novelraw Chapter 190: Polar Day, On the Road 11
Chapter 190: Polar Day, On the Road 11
Evelyn Ford knew Ronan Kendrick was highly capable, but she still couldn’t help but worry. After all the sheep were pulled up, Ronan was pulled up as well. There was no cliché drama, like the rope snapping or someone secretly sabotaging it.
"This is great! We can have mutton!"
The children cheered, and the adults’ faces lit up with excitement.
Taylor Vance counted them. There were seventeen sheep in total, but there were several thousand people.
An adult sheep weighed around two hundred pounds, and that was an estimate including the hide, horns, and organs. There were only two lambs; the rest were large adults.
It looked like everyone would get about half a pound.
"Peter Owens found the sheep, so he must be rewarded. He’ll get five pounds for himself. The three men who went down to tie up the sheep will each get a pound and a half. Everyone else will get half a pound. The remainder will go to those with the least food. Any objections?"
"None."
Taylor Vance nodded. "Let’s butcher the sheep first. Get rid of the intestines; they’re a waste of water."
Everyone was eager. Even if it was only half a pound, it was still half a pound of meat. Plus, those with little food would get an extra share in the end.
Of the seventeen sheepskins, Peter Owens, who found the sheep, got two. Ronan Kendrick, Roy Henderson, and Owen Chapman each received one. The remaining few were given to those with fewer supplies.
Although Taylor Vance had said to discard the sheep intestines, quite a few people still went over to fight for them. After Evelyn Ford retrieved the rope, she saw Ronan Kendrick holding their share of the sheepskin and mutton.
She put the sheepskin in a bag and placed it on the pushcart for now. ’I’ll move it to my space when I get a chance.’
There were dead trees all around. Quincy gathered a bundle of firewood, preparing to roast the meat.
Evelyn Ford and Officer Graham’s group gathered around as well. One fire pit would be enough. Evelyn sliced the meat while Ronan Kendrick whittled two clean wooden sticks into skewers. He threaded the meat onto them and placed them directly over the fire to roast.
Evelyn Ford took out salt and chili powder from the pushcart. The moment she sprinkled them on, an incredible aroma filled the air.
"Here, you guys." Evelyn Ford put the salt and chili powder in the center for everyone. The others took a pinch and sprinkled it on their own meat. The area was instantly abuzz with activity, and the children began to laugh and play.
"If only we could have this kind of good fortune every day."
"I still feel like I’m dreaming. If I had found them by myself, I would’ve struck it rich."
The people behind them were whispering. Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick looked at each other and couldn’t help but smile.
Ronan Kendrick received a pound and a half, and Evelyn Ford got half a pound, making two pounds in total. In this high heat, the meat wouldn’t last long, and since it wasn’t much anyway, Evelyn decided to roast all of it.
"This is delicious, Dad! Will we be able to eat mutton again?"
Officer Graham nodded. "Of course we will."
In truth, they hadn’t finished all the lamb and pork they’d slaughtered before the perpetual daylight began. Instead, it had been made into Dried Meat. But compared to fresh meat, the Dried Meat tasted rather plain.
"How many days have we been walking?"
"Thirteen days." Evelyn Ford had been keeping track.
"Only thirteen days? I feel like I’ve been walking for a month. The soles of my feet are covered in blood blisters, and it’s only been thirteen days." Serena Lynch was crushed.
"Everyone has adapted a lot these past few days. Fewer people are getting heatstroke. And we’ve been finding all sorts of animals for several days in a row. As long as the high temperatures don’t surge back, the rest of the journey should be a bit more comfortable."
Quincy nodded. "Yeah, the temperature has dropped a little more these past few days. In about another month or so, it should fall below eighty-six degrees."
"That would be great. My skin can’t take much more of this heat. I feel like I’ve aged so quickly since the high temperatures started. It’s only been a little over a year, but I feel like I’ve aged five or six years."
Wyatt Vaughn was only twenty-three, but she did look much more haggard. Her skin had darkened, and she had developed some fine lines.
"Evelyn, once we get settled, could you prescribe a couple of restorative herbal remedies for me?"
Evelyn Ford nodded. "No problem."
’Thankfully, she and Ronan Kendrick usually kept their faces covered. To be safe, they even deliberately dirtied their faces. It was crucial that no one noticed anything unusual about them.’
Miles Vaughn and his buddies were also sitting nearby. All told, their little group had gotten quite large.
With so many prying eyes, it was inconvenient to do anything. For the past few days, Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick hadn’t cooked any private meals.
After eating and drinking their fill, they set off again. This time, everyone traveled much faster. Whenever it was time to rest, they would spread out to look for animals. However, for the next few days, everyone’s luck was terrible; they didn’t even see a single mouse.
「Three days later.」
The group arrived at an abandoned town. Many people collapsed from exhaustion, so Taylor Vance decided they would rest there for two days to let everyone recover their strength.
The town was surrounded by mountains, and many people went into them. Although the trees were all dead, at least this area hadn’t been ravaged by fire.
The town had been through torrential rains, collapses, and earthquakes, so there were no intact houses left. Ronan Kendrick carried their pushcart into the mountain forest, and Evelyn Ford pitched their tent under a tree. Others followed their example, settling in the mountains. Serena Lynch came over to ask Evelyn to go to the bathroom with her. Evelyn then called over Wyatt Vaughn and Wendy, and the four of them went to a small grove nearby.
"We can finally rest for two days. My legs and feet are all swollen."
Evelyn Ford nodded. "My feet are a little swollen too."
"Evelyn, Ronan Kendrick is so good to you. He fans you and massages your shoulders every day. He probably wishes he could just carry you on his back."
Evelyn...
"Chase Underwood is very good to you, too."
"Chase is great," Serena Lynch giggled, which made Evelyn Ford and Wyatt Vaughn laugh along with her.
"Miss Ford, will you and Mr. Ronan get married?"
Evelyn Ford froze for a moment. A long time ago, Wendy had asked her the same thing. Back then, her answer had been no. But this time...
"Yes, we will get married."
"That’s wonderful! That’s wonderful!"
Wendy was so happy she jumped up and down. Wyatt Vaughn and Serena Lynch also started teasing Evelyn. When they got back to the camp, Wendy was the first to run up to Ronan Kendrick. She said something to him, and he looked up at Evelyn. Even from a great distance, Evelyn could feel the burning intensity in his eyes.
Inside the tent, Ronan Kendrick was still staring at her. His gaze made Evelyn Ford’s skin crawl.
"What?"
"Wendy said you want to marry me?"
Evelyn’s face flushed. "I was just joking with her."
"A joke?" The smile on Ronan Kendrick’s face froze, and he looked at Evelyn Ford in disbelief.
"No, it’s not that. What’s all this about marriage? In this world, it’s not like anyone can issue us a marriage certificate."
"What does a marriage certificate look like?"
"A little red book."
Ronan Kendrick nodded, but he still looked very unhappy. "So you really don’t plan on marrying me? Evelyn, aren’t you going to take responsibility for me?"
Evelyn Ford quickly covered his mouth. "Don’t say that."
’What’s all this nonsense about taking responsibility? He just blurts out whatever comes to his mind.’ Evelyn felt both exasperated and amused.
"I’m tired."
Letting go of Ronan Kendrick, Evelyn Ford flopped down in the tent. Ronan continued to stare at her, not moving an inch until she had fallen asleep.
When Evelyn Ford woke up, Ronan Kendrick wasn’t in the tent. She was starving, and it seemed someone had caught some prey. The smell of roasting meat wafted in from outside.