“I saw some others leading that titan toward the river.  We could follow, see if they’ve found a safe place?” he offered.

Nancy looked down at Chloe, who was sitting on the ground with her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth slightly.  The child was clearly exhausted, and Nancy wasn’t looking much better.  “I’ll have to carry her.  She’s had about all she can take.”

Allistor shook his head.  “What level are you?”

Nancy replied, “I am almost level two.”

“You’re obviously a tough lady, but you look exhausted.  I’m guessing you couldn’t carry her a hundred yards.  I’ll take her.  She can ride on my shoulders.”

Nancy gave him a grateful smile and nodded.  As he squatted down, she lifted the little girl and placed her atop his shoulders.  When he straightened, he gave a little hop to adjust her weight evenly, and they were ready to go.   Allistor set off in the general direction the titan had headed.

Both adults kept wary eyes on their surroundings.   Likely the recent passing of the sixty-foot monster had scared away any other predators, at least temporarily.  But hard lessons had been learned over the past few days.  Friends and neighbors who acted foolishly or even less than vigilantly had perished in nasty ways.

And while the Earthlings got experience for killing the newly spawned creatures sent by the Collective and were able to loot them for items of value… the creatures themselves seem to grow stronger by consuming their prey.   Every human they consumed made them just a little bit harder to kill.

As they walked, Nancy tried to make small talk.  Very quiet small talk.  “So… your family?”

Allistor did his best not to let his voice betray the sorrow that crushed him right then.  “Gone,” was all that he managed to push out in response.   Nancy nodded with understanding.

“I’m sorry.  I lost Michael, too.  And Chloe’s big brother, Chris.”

Allistor knew he should offer condolences, but he just didn’t have it in him.  Losing Leah on that first day had been traumatic enough.  But it had only been hours since his mother and father perished.  He hadn’t really even had time to process it.

They continued on in silence until they reached the river.  There had been two bridges large enough for vehicle traffic, and a smaller stone footbridge that crossed a narrow spot where the water dropped into a natural defile thirty feet below.   Both the larger bridges were damaged, one with the center section completely gone, the other bent and twisted.   But the footbridge seemed to have escaped the giant’s attention so far.   None of the trees in the forest on the other side had been damaged.