Into the Code : Ark Survival Evolved : Book 1

Chapter 5 : An Unlikely Meet Up

I woke up feeling rather refreshed, considering the roller coaster of chaos and hell I had to endure yesterday. A stretch of my limbs, a pop of my back, and a push up from motivation, I sit on the bed's edge. Now with a mind that wasn't stuffed with confusion and fear, I was able to clearly think about everything related to the game I'm in vs the world I was in. 

The time in this world is similar to time on earth. Same 24 hour cycle, unlike the rapid 48 minute day and night cycle of the game, so that would be of little worry. What was a worry were the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs I knew were normally controlled by the games programmed A.I. This A.I. only made herbivores giant lumbering pacifists (Expect Therizino. Do not fuck with Mr. Jazz Hands,) and made carnivores try to kill anything that was smaller than themselves, or the player, A.K.A. Me in this situation. 

The Dino's I witnessed the previous day, they were not those easy to deal with zombies. They are now as smart, if not smarter, than an average human being. The raptor species are capable of human speech, luckily of English dialect. The only thing living wise that hasn't changed are the plants, and the dumb sack of feathers that is the Dodo Bird. After making a few more mental notes, I start laying out a plan for the day.

Ben : "So the order of business : Get a forge up and running so I can get metal ; Gather some more raw resources to have on stand by ; Expand the size of the hut ; Make more storage to keep raw materials in ; and possibly tame a creature."

After making the list, I grabbed my pickaxe and now bloodstained hatchet and walked to the door. I paused as I found it odd how the axe was still covered in blood, the tools never did this in the game. I examine the crimson splatter, even touching it to discover it had dried and flaked at the touch. Disturbed slightly, I open the door to be greeted with the white noise of the woods once again. 

With the new found confidence that comforted me, I felt motivated to get some shit done today. I look through my inventory and find the repair option, which I spammed the living crap out of. Anything that could have been repaired, I threw into the repair queue. While I waited for the repairing to finish, I craft two more bolas, and I noticed a new recipe, a bow and arrow. I smiled and crafted one immediately, which just drained the rest of the wood I had left. 

The bow was a perfect fit for me, and was surprisingly easy to pull back. I went to make some arrows, but the icon was now dimmed out, and when I tapped it, nothing happened. I figured that I had ran out of wood to make them when I made the bow, and a bow is without its projectile. I find a few twigs and pick them up, watch them 'pixelize' and go to the inventory. Picking at a few ferns around the base to get the fiber needed, I check back in the crafting HUD. With the arrows now brightened back up, I craft a decent amount.

Ben : "30 should do the trick."

I tell myself as I queue up 30 arrows to craft, tapping ever single time to add one more to the list.

Ben : "Jeez I didn't know this would be a clicker game..."

I say with a hint of sarcasm. I grab an arrow and aim the bow at a tree about 30 yards away. Aiming down sight, I released the arrow and felt so satisfied as the air flow by my cheek. That satisfaction only spiked up as the thud of the arrow embedding itself into the tree a few seconds later made it clear I hadn't forgotten my archery skills. 

I walk out of the hut, now fully equipped, fully repaired, and fully filled with confidence. I sigh in relief as I look up to the sky and see the sun's morning light barely scrapes over the living canopy. As I admire the beauty of the sunrise, I slide my hands down and into my jeans pockets. I physically recoiled when I felt something hard and smooth run along my finger tips. My phone had come with me.