The cave was quiet, the fire casting flickering shadows on the walls as the group gathered around the body of the dead intruder. Harlan lay where he had fallen, his lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. The air was heavy with the scent of blood and smoke, and no one spoke for a long time.
"We need to decide what to do with him," Sam said, working through the possibilities. "Leaving him here isn't an option. It could attract predators, and we can't afford to draw more attention to ourselves."
They exchanged uneasy glances. No one wanted to be the first to speak, but the question hung in the air, demanding an answer.
"We could bury him," Maria suggested. "It's the humane thing to do. He may have been an intruder, but he was still a person."
Victor shook his head. "Burying him would take too much time and energy. We don't have the tools, and we can't afford to waste resources on someone who tried to kill us."
Ethan frowned. "So what? We just leave him out there for the animals to pick apart?"
Sam cleared his throat, drawing the group's attention back to him. "There are... other options," he said carefully. "Options that could benefit us."
They fixed their gaze on Sam. Even Victor raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.
"What are you suggesting?" Lily asked cautiously. She sat cross-legged near the fire, her eyes flicking between Sam and the body.
Sam hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "The energy in this world—it's everywhere. In the plants, the animals, even the air we breathe. But we still don't fully understand how it works or how it affects living—or formerly living—organisms. If we examine the body, we might be able to learn more about it."
Their expressions were a mix of shock and disbelief. Maria was the first to speak, her voice sharp with disapproval. "You want to experiment on him? That's... that's grotesque."
Sam held up a hand, his tone defensive but calm. "I'm not suggesting we desecrate the body. But if we can learn something from it—something that could help us survive—then isn't it worth considering?"
Victor's lips curled ever so slightly. "Practical."
Ethan shook his head. "I don't know, Sam. It feels... wrong. He was a person, not a lab rat."
Sam sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I understand your concerns. But we're in a world where survival is the priority. If we don't take every opportunity to learn, we're putting ourselves at risk."
No one wanted to admit it, but they all knew he had a point. The world they were in now was harsh and unforgiving, and they couldn't afford to be sentimental.
It was then that Sam turned to AJ. "There's another option," he said quietly. "AJ, you've been absorbing materials to gain energy. What if... what if you consumed part of the body? It could give us important information."
The cave went deathly quiet. All eyes turned to AJ, who rippled slightly under the sudden attention. His form shifted, the faint glow of his slime body reflecting the firelight. Consume a person? he thought, his mind reeling.
I've absorbed plants, rocks, even weapons... but a human? The idea made him uneasy, but he couldn't deny the logic behind it. The body could be a massive source of energy, and energy was what he needed to grow stronger.
Lily was the first to break the silence. "No. Absolutely not. We're not going to turn AJ into some kind of... of cannibal. That's crossing a line."
Victor shrugged, his tone indifferent. "It's not cannibalism if he's not human anymore. And it's not like the guy's using it."
Maria shot Victor a glare. "That's not the point. We're not animals. We can't just start treating people—even dead ones—like resources."
Ethan looked conflicted as he stared at the ground. "I don't like it either," he said finally. "But... if it helps AJ get stronger, and if it keeps us alive... I don't know. Maybe it's worth considering."
AJ rippled again, his form shifting as he processed their reactions. I don't want to be a burden. He focused on the body, his mind racing. What if I just... took a small part? Just enough to see what happens?
As if sensing his thoughts, Sam spoke again, gentle but persuasive. "AJ, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You could try consuming a small portion—just enough to see if it gives you any benefit. If it doesn't work, or if it feels wrong, you can stop."
They turned to AJ, their expressions conflicted. AJ hesitated, his form rippling as he weighed the options. I don't want to do this, he thought. But if it helps the group...
Finally, he moved forward, his form gliding toward the body. They watched in silence as he extended a thin tendril of slime, sitting by the body for a moment before making contact. Just a small part, he told himself. Just enough to see.
The slime began to dissolve a small portion of the body, the energy flowing into AJ's form. It was different from anything he had absorbed before—richer, denser, almost overwhelming. His form pulsed slightly, the glow intensifying as he processed the energy. It's working, he realised, his mind racing. But... it feels wrong.
He pulled back, his form rippling with unease. They watched him closely, concern in their eyes.
"Well?" Sam asked eagerly. "Did it work?"
AJ rippled in response, his form shifting in a way that conveyed both affirmation and discomfort. It worked, but I won't be doing that again.
He tried to communicate the difference in energy—how much more potent it was compared to the plants and everything else he had consumed. His form pulsed rhythmically, the glow fluctuating as he attempted to convey the magnitude of the energy he had absorbed.
Sam's eyes lit up, his excitement barely contained. "Fascinating," he murmured, taking notes. "The energy density must be exponentially higher in living beings, especially in humans. This could confirm some of my theories about the distribution of this strange energy in living beings."
Walter, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "I won't lie—this feels... unnatural."
Sam, meanwhile, was already jotting down notes in his notebook, his mind racing with possibilities. "This changes everything," he muttered, more to himself than to the others. "If we can harness this energy... we could—"
"Sam," Walter interrupted. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
"Of course, but this... this is a breakthrough," Sam replied, still clearly excited.
AJ's unease mingled with a strange sense of relief. At least I was able to help. Like the others, the thought of performing tests on someone, even if dead, was off-putting.
Maria spoke up. "If you're going to do this, Sam, do it away from here. I don't want to see it."
Sam nodded. "I understand. I'll take the body outside of the cave. You won't have to see anything."
Victor's tone was matter-of-fact. "Just make sure it's worth it. We're not doing this for your curiosity. We're doing it to survive."
"I know," Sam replied. "And I'll make sure it is."
---
The next few hours passed in uneasy silence. Sam worked diligently, his movements precise and methodical. The others stayed near the fire, their conversations hushed and sporadic. No one asked what Sam was doing, and he didn't offer any details. The occasional sound of rustling was the only indication of his work.
When Sam finally returned, his face was pale but showed clear excitement. He carried his notebook in one hand, the pages filled with hastily scribbled notes. The group turned to him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
"I've made some significant discoveries," Sam began. "The human body—or at least, the body of someone exposed to this world's energy—is capable of absorbing and circulating the strange energy. It's not just in the air or the plants; it's in us too."
They leaned in, their attention fully on Sam now. Even Victor looked intrigued.
"What does that mean?" Lily asked. "Are you saying we can... use this energy somehow?"
Sam's enthusiasm continued growing. "I could be wrong, but it seems like the energy circulates through the body. It's like... like the body is a conduit for this energy and if we learn to control it we might be able to grow stronger, physically and mentally."
Walter stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So this energy... it's not just something we're exposed to. It's something we can harness."
"Yes," Sam replied. "But it's not just about exposure. It's about understanding how the energy flows, how it interacts with our bodies. If we can learn to control it—to cultivate it—we could unlock abilities far beyond what we're capable of now."
They fell silent, the implications of Sam's words sinking in. Cultivation, Ethan thought, the word echoing in his mind. Some kind of... energy training?
Maria frowned. "And how do we do that? How do we 'cultivate' this energy?"
Sam hesitated, his excitement somewhat tempered. "I'm not entirely sure yet," he admitted. "But I have some theories. Meditation, physical training, even certain breathing techniques—they could all play a role. It's going to take time to figure out the specifics, but this... this is the first step."
Victor smirked, his tone dry. "So what you're saying is, we've got a long way to go before any of this actually helps us."
Sam nodded. "Yes, but now that we know it's possible, we can start working toward it. And that... that changes everything."
Cultivation, AJ thought, his form rippling slightly. If we can learn to control this energy... maybe we won't just survive. Maybe we'll thrive.