Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse

Chapter 181: Polar Day, Cellar 2

"Ronan Kendrick, let’s go dig up some more mushrooms."

Evelyn Ford planned to go somewhere farther away. The nearby areas had no mushrooms left; they were basically dug up by other residents as soon as they sprouted.

"Let’s head left from the safe zone’s main gate and go to the back area. Hardly anyone ever goes there."

Evelyn Ford knew why no one went there. It was because all the people who died during the parasite outbreak were buried there. Everyone was probably still afraid that anything growing from that soil would carry diseases.

"Alright, let’s dig up a lot tonight then." To avoid attracting attention, the two of them also brought a beat-up pushcart.

Many people were out digging for mushrooms. In the past, they would gather and chat, but now, no one had time for conversation. Everyone was crouched on the ground, searching for mushrooms.

Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick had just gotten halfway there when they ran into Quincy and Wyatt Vaughn.

"Where are you guys going to dig?"

"The back. Toward the mass grave."

Quincy’s eyes lit up when he heard that. "We’ll go too! I was planning on digging there anyway, but Wyatt Vaughn didn’t dare. She’s afraid the soil is contaminated."

Evelyn Ford smiled, pressing her lips together. "It probably isn’t. The sand and soil we have now were all brought over by the sandstorms."

"See? That’s what I said! Let’s go. We even brought two burlap sacks. We need to dig up a lot more in the next few days."

That was exactly what Evelyn Ford had been thinking. The four of them headed toward the mass grave. Some people saw them go, hesitated for a moment, then gritted their teeth and followed along.

"I feel like the nights have gotten even shorter these past two days. We only get to dig for mushrooms for a little while before the sky starts to brighten. It’s terrifying." Wyatt Vaughn held a stick, poking at the ground with it.

Quincy tsked. "Today, I saw someone go out to the toilet during the day. They were only gone for a little over ten minutes, and when they came back, their arm was covered in blisters."

"Blisters?"

"Yeah, it was like he’d been burned by fire. What kind of world is this? How did it get so horrifying?"

Quincy wasn’t wearing a shirt, and sweat was pouring down his back from the heat. He held a bamboo fan, fanning himself nonstop. Wyatt Vaughn had one too, but she seemed to be doing much better than Quincy.

When the four of them arrived at the mass grave, Officer Graham and Wendy were there too. They had already dug up two or three pounds. Judging by their harvest, there had to be a good number of mushrooms in this area.

Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick found a sandy patch and squatted down to search carefully.

"Ford, have you moved into the cellar yet?"

"Not yet. In a few days, maybe. I plan to cut some grass first to make mats to lay inside."

Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick didn’t use a fire, so they could lay down more grass in the cellar. However, to avoid arousing suspicion, they still had to prepare a fire pit to put inside.

"Same here. Wyatt Vaughn and I are still expanding our cellar. I even had to borrow a ladder from Mr. Graham. I’ll have to make another one in a few days," Quincy said, sighing.

"I have some nails left. You can come and get them if you need any."

Quincy looked like he wanted to rush over and kowtow to Evelyn Ford. "I do! I really do! I’ll come get them tomorrow night. By the way, I haven’t seen you storing any water. Do you have enough to drink?"

"I’m keeping it inside the cabin. We have enough."

Wendy ran up to Evelyn Ford with a hoe and said in a small voice, "Miss Ford, once the moon disappears, does that mean we won’t see each other for a long time again?"

"It’s possible. But as long as the moon comes out again, or when it rains, we’ll be able to see each other."

Wendy’s face was full of sorrow. "But when will it rain? I haven’t seen it rain in so, so long."

"Then let’s pray together that it rains soon, alright?"

"Okay." Wendy squatted down beside her and started digging for mushrooms too. Evelyn Ford glanced over at Ronan Kendrick. His speed was as fast as ever; his bamboo basket already held three or four pounds of mushrooms.

Evelyn Ford picked up her pace as well. As she was digging, she suddenly felt something was off. She picked up a lump of something and stared at it for a long time before realizing it was a human skull.

Evelyn Ford acted like she hadn’t seen it and buried it again. But after that, she kept digging up more bones.

"AHH..." A scream came from nearby. Evelyn Ford looked over. Wyatt Vaughn had tossed a skull into Quincy’s arms. Quincy, startled, had then tossed it to Evelyn Ford.

Resigned, Evelyn Ford simply dug another hole and buried it.

"What are you two screaming about?"

"A human head!"

Evelyn Ford nodded. "I saw. It’s just a skull. Just bury it and it’ll be fine. They were our compatriots; they won’t blame us. Hurry up and dig. Stop dilly-dallying."

Quincy... ’Ford is so badass.’

Wyatt Vaughn... ’Ford is so incredible.’

After being chided by her, the couple’s fear dissipated quite a bit. The nights were getting shorter and shorter; they had to hurry and dig for mushrooms.

The residents who had followed them also dug up plenty of bones. After a while, another scream rang out, but Evelyn Ford paid it no mind and kept her head down, continuing her work.

Everyone had a good harvest that night. As dawn approached, they all shouldered their mushrooms and hurried back to the safe zone.

Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick had dug up a whole cartful. After returning, Evelyn Ford moved all the mushrooms into her space. There was no water right now, so she wouldn’t wash them yet. Besides, there was plenty of other food in her space.

After sleeping for five hours during the day, Evelyn Ford got up to cook and stockpile prepared food. Ronan Kendrick was constantly helping her out, and working together, they quickly stir-fried another large pot of sliced pork and mushrooms.

When night came, Ronan Kendrick went to dig for mushrooms while Evelyn Ford went to cut the withered grass of the Four Seasons Green. After bringing it back, she wove the dry grass into mats, which would be neater when laid out in the cellar.

It took two nights, but she finished weaving six grass mats. Evelyn Ford placed the ladder into the cellar and laid the mats inside.

The cellar was already much drier. In a few more days, they could start moving some furniture in.

The mushrooms at the mass grave were almost all gone. Evelyn Ford assigned Ronan Kendrick a new task: chopping down trees.

Everyone else was chopping trees to stockpile firewood, so they needed to stock up as well. Moreover, Evelyn Ford was worried that the withered grass and trees would spontaneously combust after the polar day began. Cutting down the trees could also reduce that risk.

Everyone was struggling to survive. Mina and Lola were already too hot to even go outside. During this time, whenever anyone went out to dig for mushrooms, they would see many small birds, mice, and snakes dead from the heat on the ground.

Evelyn Ford also prepared some Gold and Silver Flower for everyone. Once the polar day started, it would be difficult for them to meet, so she could only leave them some medicinal herbs for self-protection.

During this period, several elderly people had also passed away one after another. For frail children and the elderly, the apocalypse was hell.

Sometimes Evelyn Ford would wonder, ’Is dying before the apocalypse a blessing, a peaceful end?’

Ronan Kendrick had cut down a large swath of the surrounding pine and fir trees. After storing them all in the space, Evelyn Ford mentally took stock and concluded that nothing had been missed.

The daylight continued to lengthen, while the night shrank to just two hours.

Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick began to set up the inside of the cellar: a table, chairs, a bed, flower pots, a bathtub...

As they put everything in its place, piece by piece, the dark cellar gradually began to feel like a home.

Evelyn Ford placed the emergency lamp on a dug-out ledge, and the cellar immediately brightened.

"Ronan Kendrick, this is our new home now."