Day 13
The Wild Man's house was finally complete, standing proudly near the shoreline—though not too close to the water. Xenia had made it clear: "If a typhoon hits and it gets blown to sea, we are not building another." Gabriel agreed. It was a modest wooden shack with an open window and a door that creaked louder than Rico's complaints. No paint, no metal roof—a detail that would soon come back to haunt them in the form of The Wild Man's unfiltered feedback.
Rico, full of self-proclaimed valor and zero shame, volunteered to deliver food to the Wild Man every day. In return, he had to fish while patrolling. It was a fair trade. "He wants to be alone? Great, now he gets fish AND solitude," Xenia reasoned.
Meanwhile, the newly built farm was now home to rows of planted seeds. Marga and Brie had been added to the roster of farmhands. With more hands, the farm flourished faster. Xenia was amazed at how productive everyone had become once she dangled the carrot of survival.
Back at Gabriel's Cabin, progress continued. The second floor was finally finished, thanks to days of hammering and only one minor injury (Nestor hit his thumb again). The new floor had three rooms, one bathroom, and a stockroom for equipment. Tenorio and Nestor now shared a room with a bunk bed, which they treated like a military barrack. Irah and her granddaughter Cecil shared another, their corner warm and decorated with Cecil's dried flowers and Irah's woven blankets. Irah's health was declining, a fact that hovered like a shadow over the group.
And then, there was Xenia's room. It wasn't luxurious, but it was private. She didn't ask for it, but everyone had insisted. Leadership, it seemed, came with perks.
Still, the weight of responsibility pressed heavily on her. She was worried about the uncharted parts of the land, about people they hadn't reached yet. How many were out there? Hiding? Dying? Or worse?
By noon, the requests started pouring in.
Tenorio wanted to search for a vehicle. "I'm tired of walking, Xenia. I feel like I've done a thousand steps every hour."
Nestor, halfway up his watchtower, needed scrap metal. "So they can't climb. You saw what those freaks did to the old barn."
Anna asked for medicine for Irah.
Rico asked for a radio. "I'm tired of listening to birds and the sound of my axe."
Brie wanted a new dress.
Marga needed more cleaning supplies.
Gabriel requested cement to fortify the cabin walls before the rain came.
And Cecil, adorably, asked for toys.
Xenia scribbled the list down, sighing. "So many requests, so little energy."
At 1 PM, Tenorio, Rafe, and Rico set out on the Forest Trail. The air was quiet, save for the occasional birdcall. They passed Irah's old house. It still looked undisturbed. A peaceful relic.
As they walked deeper, they stumbled across an unfamiliar area. Small, scattered cabins—maybe eight or ten of them—surrounded a clearing. Everything was silent.
"Too quiet," Rafe whispered, tension creeping into his voice.
Rico clutched his stick tighter. "I still haven't seen a zombie, and I'd like to keep it that way."
"First house. Let's check it," Tenorio said. They opened the door slowly. It creaked. Inside, it was abandoned.
But not empty.
Items Found in Cabin 1:
Three cans of sardines
Two bottles of water
A working flashlight
A faded map of the region
They stuffed the items into their duffle bag and moved on. They agreed to split into pairs: Xenia with Rafe, Rico with Tenorio.
Xenia and Rafe entered Cabin 3, and immediately froze.
A baby.
Asleep on a pile of old blankets in the corner. No signs of injury. No bites. Just peacefully napping.
Rafe looked stunned. "Who leaves a baby like this?"
Xenia knelt beside it, checking for fever or marks. "Maybe something happened nearby. The people here—they didn't run. It looks like they vanished."
Back in Cabin 2, Rico and Tenorio scavenged more supplies.
Items Found in Cabin 2:
Four bars of soap
A small first aid kit
Children's storybook
A radio (missing antenna)
Box of crackers
When all four regrouped, they stood in front of Cabin 4.
Blood stained the doorway.
"I don't wanna see what's inside," Rico muttered.
"Window," Rafe pointed.
They peered through the dirty glass and saw two zombies inside—former residents, now pacing hungrily.
Rafe and Tenorio moved quickly. They found a long plank and some nails and sealed the door shut. The infected thrashed against it, but the makeshift barricade held.
Meanwhile, Xenia cradled the baby. The tiny thing didn't stir, but Xenia was on edge. One loud cry, and the whole area would echo.
Tenorio looked at her, regret in his eyes. "We should keep looking, but with the baby... we can't risk it."
Rafe nodded. "Tomorrow. We'll come back, prepared."
Xenia agreed. "Let's call it a day."
They walked back as the sun began to set, casting long shadows behind them. The peaceful village of abandoned cabins disappeared behind the trees. And in Xenia's arms, the baby still slept—silent, fragile, and reminding them all that the world hadn't entirely lost its innocence.
Tomorrow would be another long day.