CHAPTER 7

Evelyn woke up before her alarm rang.

For a few seconds, she lay still and stared at the ceiling. Then she remembered the date, the supplies in her room, and the world that would end in forty-four days.

She sat up immediately.

There was too much to do, and she couldn’t waste another morning worrying about things she couldn’t change. She had bought some food, water containers, and basic tools, but she knew those items wouldn’t be enough. If she wanted to survive for more than a few days, she needed a solid plan.

She reached for her notebook.

The pages were already filled with prices, shopping lists, and notes about her money. She turned to a clean page and wrote at the top:

SURVIVAL CHECKLIST

Below it, she drew several lines and divided the page into sections.

Food.

Water.

Medicine.

Hygiene.

Clothing.

Lighting and power.

Communication.

Tools.

Shelter.

She stared at the list, trying to remember everything she had learned during the apocalypse.

The first days had been chaotic. People rushed into shops, buying whatever they could carry. Some spent their money on expensive items that became useless when the power went out. Others had food but no clean water. Some had medicine but nowhere safe to store it.

Evelyn had made mistakes too. She had trusted people who knew nothing about survival and ignored warnings because she didn’t want to seem difficult.

She wouldn’t repeat those mistakes.

She picked up her pen and started with food.

Rice, beans, pasta, oats, flour, canned fish, canned meat, canned vegetables, cooking oil, salt, sugar, and powdered milk. She added foods she could eat without cooking, in case she had no power or couldn’t safely use a stove.

Then she paused.

She couldn’t buy only the foods she liked. She needed items that would last, provide enough energy, and fit her budget. She also needed to store them properly so they wouldn’t spoil or attract insects.

She wrote a note beside the list: Check expiry dates. Store in dry, sealed containers. Use older supplies first.

Next came water.

She had bought four large containers, but she didn’t yet know how much water she could store in her current flat. Drinking was only one part of the problem. She would also need water for cooking, washing, and cleaning.

She added more containers, a water filter suitable for the type of water she might find, and basic water treatment supplies. She made a note to learn how to use each item correctly before relying on it.

She wouldn’t risk her health by guessing.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten. She went to the kitchen, prepared breakfast, and ate while thinking through the next section.

Medicine.

She needed a first aid kit with bandages, dressings, gloves, antiseptic, and basic supplies for treating small injuries. She would also need any personal medicines she normally used, along with common items for pain or fever, chosen and stored according to their instructions.

She wrote down the need for a thermometer and oral rehydration salts. She also added soap and clean materials for wound care.

She wouldn’t buy prescription medicines she didn’t need or take drugs without knowing what they were for. An illness during the apocalypse could become serious very quickly, and careless treatment could make it worse.

When she finished, she returned to her desk and checked her money.

The numbers were not encouraging.

If she bought everything at once, she would use too much of her savings. She still had rent and regular expenses to cover. She also needed money for transport, repairs, and unexpected problems.

Evelyn pressed her lips together.

In her first life, she had waited until the shops were almost empty before she understood the value of preparation. This time, she had a chance to act early, but that didn’t mean she had unlimited resources.

She needed to choose carefully.

She wrote three labels beside the items on her list: urgent, important, and later.

Drinking water, basic food, hygiene products, medicine, and secure storage went under urgent. Extra clothing, additional tools, and some comfort items could wait until she had covered the basics.

She also decided to buy from more than one shop. If she bought large amounts from one place, people might notice. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself before she had a safe place to store everything.

A knock at the door made her jump.

She froze, listening.

Another knock followed.

Evelyn walked to the door and checked the peephole. No one was standing outside. She waited for a moment, then looked down and saw a delivery bag on the floor.

She opened the door carefully and collected it. The food she had ordered the previous evening had arrived.

After bringing it inside, she locked the door and checked the supplies again. The incident reminded her that she couldn’t depend on deliveries once the situation changed. She needed to know where to buy things herself and how to carry them home.

She returned to the notebook.

Under hygiene, she listed soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sanitary pads, toilet paper, rubbish bags, detergent, disinfectant, and hand sanitizer. She added a small bucket, reusable cloths, and gloves for cleaning.

She remembered how difficult it had been to stay clean when water became scarce. People had focused on finding food and forgotten that poor hygiene could lead to illness.

She wouldn’t make that mistake.

For clothing, she wrote sturdy shoes, socks, warm clothes, rain protection, and comfortable outfits that would allow her to move easily. She added a small bag for carrying essential items if she needed to leave quickly.

Under lighting and power, she listed torches, spare batteries, rechargeable lights, and a power bank. She would check which devices could be charged safely and how long they could last without electricity.

She didn’t plan to buy every expensive device she saw online. A useful item was one she understood and could maintain, not simply one with the highest price.

For communication, she wrote down the phone numbers of important contacts on paper. She would keep a written list in case her phone stopped working. She also needed a way to charge her phone and keep it protected.

Then she reached the tools section.

She already had a small tool set, tape, rope, and gloves. She added a strong torch, a whistle, scissors, a basic repair kit, and a few other items she could use safely. She would need to learn how to repair small problems around her shelter rather than depend on someone else every time.

Finally, she wrote shelter.

This section was the hardest.

Her flat was not built for a long emergency. The windows were large, the storage space was limited, and she couldn’t control what happened in the building around her. If water or power failed, she would have to find another way to manage. If people began fighting over supplies, the busy area could become dangerous.

She needed somewhere with secure doors, enough room for her supplies, access to water, and a way to leave if staying became unsafe.

She wrote: Compare properties. Check doors and windows. Confirm water access. Assess storage. Plan an exit route.

She leaned back and read the whole page.

It looked like a lot because it was a lot.

For the first time, she understood that survival wouldn’t depend on one lucky decision. It would depend on many small choices made before she was desperate. Food would matter, but so would clean water. Supplies would matter, but so would storage. A safe shelter would matter, but she would also need a way to leave it.

She couldn’t prepare for every possible problem. She could only cover the most important needs and remain ready to change her plan.

Her phone buzzed.

Lucian had sent the supplier contacts he promised.

Evelyn opened the message and copied the names into her notebook. She would compare their prices and check their businesses before spending any money. She appreciated his help, but she would still make her own choices.

She sent a short reply.

Thank you. I'll look through them today.

His answer came a few minutes later.

You're welcome. Let me know if you need anything else.

Evelyn smiled faintly, then returned to her work.

She checked her bank balance again and calculated how much she could spend that week without missing her normal payments. She set a firm limit and wrote it at the top of the page.

She wouldn’t go beyond it unless something truly important changed.

By late afternoon, the checklist was complete enough to guide her next steps. It wasn’t perfect, and she knew she would need to add things as she learned more. But now she had a clear order to follow.

She placed the notebook beside the supplies and took a picture of the list for backup. Then she wrote the date at the top of the page.

October eighteenth.

Forty-four days until the apocalypse.

She looked at the number and felt her fear return. Forty-four days sounded like a long time until she counted everything she needed to do.

Still, she had started.

She closed the notebook, stood up, and checked the lock on the front door once more. Then she returned to her desk and opened a new page.

At the top, she wrote three words.

Tomorrow's first task.

She would begin by checking the suppliers and comparing prices. After that, she would look at possible shelters.

One step at a time.

This time, she wouldn’t wait until she had nothing left before she learned how to survive.