Through The Ashes

29

On the sixth day, the Riverside hunt was over.

Harrem, Brady, Gareth, Ana, and Silas arrived at camp looking battered and mentally tired. Mara's anxiety had finally dissipated as she was reunited with her entire family once again.

A number of items were brought back. Mostly food—canned goods, jars of preserves, dried meat, and some scavenged water alongside several knives, and a set of tools that could be repurposed for defense.

Brady stood by Del's table, rubbing a sore spot on his shoulder, his expression grim. "Just about everything we ran into was expired and molding," he said, his voice tight. "Most of the places we hit were already picked clean by others. What wasn't moldy was overrun. We spent half our time just clearing out the dead."

"What's the movement look like out there?" Nicky asked.

"They're everywhere," Harrem said darkly. "It's Rot territory. It's hard to scavenge when you're surrounded by them."

"We're sure there's more stuff there, but... I don't think it's worth it," Ana said.

The debrief was tense, the air thick with exhaustion and frustration as the group huddled in Del's tent.

Harrem, Brady, Gareth, Ana, and Silas sat in various states of fatigue, their bodies still recovering from the grueling hunt. Mara was quiet, standing next to Eli and Becca, her shoulders finally relaxing now that the group was whole again. Jorn stood by the edge of the tent, listening closely.

Yosef, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Well if Riverside is a lost cause, where to next?"

Becca, who had been standing quietly next to Eli, spoke up. "What about the old factory to the east? It could still have something useful, and it's farther from the Rot-infested zones."

Del considered her words, his fingers tracing the map spread out before him. "The factory's a long shot, but it could be safer than hitting Riverside again. We'll need to send a smaller team, though—less noise, less risk of attracting the Rot."

The factory was a gamble, but Jorn knew it might be their best shot at finding more supplies without getting overwhelmed by the Rot. Jorn watched as Mara's eyes flicked toward Becca, then to Eli, and finally to Jorn, who was standing rigidly at the edge of the tent.

"I'll go," Mara said suddenly, her voice steady. She stood straighter, her eyes locked on Del's. "Becca and I can handle it."

Becca nodded in agreement, her face resolute. "We know the area well enough. We can move quickly, check the place out, and get back without attracting too much attention."

"I'll go with them. We'll need the extra pair of hands, and I'm familiar with the area too," Yosef added.

Jorn shifted uncomfortably at the thought of Mara heading out into danger. Her first instinct was to protect her, to volunteer herself for the mission. She straightened up and opened her mouth to speak. "I should go too. I'm—"

"No," Del interrupted, his gaze turning sharply toward Jorn. "You're still not fully healed, and we can't risk you getting hurt again. You're benched for this one."

Jorn clenched her jaw, the refusal stinging more than she expected. "I'm fine," she said, her voice tight. "I can handle it."

"You're not going," Del said firmly, his eyes softening but his tone leaving no room for argument. "We need you here to recover. We can't afford to lose you, Jorn. Head injuries aren't something to mess with."

Jorn caught Mara's glance, her expression conflicted.

Jorn's fists tightened at her sides, the frustration bubbling up, but she bit back any further protest. She wasn't used to feeling this powerless, and seeing Mara volunteer herself so easily made her want to push harder. But she knew Del had the final word. And deep down, she couldn't deny that her body wasn't ready yet—not for another dangerous trip into the unknown.