Chapter 2…
A Temporary Shelter in the Forest and a Small Hope
Bookmark this chapter
The dawn light filtered through the gaps between the trees in a mottled pattern as Akio slowly opened his eyes. The campfire from the previous night had mostly burned out, leaving only faint red embers glowing within the white ashes. Nearby, five children were huddled together in their sleep, as if to confirm each other’s presence. The eldest, Ayane, unconsciously wrapped her arm protectively around little Yume. Alto and Kenta were curled up close to Ayane, while Miko was nestled between them, all of them breathing softly in their slumber.
The sight made Akio’s throat tighten with emotion, and at the same time, a strong resolve welled up from deep within him.
(I have to find them a place where they can sleep in peace, no matter what…)
When the children began to wake one by one, Akio carefully divided the remaining calorie bars they had shared the night before and gave each of them a little water from his canteen. Then, he decided to ask Ayane and the relatively composed Alto in detail about what had happened and the current situation.
“Our village is… called Tilia Village,” Ayane began, her eyes downcast and her voice faltering. “About three days ago, suddenly… armed people…”
Alto took over for her.
“They wore armor with a crest we’d never seen before. While the adults in the village were fighting back, the priest led a few of us children out the back of the church into the forest… but we quickly lost our way and got separated from the others…”
It seemed they had been wandering aimlessly through the forest for several days without proper food. They had no idea whether their parents were alive or what had happened to the other villagers. Akio could do nothing but nod silently in response. For now, the most important thing was to ease their fear, even just a little.
“I see… you’ve been through a lot. Alright, first let’s look for food and find a place where we can stay dry from the rain and wind today,” Akio said in as cheerful a voice as he could manage. The children’s faces seemed to regain a tiny bit of life at his words.
Kenta immediately exclaimed, “I’ll go look for nuts and berries!” and was about to dash off, but Akio gently stopped him. “Hold on. Some might be poisonous. Show them to me first before you eat anything.”
In his younger days, Akio had often gone foraging for edible wild plants and mushrooms as a hobby, so he had some knowledge. Even though the flora of this world might not match Earth’s, it was better to be cautious.
Fortunately, they were able to find some red berries that resembled edible ones Akio knew, as well as plants with thick roots that looked like they could be eaten after leaching out the bitterness. Kenta proudly brought back several types of mushrooms, but one of them strongly resembled the deadly death cap mushroom Akio was familiar with. “This one’s dangerous. Let’s put it back where we found it,” he gently explained, then carefully sorted through the rest.
Once they had a small but hopeful supply of food, the next task was to find a place to sleep. Looking around, Akio found a large rock outcrop on slightly elevated ground. Behind it was a steep cliff, and a massive oak tree stood on the windward side, like a natural shield. It seemed like a spot that could offer some protection from the elements and keep them hidden from animals.
“Alright, today we’re going to build a simple shelter here!” he declared.
Akio began gathering branches from the trees he had chased animals away from the day before, as well as relatively straight, sturdy deadwood and flexible vines scattered around. Memories of building secret hideouts as a child and his experience constructing makeshift shelters at worksites came flooding back to him.
“Ayane and Alto, get some thicker branches. Kenta, find sturdy vines. Miko and Yume, gather dry leaves and grass we can use for flooring,” he instructed.
At first, the children were uncertain, but as they watched Akio skillfully sort branches and shape their ends with a flat stone used like a hand axe, they gradually began to help. While swinging the stone, Akio found himself muttering, “Work with me here,” almost as if he were speaking to a tool. Strangely, the edge seemed to last longer, and the wood fibers cut more cleanly than usual.
“…My body’s in unusually good shape today,” Akio murmured to himself with a small tilt of his head.
The children, too, overcame their initial hesitation. Encouraged by Akio’s serious yet gentle demeanor, they worked earnestly. Ayane and Alto brought the thick branches Akio requested. Kenta amused himself by wrapping the vines around his body while carrying them. Miko and Yume competed to collect colorful leaves and soft moss.
“Akio, this moss is so fluffy!” Miko said, holding out a bright green patch that felt like velvet.
“Oh, that’s perfect. It’ll feel nice to lie on,” Akio praised. Miko and Yume exchanged shy smiles before running off to find more.
By the time evening approached, they had finally finished their shelter: a simple structure made by layering tree bark and large leaves over a wooden frame and tying it with vines. It wasn’t much of a “wall,” but it would at least keep off dew and light rain. After laying the moss and leaves Miko and Yume had gathered, the inside turned out to be surprisingly comfortable.
“Wow… it’s like a house…” Yume whispered softly. Miko nodded beside her, looking content. For the first time since entering the forest, their faces showed genuine relief.
That night, they gathered around a small fire inside the shelter and shared roasted nuts and root vegetables. It wasn’t much in quantity, but the warmth of the fire and the fact that they had built this place themselves seemed to melt away the children’s fears little by little.
As the children fell asleep one by one, Akio silently watched the flames and thought to himself:
(For now, we have safety and a place to sleep. But this won’t last through the winter—or even heavy rains. We’ll need a proper house, tools, materials… There’s a mountain of things to do.)
Still, the children’s peaceful breathing and the quiet sounds of the forest night beyond the shelter walls filled Akio’s heart with an inexplicable warmth and energy for the day to come.
