Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 41 The Dream

Nate’s eyes shot open, his breath ragged and chest heaving as he bolted upright in his bed. His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. The images of Madison’s blood-stained figure, the icy being’s blade, and the empty camp replayed in his mind like a cruel echo.

Suddenly, realization struck him.

"It was a dream," he whispered, his voice shaky. Then louder, "It was a fucking dream!"

A wave of relief washed over him, and he collapsed back against his bedroll, laughing softly. "Thank God," he muttered. "She’s okay. She’s fine."

His joy was short-lived as his tent flap rustled, and Madison stepped in. Her expression was calm, though she raised a curious brow at Nate, who was already on his feet and looking at her like she’d just returned from the dead.

Without thinking, he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Madison froze for a moment, her eyes wide in shock. "What the—"

"You’re alright," Nate murmured, his voice filled with relief. "You’re fine."

He held her close, his hand instinctively moving to her back, rubbing the exact spot where the icy being had stabbed her in his dream. He let out a long, relieved breath, grounding himself in the reality of her warm presence.

Madison’s initial shock faded, and a small smile tugged at her lips as she slowly relaxed in his embrace. She rested her head lightly against his shoulder, feeling an unfamiliar sense of comfort.

When Nate finally pulled back, he noticed her face was slightly flushed. Madison quickly turned away, masking her embarrassment.

"Are you... okay?" she asked, feigning a casual tone, though the corners of her lips betrayed her attempt to appear unaffected.

Nate gave a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I’m fine. I just… felt like hugging you, that’s all."

Madison snorted, rolling her eyes, though her expression softened. "You’re acting weird, Nate. But whatever. We’ve got work to do."

Nate rubbed his forehead, the reality of their situation crashing back down. "No rest for us, huh?" he muttered.

"Not in this place," Madison replied, smirking as she turned to leave. "Hurry up and meet us. We don’t have all day."

Once she was gone, Nate sighed and took a moment to collect himself. He walked to the small pool of water near his spot, washing his face and hands, letting the coolness snap him out of his lingering thoughts. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he started toward the group.

On his way, he nearly bumped into Claire.

"Oh, hey," he said casually, his tone neutral but polite.

"Hey," she replied, giving him a brief nod before continuing on her way.

The exchange was quick and devoid of tension. Whatever had happened between them in the past was clearly a fleeting chapter for both, something they’d silently agreed to leave behind without complication.

Nate continued toward the meeting point, his mind now focused on the tasks ahead, though a small smile lingered on his face as he remembered Madison’s flustered reaction.

Nate arrived at their usual meeting spot, a clearing surrounded by makeshift shelters and tools from the survivors’ attempts to adapt to the island. Most of the usual faces were there—Ryder, Jack, Madison—but there were a few new additions. Among them were Alice and others who had recently awakened their powers and were now confident enough to join in on the planning.

Amara stood apart from the rest, her calm demeanor and quiet strength exuding confidence. Nate was glad to see her there; her presence always brought a sense of order and reliability.

As Nate approached, Ryder motioned him over. "Finally," Ryder said, a hint of relief in his tone. "We’ve been waiting for you."

"What’s going on?" Nate asked, scanning the group.

Ryder explained, "The sea level is rising, and according to Jack, a major storm is coming in a few days. We can’t stay here if the beach gets flooded. We need to act now."

Nate frowned, the constant sound of waves crashing against the shore suddenly feeling more oppressive.

Ryder continued, "We’ve decided to divide the group into two. Those with abilities will split into two main teams. One team will stay behind to protect the camp. The other will be broken into smaller groups to search for a safer place for everyone to move to. We don’t have much time."

Nate found himself nodding. Despite his lingering unease from his dream, the idea of leaving the beach felt right. The endless roar of the water had begun to grate on him, and the thought of something worse coming with the storm was enough to convince him.

After a brief discussion, the group began to separate themselves. Ryder spoke up before leaving with his team. "I’ll stay behind to protect the camp," he said. "They need me here."

Before leaving, Ryder glanced at the remaining groups. "Be careful out there. Don’t forget what happened last time. Stay alert."

His words hung heavily in the air as Ryder and a few others headed back toward the camp, leaving Nate and the remaining survivors to form their search teams.

The teams split into three smaller groups. To Nate’s surprise, Madison decided to join Amara and Bella. He raised a brow at the unexpected combination but said nothing.

As for Nate, he ended up with Alice and Axel. Axel had chosen to follow Alice, and Alice, for some reason, seemed determined to stick close to Nate. That left Nate stuck with both of them.

Nate glanced at Axel briefly, their shared history a heavy weight in the air. He clenched his jaw and looked away. Whatever happened between them before didn’t matter right now. They had a mission, and he was determined not to let the past distract him.

Before Amara’s group left, Nate walked over to her. "Keep an eye on Madison," he said quietly.

Amara raised a brow. "I don’t need you to tell me that," she replied with a small smile. "But don’t worry—I’ll make sure both girls are safe."

Nate hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something when Amara said both girls, but eventually nodded and stepped back.

When he returned to his own group, his thoughts turned to Axel. He couldn’t shake the question that had been nagging at him since their team formed. If Axel was here with them, then didn’t that mean he had powers too?

Nate glanced back as Axel lagged behind, leaning closer to Alice with a smirk plastered on his face. His voice carried through the quiet forest, a string of unnecessary chatter about himself, his so-called adventures, and thinly veiled attempts to charm her. Alice nodded awkwardly, her expression torn between politeness and discomfort.

"Axel," Nate called out, his tone sharp, halting their progress. Axel looked up, annoyed. "Can you not? We’re on a mission, not a damn dating show."

Axel scoffed, crossing his arms. "Fuck off, Nate. You don’t get to tell me what the fuck to do. Who made you the goddamn boss?"

Nate clenched his fists but kept his tone steady. "This isn’t about control. If you’re trying to impress Alice, at least wait until we’re not trekking through the jungle where something could jump out and kill us."

Alice looked down, her cheeks slightly pink, clearly uncomfortable with the argument. Axel sneered and stepped closer to Nate. "Oh, look at you, Mr. Perfect, trying to give me fucking advice. Guess what, hotshot? You don’t get to play leader just ’cause you got a fucking upgrade."

Nate met his glare. "I’m not playing anything, Axel. I’m asking you to focus. We all need to make it back in one piece."

Axel barked out a bitter laugh and rolled his eyes, stepping back. "Whatever, man. Keep your fuckin’ cool. I’ll do what I want, but fine—I’ll shut the fuck up if it makes you feel better."

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Nate shook his head and motioned for them to continue walking. Axel fell into step behind Alice but kept his distance. Nate sighed internally, knowing Axel’s hostility wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

As they walked in tense silence, Nate broke it with a direct question, keeping his tone neutral. "Axel, what’s your power?"

Axel smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. "Oh, now you care, huh? Fuckin’ typical. But since you’re dying to know, I make shit heavier. Anything I touch—I can fuck with its weight. Can crush stuff or make people drag their feet, y’know, real fun shit."

Nate nodded, filing the information away. "That could be useful."

"Yeah, no shit," Axel muttered.

Nate ignored him and gestured for the group to keep moving. The tension between them hung in the air, but for now, they had a job to do.