When Daniel was ready, he picked up the leather jacket he had taken off earlier, along with his bag, placing the bag beside Julie. He put the jacket into her hands.
"I'm leaving my things with you."
Julie blinked, surprised, instinctively holding the jacket.
The leather was warm from his body, and Julie caught Daniel's scent clinging to the fabric, something between smoke and masculine cologne. A pleasant smell, if anyone asked her.
Daniel slipped a hand into the jacket pocket and pulled out his infinite lighter. He opened and closed it a few times, the audible, satisfying click echoing through the silence of the trailer. He finished by lighting the flame briefly before snapping it shut again.
"This lighter is very important to me," he said, his tone turning more serious. "When I'm bored or nervous, I open and close it like this. It's good therapy."
He placed the lighter in Julie's hand, gently closing her fingers around it.
"Take good care of my things. I trust you." He finished with a smile and a wink.
[Now you're handing over family heirlooms. Next step: an engagement ring?]
If anyone asked Julie, she would say she had never felt so embarrassed in her life. He had to do this right in front of her parents.
Even so, she gathered her courage, held the lighter carefully as if it were something precious, and said, "I... I'll take care of it. I promise." Her voice came out soft, but firm, as if she had just made a vow.
Maybe this lighter is something his parents left him. I need to be extra careful. Julie thought as she traced the engravings on the object with her finger.
Jim cleared his throat, uncomfortable. This kid has no shame.
Tabitha narrowed her eyes. He knows exactly what he's doing. Dangerous.
"Bye, everyone. See you later." After leaving everyone in an awkward atmosphere, Daniel waved goodbye.
He started running, his boots hitting the asphalt in a steady rhythm. The water bottle bounced in his hand, the plastic crinkling with every stride. The afternoon air filled his lungs, carrying the scent of pine.
As he ran, he stored the bottle in his inventory and thought about his stats. He added the point he had saved into Endurance, the most suitable choice for his mission to reach the town.
[HUNTER MENU]
Status: Alive [For now]
Life Level: 1 – Peak Human
Strength: 12
Endurance: 11 → 12
Intelligence: 11
Speed: 13
A wave of energy surged through his body. The muscles in his legs felt lighter, more efficient. His breathing flowed more easily, as if a second gear had been unlocked.
Now this is useful.
He didn't increase his speed just because he felt more energized. He knew that in a long-distance run, maintaining a steady pace was essential.
[You can run a bit longer before collapsing face-first onto the ground. Progress is progress.]
"Better than nothing, like my father used to say. Little by little, the bird builds its nest."
---
(Back at the trailer)
Some time after Daniel left, Jade recovered a bit from the effects of the drugs and asked Jim, his voice still slurred but more coherent,
"Man... I need to... I need to check on Tobey. Is he okay?"
Jim sighed, exhausted. "Let's go see."
The two left the trailer, leaving Tabitha, Julie, and Ethan alone since the car wasn't far from the site.
Tabitha and Julie gathered some basic supplies like clothes, hygiene items, and snacks, in case they needed to spend the night in town.
While packing the bags, Tabitha glanced away for a moment before looking directly at her daughter.
"Julie... I saw the way you look at him."
Julie was caught off guard, froze for a second, and tried to come up with an excuse. "Mom..."
"Don't get too close to Daniel," Tabitha interrupted firmly, though concern lingered in her voice. "His type is trouble. He'll make you suffer."
"I can take care of myself," Julie cut in, her voice louder than she intended. "And I'm not doing anything wrong. Daniel is just... he's nice, okay? I think he'd be a good friend. Nothing more."
Tabitha took a deep breath but didn't press further. She knew her daughter was interested, but she would refuse to talk about it.
Ethan, who had been quiet until then, spoke with childlike innocence,
"I like Daniel. He's nice. And strong." He paused, then looked at Julie with a grin. "It'd be cool if he dated you."
"ETHAN!" Julie stomped her foot and glared at him.
The boy shrugged and went back to his book as if he hadn't said anything unusual.
---
(In town)
"They should've been back by now," Boyd said, exchanging a tense look with Kenny.
Kenny glanced down the empty road, his hand resting on his weapon. "Maybe the trailer had some kind of trouble."
The sheriff crossed his arms, shifting his weight as he watched the sky. "Let's wait another thirty minutes." He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. "Go get the tire spikes. Just in case."
Kenny nodded, already turning away. "I think that's for the best. It doesn't hurt to be cautious."
Some time later, Daniel appeared in the distance, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. Sweat ran down his temples. He slowed as he spotted Boyd and Kenny on the road, burying the metal tire spikes into the ground.
"What happened? How did you get hurt?" the sheriff asked, moving quickly, eyes fixed on the bloodstained bandage on Daniel's forehead.
"There was an accident. A car with two idiots crashed into the trailer. No one in the trailer was seriously hurt. From the car, we managed to pull one idiot out of the back seat, but the other one is trapped between two trees. We can't break the glass because the car is upside down."
Daniel took a deep breath. Still panting, he drank from the bottle he held, which he had pulled from his inventory before reaching town.
Boyd and Kenny exchanged looks, silent understanding passing between them.
"How long until nightfall?" The urgency in Boyd's voice made the air feel heavier.
Kenny looked up at the sky. "Less than two hours."
[Less than two hours until the smiling monsters come out. What a welcoming town.]
Boyd muttered a curse under his breath. "Kenny, take Daniel to Kristi and see if he needs stitches. Tell her to get ready to head to the accident site. I'll gather people and tools to get the guy out of the car."
"Got it," Kenny replied, already turning.
"Sheriff," Daniel said, still catching his breath. "If you have a strong rope, you can use a car as a tow to pull the vehicle out from between the trees. It's at the perfect angle. I'd also recommend bringing a chainsaw, if you have one."
Boyd stopped, studying him for a moment. The young man thought fast. "Good idea. I'll arrange it."
Daniel went with Kenny to the town clinic. The building, once an old school, had been turned into an improvised medical center. The walls were peeling, but the place was organized. A faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. From the hallway, he saw a room with a few chairs serving as a waiting area.
Inside, a chubby woman was playing chess with an elderly Asian man. Daniel observed them briefly. She must be the nurse. And him... Kenny's father? I don't remember their names. They died in the early episodes.
When the old man saw Kenny, his wrinkled face lit up instantly. He struggled to his feet, trembling hands grasping at his son's arms.
"Fu-Hen! Fu-Hen!" His voice was high-pitched, filled with confused urgency. He spoke rapidly in Cantonese, gesturing wildly, trying to explain something that only made sense in his fragmented mind.
Kenny gently but firmly held his father's shoulders, bending down to meet his gaze. "Dad, it's okay. I'm here." He replied in Mandarin, his voice low and soothing, like calming a frightened child.
Kristi appeared shortly after, asking what had happened when she noticed the bloodstained bandage on Daniel's forehead.
Kenny explained the accident, gesturing. "Boyd's getting the tools to free the guy stuck between the trees. He told you to get ready to go. But check Daniel first."
She quickly led Daniel into a treatment room and pointed to a gurney. "Sit here."
"So you're Daniel." Kristi gently held his chin, tilting his head to examine the wound as she carefully removed the cloth. "Kenny told me you're into extreme sports."
"Looks like my reputation precedes me." He let out a crooked smile. "And who might this beautiful woman be?"
[Here we go again. Are you trying to build a harem now?]
"I'm just doing this to mess with Kenny. I don't really have any interest in her. Even though she is pretty." Daniel knew Kenny liked Kristi, and his playful side had awakened.
He hated people who cheated or pursued someone already involved. After one of his best friends committed suicide because of betrayal, he had grown disgusted with that type of person.
Even though Kristi wasn't officially in a relationship with Kenny, Daniel wouldn't get in the middle of it. They clearly liked each other.
But seeing how Kenny handled it would be interesting.
After his comment, Daniel watched Kenny shift his weight from one leg to the other, arms crossed tightly over his chest. The discomfort was palpable
Kristi raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Kristi. I'm the doctor here." She pressed gently around the wound, assessing it. "And you're pretty bold for someone bleeding from the head."
"Part of the charm," he shrugged.
She shook her head, amused, as she examined the injury more closely. "It's not serious. You'll just need two stitches. But when the accident happened, did you lose consciousness or feel disoriented? Any severe headaches or nausea?"
"No, none of that."
She began preparing the materials and picked up the local anesthetic. "This will hurt a little."
"I'm fine. I've had stitches before." Daniel leaned back on the gurney, muscles relaxed, as if he were at a spa instead of an improvised clinic.
While Kristi worked, she noticed the tree tattoo on his forearm. "Nice tattoo. Does it mean anything?"
He glanced at it, thinking of the meaning he had invented after talking to Julie. "The ability to endure hardship. Like surviving a harsh winter. And remaining strong."
She paused for a moment, her eyes meeting his. Something shifted in her expression, less clinical, more personal. "I like that. It makes sense." She resumed stitching, but the smile stayed.
Kenny, leaning against the wall, watched the interaction. His foot tapped rapidly against the floor, betraying his nervousness.
[Kenny's having an existential crisis over there in the corner. But keep going, this is premium entertainment. Just try not to get shot.]
"Poor guy. If he knew that when Kristi's fiancée arrives in town, he would be pushed aside like nothing, how would he feel? Sad, but not my problem."
"So what did you do before getting stuck in this town?" Daniel asked.
She looked at him, surprised. "I thought it would take you longer to accept that you're trapped."
"I believe what I see and what I can do," he shrugged.
"You're awfully calm for someone who just found out today that he's stuck," Kenny commented, seizing the chance to join the conversation.
"Panicking is never the answer. And my adrenaline addiction helps."
Kristi grinned, returning to her work. "I was a third-year medical student." She paused, her tone lighter. "Now I'm the closest thing to a doctor this place has."
Daniel smiled at her. "Then we're lucky to have you."
Kenny cleared his throat, shifting his stance.
After Kristi finished stitching and applied the bandage, Daniel asked,
"Is there somewhere I can take a shower? I'm covered in sweat."
She pointed down the hallway. "There's a bathroom at the end. The shower works."
Kenny added, "There are some clothes in storage we can give you."
"I appreciate it."