Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 98: Daily Routine
Back at the cabin, Ronan Kendrick was shoveling snow on the roof while Evelyn Ford cleaned the pheasant she had just hunted. She was making chicken soup tonight.
She had just weighed herself. Including her clothes and shoes, she came in at exactly 110 pounds. Since she was five-foot-seven, this was a decent weight, and her clothes and shoes added something to it, too.
She had put on a little weight this winter, though.
’A little extra fat is a good thing; you’re supposed to bulk up for winter,’ she thought. ’Look at this delicate face, this gorgeous face. Even if I ballooned to 165 pounds, I’d still be the hottest thing on this mountain.’
’Ronan Kendrick doesn’t count. He’s not human.’
The camellia seeds had already sprouted small shoots. Evelyn Ford watered them with nutrient solution, hoping they would break through the soil by the time spring arrived.
With the snow outside the window and door shoveled away, the view was wide open again. Evelyn Ford swept the wood ash out of the fireplace and rekindled the fire.
When Ronan Kendrick came inside, Evelyn Ford glanced at his hands and ended up tossing him a few pairs of gloves.
After dinner, the two sat on their respective sides of the room, a clear divide like The Kyre Line between them. Evelyn Ford crocheted a sweater, Ronan Kendrick read a book, and neither disturbed the other.
"Do you have any more books?"
Evelyn Ford glanced at the copy of *House Building Basics* in his hand and brought out a dozen more books for him. There were essays, novels, medical texts, and even comics—enough to keep him occupied for a long time.
For the next five days, Evelyn Ford didn’t set foot outside the cabin. The temperature had dropped to negative thirteen degrees Fahrenheit, a cold so intense that Evelyn Ford found it difficult to bear. She had no intention of taking a single step outside.
Ronan Kendrick, however, continued his daily routine of hunting and chopping wood. When he returned, he would butcher his kills and shovel snow. Evelyn Ford noticed he had started wearing his heavy coat and gloves the last couple of days. It seemed even he could finally feel the cold at this temperature.
Mina and Lola had started to show signs of illness. When it came to small animals, Evelyn Ford was at a loss; she didn’t know how to check for symptoms or diagnose them.
The two little critters were listless, lying in their nest and refusing to eat or drink. Evelyn Ford moved them in front of the fireplace and even placed two small heaters next to them.
Mina’s condition was a little better; it was likely just having trouble adjusting to the sudden drop in temperature. Lola’s case was more severe. Overnight, the colorful feathers on its long tail began to fall out, and several bald patches appeared on its body.
Evelyn Ford took some medicinal powder from her space, mixed it with water, and tried to feed it to them. But the moment Lola smelled the medicine, its eyes rolled back in its head, giving Evelyn Ford a terrible fright.
"What’s wrong?"
Ronan Kendrick had just returned to see Evelyn Ford in a frantic state. The moment she saw him, an idea struck her.
"Give me a little of your blood. Just two drops will do."
Ronan Kendrick glanced at the two little creatures, walked over to Mina, and lifted it up.
"They’re about to die."
Evelyn Ford nodded. "I know, which is why I need you to save these poor, pitiful things. How does roasted suckling pig sound for dinner tonight?"
Ronan Kendrick set Mina down and then picked up Lola.
"This one won’t live for another hour."
"And a roast chicken, plus a plate of braised pork belly."
Ronan Kendrick looked at Evelyn Ford and continued, "And a Sichuan boiled fish." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
’The nerve of him,’ she thought. ’Jacking up the price on the spot.’
Evelyn Ford nodded. "Deal. I’ll go start preparing it now."
Ronan Kendrick slit his finger, pried open Lola’s beak, and in the instant its mouth gaped, squeezed two drops of blood inside.
He squeezed a couple of extra drops for Mina. Clearly, he liked Mina better.
Evelyn Ford, relieved, turned and went into the kitchen to start cooking for her "lifesaver."
"How are they?"
Ronan Kendrick’s expression was stiff. "I think they’re dead."
Evelyn Ford rushed over. Mina and Lola were lying completely still in their nest, stiff as boards.
Evelyn Ford felt them. Their bodies were soft and still warm. They weren’t dead.
"They’re not dead. They probably just need some time to recover."
Ronan Kendrick glanced at the finished meal and then looked hauntingly at Evelyn Ford. "Can I eat now?"
"I’m not stopping you," Evelyn Ford said, feeling listless herself from worrying about the two little creatures.
"Good. You didn’t look very happy. I thought you were going to grab a knife and come after me again."
With that, he walked straight to the dining table and started eating by himself.
Watching his completely unconcerned manner made Evelyn Ford feel even more exhausted.
Thankfully, by ten o’clock that night, the two little critters had pulled through. Lola woke up and started drinking water, while Mina ate a bowl of Dotty. Evelyn Ford finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Evelyn Ford handed Ronan Kendrick a tube of scar-fading cream. She had discovered that while his wounds healed quickly, they always left behind a raised scar.
’This must be one of the side effects,’ she figured.
"What’s this?"
"Medicine. You rub it on the scar to help it fade."
Ronan Kendrick shook his head. "No, thanks. This stuff doesn’t work on me."
Evelyn Ford glanced at his fingertip. The cut had already turned into a raised scar. Looking closely, she could see his arm was covered with countless scars just like it.
’So, people have taken his blood before?’
Evelyn Ford pushed the scar cream into his hand anyway. "How do you know it won’t work if you don’t even try?"
"Oh, right. I’ve noticed you’re starting to feel the cold. Do you need an extra blanket?"
Ronan Kendrick glanced at the fireplace and shook his head again. "There’s a fire. I’m not cold."
Evelyn Ford didn’t press him. It had been a nerve-wracking day, and she was exhausted. Back in her bedroom, she fell asleep almost as soon as she lay down.
「 」
After recovering from their serious illness, Mina and Lola seemed to have been affected by those few drops of Ronan Kendrick’s blood. Their physical constitutions improved dramatically.
Despite the blizzard raging outside, they were eager to go out and run wild. Furthermore, the feathers on Lola’s bald patches had started to grow back, and Evelyn Ford noticed that the color of their eyes had deepened significantly.
A thought suddenly struck Evelyn Ford, and she quickly grabbed a mirror to check her own eyes. Thankfully, her pupils were still black, without the slightest change.
"Are you afraid of becoming like me?" Ronan Kendrick appeared without a sound. Evelyn Ford jumped, and she looked flustered, having her innermost thoughts exposed.
"I want to have your abilities," Evelyn Ford admitted honestly.
"You can only dream about it," he said bluntly. Evelyn Ford threw the mirror in her hand at him. He caught it effortlessly and then looked at his own reflection.
He stared for a long time. Evelyn Ford watched his expression slowly shift from calm to irritated, and finally, to utter disgust. He took a deep breath, set the mirror down, and left.
He slammed the door so hard that Evelyn Ford felt the entire cabin tremble.
Evelyn Ford didn’t give the incident much thought. But the next day during their meal, Ronan Kendrick suddenly looked up at her, his gaze deep and unsettling.
"Yesterday, didn’t you say you wanted to have abilities like mine? I can help you."
Evelyn Ford blinked. She had almost forgotten about the matter.
"What are your conditions this time?"
"After the snow melts, you plan on leaving, right? I want to go with you."
Evelyn Ford almost spat out her food. ’Go with me? He’s an Abnormal Pupil, and with those insane abilities of his... bringing him along would be like carrying a ticking time bomb.’
"Actually, being a normal person is pretty great." Evelyn Ford felt this was one "blessing" she was not equipped to handle.
