Four days since Sunset and the Dazzlings entered the caves, they decided to stop their exploration of the peninsula and concentrate on building a refuge. First, they started building their main house, and after reviewing the survival guide, they found the materials to build. They found something called a wall of rocks: a defensive structure made with only rocks, so they decided to build the walls of the house with rocks. There were many rocks on the beaches and in the forest, they built some items to help them transport rocks. To make a rock bag, capable of storing 10 rocks, they needed 3 rabbit skins, 1 piece of cloth, and 3 ropes, so only Adagio and Sonata had these bags.
They also built something called a log transporter. Built with 21 sticks, it is very useful to not only carry the logs that are felled, but they are also useful for storing and moving rocks, they can carry 20 stones, and they are able to carry up to 11 logs. They only built two of these, for Sunset and Aria to use.
They wanted to make a custom floor, which is a construction made of logs cut flat. The roof and floor of the house would be made of wood. As Sunset and Aria were the strongest, they were responsible for cutting down the trees; it was difficult for Sunset with the plane's ax, but Aria had no problems with her modern ax which she found in the cave. After finishing the walls, they built the wooden door, some windows, and stairs, some small ones for the entrance, and others on the outside built behind the house to access the roof. They even built a fence of sticks to customize their roof and also for the small patio that they had built next.
When they had finished most of the construction, they made other useful things. For example:
-2 bonfires (to light up the night, get warm from the cold, and to burn the bodies of cannibals, but that was something that only Aria did)
-3 water collectors (to collect the rainwater to boil or drink directly from the basin). It consists of 4 sticks and half a turtle shell. The sticks form legs under the shell, similar to a sink.
-2 meat racks (a structure used to make raw meat edible, as well as to store multiple pieces of meat). The raw meat will become "cooked" after a day of being hung on the rack.
-5 small gardens (a structure that allows planting of some of the plants in the area, such as berries, aloe, echinacea, calendula, chicory, and thistle.) Some of these are medicinal and other edible plants.
Aria and Sunset returned to the shelter, with transporters full of logs. Adagio built something she found very useful for her: a wooden target, an element where you can practice the skill of the bow. It is useful to practice aiming with the bow, and the arrows can be collected from the surface of the target after they have been used. It can be constructed with 4 sticks, 1 trunk, and 1 blue paint (for that you need 2 blueberries and 1 tree sap).
And to get the tree sap, Sonata built two sap collectors, which is a more useful structure that requires 1 stick, 1 rope, and 1 pot. It should be built on a tree, and once armed, the tree sap will be collected over time.
"More logs?" Adagio asked, seeing Sunset and Aria.
"Yes, Sunset wants to build something else," said Aria, dragging the log transporter.
"Again?" Adagio said, surprised. "We have just finished this stone house. What do you want to build Sunset?" she asked, looking at her girlfriend.
"I found something very interesting, and very useful," said Sunset, reviewing her guide.
"What is it?" Sonata asked.
"Defensive walls. It is a structure to protect us from cannibals. We will have to build a door that will allow us to enter and leave the place, without fear of losing our things," explained Sunset.
"But the cannibals do not come up to the cliffs," Sonata said, confused.
"Yes, but I do not want to take risks, besides, it will also protect us from mutants," said Sunset.
"That's true" said Aria.
"But Sunset, we just finished the shelter," said Adagio, tired.
"We cannot lower our guard, Adagio," said Sunset. "Those monsters can attack us at any time, we need to be ready."
"And while you make that wall, I want to make traps," said Aria, reviewing the guide.
"I'll help you!" Sonata said, next to her.
"Well, in that case, I'll help you, Sunsy," said Adagio.
"Excellent!" said Sunset. "Help me build the reinforcement defensive barriers, that will increase the strength of the wall."
"Okay? ... and what do you need?" Adagio asked.
"We need a lot of sticks and stones," said Sunset.
"Yay! Another day of construction!" said Sonata, happy.
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And so they were, they spent the rest of the day building. Sunset and Adagio had built most of the defensive walls and barriers already. A few meters ahead, Aria and Sonata built some traps, one in particular: the Happy Birthday trap, a trap that springs from the ground and slams in the face of the cannibals, as normal class cannibals and even leaders die instantly in this trap. It takes 4 logs, 10 sticks, and 6 rocks for its construction. Once fired, the trap can be reset with only 1 stick.
They built seven of these traps when before they only had four. They made other small traps, Sonata helped create two combinations of traps.
The leap pile trap is a trap that is lit with fire and creates a wall of flames, anything that bumps into it will burn instantly; 50 sheets are needed. She combined this trap with the molotov wire trap, which is a trap with a single use created with 1 molotov cocktail, when something stumbles upon it, the trap is activated, the flame lasts a few minutes, but combined with the leaf trap, the damage is stronger.
"I want to rest!" said Sonata, tired.
"Yes, let's rest," said Adagio, equally tired.
"Well, it's almost time for dinner, come on," said Sunset.
"Cool! What will we eat?" said Adagio.
"Sonata? Are you too tired to cook?" Sunset asked.
"Food!" Sonata said, running to the shelter.
"That's a no," Aria said, following her girlfriend.
They went back inside to prepare for lunch. Next to the house, there was a bonfire and two wooden benches, where they could eat quietly in the open air.
While Sonata prepared the food, Adagio helped too. Sunset and Aria sat on the benches while they waited, until Sunset pulled a hammer from her backpack.
"Thanks for lending me this, Aria," she said, handing over the object.
"You're welcome," said Aria.
"What is that?" asked Adagio.
"It's a hammer I built, it's good for repairs," said Aria. "Just need 1 rock, 2 sticks, 2 cloths, and 10 tree saps."
"Yes, it helped me a lot when building the defensive walls," said Sunset.
"And what other things do you have?" Adagio asked.
"I also have bombs, the survival guide said how to make them. Just need 1 bottle of alcohol, 5 coins, 1 circuit board, and 1 watch," said Aria.
"That will be very useful against the cannibals, or for the mutants," said Sunset. "Anything else?"
"Well, I can make a head bomb with them. I only need 1 cannibal head, and 1 homemade bomb," said Aria.
"That will be a surprise for the cannibals. Anything else?" said Sunset.
"I also have sticky bombs. They are like normal ones, but they have tree saps. When you throw one the enemy, they will not be able to escape from it," said Aria.
"It's good that you're well prepared Aria, that will help when we go out and explore," said Sunset.
"Very well! The food is ready!" said Sonata, happy. "Lizard meat for Ari," said Sonata, delivering the dish.
"Veggie soup, for Sunsy~" said Adagio, delivering the food.
"A grilled fish for me!" Sonata said.
"And a can of meatballs for me," Adagio said.
All together they sat down to eat.
"So, what will we do next?" Sonata asked.
"I want to go explore," said Aria, eating.
"I think we've had enough rest, it would be a good idea," said Sunset.
"But Sunset, we went exploring a few days ago," said Adagio.
"I know, but we cannot stay in one place forever, we must expand, learn more about this peninsula," said Sunset.
"But I do not want to explore, I want to build," said Sonata, tired.
"Easy, Sonata, we will not be out for long," said Sunset.
"So, after lunch are we going?" asked Aria.
"I do not want to go," said Adagio, annoyed.
"Me neither," said Sonata, tired.
"Okay, look, what do you think if we go out tomorrow?" asked Sunset. "Today we can finish what we still need to build, and tomorrow, we go out and explore a bit, ok?"
"Well, I think that sounds good," Sonata said, smiling a little.
"Yeah, I guess it's okay," said Adagio.
"Very well," said Sunset. "As soon as we finish eating, we will rest a little, and we will continue to build what we lack, ok?"
"Yes, good plan," said Aria, eating.
And so it was, after eating and resting, they continued with their constructions, but not like before, nothing big or complicated. They would only do the things that the house would need. Inside, it was wider than it looked on the outside, they built two bedrooms and a living room.
First, they started with the rooms, in each one they built 4 beds, two in each room. The bed is an article of furniture in the survival guide and they are created with 17 sticks, 4 rabbit skins, and 1 rope.
Aria built something for the room, 1 fireplace, made with stones, and 1 small fire, so they could protect themselves from the cold, and cook inside. Other useful things were: 2 sofas, made of wood and deer skin; 4 chairs, two made of sticks, and rabbit skins, and two with bones; 1 table, made of wood (obviously); and 1 small table.
They made 6 skull lamps, very useful to illuminate the night. It needs 3 sticks, 1 skull, and 5 tree saps to make one. They also made 1 candelabra of skulls: a big ceiling lamp that illuminates the whole room, it is mostly for decoration, bones, sticks, and skulls are needed.
And in addition to decorative things, they also made functional things. 4 weapons stores, made of sticks, capable of storing 4 maximum weapons, where they can store their weapons when they arrive home after an excursion. 2 wall supports for weapons, only 2 sticks are needed, these only store one weapon each. Depending on which one they use more, these wall supports are each of the bedrooms.
Other important things are in the main room, such as an explosives store, which allows you to store molotovs and homemade bombs. It can store up to 10 items, built with 1 trunk and 8 sticks.
The small medicinal cabinet is a constructed object that is used to store items such as bottles of alcohol and herbal medicines. 6 trunks are required to make a cabinet and it provides space for up to 9 items.
Another very similar construct is the food store, but this can only store energy bars and soft drinks.
And finally, 2 cases for skins. These are to store the skins of lizard, rabbit, and deer. You need 20 sticks to create it and they made one in each room. After finishing, they noticed that it was very dark.
"It's time to sleep," said Sunset, stretching.
"Yes, I'm going to take a shower," Adagio said, taking some clothes.
"Do not use all the water, ok?" said Sunset.
"Yes ma'am~" said Adagio, going out of the shelter, to the shower that was in the tree.
Since they settled in that area, they could not continue bathing in the sea, so Sunset made a portable shower, something VERY necessary, with some of the things that they had brought from home: scissors, pliers, camping shovel, 1 black polyethylene, 4 brooches, 1 mesh bag of 25 kg, 1 Nylon braided at 8 mm, 1 tether, 1 polypropylene at 3 mm, 4 zinc stakes, 1 gravel sack 40 kg, 1 multipurpose cloth tape, and 2 branches or sticks
While her girlfriend was taking a shower, Sunset went to see Aria and Sonata's room. Upon entering, she saw her friends sitting on the floor; Aria was creating a kind of improved spear, and Sonata was making a kind of basket.
"Hi girls," said Sunset. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making a bone basket, it's good for storing extra bones. It will fit up to 86 bones, only need 21 sticks to build, that's what the guide said," Sonata explained.
"Interesting," said Sunset. "Are they for the bones of the cannibals you were cooking in the fire yesterday?" she asked Aria.
"What else?" Aria said, sarcastic. "But yes, I need them to make an armor of bones. 6 bones and 3 pieces of cloth to create a piece of armor," said Aria. "Also, with the bones I'm also making this spear for Sonata."
"It looks better than the previous one," said Sunset.
"Yes, I just need Sonata's weak spear, 3 bones, and 2 pieces of cloth. And with a molotov, it becomes an incendiary spear," said Aria.
"It's a good weapon, very useful," said Sunset. "By the way, Adagio is about to get out of the shower."
"Well, my turn," Sonata said, taking some clothes.
"Do you want to go next, Aria?" asked Sunset.
"Yes, sure," said Aria, as she finished the spear.
Sunset left, entered the room she shared with Adagio, and like Sonata, decided to create a basket, but it would store arrows, it would be very good to store extra arrows for Adagio. The night came, and after everyone went to take a shower, Sunset and the Dazzlings went to sleep after another day of work.
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The next morning, the four girls prepared to leave with everything they would need: weapons, bombs, food, drinks, medicines, etc. This time, they would travel longer, maybe for two days.
Adagio and Sunset shared a walkie-talkie radio, and Sonata and Aria, the other radio. When they were about to leave, Aria put on her armor made of bones, Sonata wore deer skin, Adagio wore lizard skin, and Sunset a special armor, stealth armor: an improved version of the lizard skin armor, it decreases the range visible to cannibals, and can be made with lizard skin and leaves. Besides that, they also made very useful things to explore, for example; one canteen for each girl, only 1 rope and 2 deer skins are needed. Likewise, a berry bag, again one for each, which allows you to store the berries to eat, for the production of paint, or, for Adagio, to create poison arrows. With 2 rabbit skins, 1 berry bag is made. They made war paint. Sunset and Adagio used blue to look threatening. Orange paint, like blue, is made with 2 marigold and 1 tree sap, and Aria and Sonata use this color.
"All right. Are you ready to go?" asked Sunset.
"Yes, let's go," said Aria.
They left the shelter, and closed the place, securing their things. Once done, they began to walk.
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After much exploring, and fighting with some cannibals and some mutants, the four girls were coming out of another cave. The first to leave was Aria, in her exploration she had found a chainsaw.
"Oh yeah! That’s what I’m talking about," said Aria smiling.
"Calm down Aria," said Adagio. "Stop showing off your new weapon."
"At least she found a way to use it," said Sonata, carrying gas tanks.
"The interesting thing was that this cave was connected to the second cave we explored," said Sunset, writing in her diary.
"Do you think there are more caves connected?" Adagio asked.
"It's a possibility," said Sunset, closing the diary. "The bad thing was that we lost bombs when we faced that mutant."
"I was afraid of those babies," Sonata said, trembling.
"Yes, I did not see it coming," Aria said.
"They were disgusting," said Adagio.
Suddenly, Aria found a well with a rope. An entrance to another cave. "Let's go in here," she said.
"We already explored this cave, Aria," said Sunset. "It was the first one we entered."
"How do you know? We did not enter by rope the first time," Sonata asked.
"In the second cave that we explored, I found a part of the map of the island, luckily, I know exactly where we are," said Sunset. "This is another entrance to cave 1."
"Yes, but if what you said is true, it may be connected to another cave," said Aria.
"Or we could end up lost," Adagio said. "Or maybe end up in another part of the island, or in a cannibal camp."
"Your negativity sucks, did you know that?" Aria said, annoyed.
"Well, it's a big risk, Aria," said Sunset. Adagio smiled. "But, in any case, it's possible that it's connected to another cave, maybe we'll find useful things, or provisions."
"What?!" Adagio said, surprised.
"It is already decided! Let's go!" Aria said, starting to enter.
"Sorry, Dagi," said Sonata, following after Aria.
"Adagio, it will be quick, I promise," said Sunset.
"Yes, that's what you always say," said Adagio.
With some protests, they entered all inside the cave, an area that had not been explored yet. As they went along they found the usual things, some rags, boxes of soft drinks, candy bars, etc. To Aria's bad luck, there was nothing better, or so she thought when she found an object that she recognized, she hid it from her friends in her backpack, after going through the cave completely, they went elsewhere, through rocks, they ended up in another part of the peninsula.
"Well, that was a waste of time," Adagio said.
"At least I found another cassette," said Sonata, happy.
"Yes, I'm sorry Aria," said Sunset.
"I would not say that," Aria said, serious. "I found this."
She showed the object she had hidden, and her friends were surprised, especially Sunset.
It was a box, a food box, for ferrets. It was torn and with some bites, slowly, Sunset became steel and took it into her hands.
"We have to go back," said Sunset, returning to the cave, but was stopped.
"We went through the whole cave, the only place where we could not go was in places with water, and he will not be there," said Aria, standing in front of her.
"So where is he?" said Sunset, upset.
"Sunset?" called Sonata, softly.
Sunset looked in her direction.
"You're not the only one who misses him," said Sonata, trembling.
Sunset looked at her friend for a moment, then took a deep breath, and lowered her head.
"I... I just want to find him" she said, her voice almost broken.
"We all want to" said Adagio, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe he's in this area"
"This could have fallen off the plane, it does not mean he is here," said Aria, then looked at Sunset. "I'm sorry, but you have to be realistic."
"Yes, I know," said Sunset
"What do we do now?" asked Sonata.
"Well, it's still daylight, let's walk a little more, please," said Sunset.
Without protest, they followed Sunset. With the map and the compass, they went to the road near the river. They continued until they reached an elevation of land, and in the distance there was a small cannibal camp on the other side.
"We’re going in" said Sunset seriously, preparing her weapons, followed by her friends.