TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

Bo hopped onto a stump in front of the crowd. He cleared his throat and waved his arms to get their attention. Bo looked out at several hundred tired, dirty faces staring back at him.

"For the new people who just arrived, my name is Bo Robinson. My main role the last few days has been helping with professions, and making sure everyone stays warm. If you have any questions, or need any help, then I'll do my best." Bo pointed out Bridget in the crowd. "Bridget also can go into more detail about professions, information sheets, abilities, and so on. Make sure to see her sooner rather than later if you're feeling lost."

Bridget waved her hands over her head. Blake scowled beside her.

"I gathered everyone together because we have a difficult decision to make. Our supply of boar meat has run dry. Luckily, the last attack was swiftly defeated, and there were no major injuries. But, unfortunately, none of the attackers were riding on boars."

Blake raised his arms. "Just one more reason to leave this place!"

He pushed through the people around him and made his way to the front. He stood beside Bo, his arms still raised.

Bridget covered her face with her hand, and shook her head.

Bo addressed the gathered crowd. "Everyone, this is Blake. Since the beginning of all this, he's been pushing for us to leave this hill and search for help. This is actually what I wanted to discuss with all of you, because I believe we should make this decision as a group."

Blake squinted, and shuffled back.

"Personally, I think there's no outside help waiting or coming," said Bo.

The hush seemed to deepen.

"I haven't seen any guns, or planes, or heard any sirens. We need to work together and dig in. There's nothing that makes me believe anyone can save us, except ourselves. But like I said, I think we should make an informed choice as a group." Bo gestured behind him. "Go ahead, Blake. Share your thoughts."

Blake didn't move for a few moments.

He stepped forward, and cleared his throat. "Hello everyone. Erm . . . I do believe we should abandon this place and look for help. There is nothing here for us, as Bo himself said." Blake's voice strengthened as he spoke. "We're out of food, and none of us want to stay here and starve, or be captured by monsters. The longer we wait, the weaker we'll become, until it's too late to even try searching for help. For all we know, there could be help just beyond those woods."

Several people in the audience nodded, or made noises of agreement.

"We have enough people here on the hill to protect us as we make our way through the woods. Who knows, in a few days, we could find ourselves safely sheltered and fed by the military."

More murmurs and nods.

Bo addressed the group. "I'm not completely opposed to leaving. However, I believe it's foolish to think help is out there, or coming here. I'm willing to bet most of us have loved ones outside Raintree. If everything was fine out there, wouldn't they be here, trying to help us?"

Bo had struck a nerve. Some observers seemed to wilt on the spot; others looked ready to charge through the forest.

"So what, then?" Blake retorted. "You suggest we warmly starve to death?"

Fucking hate this guy.

"Regardless of whether or not help exists . . . if we cannot sustain ourselves here, then I agree that there is no point staying and starving to death." He paused. "Has anyone thought about where we would go? Which way we could even head? Do we just pick a direction, and hope for the best? Have any of you noticed a single path out of our neighborhood? And, let's be real, most of you aren't even properly dressed for the cold. I've seen one guy walking around without any shoes! Many of you will freeze without the campfires."

"Let's just pick a direction, and hope we get lucky!" said Blake.

Bo took a few slow deep breaths. "Blake, like I have said many times; fucking go if you want to. No one is keeping you here." Bo addressed the wider crowd. "Tomorrow, at first light, I propose we send out two groups to explore the woods for food and potential escape routes. My family and the Damascus family will lead one group, and I've already spoken with Mike and Jill." Bo shielded his eyes from the sun as he scanned the crowd. "Ah, there they are. Everyone, meet Mike and Jill, who will be leading the other group. If you have a profession that would be useful on a scouting trip, and you're willing to join us, please let me, Mike, or Jill know. I know we have several [Hunters], [Herbalists], and [Gatherers] among us. I haven't met many of you personally, but we would love to have you join us."

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Blake raised his hand to interject, but Bo silenced him with a finger.

"I don't want my family to starve either, so if we don't find any food tomorrow, then I agree that it's time to leave. However, if we do find food then we are staying, and anyone else who wants to stay is welcome to stay with us. I've spoken with the Damascus family, and we are all in agreement on this."

Sam stepped forward. "You've been looking out for us so far. Me and mine will stick with you, Bo, if you'll have us."

"Same here!"

"Us too!"

One of the women who had been nodding along with Blake said, "it's one extra day. My family will stay."

"Fine, we'll depart in two days!" Blake snapped at Bo. He muscled his way back through the crowd, grabbed Bridget by the arm, and pulled her along with him.

Bo scowled as he watched them go. When they exited the back of the crowd, Bridget yanked her arm out of Blake's grasp. She shouted at him, jabbing her finger in his face.

It seemed like Bridget could handle herself. Bo let the matter go.

"That's all I had to say. Remember to show appreciation for the [Lumberjacks] as they work hard to keep us warm. If you don't have a profession, please speak with me or Bridget. We need all the help we can get."

Bo hopped off the stump. He made his way through the crowd until he found his family standing with the Damasus's.

Tom was chatting with a young Indian couple who appeared to be in their twenties. The man was on the shorter side and had a lean, wiry build. His black hair was somehow still neatly combed. The woman next to him playfully tapped the man's shoulder and let out a light laugh. Her dark brown eyes glimmered with a joy that—so far—the monsters had not taken away. They were both bundled up in thick and puffy winter clothes, as if they were climbing Mount Everest.

Bo walked toward them and greeted them with a wave.

"Bo, this is Tushar and his wife Priya. They will be joining Mike and Jill's group tomorrow. Priya is a [Gatherer] and is hoping to find some potatoes for Tushar. Tushar is a [Vegetarian Cook] with a recipe called . . . what was it?"

"It's [Potato Bismol]," Tushar smiled. "A filling mashed potato dish that comes with a buff to help settle the stomach, which I think will be beneficial as we adjust to new foods."

"Glad to meet you both, and thank you for helping out," Bo said.

They exchanged goodbyes, and Tom told them to stay safe. Tushar and Priya left in search of Mike and Jill, to prep for tomorrow's outing.

Bo and Tom walked away from the bustling crowds.

Bo took a moment to breathe deeply. He looked up at the clouds drifting across the pale winter sun. Going on this hunting trip wasn't his first choice. It was dangerous, and he felt unprepared. He had no idea where they were headed or what they would find. But they had no other options left. The pressure was on to bring back food, or else they would all have to leave the campsite; there was no turning back now he had made the announcement.

They gathered all of the Damascus's and Robinsons.

"I wanted to talk with everyone before we go our separate ways for the day," said Bo. "Tomorrow, a guy named Art will be joining us. He is a [Hunter] with a specialization in [Trapping]. His fighting class is [Ranger], but he has no bow, so we can't rely on him if we run into any monsters. We need to watch out for him."

"Speaking of monsters, do we really think it's a good idea for the kids to come with us tomorrow?" Tom asked.

All five children let out exasperated sighs.

"Oh my God!"

"This, again?"

"Tom." Kate placed her hand on his arm. "I don't like the risks either, but they have just as much chance of being attacked on the hill as they do if they're with us. If they're going to be attacked, I would rather they be with us than alone here on the hill."

Tom nodded. "I know. I know. I just don't like it."

"Nobody likes any of this," said Bo. "But, back to business. Our team will also include Sophia, a skilled archer who attended college on an archery sponsorship. Like Art, she's a [Ranger] without a bow, so keep an eye on her as well. Also, like Art, she has chosen a profession as a [Hunter], and her specialization is [Big Game]. I'm hoping she can pick up the trap-building skills that Art knows so she can replicate them in the field. But I don't know if that's how things work or not. Otherwise, her contribution will best be utilized in tracking game trails, and identifying potential hunting spots for later."

Bo rubbed his aching eyes. "Next up is Roger, a retiree who chose to be a [Fisherman]. I didn't see a weapon on him either when we spoke. He's a pretty heavy guy who spent most of his days fishing the local area. He grabbed his camping gear when he fled his house, and he had an actual spool of fishing line and some lures rolled up with it. Long hikes might be an issue for him, but I still think we should take him along."

No one objected.

"I suggest we make our way to the lake in the center of the neighborhood. A few people have mentioned seeing it, and apparently it's huge now. Does anyone see or have any issues?"

"Maybe we'll get to fight some easy monsters and level up," Amber suggested.

Tom shook his head. "Amber, this is exactly the kind of reckless behavior I'm worried about. This is dangerous, and you need to understand that."

Tom launched into a lecture about safety measures, and emphasized the importance of being cautious.

Amber rolled her eyes, and shared a smile with Loo. Loo stifled a fake yawn.

The increasingly loud rant was interrupted by the arrival of a distinguished Black gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair, who was dressed in a mud-stained but well-made tweed suit. He made his way toward Bo.

"Excuse me, are you Bo Robinson?" he asked politely.

"Yes, I am. What can I do for you?" Bo extended his hand.

"I'm Charles," he stated, and gestured to the short Black woman beside him. "And this is my wife, Jeannie."

Jeannie looked to be in her late-fifties. She donned a track suit that was covered in mud. Her curly hair was cut short and framed her face, which bore many lines from years of laughter.

"Nice to meet you, Bo," Jeannie said warmly. She shook his hand.

"I used to be a professor at the community college, teaching history courses," said Charles. "I've always been fascinated by medieval weapons and warfare, so I went to the [Profession Booth] and became a [Blacksmith]. Jeannie is a [Miner], specializing in prospecting [Rare Ores and Gems]."

"I do love diamonds," Jeannie said, and winked.

Charlie addressed the whole group. "We're interested in joining your group tomorrow to scout for potential mining sites. I know my skills as a [Blacksmith] may not be useful on a scouting trip, but if Jeannie goes, then I must insist on coming along. I am a Level 2 [Fighter] and Jeannie is a [Life Guard], so we won't be a burden."

Bo glanced at Tom, who shrugged in response.

Bo took a breath. "We'll do our best to be cautious, but those creatures are everywhere. Even if we find a mining site, I'm not sure what we could do with it right now. We'd be glad to have you join us, but I can't guarantee your safety."

Charlie and Jeannie assured them that they were still interested, and would meet them at first light tomorrow.

After the families dispersed to tend to their own tasks, Bo headed down to the [Lumber Zone] to check on progress. There was a lot that needed to be done before tomorrow, and he still had his daily growing checklist to complete. The weight of the deal he had made hung heavily on his mind.

If we don't find food tomorrow, we have no choice but to leave.

In his heart, he knew running away was not the right solution.

Was I stupid to make that deal? How far will we have to go to find help?

He didn't know if Helen, or the many children, or the older people, would be up to making the journey.

To add to his worries, he wondered if people like Sam and Bridget could keep things running smoothly on the hill while he was gone. Bo had learned that a few people had a class called [Life Guard], which seemed to focus on healing and defensive spells. He'd specifically asked Bridget to tell him if she found any more in the camp, and she hadn't mentioned Jeannie.

She's busy too. She probably just hasn't told me yet.

Bo shook his head to clear his mind. He was about to start counting the current log supply when he turned and bumped right into Brad.

"So, tell me what you think of this." Brad launched into another homemade rap.

Fuck.