n chapters 16-25 of Mountain Man by Keith C. Blackmore, Scott and Gus face increasing threats and challenges as they hide from the dead and scavenge for supplies. Forced to spend days hiding in an attic while zombies ravage the house below, the two grow weak and dehydrated but manage to escape once the undead clear out. As they continue their scavenging missions, they encounter new dangers, including other survivors like Roxanne, who they rescue from an attempted assault by a man named Edgar. Roxanne joins them, and they return to the safety of their mountain hideaway, where tension begins to build between the group. Gus wrestles with newfound hatred for the dead after surviving a close call with infection, and Scott reveals the emotional scars left by the loss of his wife and child. The chapters highlight their shifting attitudes toward ...