give them meaning. Don’t think about it.

Yet, my nights were filled with visions of my violent death.

Thoughts of being stuck here and dying. Never telling the people I needed to—the ones I dreamed about and had nightmares because of—that I appreciated them.

I did appreciate them. Maybe not the way normal people do.

I’m not saying I’m a monster but I’m certainly not easy to be around.

I don’t know. I’m used to giving half of what I get. It’s easier that way but I just feel like I didn’t say enough.

Especially to her. Guilt in small amounts builds up overtime into this snowball of—I’m a terrible person. To the extent that my inner circles fondest memories of me will probably be the time I didn’t insult them to their face.

Surprisingly, Niathe was included in that list of people.

Absent as she usually was. Which is typical of parents in our culture. Deep down, I knew it would kill her to know that I was gone.

Especially since it wasn’t done by her own hands. Eric’s dead.

Sinister delight fueled delusions of him getting what he deserves for literally sending me to purgatory.

And the people above who had contributed to this dilemma I was in…Just what even are they? Why are they doing this to me? Why is it so bad if people know about them?

Sleep came easily to me when I think of sinking my fangs in their throats.

Imaginary robotic penguins. Warm blood that tasted like gasoline gushing.

Thud!

My arrow sank to the hilt, and I wiped a sweaty hand across my equally damp face. Boo waved his tail in the air and enjoyed a piece of raw rabbit meat.

Dried rabbit blood cracked and fell off my face.

Yuck! I stuck my tongue out, and my slightly elongated ears twitched. My white hair was caked in blood, too.

I need a shower.

No more spare water, though. I picked up my arrow and examined it.

Can't afford to use too many I have to find a way to keep my supply from running out.

I don't think I know how to actually make arrows…Although it seems like simple wood carving, I have a feeling it's not.

I should put at least half of them in my backpack for easy access, though. If only there were a source of water here.

Maybe the next floor will have it.

"We have to go now Boo. Let's go collect some wood and maybe some plants."

Boo finished chewing and pranced after me.

His teeth had gotten sharper, and his appetite leaned more towards the carnivorous side due to his time here.

Pet feed and vegetables just didn't interest him as much anymore. At least I have a backup in terms of emergencies.

I grabbed a couple of long branches and cut them down. I have no idea if there will be any wood where we're going. So, I should collect flint, wood, leaves, hay, and anything else useful.

The meadow was mostly filled with flowers and bugs. Normal ones that avoided me like the plague.

Boo chased after them and then? "Huh?"

Something flew over his head and I rushed over. Don’t step in the circle! I skidded to a stop next to him and tilted my head in surprise. “…Uh..”

Not two feet away from where the satanic circle was glowing ominously—was a pile of miscellaneous stuff.

Coins, arrows, and a set of fur underpants my size being worn as a hat by a certain kitty.

"..."

"Rewards?"

I picked them up and lined them up against my waist. At least I have pants now. I can’t believe I’ve just been…yuck.

I collected the arrows and put them in my inventory. The coins, however, went directly to my status.

[Equipment: Knife, Cloak, Boots, Bow, and Arrows.]

[Balance: 20 GD]

Stingy as ever.

"Ready Boo?"

He raised his head and meowed adorably. I smiled gratefully and put him in my backpack. He poked his head out, and I pushed his head down.

He did it again, and I left him alone.

I shrugged my backpack on, bounced on my heels, and stretched a little. Shake it out. Alright.

"Let's do this."

I entered the circle and vanished from the meadow entirely. As if I’d never been there to begin with.

When I opened them again, I was in a slightly different area to the one I’d left.

Sunny blue skies and moderate warm weather. Green stretched out beyond where the eye could discern and trees were but a dream not a reality.

And a bunch of hopping blobs.

"..."

"..."

“Inspect.”

[Slime Lvl 10]

[HP : 2000/2000]

[MP : 500/500]

"..."

Silently, I took out some firewood and the flint rock.

A couple of minutes later, the notifications came flooding in.

[ + 300 EXP]

[ + 300 EXP]

[ + 300 EXP]

[ + 300 EXP]

[Level Up!]

A refreshing feeling washed over me, and I felt the injury on the back of my head stop itching.

Maybe that means it's fully healed now?

A sadistic feeling inspires a cute blush on my pale cheeks. Beaming teeth on display as the slimes hopped around, trying to get away from the fire that raged their formerly peaceful lands.

They scrambled away, but no matter what, the flame wouldn't go out.

Whenever they got far enough away that the flame wouldn't reach them, I would put a big branch inside the fire and throw it in their direction.

I didn't even have to hit them. The fire would encircle them, and they'd die screaming.

"This has been a little too easy."

I avoided the flames and walked away from the intentional arson.

Boo watched with curious eyes and cried for food. "Later Boo. Let's try to find something interesting."