There was more work to be done in the future. After he finished walking around and found no monsters, he covered up the cave and returned home.
He pulled out his to-do list and went through it item by item. Tomorrow, he would scout the land, get a tetanus shot, and order drinking water and more food. The nights on the hills were cold, so he would also need to prepare for winter, with a wood stove and pipes.
As he was writing it down, his stomach growled. But before he could open the refrigerator to get a decent meal, he heard someone's voice.
"Mister!"
It was Elise. He peeked through the window and saw her waving at him from the street, and thanks to her, the street was staring at him. Jude went down to the ground floor and opened the door, and as soon as she saw him, she ran over.
"Wow, Mister, you've lost so much weight."
She looked at his face and admired it, and it was sincere praise rather than teasing.
