Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 132

A week later, everything remained peaceful. The frostbitten world outside continued its relentless grip, but inside their small shelter, Karl, Jane, and Layla found solace in the routine they had built. There were no more strange noises at night, no knocks at the door, and no figures lurking in the shadows.

Karl spent his days ensuring their supplies were well-organized. Jane focused on reinforcing their shelter using materials scavenged from nearby ruins. Layla, ever resourceful, kept hunting small animals, providing fresh food to supplement their stored supplies.

One morning, as the pale winter sunlight seeped through the boarded-up windows, Karl sat at the table, updating his map of the area. Jane sharpened her dagger absentmindedly, while Layla tended to the fire.

"Do you think they’re gone?" Jane finally asked, breaking the silence.

Karl looked up from his map, his expression calm. "Seems like it. We haven’t heard or seen anything unusual for days."

Layla nodded. "It’s strange. It’s like they just disappeared."

"Maybe they got bored," Jane said with a smirk, twirling her dagger. "Or realized they couldn’t mess with us." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Karl leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. "Whatever the reason, we can’t let our guard down. Peace doesn’t mean safety."

Jane rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Layla added another log to the fire, the crackling flames filling the room with a comforting warmth.

For now, their world was quiet, almost tranquil. And for the first time in weeks, they allowed themselves to breathe a little easier. The threats they had faced seemed like distant memories, and within the fragile walls of their sanctuary, they felt a small glimmer of hope.

Just as the peaceful morning settled, a sudden knock at the door startled the trio. Karl exchanged a wary glance with Jane and Layla before standing up cautiously, gripping the crowbar he kept nearby. He approached the door and called out, "Who is it?"

"It’s me, Julia," a familiar voice answered from the other side, muffled but unmistakable. "We need to talk. There’s a meeting in the lobby. It’s urgent."

Karl sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. He opened the door to find Julia standing there, bundled tightly in a worn coat, her face pale and tense.

"What’s going on?" Karl asked, his voice steady but curious.

Julia hesitated, glancing over her shoulder before whispering, "We’re running out of food. Everyone is. The others want to discuss what to do next. You need to come."

Karl frowned, a knot forming in his chest. He could feel Jane’s and Layla’s curious stares from behind him. After a moment of deliberation, he nodded. "Give me a minute. I’ll be right down."

As Julia walked off, Karl closed the door and turned to the others. "Stay here," he said firmly. "I’ll handle this."

"You sure?" Jane asked, raising an eyebrow. "Doesn’t sound like the kind of thing you can just ’handle.’"

"I don’t have a choice," Karl replied. "But I can’t let anyone figure out what we have, either. If they find out about the Uncommon Storage... it’ll be chaos."

Layla nodded, concern etched on her face. "Be careful, Karl."

He gave them both a reassuring nod before grabbing his coat and heading downstairs. The lobby was dimly lit, the air heavy with tension. A small group of survivors had gathered, their faces gaunt and desperate. Julia stood near the center, speaking in hushed tones with an older man Karl recognized as Greg, one of the self-appointed leaders of the building.

As Karl entered, all eyes turned to him. Julia waved him over. "Karl, glad you’re here," she said, her tone strained. "We’re in a crisis. The food supplies we’ve been pooling are almost gone. People are starting to panic."

Greg stepped forward, his expression grim. "We need a solution. Fast. Otherwise, we’re looking at fights breaking out—or worse."

Karl folded his arms, keeping his face neutral. "What do you expect me to do about it?"

Greg sighed heavily. "We’ve been rationing as much as we can, but it’s not enough. Some people are suggesting we start searching the nearby buildings again, but we all know how dangerous that is. Others think we should... redistribute what we have left."

Karl’s stomach tightened. He knew exactly what that meant. They’d start looking at the people who hadn’t contributed much—or who seemed to be doing suspiciously well.

"What if there’s nothing left to find out there?" Karl asked carefully, keeping his voice steady. "Risking people’s lives on the off chance we find a few cans of food doesn’t seem like a great plan."

Greg shrugged. "Then we’re out of options. Unless, of course, someone here has something to offer."

Karl felt the weight of every gaze in the room. He could almost hear their thoughts, their suspicions. After all, Karl, Jane, and Layla hadn’t shown much sign of struggling. They looked healthier than most, more composed. It wouldn’t take much for someone to start asking questions.

Julia glanced at Karl, her eyes searching his face for any sign of a solution. "Karl... do you have anything? Anything at all that could help?"

His mind raced. The Uncommon Storage was filled with supplies, more than enough to help everyone here. But if he revealed it, it wouldn’t just be about sharing. They’d want to know where it all came from, and once they found out, he’d lose everything. He could already picture the chaos—the fights, the accusations, the demands.

"I wish I did," Karl finally said, forcing a regretful tone. "But we’ve barely been getting by ourselves. I’m sorry."

Julia’s shoulders slumped, disappointment flashing across her face. Greg frowned, muttering something under his breath.

"Well, we’ll have to figure something out," Greg said finally, his voice hard. "But if anyone’s holding out, they’d better speak up now. We’re all in this together, like it or not."

The tension in the room was palpable, but Karl held his ground, his expression unreadable. He stayed quiet as the discussion dragged on, people arguing over plans that all seemed doomed to fail. Eventually, Julia gave him a tired smile and muttered, "Thanks for coming, Karl. I just... I hoped you might have an idea."

Karl nodded silently and left, his mind heavy with guilt. As he ascended the stairs back to his shelter, he clenched his fists. He hated lying, but he couldn’t risk exposing the Uncommon Storage. Not yet. The peace they had found might have been fragile, but it was the only thing keeping them alive.

When he returned, Jane and Layla were waiting. "Well?" Jane asked.

Karl shook his head. "It’s bad. They’re desperate."

"Did you tell them about the storage?" Layla asked, her voice soft but serious.

"No," Karl said firmly. "I couldn’t. If they find out, we lose everything. They’d tear us apart."

Jane sighed, leaning back against the wall. "So what do we do now?"

Karl’s jaw tightened. "We stay quiet. We stick to the plan. And we survive."

Back in the safety of their shelter, Karl took off his coat and slumped into the chair by the fire. Jane and Layla were already seated, a sense of unease lingering in the air after his recount of the situation in the lobby.

"Well," Jane said, breaking the silence, "since no one’s breaking down our door yet, I say we take advantage of this quiet. No point stressing over something we can’t control right now."

Layla nodded, though she still looked uneasy. "I guess you’re right. Worrying won’t fix anything. Besides, we’ve done everything we can to stay prepared."

Karl leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "Exactly. If we start panicking, we’ll make mistakes. We’ve got enough supplies for now. Let’s just take it one day at a time."

Jane smirked, grabbing the deck of cards they’d found in the Uncommon Storage a few days ago. "In that case, let’s play. I’m getting pretty good at this, and I feel like I’m owed a victory."

Layla grinned, scooting closer to the table. "Only because you keep cheating. Don’t think I didn’t see you hiding cards last time."

"Excuse me?" Jane gasped in mock offense. "I would never cheat! I’m just naturally skilled."

Karl chuckled, shaking his head. "Naturally skilled at bending the rules, maybe. Fine, deal me in. Let’s see how good you really are."

As Jane shuffled the cards, Layla leaned toward the fire, feeding it another log. The warm glow illuminated the room, chasing away the lingering chill and making the space feel almost cozy. For a moment, it was easy to forget the frozen wasteland outside and the desperate survivors in the building below.

The game began, filled with laughter and playful accusations of cheating. Jane, true to form, found ways to stretch the rules without outright breaking them, while Layla made a point of catching her every time. Karl played it safe, keeping his focus on the cards and letting the two women bicker good-naturedly.

When Layla finally won the first round, she threw her hands up in triumph. "Yes! I knew I could beat you, Jane. Maybe if you spent less time scheming, you’d actually stand a chance."

Jane rolled her eyes, gathering the cards for the next round. "Whatever. Beginner’s luck."

Karl smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing. Moments like these reminded him why they fought so hard to survive. It wasn’t just about staying alive—it was about finding small joys in the midst of chaos.

As the night wore on, the card games turned into storytelling, each of them sharing memories from before the world froze over. Jane talked about her time working as a bartender, her wild stories of unruly customers and late-night adventures bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. Layla shared snippets of her childhood, her tales filled with warmth and a longing for simpler times.

Karl, hesitant at first, eventually opened up as well. He spoke about his life before the apocalypse, the mundane routine of his job, and the way he’d always dreamed of doing something more meaningful. "I never thought surviving the end of the world would be my chance to do that," he admitted with a wry smile.

Jane leaned back, her expression thoughtful. "Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing pretty damn well. Keeping us alive isn’t exactly small potatoes."

Layla nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We wouldn’t be here without you, Karl."

He looked at them, surprised but grateful. "Thanks. But it’s not just me. We’re a team. We’ve made it this far together, and we’ll keep going together."

The mood lightened after that, the three of them basking in the warmth of the fire and the camaraderie they’d built. Outside, the frozen world remained as hostile as ever, but inside their small haven, they found a rare and precious sense of peace.

By the time they finally turned in for the night, the unease from earlier had all but faded. For now, at least, they could rest easy, knowing they had each other—and that was enough.