James woke up several hours later. According to the daylight and position of the sun, he concluded that it was approximately three to four P.M. Elijah had already awoken, and was busy exploring the house, trying to remain as quiet as possible. James rose from the bed and slightly opened the window, feeling the chilly breeze flow in. It was still cold outside. Elijah was busy making his bed with what little sheets he had. James began to wish he brought more. However, he had decided that if they were going to do anything at all, they would probably need to head to a local store soon to get a temporary ration of food and supplies. Elijah saw him awake and said, "Hey bro! Are you feeling alright?" James did not answer, merely grunting. Elijah got a slightly sad look on his face, to which James responded, "Come. Accompany me to the store. We must gather supplies and food rations, at least to last us tonight." Elijah said in response, "Could I stay here instead?" James gave a silent stare at his brother, and the young sibling immediately picked up his jacket, walking to the door. James followed Elijah out of the door threshold, locking it behind him. The outside air had warmed considerably from earlier. James lumbered forward, leading the way like usual. They had noticed a silver Volkswagen that was not there before. Elijah said, "Whose do you think that is?" James said, "I am not certain. Perhaps it is one of the neighbors'?" Elijah said, "Oh I see." The boys continued on their way on the stone path. On their way past, a black cat meowed softly at them. It had large, ice-blue eyes. Elijah leaned down to offer his hand. The cat sniffed it, pawed it once, then walked away. Elijah wanted to follow it but James softly gripped his shoulder. The younger boy got the message and they continued walking. It was a decent walk before they actually saw any of the outskirts of Ashland. They must have walked for roughly half an hour to forty five minutes. Hope came to them in the form of a gas station on the side of the road. It was shabby looking, but it was definitely better than nothing.

James led his brother to the inside of the building, thankful to be out of the chilly air. The warmth of the station washed over them, as they observed the inside of the building. It was very plain-looking. Thankfully the items were well-organized. They quickly gathered the items. They purchased a small number of canned foods, along with some toilet tissue and paper towels. The clerk took the money, counted the change, and handed it over to the boys. James thanked the older man, and trudged with Elijah back outside. Due to the mild walk and the time it would take to get back, James knew by the time they got back it would be very close to sunset. It grew colder as the minutes passed, and soon they were once again out of sight of the gas station. Elijah broke the silence, "It seems like it is quiet around here. It's very peaceful. But do you think it will get boring?" James didn't answer, merely striding forward. Elijah said hopefully, "I can't wait to meet our neighbors." James could hear the tone, and he said, "I'm sure you will make friends." Elijah said, "What about you?" James said, "I do not require such things." Elijah said, "Come on. You never know." James said, "I am indifferent. I have too much to focus on." Elijah said nothing, knowing that tone all too well. The two felt the wind pick up, and it definitely grew much colder. Elijah always wondered how James was so stone-like in the cold and heat. It was unnatural. Elijah felt his teeth begin to chatter.

The rest of the walk only grew progressively worse. When Elijah finally got in the door, the heat from the furnace was not enough to warm him up. James saw this, and said, "Toughen up runt. Do some push-ups. That will get your blood flowing." Elijah didn't answer, only sitting on his bed, shivering. Silently, James left his brother inside, telling him, "Do not leave the house." Elijah tried to say something, but James had already opened the door and was outside. James took a moment to observe the nearest place where he would be able to find some wood. He ventured up through the encroaching darkness. It was dusk, and he knew he wouldn't have long to collect the necessary materials. Good thing he was a genius. He quickly gathered two stones that he knew would create a spark, and proceeded to rip off several branches from trees. He didn't have enough time to fashion together a cutting utensil. He would have to make due with the time he had. If he had more time, he could simply chop several decent-sized hunks of wood with his bare hands. It was nice to be strong and smart. All of that work over the years paid off. He must have worked for more than an hour, for when he was finished, the sun had officially set and it was difficult to see through the woods. If not for the lights of the large apartment building, he may very well have been wandering the woods for hours. He didn't totally mind though. The work gave him time to clear his mind. He enjoyed the night-time. However, he knew Elijah was cold. And he did not want to hear the youngster complain anymore than he had.

James worked his way back to the Apartment building, the lights and windows becoming more visible with every step he took. He was thankful he only had a moderate-sized load of materials. It was not very difficult getting the wood in through the door. He said out loud, "Short-stop, come and assist me." The younger sibling did not appear. James approached the sitting room and gently placed the wood on the floor. He said once more, "Elijah. I could really use a hand." Still nothing once more. James marched towards the young man's room, saying, "Runt. I will not ask again." James stopped when he saw why Elijah had not come. The youngster had fallen asleep, and just like James instructed him, he had indeed not moved from the spot he was in. James' face softened. He sighed, and walked over to the sleeping child. He ruffled the boy's hair and felt how cold he was. He slipped Elijah's arms over his shoulders into a fireman carry, and carried him into the sitting room. James gently placed his brother on the floor, and went back to the bedroom, retrieving the youngster's pillow and blanket. James placed Elijah's head on the pillow and tucked the blanket under his frigid frame.

The older sibling proceeded to place the wood in the fireplace of the sitting room, using the stones to create a spark. It worked, and the warmth of the flames spread over them. James had carefully collected enough wood to keep the fire ablaze for the next twelve hours. James pulled his turnout coat around him, sitting with his back against the wall. He leaned his head back, the soft crackling of the fire provoking his thoughts. This first day had indeed presented its own set of challenges. They would need to adapt quickly. He looked over at his younger sibling, whom was smiling in his sleep. James couldn't help but wonder what the youngster was dreaming of. It was most likely some happy memory from the past. James lowered his head, and began to slowly drift off into unconsciousness. James knew that tomorrow they would have to collect more firewood. The furnace would also need to be inspected. James knew that there must have been something wrong with it. It was not warming the flat like it should have. James finally lost his senses, and exhaustion overtook him far more severely than the nap he had taken earlier. He lost consciousness altogether, reuniting with sleep.