@FaithfulWalker 
April 04, 2025 Friday
Survival Check-in Day 4
Relapse: 0
Urge phase scale: 1
@TonyTheChristian @user1234567890 @rajameghanan @Imaginator
The sun beat down relentlessly on the roof of Changâs Market, the heat so intense it felt like the world was being slowly boiled. Sweat clung to my skin as I sat in the shade of the big umbrella, the fabric rustling faintly in the dry wind. Three liters of water sat beside me, my lifeline in this scorching heat. I knew I couldnât afford to let myself get too thirsty, not with the Graboids lurking just below the surface.
The sound of the wind was almost calming, though I couldnât shake the feeling that something was off. Every time the breeze picked up, I half expected to feel the earth tremble beneath me, the Graboids sensing my vibrations. I kept my movements slow, deliberate, barely shifting my weight to avoid triggering their monstrous hunt.
The air was thick, suffocating, and I found myself glancing toward the water tower in the distance. My mind kept returning to that scream Iâd heard earlier, the one that tore through the stillness of the morning. It had been quick, desperate. One of the participants had been caught. There was no mistaking it, the Graboids had claimed another victim. I just hoped it wasnât someone I knew.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted my friend near the bobcat machine, fiddling with something. He looked like he was trying to fix something, but the last thing I wanted to do was walk over and disturb him. The Graboids might pick up my movements. I hadnât heard anything from him in a while, and I was beginning to wonder if heâd been too careless, too close to the machines. A part of me wanted to shout out to him, to warn him, but the other part of me knew better. If I made any noise, if I gave away my position, Iâd be risking more than just my own life.
I leaned back against the roof, trying to ignore the heat seeping through the umbrella, trying to focus on the distant hum of the bobcat, on the quiet rhythm of my breath. I felt a pang of guilt, watching my friend work alone, but I couldnât let my guard down, not even for a second. Not while the Graboids were still out there, hungry for the next vibration to lead them to their prey.
A soft tremor in the earth caught my attention, and I held my breath. The ground stayed still, and I exhaled slowly, reassuring myself that I was still safe, for now. But that scream, that cry for help, haunted me. I couldnât shake the feeling that no matter how careful we were, we were all just one slip away from being caught in the Graboidsâ deadly grip.
âHang in there,â I muttered under my breath, more to myself than anyone else. âJust keep it together. Keep your cool.â
But in the back of my mind, a whisper of dread lingered. How long could we really survive like this?
