He didn't know how much time had passed.

  He was dreaming, unsure if it was dream or reality. He was flying in the air, giving the middle finger to Newton, who was standing on the ground, seemingly disproving the theory of gravity. He felt immense happiness as he effortlessly passed through the clouds. But suddenly, a planet-sized green fur-ball sent its tentacle toward him. He tried to pierce the tentacle with his spear, but it wasn't there. Then, the tentacle stuffed water into his mouth, and he drank greedily, despite a strange urge to kiss that damn green ball.

  Then, he felt something wet on his lip. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the bright sky, his body aching. He was still holding the spear and sitting on the road. The only difference now was water coming from a wooden bottle, which he was drinking. Then he saw a man holding that bottle.

  He took the bottle and drank the water. Yesterday's fight had caused him to lose all the resources he was carrying; only the spear remained by his side.

  He thanked the person. It was the first time he had spoken a complete sentence, and though the language he spoke was different, it came effortlessly and felt natural.

  The man offers Nick water. Nick drinks, then hands the bottle back, saying, "Thank you."

  The man looks at him, his eyes assessing. He is in poor shape, the man thinks. Bruised, lacerated wounds, clothes torn to shreds. He has lost his weapons and provisions. He is vulnerable. The man considers Nick. An outsider, coming from the direction of the ruined city. I have never seen anyone come from that place. The man decides to help him. He asks, "Can you stand?"

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  Nick tries to stand. His body protests with aches and stiffness, but with a visible effort, he manages to get to his feet.

  The man nods, observing Nick's struggle. "My vehicle is parked some distance from here. If you can walk to it, I will help you reach my settlement."

  Nick, with each step a reminder of his injuries, starts to walk alongside the man. After a moment of silence, he asks, "What were you doing out here?"

  The man replies, "I came to hunt. To find meat."

  After a few moments, the man turns to Nick and asks, "Tell me again of this… beast. Where did your team encounter it?"

  Nick, trying to keep the story short, says, "It was outside the city. We encountered two of them. Huge, like monstrous rats, but with metal scales. To escape, we were scattered. Many didn’t make it."

  The man's eyes gleam with a strange intensity. "The city? You saw these creatures near the city?" A tremor runs through his hands, and his voice tightens.

  Nick, sensing the man's unusual reaction and the strong focus on the word "city," becomes cautious. He decides to downplay their proximity to the ruins. "No, not near the city. We came to hunt on the other side of it. That's where we met them."

  As they walk, Nick, curious about his savior, asks, "What do you do for a living?"

  The man laughs, a short, humorless sound. "In this world? We do everything for survival. But mainly, I hunt. I hunt with my hunting party."

  After walking a little further, they reach the "vehicle" the man mentioned. Nick observes it closely. It is a wooden cart, crudely made entirely of wood. The wheel rims are lined with some kind of animal skin, providing a bit of traction. The cart's bed holds a variety of animal carcasses: large rabbits, the green fur-balls Nick encountered, some overgrown vegetables, and other fruits and animals he doesn’t recognize. Two strong men, similar in build to his savior, are guarding the hunt, their eyes alert.