008 The Watch

"How..you can't see this before" I asked in wonder.

"What do you mean I can't see it before?" Alex questioned , his face even more confused. I was honestly out of words to say while a thousand questions run in my head.

'Everything had been confusing from the start. As I figure things out more unknown would appear, just like a gigantic puzzle. You grab one piece and finally find where it's place is yet you have to figure out where the other pieces would go. Honestly this is hard, I just witnessed myself die and comeback to life along with my companion, just give me a break'

I sighed deeply and looked around before staring straight into his eyes. "If we find a safezone or rather a safe shelter where we can stay the night after looking for resources I'll tell you everything you want to know, is that fine?"

Alex nodded and it made me feel a bit of relief. We exited the building together, Alex stuck even closer to me as he stare at the watch and the screen back and forth with awe. It was honestly uncomfortable but the curiosity in his eyes were so strong that all I could do is let him be fascinated.

'How childish'

I picked up the bag that was laying on the ground just as Alex said and would've carried it when Alex suggested he'll carry it like our agreement earlier. I agreed and let him carry it around, it wasn't that heavy anyway.

We decided to travel north east. Towards the docks 60 miles away. It would be a long travel so we decided to look for some shelter and stay there for the night then travelling again early in the morning. We didn't have much equipment. We both don't even have proper gears, especially weapons. All we have is a supply of what little food that remained which would probably last us for about 2 days depending on how fast would our hunger decrease.

As we walk cautiously I kept track of my hunger and how fast it would decrease. If I'm not moving or doing any activities such as reading, talking or just doing anything energy draining my hunger would go down at least 2% faster, if I'm running moderately it would go down 5% faster and if I'm exerting lots of strength it would go down 20% and lastly, if I'm fighting it would go down 30% faster and the most unfair, If I'm stressing myself it would go down 45% faster. I didn't find it in any tutorials, I just did the math myself even if I suck in that subject. I calculated the time and turned it into percentage to get those weird numbers that I assumed would be the decreasing pace. Even just thinking about what I did is making my head ache badly.

"So why did you choose to head towards the docks?" Alex asked. He had stopped ogling at the green screen and my watch a minute ago and made a bit of distance between us.

"That place has weapons" I replied. Alex made an 'Ohh' sound before nodding his head repeatedly.

"But it's very far" he speculated, eyes moving towards the map.

"That's why we'll find temporary shelters at night" I pointed my finger at a small building 3 miles away.

"Besides there are other players or should I say people stuck in this game like us so we might encounter them though I don't think they'll be some damsel in distress" I went on. Alex flinch like I had said something that affected him.

"What..do you mean by that?" he asked with a pout.

"It's not like I'm saying something about you, what I'm trying to say is we're in a world where there's no law, just zombies and survival" I explained, clicking in the map.

"And...what's the matter with that?" he wondered, the pout still present.

'Is he serious?' I gave Alex a deadpan look that made him frown.

"How old are you? Ten?" I muttered sarcastically.

I heard him fume and elbowed my side making me grunt.

"First of all I'm 16, and I'm new to this thing so my intelligence isn't responding" he blabbered, crossing his hands on his chest.

"Seriously what's that suppose to mean?" I groaned and ignore him as he made a small and quiet temper tantrum. Honestly I didn't expect him to be a child, how cruel is this game? if I hadn't found him he would really be goners and there's no clue if he would come back to the real world.

"We can stay here" I announce after an hour of walking.

"Huh? but we're still far from the place you were pointing earlier" he pointed out. I sighed and opened the map, signing him to come and take a look before pointing at approximately sixteen red dots 6 miles away.

"Wait it wasn't there before!" he lamented, looking at me with a hint of fear.

"It's runners, basing on how fast they were moving when one red dot started to appear ten miles away and if I'm not wrong there are some mutated dogs too so we need to be cautious, especially on broad daylight" I explained grimly. Alex began to tremble out of nowhere and he placed his arm on his chest, clutching the spot where he was bitten and devoured in a grotesque way.

"Hey..you alright?" I asked in concern, contemplating whether to touch him or not.

"Y-yeah...how can you be so calm?" he stammered, unshed tears started to form in his eyes.

"I wish I know" I replied awkwardly and finally decided to put my arm in his shoulder and lead him inside the small and empty convenient store, patting his shoulder gently.

'Man he's so young to witness such thing, it must've hard keeping his chill together when he woke up before me after dying not too long ago' I thought sadly as I continue to comfort him in a way that I think would help; somehow.

Alex sniffed a bit and suddenly tears fell from his eyes now I was the one who's panicking silently. I have never had younger siblings, just two older sisters so I don't know what to do at this moment.

"W-well now that we're just gonna stay here why don't I start explaining the things you wanted to know!" I suggested. It was the last option I had to take his head away from the awful accident that happened.

It might've lifted his spirits up a bit as he wiped his tears away and looked at me expectantly.

"So what does it do?" he asked, the sadness no longer present in his tone and his eyes started to gleam in excitement.

'Man that's fast...' I thought awkwardly.