Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. - Chapter 315

Chapter 315: New dogs for Moon.
Moon was already regretting her decision to leave the Greenville academy immediately. The feeling had come as soon as she left the gates, and the wind tore at her coat like invisible claws.

Since then, it was a struggle just to keep going. Every breath that she drew burned her throat. The snow fell thick and fast, each flake stinging the uncovered part of her face like grains of salt on a wound. Her feet hurt so much that she thought they would fall off.

Traveling had been easier when her father was beside her_melting the snow with his warmth, keeping her wrapped in a bubble of heat. Now, every step she took sank her deeper into the snow, and the cold gnawed at her bones like hunger itself.

But she could not turn back. Admitting defeat was not her style. She had to make it and prove to her father that he had made the wrong choice. So, she gritted her teeth and kept going.

Her boots crunched in rhythm with her thoughts as she walked. The world around her was quiet except for the groaning of the wind and the nearby creaking of collapsing houses under the weight of heavy snow.

She stopped and looked back for a moment. From the moment she left the academy, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being followed. More than once, she had turned to look back but saw no one or other survivors like her, searching for safe shelter.

Right now, she could not see anyone and that got her heart racing in fear. She wondered who would follow her, if truly that was the case. A small, trembling smile crept on her lips. “It has to be father.” She whispered. “I knew that he couldn’t let me go alone.”

She waited for five minutes, a lone figure surrounded by a white blanket of snow. The emptiness behind her remained unbroken. So, she started moving again, disappointment clawing at her heart.

She trudged to Crestmill. A small old-fashioned town not far from the academy. It had retained some of its buildings and there was life within. Chimneys jutted up like broken teeth, and most of the windows were boarded. Smoke rose from the occupied houses.

Moon’s fingers were almost numb as she knocked on the first door. “Hello, please open up, I just need some food and a little warmth.”

No answer, the curtain fluttered and someone peeked outside, but no door was opened.

She tried another door. “Please I will not stay long.”

A man’s voice growled from inside. “Go away!”

At the next house, and old woman peeked through the peep hole and hissed. “Get off my porch before I call my sons. They have guns and are not afraid to use them.”

Moon cursed under her breath. “Idiots!”

She gave up until she reached a small house that looked like it was on the brink of collapse, she raised her hand but lowered it. It was a hopeless effort.

The curtain shifted and a young man peered out. His eyes lingered_for far too long, on her body, face, trembling lips.

“Can I come in?” She asked. “I just to get warm and I will leave.”

“What will you give in exchange?” He asked, his voice dripping with hunger that had nothing to do with food.

Moon’s eyes narrowed. “I am sure we can come to an agreement.” She said, using the same line she used in the past life to steal from men.

In such times, both men and women traded such favors for just a piece of bread. Anything for survival.

The young man’s mouth twisted into a smirk. He opened the door. “It is your lucky day then.”

Moon rushed inside. He grabbed her hand, smiling lewdly. “Name’s Nimrod.”

“Food and warmth first.” She said, moving to the fireplace. She warmed her hands and shrugged her jacket off. It needed to dry off. As she settled down, her eyes roamed over the man. Filthy clothes, matted hair, an unpleasant stench and teeth the color of rot. There is no way I am sleeping with this trash.

He smiled, stood up and walked to the kitchen. When he returned her had a half-eaten piece of bread which he handed to her. “That is all I have got.”

Moon scoffed. “No thank you, let me get some warmth and I will leave.”

Nimrod looked at her bags, Moon knew that expression, it was that of a looter that came across someone else’s supplies.

“Thank you, I will leave now.” She told him.

But before she could take a step, Nimrod covered the distance between them. His shadow loomed over her, his breath foul enough to make her gag.

“You should pay me first.” He whispered, hands reaching inside her jacket.

Moon did not resist, she smiled faintly, almost sweetly. “Be quick with it, after all I didn’t eat the bread.”

Then Nimrod gasped, eyes wide as a sharp blade slid between his ribs. He stumbled back, coughing blood. “B-bitch!”

Moon ducked as he lunged weakly, then watched as he collapsed on the floor with a dull thud.

Moon cleaned the blade and searched the house. Behind a loose plank she found a stash of tinned food, cigarettes, alcohol and five large bottle of water.

“You offered me moldy bread, yet you had this,” she muttered, disgust curling up her lip. She stuffed what she could into her suitcase and other things in her bag.

She layered herself in his extra coat, took off his boots, they were bigger and smelled terrible but warmer. Then without a backward glance, she stepped into the blizzard again.

As she trudged out of town, she heard footsteps steps again behind her. “Father? Stop playing games and just come out.” She shouted, turning around. Nothing. Just the wind.

Then her eyes caught a dark shape ahead, a dead body lying face down in the snow. A young boy, barely ten wrapped in giant black fur.

Perfect, the fur looks warm. She lowered the suitcase and crept closer.

As her fingers brushed the fur, a hand shot out, seizing her wrist. The boy smiled mischievously, eyes sharp and cunning.

“Miss, you wouldn’t mind sharing your supplies with a child. Would you?”

Moon stumbled back, startled. When she turned to grab the suitcase and run, she froze. A group of people stood there, about eight of them, rifles slung against their backs, eyes glinting with cruelty.

One of them was already reaching for the handle of the suitcase. “We’ll take everything if you do not want to share.”

The others laughed.

One more person joined them, dragging a man who looked dead. Moon recognized him immediately, one of Linda’s henchmen. He must have been the one that was following her.

She also realized that some of the marauders were probably superhumans, the boy inclusive. They also had a pyrokinetic. A smile curled on her lips. She could use them to reach safely in Crosstown. “I know a place abundant in supplies.” She said to them. “As long as you escort me there, I will let you have as much as you want.”

The man holding her suitcase laughed. “Oh yeah? Who are you and where are these supplies?”

“The only person that knows the future, the name is Moon Raine.”

Some of the people exchanged skeptical gazes, laughing but the leader silenced them with a gesture. His eyes narrowed as recognition dawned. “You are….her from pastor Salem’s broadcasts?”

A smirk tugged on Moon’s lips. “So, you do know me.”

He straightened and gave a curtain nod. “Charmaine Jotter, leader of this group. Someone like you would not be out here like the rest of us. I don’t trust you.”

Moon laughed softly. “I was kidnapped by the woman that runs the Greenhill academy. She has been using my knowledge to make the place safe. I escaped, that man you killed is among the ones that were hunting me. I have a shelter that I prepared for myself. I will keep my word about sharing my supplies, Charmaine. All you have to do is escort me to my destination and keep me safe.”

The group formed a small hurdle, whispering.

“Where are we going?” Charmaine asked her.

“Crosstown.” She answered.

Charmaine nodded. “In that case we are all in.”

Someone fired a flare gun and a minute later, headlights were seen. Two trucks drove towards them. Moon could hear voices from within, and she guessed those were family members of this group.

“Ride’s here.” Charmaine told her.

Moon smiled approvingly, she finally had dogs that would be loyal as long as they were fed. Who needed Dustin? “Gentlemen, let us move. Oh, we should stop by Crestmill first. I left some supplies behind.”