Fears Carried in the Rain

Disregarding whether the water was safe, I trusted its clarity and flowing nature and threw myself at it as if it were my last meal.

The thirst I had been carrying like a burden for nearly two days was finally quenched.

As I lifted my head, rivulets streamed down my face. Water dripped from the ends of my hair onto my now-drenched shirt.

Finally satiated, I stripped off my clothes, brushed away any remaining plant hairs, and stepped into the brook.

My body flinched at the touch of the gelid water.

Regaining my breath, I pressed forward. My foot met the slippery, algae-coated riverbed, and I carefully squatted down.

The current rushed past like a gust of wind. Goosebumps rose along my limbs as I waited for the cold to dull.

I rinsed off carefully, steering clear of the patches I had rubbed the berries on, waiting for any signs of toxicity. Scrubbing away the sweat and grime, I gently washed around the red, itchy areas.

I avoided fully soaking myself since I had nothing to dry off with.

My skin breathed a brief moment of relief before the nagging pain set in again.

At last, I stepped out, shivering from the cold, and knelt down on the riverbank as water dripped onto the thirsty stones.

I quickly dunked my head into the shallow creek.

After rubbing my scalp under the ice-cold water for a few seconds, I rose up and shook the droplets loose like a dog drying itself before putting my clothes back on.

With my damp hair left to dry in the open air, I decided to leave my shirt off for now.

I took my time washing the berries, and despite the rubbing pain over my swollen skin, I was finally able to relax a bit.

Now calmer, I noticed how the mana flowed more strongly near the water.

It likely meant this strange energy wasn’t just interacting with me but with most of its surroundings, carried by the current.

I decided to follow the brook eastward, towards its source, where the water should be safer. Besides providing a really needed source of water, it would probably be helpful for finding food, as animals may also come by to drink.

With a better grasp of what to do for the next few days, I knapped the rock I had previously picked up with a larger one, sharpening its edges.

Next, I needed to find a long stick to attach it to.

Approaching some of the darker trees, I began searching for a thicker, sturdy-looking branch.

After finding one that was relatively straight, I carved a small slit near its base with the edge of the rock I had sharpened, marking where I wanted it to break. Then, leveraging all my weight to the opposite side, I successfully broke it off the tree.

Splitting the centre of the torn end, I carved a slot just large enough for the sharpened stone head to fit. I also opted to trim the other end slightly, making it less prone to breaking and safer to use overall.

All that was left was to attempt making some natural cordage.

I grabbed the strips of inner bark I had stored.

Since I was getting by with berries now, I could use the bark strips for something else. I carefully tried to separate the fibrous parts from the rest, but they weren’t strong enough for cordage.

My next best option was to use strong stems or even tougher grass. I gathered a handful of thicker stalks from a patch of herbs and cut some exposed roots as well.

I twisted the stems together, adding more as they thinned, until I had a crude rope. Despite its looks, after pulling on both ends, it was stouter than I expected.

I wrapped the cord tightly around the junction of the shaft and the head, making a spear.

I still had no idea what kind of creatures could be out here. With no certainty I was still in the same world, this could help me hunt or fend them off, making it easier to keep danger at a distance.

As the sun started to set and the light dimmed, I went back to the stream and put my shirt back on.

The berries didn’t show any reaction after hours of waiting, so I decided to eat some to test whether they would upset my stomach or not.

In the meantime, I searched for a sheltered spot nearby, as the clouds began to gather overhead.

I eventually found a large rock wall, with trees leaning against it, their trunks obscuring the sky. It seemed like a good place to settle for the night.

I filled some of the gaps with fallen branches and layered the ground with different kinds of leaves, this time carefully avoiding any with tiny hairs.

Though not particularly comfortable, the spot seemed well shielded from the rain.

In search of warmth, I tried building a campfire a few metres away from the shelter to keep the smoke from getting trapped inside.

Using the large dry sticks I had previously gathered from under bulky, dense-foliage trees where the rain didn’t hit as often, I arranged them in a small pit encircled by rocks.

With my hands already red, full of rashes from the poisonous plant, I took two dry sticks from my bag and gripped one of them while supporting it over the other, leaves crunching below as I placed it on the ground.

I started twisting them quickly against each other, trying to produce enough friction to spark a flame.

It was a cruel game of endurance.

Each time the stick slipped, the already faint traces of smoke vanished, forcing me to start again.

After several excruciating minutes, a small ember finally formed.

My hands raw and bleeding, my arms quivering from the strain, I lifted the stick to my face and gently blew until it caught.

Rapidly tossing the ember onto the pile of branches, I fed it more twigs and leaves, nurturing it into a steady fire.

Leaving it to burn, I went back to the creek to rinse the blood from my hands and do my best to disinfect them, hoping to reduce the risk of infection. The rashes all over my limbs had already left me in rough enough shape.

When I reached the base camp, I was greeted by a welcoming warmth that I hadn’t felt since coming here.

The light flickered in shades of orange and dark yellow. The branches cracked, and sparks flew off the bonfire, dancing in the air before falling to the ground.

Wrapped in the smell of burning wood, everything worked together towards a rare sense of comfort. A safe place where my mind could finally breathe, if only for a little while.

I lay my spear next to the fire to dry, wanting the shaft to get harder and more stable.

Still feeling no stomach discomfort from the berries, I took out some more and ate them, though not enough to satiate my hunger, uncertain if I would be able to find more tomorrow.

Grey clouds covered the sky. It was likely to rain soon.

By the light of the still-lit fire, I sketched the “poison hairs” plant and the edible berries in my notebook, giving them makeshift names and noting some essential details. I occasionally paused, tapping steadily on the hard cover, making faint, tingly sounds.

I kept my notes brief, not wanting to fill the notebook too quickly.

After finishing, I put everything inside my backpack and laid down on the dry leaves, enveloped by their crunchy sounds. Pulling the rucksack over to use as a headrest, I prepared myself to go to sleep.

Then, just as I was settling in, a faint thump echoed in the distance, heavy and cautiously drawing closer.

I thought that the fire would work in my favour, repelling creatures with its uncommon smells and sounds, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

As the creature approached, the steps grew louder.

My heart raced.

My spear wasn’t by my side.

I was seized by a profound fear of the unknown.

I clenched my jaw and held my breath, holding still while curled sideways.

Unable to quiet the shuffle of leaves beneath my trembling, I waited in dread as my chest beat faster.

A distinct noise emerged from the different rustles of the vegetation, as if several wooden sticks clattered and scraped against each other, producing a series of rattles and clicks.

This rather melodic sound was coming from behind me. It penetrated the space I had covered with larger branches as it got closer and closer.

Likely able to sniff out the campfire’s scent from afar, the beast approached.

Then, seconds before the creature emerged from around the corner, it started to rain.

The first raindrops hissed against the fire, seemingly startling the beast as it crept closer to the light. But as the rain picked up, it soon smothered the flames, scaring the strange creature away.

The sound of raindrops was barely audible, drowned out by the pounding of my heart and the flood of thoughts racing through my mind.

Faint cracks rose from the leaves beneath me as I clenched my hands against my chest, still quivering.

After letting myself calm down for a few minutes, shrouded in darkness, I nervously leaned outside into the rain and relieved myself, my stomach full from drinking too much earlier. Then, I lay back down, completely forgetting to retrieve my spear.

Sheltered from the wind, I listened to the sound of the rain, heavy yet oddly soothing. Pushing the nagging thoughts aside, I slowly tried to drift off.

[See the Showcase Section for the protagonist’s Notebook page from this chapter]