Transmigrated As An Extra In The Apocalypse-Chapter 49 - 48: Truck

The truck rattled and groaned with every bump on the uneven forest road, the iron bars of the makeshift cage clanging faintly as we were jostled along, The sound of its engine drowning out much of the murmured despair inside

My back was pressed against the cold metal bars of our makeshift cage, and every jolt sent a dull ache through my already bruised body.

I stared out through the gaps, catching glimpses of the dense forest outside, a blur of twisted branches and thick undergrowth

The air inside was suffocating, a mixture of sweat, damp earth, and faint rust that made it hard to breathe.

I sat cross-legged in a cramped corner, my knees pulled up slightly to keep some distance from the strangers pressed around me.

Then I heard something.

The rumble of another engine caught my attention, it was close but not too loud.

Peering through the gaps in the iron walls, I spotted a second truck not far behind us.

It was following us, a steady growl in the distance.

Another truck.

This one was in even worse shape than ours, a jagged, patched-together monstrosity with goblins hanging off the sides.

Their laughter and guttural chatter reached us even over the drone of the engine.

I shifted slightly, my body stiff from sitting in the cramped space for what felt like hours.

My eyes narrowed as I listened to the sound grow louder, steady and unyielding, even as ours groaned and spat every time it hit a bump.

That second truck wasn’t carrying hostages like us.

No, that one was full of damn goblins.

My jaw clenched. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

They were probably celebrating, reveling in their victory.

I forced my eyes away from the scene outside.

I leaned my head back against the bars, my eyes scanning the faces around me.

Most of the the hostages sat silently, their faces pale and grim, but a few whispered in hushed voices, the words barely audible over the grinding engine.

Fear hung over the group like a heavy fog, pressing down on us all.

A man near me muttered something under his breath, his hands trembling as he fiddled with a loose thread on his tattered sleeve.

I let out a slow breath.

The oppressive weight of silence was getting to me.

The waiting, the uncertainty, it gnawed at the edges of my sanity.

I clenched my fists, trying to steady my thoughts, but the tension in the air was suffocating.

My gaze settled on a middle-aged woman sitting across from me.

Her clothes were simple but frayed, She looked like someone from the outer settlements, a survivor of the unforgiving world beyond the walls.

She looked worn down, her hair matted and face streaked with dirt, and her hands trembled as she clutched them together.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if talking was the right move.

But the silence was unbearable, and I needed something, anything, to ground myself.

I cleared my throat quietly, leaning forward just enough to catch her attention.

"You... you’re from the outer settlements, right?" My voice came out low, almost hesitant.

The woman flinched slightly at my words, as if she hadn’t expected anyone to speak to her, her eyes darted toward me, wide and wary, like she was deciding whether to answer.

I waited patiently, my gaze steady.

For a moment, she didn’t respond, and I wondered if she would ignore me altogether.

But then she gave a slight nod, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"How did they get you?" I asked, keeping my tone as neutral as possible. "The goblins, I mean."

The woman hesitated, glancing around the truck as if checking to see if anyone else was listening.

Finally, she exhaled and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"They raided us at night. A week ago, maybe less. Hard to keep track of time," she said, her words clipped and shaky. "Our settlement... we don’t have much. Just a few families trying to survive everyday."

She paused, rubbing a hand over her face.

"We were already struggling, y’know? The settlement wasn’t doing well. Food was scarce, and the monsters kept getting bolder. Then the goblins showed up."

I leaned in slightly, nodding for her to continue.

"They attacked out of nowhere in the night," she went on, her hands clutching at the fabric of her skirt. "There were so many of them. Too many. We couldn’t fight back. They killed the men who resisted, then rounded up the rest of us, women, children, anyone they thought was worth keeping alive."

She shook his head, his voice bitter.

"They said we were... ’gifts’ for their master."

I frowned, my jaw tightening.

"The Orc Lord."

She nodded grimly.

"Yeah. That’s what they said. Kept talking about how we’d ’serve him well.’"

I leaned back against the iron bars, her words settling heavy in my chest.

"And you?" I said gently. "How did you get here?"

She looked up at me again, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"They burned our homes," she said, her voice hollow. "Forced us to march through the forest for days. Some of us didn’t make it. Those who did... well, here we are."

Her voice broke on the last word, and she fell silent, her gaze dropping to the floor.

The people living in the outer settlements had always been left to fend for themselves.

Most people surviving in the outer settlements request for help from Cities but some don’t get accepted.

While some get lucky and are accepted.

Henry settlement was closer to the Vesper City where i live, that is how Sergeant Thomas found him.

The people there didn’t have the luxury of security or resources, and when monsters come, they were nothing more than easy prey.

My eyes drifted to the other hostages, each of them carrying their own story of loss and desperation.

Soldiers from different cities stripped of their weapons, people torn from their homes, it didn’t matter who they were.

The goblins saw them all the same, tools for their master.

The truck hit a particularly deep rut, jolting us all.

I clenched my teeth, steadying myself as the vehicle rattled on.

The other truck was still trailing us, its guttural chorus of goblin voices grating against my nerves.

As the woman fell silent, I let my gaze fall to my hands, still bound in rough, scratchy rope.

My fingers flexed instinctively, testing the strength of the bindings.

My mind churned with plans and contingencies, each one hinging on the right moment to act.

For now, I had to wait.

"Thank you," I murmured to the woman, glancing up to meet her tired eyes. "For telling me."

She gave a weak nod, her expression unreadable.

"Do you think... they’ll kill us?" the woman suddenly asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I met her gaze, my expression unreadable. "I...," I paused briefly. "I really don’t know."