It had been three days. Mirko was fully healed, his wounds barely noticeable now, except for the faint scar where the bear's claws had left their mark. The fence was solid, standing strong, and everyone's moods were a little lighter now that they had a place to call their own.
But today… today, they were going back. Back to the store.
All five of them stood in the clearing near the edge of the forest, armed and ready. The sun was high, casting long shadows that made the place feel like it was being swallowed by the woods. Every step they took felt heavier than the last, the weight of what they might find pressing down on them.
Aiko was at the front, her hand tight around the handle of the rifle. She nodded toward the store, her voice low but tense.
"That's the place," she said, a hint of fear creeping into her tone. "The store… where we found all that food."
Mirko's eyes were already scanning the area, taking in every shadow, every rustling leaf. "Yeah… I see it."
He stepped forward, but his body stiffened as he saw the telltale signs. The ground was still torn up from their last visit, the marks of heavy paw prints scattered across the dirt. The bear had been there, no doubt.
But something was wrong. The bear's tracks were gone.
Mirko froze, his breath catching.
"Wait—what the hell?" he muttered under his breath.
Aiko's voice was sharp, filled with confusion and a trace of fear.
"It was here. I swear, it was. I saw it… lying right there, barely able to move." Her gaze shifted, looking for any trace of the bear.
Mirko scanned the area again. The ground was disturbed, but no sign of the beast remained.
"It was heavily injured," he said, his voice quieter now. "Maybe it wandered off…? It looked pretty bad. Probably couldn't move for long."
Tenya, who had been scanning the surroundings with his rifle up, spoke up, his tone blunt as usual.
"Forget about the bear," he said. "We need supplies. We'll deal with whatever comes next. Let's grab what we can, get the hell out of here, and don't look back."
Aiko nodded quickly, still keeping her eyes on the area around the store. "Yeah, we don't need to stick around. Let's get in, get out, fast."
Mirko swallowed hard, his stomach still uneasy from the memories of the attack. But he forced himself to shake it off. They needed what was in there—solar panels, supplies, anything that could help them build something bigger, something safer.
"We're not leaving the solar panels this time," Mirko said firmly, his hand already reaching for the rifle slung over his shoulder. His eyes darted from the store to the woods surrounding them. "We're taking everything. Everything."
Izuku, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, glanced at him and nodded. "Right. But let's be smart about it."
Anna shot Mirko a look, and then to Aiko. "You two are way too stubborn. No more bear encounters today, alright?"
Aiko gave her a tight, nervous smile. "Yeah, yeah. We'll be careful."
Mirko looked to the others one last time. The group was in it together now. No one was backing down. And if they could secure the solar panels—hell, even just a few of the remaining supplies—their little home would be set for a while.
"Let's do this," Mirko said. His voice had an edge of confidence, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
They approached cautiously, weapons at the ready, eyes darting from corner to corner. Mirko led, his gaze sweeping the area like a predator on the prowl. The store was eerily silent, the doors creaking slightly in the wind.
"On your toes, everyone," Tenya murmured as he took point behind Mirko, keeping an eye on the roof and sides.
As they got closer, Mirko's anxiety began to rise again. The memory of the bear was too fresh. But there was no turning back now.
They reached the entrance without incident. Mirko paused, pressing his back against the wall beside the door, listening.
Aiko moved in next, her hand lightly brushing the doorframe as she entered.
"It's clear," she whispered.
They filed inside, weapons raised.
The store was untouched, but everything felt wrong. The quiet. The stillness. It was too peaceful.
Aiko's eyes narrowed as she made her way to the back of the store, checking the supply shelves. Mirko wasn't far behind her.
"What did we leave last time?" he asked, scanning the rows of items.
"Food," Aiko answered, picking up a few cans. "More food, mostly."
After a good thirty minutes of raiding shelves, ripping open boxes, and stuffing bags until the zippers begged for mercy, the group gathered near the front of the store.
Mirko wiped his forehead dramatically.
"I think we have enough for today… my back is dying."
Tenya adjusted the strap of his overloaded backpack.
"Yeah. Definitely. If we grab more, the bags are gonna unionize against us."
Izuku walked out from the darker back room, holding a dusty cardboard box.
"I got bulbs," he said simply. "They're still working. We should also take two panels today. Not more. They're heavy."
Mirko nodded. "Right, right. Two panels only. We almost died for 'em once—I'm not dragging death home twice."
Meanwhile, near one of the toppled shelves—
"Aiko, look!" Anna said excitedly, holding up a shiny silver makeup palette. "This is literally untouched. Do you know how rare that is?"
Aiko squinted.
"Anna. We're here for food. Not… glitter. Not blush. Not whatever the hell that thing is."
Anna clutched it dramatically to her chest.
"It's called survival of the soul. Some of us need to feel human, thank you."
Mirko snorted. "She's got a point, Aiko. Let her keep the war paint."
Aiko shot him a look. "War paint won't help if a bear comes back for round two."
Anna smirked, stuffing the makeup into her bag anyway.
"Well, if a bear attacks, I'll blind it with my beauty. Problem solved."
Izuku muttered under his breath, "That won't work," but he said it so quietly no one caught it.
Tenya walked toward the doorway.
"Alright, jokers. Enough. Let's move before something hears us."
The group began gathering their gear. Mirko and Izuku grabbed the two solar panels—both grunting like they were lifting boulders.
"That's heavy as hell—how did you plan to carry five last time?" Izuku muttered.
"I was young and stupid… three days ago," Mirko answered.
Aiko laughed. "You're still stupid."
Mirko shot her a tired grin. "You still love me."
She pretended not to hear.
They started toward the exit, stepping carefully around broken glass and fallen debris. Outside, the wind brushed lightly across the trees—too lightly. Too quiet.
Tenya held a hand up.
"Slow. Watch your surroundings. No jokes for at least thirty seconds."
Anna whispered, "Impossible."
Mirko shot her a glare. "Shhh. Don't tempt fate. Fate's been after me since the day I was born."
They approached the open doorway, sunlight spilling across their feet.
Aiko leaned closer to Mirko.
"Stay behind me if you're hurting."
Mirko whispered back, "Not this time. I got you."
Izuku, still holding the panel, muttered, "Great… we're all gonna die because of flirting."
Anna elbowed him. "Shut up and act cool. We're leaving heroically."
They stepped outside, tension thick in the air—
every rustle a threat,
every shadow suspicious,
every breath held a little too long.
But nothing jumped out.
No growl.
No red eyes.
No giant mutated forest monster.
Just… the trees watching them like silent giants.
Tenya exhaled in relief.
"Alright. Let's move. Slow and steady back home."