Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 102: I Will Be Back

Evelyn Ford held a bottle of poison in one hand and an insecticide in the other, spraying with all her might. By the time all thirty bottles of poison were empty, the screeching of the bats had quieted significantly, with only a few scattered ones still circling overhead. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Evelyn Ford collapsed onto the kayak. Ronan Kendrick killed the last bat with his combat knife and took a gas canister from her.

All the bats fell onto the water’s surface. Some were dead, others just temporarily unconscious. Ronan Kendrick lit the gas canister and threw it into the pile of bats.

A few deafening explosions sounded from behind them. Evelyn Ford covered her ears, her expression pained.

The kayak drifted into another tributary. She uncovered her ears, but a buzzing sound filled them. Evelyn Ford was experiencing tinnitus. The ringing made her head spin, and a wave of nausea washed over her.

There were still a few dead bats on the kayak. Evelyn Ford threw them out. Even through her gloves, she could feel the sticky bat blood on her clothes and the kayak.

Evelyn Ford rubbed her ears, and after a short while, the buzzing finally disappeared.

"What’s wrong?"

Evelyn Ford said, "Huh?" Her eyes ’looked’ in Ronan Kendrick’s direction. "Are you talking to me?"

Ronan Kendrick stared at her for a long time, then reached out and snapped his fingers by her ear. Evelyn Ford heard it.

"My ears were ringing for a bit, but it’s better now. What were you saying?"

"I said, there’s a stone platform ahead."

Evelyn Ford understood what he meant. "You go up and check. I’ll wait for you in the kayak."

Ronan Kendrick took his combat knife and, with a single leap, jumped onto the stone platform. Evelyn Ford felt her cloth pouch. The two little ones were very quiet, probably scared.

"There’s an entrance here."

Hearing Ronan Kendrick’s voice, Evelyn Ford struggled to stand up in the kayak. Her hands ached to the point of weakness. She had used too much force while frantically spraying the bats, causing some degree of muscle and nerve damage.

Ronan Kendrick lifted Evelyn Ford onto the stone platform, then rinsed the filthy, stinking, blood-covered kayak in the water.

As they entered the hidden passage, Evelyn Ford smelled a musty odor. A damp, cold wind hit her in the face, and she couldn’t help but flinch.

Ronan Kendrick led her down a long flight of stairs. They arrived in a hidden chamber that was relatively clean, a suitable place to rest for a while.

After the firewood was lit, Evelyn Ford took off her gas mask and her filthy, stinking protective suit.

"You rest here for a bit. I’m going to see if the fireballs are still outside."

Evelyn Ford frowned and called out to stop Ronan Kendrick.

"You..." The words died on her lips. She didn’t know what to say. ’Should I ask if he’ll come back?’

’Why is it that once you go blind and deaf, you become so timid and anxious?’ Evelyn Ford mocked herself, then waved at him.

"Be careful."

"I’ll be back." Ronan Kendrick’s tone was as flat as ever. He took one of Evelyn Ford’s guns and a knife.

Evelyn Ford’s lips twitched, but she didn’t respond. She curled up in a corner, and only after Ronan Kendrick had left did she take off her clothes and apply a medicinal plaster to her lower back and tailbone.

"Hiss..."

’I’m only twenty, and my body is already covered in scars.’

She rinsed her eyes several times with clean water, applied eye drops, and rubbed anti-inflammatory cream on the surrounding area. They weren’t tearing up anymore, but there was still some stinging pain.

Her ears still rang from time to time, but it was much better than before. The fire burned brightly, and her body began to warm up. Evelyn Ford let Mina and Lola out for some air. The two little ones were still listless and lethargic.

Evelyn Ford treated the rest of her injuries, then leaned against the stone wall to rest with her eyes closed. Time trickled by, but Ronan Kendrick didn’t return.

Evelyn Ford’s heart was very calm. Right now, she just wanted to conserve her energy and let her eyes recover as quickly as possible. She never dwelled on things she couldn’t control.

Mina came over and licked Evelyn Ford’s fingers. Knowing it was hungry, Evelyn Ford took out a handful of sunflower seeds and placed them in front of it, then fed Lola a piece of raw meat.

Warmed by the fire, Evelyn Ford actually fell asleep. She didn’t know how long had passed when she suddenly heard a faint noise. Evelyn Ford woke with a start, gripping the gun in her hand.

Only when the familiar sound of footsteps came from the stairs above did Evelyn Ford relax her guard. Ronan Kendrick was back.

"The fireballs are still falling, and the sky is still dark."

Evelyn Ford sat up straight. She tried to make herself look relaxed, but her clenched fists and tense body betrayed her.

"What do you think is causing this?" She was referring to the darkness.

"A total solar eclipse. A planetary impact. Meteorites falling as fireballs."

’You think it’s just a total solar eclipse?’ A total solar eclipse has five phases, and the last two are the "diamond ring" and the sun’s full return. That means the sun should be coming back.

"That’s just my guess. The truth is, the crisis is different every day. We’re experiencing a total solar eclipse; maybe others are dealing with a tsunami or a volcanic eruption."

"How far is it from here to the exit?"

Ronan Kendrick sat down across from her. He brought a chill with him when he returned, and Evelyn Ford also caught a faint scent of blood.

"Not far. An hour by kayak, round trip."

Evelyn Ford took out an alarm clock and had him look at the time. Ronan Kendrick leaned in closer.

"Seven-thirty."

Evelyn Ford mentally calculated how many hours it had been since nightfall. Ronan Kendrick added two more logs to the fire and held his hand out to her. Even without him saying anything, Evelyn Ford knew what he wanted.

She gave him a prepared wild pheasant. He took it, skewered it with his combat knife, and began to roast it over the fire.

Before long, the scent of roasting meat filled the hidden chamber. Evelyn Ford had no appetite. She leaned against the stone wall and continued to rest with her eyes closed.

Ronan Kendrick went out to check the situation every three hours. Only when he was gone could Evelyn Ford take care of her biological needs.

When he returned again, it was already six in the morning.

"The fireballs have stopped, but there are huge fires everywhere outside."

"If I’d known, I would have rounded up all the animals on Broken Cloud Mountain." There was deep regret in his voice as he said this.

Evelyn Ford’s lips quirked into a smile. ’When a foodie loses that much food, they must be crying tears of blood inside.’

"The temperature is still very low. I measured it with a thermometer. Despite the fires, the temperature has dropped to minus thirty-six degrees. We should be able to go out in about three days."

Evelyn Ford felt a great sense of relief. ’Three days. My eyes should be recovered by then.’

Evelyn Ford took out her phone, turned it on, and handed it to Ronan Kendrick so he could look at the map she had photographed inside.

"Have you seen this place before? I took a picture of it when I came in earlier."

Ronan Kendrick nodded. "I know it. The piece of Gold I gave you last time came from this place."

Evelyn Ford’s ears perked up. "What’s inside?"

Ronan Kendrick suddenly fell silent. Neither of them spoke. After a long while, he said softly, "It’s an abandoned human experimentation lab. There are over a thousand failed test subjects inside. Do you still want to go?"