Chapter 393: Chapter 393: Staying Put
Evelyn Ford assigned tasks, and everyone got busy. Ronan Kendrick went back to the cabin to pack, while she went to make a patrol.
The fences had collapsed in several places, so Evelyn Ford took out her tools and began repairs. Inside the fence line, she noticed plenty of winter mushrooms in the thorny bushes. Taking a bamboo basket from her space, she dug them up and placed them inside, planning to take them back with her later.
After a full tour of the farm, Evelyn Ford returned to the tent area with two bags of winter mushrooms. Everyone had already pulled out all their belongings from beneath the collapsed log cabins. With no sun out, they had built several bonfires in an open area and were hanging clothes and quilts nearby to dry. Evelyn wiped the condensation from her eyelashes. The ground was covered in muddy snow and dotted with puddles, making it treacherous. She had already slipped and fallen several times on her way back, getting her clothes filthy.
"Come warm yourself by the fire and rest for a bit. You haven’t slept all night," Taylor Vance said, handing Evelyn Ford a cup of ginger soup before adding a few more logs to the flames.
"I’m not tired." After drinking the ginger soup, Evelyn Ford felt a warmth spread through her stomach.
"Did any of the fences collapse?"
"Several sections did. There was also a rockslide from the mountain blocking the area outside, and the main gate collapsed too."
Taylor Vance sighed. "Thank you for all your hard work."
"Don’t say that. Everyone’s been working hard." Evelyn Ford smiled, then took off her shoes. The soles of her feet were white and wrinkled from the damp, and they were frozen stiff. She stretched them toward the fire, and after a moment, feeling finally started to return.
"A little while ago, Paul Pence came to ask me about the farm’s future. Evelyn, are we going to keep staying here?"
Evelyn Ford nodded. "For now, yes. The earthquakes are frequent, but they aren’t very strong. And honestly, where could we go to escape them? The quakes come with torrential rain and thunderstorms; it wouldn’t even be safe to fly a plane. Our only option is to stay here. We all remember how hard the journey was when we migrated from the safe zone. Relocating isn’t easy, especially not when the weather is this awful."
’If we moved, our only option would be to head back the way we came. Any further forward and we’d be leaving the country.’ Evelyn Ford had no desire to go through another migration.
"Then what about them?"
Evelyn Ford rested her chin on her hand. "What else can we do? We’ll have to face this hardship together."
Once she had warmed up, Evelyn Ford returned to her cabin. Officer Graham and Wendy had already moved in. Evelyn gave Wendy a folding cot, while Quincy and Officer Graham made beds on the floor. Two curtains were hung down the middle to create a partition, with Wyatt Vaughn and Zoe staying on the other side.
The open space in front of the fireplace was large, so there was still a walkway even after it was divided.
"Zoe is so well-behaved now. She’s always smiling."
Wyatt Vaughn smiled. "Yes, she’s actually a very good baby."
"Zoe, you have to grow up big and healthy," Wyatt Vaughn said, nuzzling the baby’s nose and making her giggle.
"The quilts and clothes still aren’t dry. This is a nightmare," Wyatt said. "Evelyn, when do you think we’ll ever see a peaceful day again? I’m not asking for much anymore. I just want no earthquakes, no snow, no drought. I’d be willing to eat tree bark if it meant we could have just that."
"Wyatt, at least we don’t have to worry about food and water," Wendy said, leaning over to gently stroke Zoe’s cheek. "There must be so many people out there with nothing to eat. If it ever came to the day you actually had to eat tree bark, you wouldn’t be able to handle it."
"That’s true." Wyatt Vaughn gave a bitter smile.
The floor beds in the other log cabin had been set up. Just as Evelyn Ford reached the doorway, another tremor hit. Everyone froze, waiting for the shaking to stop before resuming their packing.
"Evelyn, are you okay?" Ian Yates asked, walking up to her with a worried expression.
"I’m fine."
Ian Yates pouted. "You’ve been frowning for two days straight. It’s obvious you’re in a bad mood."
"Who’d be in a good mood dealing with earthquakes?" Evelyn Ford glanced over at his spot. Ian Yates and Raymond Shepherd’s floor beds were in the far corner.
"Everyone stay alert tonight," she said. "Don’t sleep too deeply, and it’s best if you sleep with your shoes on."
The others nodded quickly. "Evelyn, what’s the plan for our work?"
Evelyn Ford rubbed her temples. "Feed the livestock in the pens on schedule. Repair the greenhouses and fences, and also the wash house and toilets. That’s all for now."
Back at the cabin, Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick took Officer Graham to the cellar. The three of them took inventory of the food stores. Fortunately, the cellar hadn’t collapsed, but Evelyn was still uneasy and decided to secure all the grain.
Officer Graham looked relieved. "Our food supply is quite generous. This should last us seven or eight years, no problem."
Evelyn Ford nodded. "It’s a good thing this cellar is well-built."
She and Officer Graham stood outside the door while Ronan Kendrick was in charge of moving the grain into his space. Since Officer Graham believed Ronan was the one with the special ability, there was no need for Evelyn to reveal her own.
A little while later, Ronan Kendrick came out. Officer Graham locked the cellar door, and the three of them hurried back to the log cabin.
"How are we handling meals now? Eating together or separately?"
"Together. Hasn’t the dining hall been repaired?"
Aunt Crane, Claudia Schultz, and Christina Thorne were still in charge of cooking, with Ian Yates tending the fire. That night, everyone was on edge, terrified that an earthquake would strike in their sleep, leaving them no time to escape. No one dared to take off their shoes, forcing themselves to stay awake and listen for any sound. But some couldn’t manage it and were fast asleep before midnight.
With other people living right outside now, Ronan Kendrick was being much more discreet. After they entered the space, Evelyn Ford checked on the livestock she had brought in yesterday. Seeing they were adapting well, she started cleaning.
"What’s inside the space?"
Evelyn Ford suddenly looked at Ronan Kendrick. He paused for a moment before answering, "You and me."
Evelyn Ford burst out laughing. "I thought you’d just name some random thing in here, like an animal or a plant—anything besides us."
Ronan Kendrick raised an eyebrow. "Let’s do it over."
"Fine. What’s inside the space?"
"Fish." ’Of course,’ she thought. ’His favorite food is fish.’
"What else besides fish?"
"Rabbits."
"And?"
"Green grass."
The gloom that had weighed on Evelyn Ford for the past two days finally lifted.
"Having to clean up so much manure every day... I can’t believe this space is a part of me, that it’s literally inside my body."
Ronan Kendrick suddenly looked over at Evelyn Ford, a complex expression in his eyes.
"What’s with that look?"
Ronan Kendrick frowned. "I somehow never even considered that."
Evelyn Ford raised her hand as if to hit him. "What about it? Explain yourself."
"I mean, where exactly in your body is it? Your brain? Your heart? Your stomach?"
Evelyn Ford raised her right hand. "Wrong. It’s in my hand."
"Without this space, I have no idea where I’d be, probably gnawing on tree bark somewhere. No, I doubt I would have even survived this long."
Seeing Ronan Kendrick just sitting there, Evelyn Ford tossed the broom into his lap. "Kendrick, go dump the chicken manure."
Evelyn Ford went to the adjacent storage area and grabbed a durian. The moment Ronan Kendrick saw the fruit, he grabbed the waste bin and took off at top speed.
"Want some?"
Ronan Kendrick scrunched up his face. "What’s the difference between eating that and eating this?" he asked, pointing to the chicken manure in the bin.
Evelyn looked like she wanted to smack him. "Get lost."
