novelraw Chapter 147: Dense Fog 8
Chapter 147: Dense Fog 8
With the discovery of coal, life in the safe zone became much more comfortable. However, because of the cold weather, people would shut their doors and windows to stay warm, leading to frequent cases of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Fortunately, the survivors’ bodies had become more resilient after the acid rain, so as long as they received prompt medical attention, these cases were rarely fatal.
Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick also went to dig up a few cartloads of coal. Evelyn had tricycles in her storage space, but they were all brand new. To avoid drawing attention, she had Ronan make them look old and worn.
While they were out digging for coal, the two took a look around the mountains. The survivors from the safe zone had already gathered all the trees that had been corroded by the acid rain, turning the mountains into barren, bald hills.
Evelyn stored a few cartloads in her space, enough that she wouldn’t need to come back for a long time. She didn’t take too much; after all, other people needed to survive too.
Ronan took a shovel and dug a few meters deep in a remote spot, but it was still just dead earth. The water sources on the mountains had dried up, and not a single blade of grass grew. The landscape looked almost like the surface of the Moon.
The newcomers to the safe zone also came to dig for coal. They didn’t have tricycles, so they had to wrap the coal in bedsheets or scrap fabric to haul it back.
Tricycles were one of the most precious commodities in the safe zone, and no one was willing to lend theirs out.
When she returned to their villa, someone was already there asking for Dr. Ford. The person was holding two eggs as payment. Evelyn accepted them, then grabbed her medical kit and left with them.
The patient was a young girl who was getting her first period. The heavy bleeding had terrified her family.
Evelyn gave her a bit of acupuncture and explained it was a side effect of the acid rain. The girl and her family were finally able to relax.
The side effects of the acid rain were more pronounced and severe in women.
On her way back, she passed the house where the elderly residents lived. Someone waved a greeting to her, and Evelyn waved back.
"Dr. Ford, I’m afraid I don’t have much time left."
An old man covered his mouth and coughed a few times. Evelyn saw a smear of fresh blood on his palm.
"Let me take a look at you."
"No, don’t bother, Dr. Ford. I don’t have many days left. When I die, could you please tell the security personnel who collect the bodies... ask them to cremate me and scatter my ashes in the direction of Marris? I want to go home and see it again. Thank you, and thank them for me. I’m sorry to be a bother to everyone."
Evelyn was speechless for a long time. The old man stood inside by the window while she stood outside. After a long silence, Evelyn nodded.
"Is there anything else?"
"No, that’s all. My son will come for me. They’re surely at home, waiting for me."
He took out a piece of cloth. Unwrapping it, he revealed a few pieces of Dried Meat. Evelyn could tell by the smell—it was rat meat.
The old man offered the Dried Meat to Evelyn, a bashful smile on his face.
"Go on, have some, Dr. Ford."
Evelyn accepted the meat. She carefully tore off a small piece and put it in her mouth. It was tough and tasted awful.
On the way back, Evelyn struggled to hold back her tears. Instead of going home, she went to find Taylor Vance and told him what had happened.
"The old man’s name is Winston Crawford. He used to live in Marris. He won’t last three days. He wants to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in the direction of Marris. That’s all."
Taylor Vance’s eyes welled up. "Okay," he said. "I’ll make a note of it."
Evelyn nodded. Taylor Vance was a decent leader; he would do as he promised.
When she got home, Evelyn saw Ronan Kendrick making coal briquettes. She took a deep breath and composed herself, pushing her emotions aside.
"What’s for dinner tonight?"
"Stewed hen," Ronan said, pointing to a corner. Only then did Evelyn see a hen tied up there.
"What did it do?"
"I was working, and it came over and bothered me. It flung coal dust in my face, so tonight, we’re stewing it."
Evelyn clicked her tongue. "You didn’t frame it on purpose, did you?"
"If I were going to frame one, I’d have picked the fattest one to frame," Ronan said, pulling off his gloves as he finished the last briquette.
Evelyn glanced at Mina and Lola. Both critters had been shedding a lot lately. Mina, in particular, seemed to have reached maturity and was now howling from morning till night, driving everyone crazy. Lola, afraid of the cold, had barely flown outside at all in the past year.
’Where am I going to find a mate for Mina? It’s probably impossible.’ "Mina," she said to the cat, "how about I neuter you? My technique is pretty solid."
The freakishly smart cat heard this and ran off with a flick of his tail.
"You won’t howl all day if you’re neutered! No more urges, no more wanting a mate! Mina, you deserve my deluxe neutering package!"
Mina ran even faster, and some of the shadow in Evelyn’s eyes lifted.
It had been a long time since Evelyn and Ronan had cooked a meal together. They had been so busy digging for coal lately, always leaving early and coming home late.
Ronan had to look after the chicks, and Evelyn had to make house calls. Most days, they just filled their stomachs with pre-made meals from her storage space.
"I’ll get the water boiling, you can kill the chicken."
Ronan nodded. "Okay."
After more than an hour of work, dinner was finally ready. But just as they were about to sit down and eat, Wendy suddenly started shouting for Evelyn from outside.
"Miss Ford, help! They’re beating my dad to death!"
Evelyn and Ronan exchanged a glance, stored the food in her space, and went out together to see what was going on.
"Why would your dad get into a fight?"
Wendy was five and a half now, and sharp as a tack.
"Some lady wants to be my stepmom, but Dad said no. Her family said he was being irresponsible, so he got mad and started a fight. But there are a bunch of them and it looked like Dad was losing, so I came to get you."
Evelyn shook her head and sighed. Officer Graham was a hot commodity in the safe zone; every widow and unmarried young woman had her eyes on him.
This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, so Evelyn wasn’t surprised.
"Come on, let’s go save your father before he actually gets beaten to death."
Wendy led the way, shouldering a stick, with Evelyn and Ronan following behind. Along the way, they ran into Quincy, Roy Henderson, and Owen Chapman.
Quincy had shaved his head a while back, and Evelyn could spot his bald head from several meters away.
"Wendy, your dad sure is popular with the ladies. Aren’t you worried he’ll actually find you a stepmom?"
Wendy shook her head. "Dad says people are starving, so we shouldn’t be thinking about frivolous stuff like that. Besides, he only ever loved my mom. He looks at her picture all the time when he thinks no one’s watching, and then he cries. I know all about it."
Evelyn also thought of Mrs. Graham. She had been a very gentle and kind woman.
As soon as they reached Wendy’s house, they were met with the sound of agonized groans. Officer Graham was standing in the doorway holding a shovel, and several men were lying on the ground.
"Dad, you’re okay! That’s great! I thought they were beating you to death, so I went to get reinforcements."
The men on the ground thought, ’Who’s beating who to death here?’
Meanwhile, a young woman was sobbing in a corner nearby.
"Chester Graham, you have to marry my sister today! You held her a few days ago, so you have to take responsibility!"
Officer Graham was so angry he was practically steaming. "I saw her fall into a pit and couldn’t climb out, so I helped her! I can’t believe you’re repaying my kindness like this!"