Chapter 14 - Day XV: Upgrades

I overslept, by a lot. Exhaustion from the day before was so bad, that it kept me sleeping for way over twelve hours. Can't tell you how long exactly, because there was no way for measuring time. Or maybe I should say that I didn't know any.

When I finally did wake up, I felt like shit. Never before have I ever felt like that. I wanted to move, but couldn't. The pain was too strong. So I decided to keep lying for some more time. Don't know how long. I was passing out, and waking up. Strange dreams were hunting me. Unfortunately, I was unable to remember any of them. They just vanished, like some kind of ghosts.

When I regained my senses and felt like I couldn't put my breakfast off any longer, I decided to get my shit together and stand up. Let me tell you, It was a journey. Standing on both feet, I went out. After passing a few buildings I got nauseous and had to puke. Nothing came out, cause I had completely empty stomach. The feeling also didn't go away. It was super hard, but somehow I did manage to get to the device.

The city center was empty, like before. I bought some food. Mainly fruits. Pears, apricots, and some oranges. Twelve points worth. I took them with me and sat on a piece of rubble. I was listening to others talking, while slowly consuming. From what I could understand, some people heavily injured during the attack on the goblin cave, died last night. Their bodies were taken out of the city and left there to rot.

It was a dreadful conversation. You could feel the despair in the voices of those who talked. At some point, one of them started to cry, so I got interested enough to take a peak. It was the hoodie girl. She was talking with a tall, strong-looking guy.

Was she really feeling that helpless? Or maybe it was just an act? It made me more curious, than compassionate. She could really be a good actress. Was I being a dick because I had those thoughts? That's up to you to decide.

After filing my stomach I got up again and went to the device to buy a piece of wood, and a stone. I needed to make another bowl. It was too useful to not have one in your possession. Food also made me feel better.

When I was about to get what I wanted, a thought struck me. I asked the device to show me upgrades and looked at the status of my own body. It showed my eyes, leg, and side - as before. Prices on injuries went down a bit, but I also got something else. Exhaustion. I guess it got too severe. There was an option to cure it. Only 500 points. I had 692 on my account, so I could buy it, but instead, I've chosen dexterity upgrade. It wasn't a thoughtful decision. I just did it on a whim.

The first thing was a strange feeling, that went through my body but disappeared just as quickly. I took my hand off the device, but before I did, my brain noticed for me, that the dexterity price went up by 5 points.

Getting back to my senses I started to move a bit. Took a few steps back, and forth, swung my hand. Nothing seemed different, so I touched the device again, and bought the second dexterity upgrade for 35 points, and the third for 40.

I didn't want to look strange doing weird dances by the device, so I got what I came for. Another 9 points down. Picked up the things, and went to sit by the building wall. I needed to test the upgrades without making it obvious, so I figured that I can do it while working on another bowl. If there was any change, it was so minimal, that I couldn't tell, so I quickly stopped testing and focused more on the work.

I picked poplar wood, so it was not too hard to work with, but it still took me some time. Rock is not the best tool. The bowl didn't have to be pretty, but functional. I wanted it to be deep enough, to contain a portion of water from the device. That's all.

When I was about to finish, the first hunters started to come back from the woods. I noticed something strange, but uplifting. Some, or maybe I should write "just a few", shared their crystals with others. Mostly injured in the cave escapade. There was also a couple giving them to women, but relationships between those were pretty obvious. Anyway, It was good to see that people are willing to share, and help each other to survive. We really started to transform into a community of some sort.

Then the buying took place, and eating, and drinking. Moods, overall, were not bad considering all the fuss during the past four days. The most important event was yet to happen, though.

I was polishing the inside of my new bowl at that time, so my focus was concentrated on work. I noticed it when a lot of people were gathered around the device. Murmuring about something. A bit later I found out what happened. A girl named Indah discovered that she could upgrade herself in the device, and just told about it to everybody. People stormed to check if it's true. Some of them were faking their astonishment. Some not. I stayed by the wall with a finished bowl on my lap, observing.

Minutes passed. I really wanted to listen to people's conversations, but couldn't because all the mixed voices became a cacophony. Then Will approached.

- You are not going to check upgrades?

- I'm patient. There is no way to get there now.

- Patient my ass. You didn't even budge when Indah yelled.

He obviously knew that I discovered upgrades sometime earlier.

- How about you, Will? Why are you not checking the upgrades yourself?

I had no idea, if he did that, or not. I just said it because I didn't know what to do. My ears started to become hot. I was probably tomato red on my face, but, to my amazement, he didn't answer me right away.

- So we both knew before - he said after a moment.

- Looks like.

Will sat next to me, also observing the crowd.

- So what are you gonna upgrade first, or maybe you already did?

- I'm not sure yet - I lied. - What about you?

He was annoying me so hard, that I barely could take it. I didn't want to stick out. I didn't want a target on my back.

- Probably body. Hunting will be easier.

- Yeah, but what specifically?

- What do you mean by that?

- You know. Strenght, or endurance, or something...

- What? I can only upgrade my body, mind, or spirit.

I looked at him confused.

- Don't tell me. You've seen something else to upgrade?

- Actually yes. I can upgrade six statistics. Strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, and so on.

When I said it, he pierced me with his eyes but didn't say anything at first. Obviously thinking.

- Then... Can we upgrade different things?

- I don't think so, Will. To me, it looks like the numbers of statistics are different, but overall it's all the same. Body, quickness of thinking, and, how should I put it... willpower?

- How much cost your statistic upgrade?

- Thirty.

- Mine just the same. So... Those with fewer statistics have an advantage.

- Maybe. We still have no idea how it works. It might not be the case actually.

- Why?

- Well. I upgraded my dexterity three times, and I can't feel any difference.

- You fucking liar. You told me before you have no idea what you gonna upgrade.

By his face I could tell, he was not angry. The slight smirk told me he rather found it funny.

- Well...

- Well, fuck you.

- You wish, Will.

He laughed loudly. Fortunately, people were too occupied to pay attention to that, so we could continue the conversation not having to care about some eavesdroppers. The crowd was still gathered around the device, and a cacophony of voices was first clas jammer.

- Ok. I forgive you. Now tell me why you don't think it may be the case, again?

- If the upgrade is shared between more body properties, you might be upgrading them by less, because it's shared with more muscles or whatever. There might be also the case, that we are missing something, or it's simply not working for us. It could be working for native ones, but not us.

- You might be right. There is really no difference? Maybe you need to upgrade more?

- I bought three upgrades. By each, the price went up by five, and no difference. I think we might just not be built for this.

- But shop works.

- Yeah. I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something?

- Did you stay in the signs, on the floor?

- No. You think that's why?

- Well. Might be.

He had a point. The glyph on the ground was directly connected with the device, and we had multiple cases to prove it.

- Fuck - It just slipped out of my mouth.

- Don't worry. Others will soon prove, or deny my theory. You just need to wait.

I nodded. Will was right. I was angry with myself, that I didn't think about something that obvious, to stand on the sign. The device interacted by that stupid thing with the outside world all the time. Everything appeared and disappeared on that dumb glyph, or whatever it was.

Our conversation stopped. We continued watching the crowd, though. Soon Will's theory was buried underground. Others had the same idea, but in the end, it didn't work. Which made my theory about native inhabitants of the city more likely.

Now I can tell you that we both were wrong. Although, at that point, we had no idea.

People were upgrading themselves somewhat. Nobody could afford much, but there seemed to be no noticeable changes even with few buys.

I went to sleep really late. I wanted to wait and check multiple things in the device, but people never stopped occupying it. At some point, I just gave up and went to the hideout. Taking my time, as always.

Day ended with 566 points on my account, and also a huge disappointment.