Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Apocalypse Survival Manual: Kabanata 441 - Kabanata 450

At his sister's question, Zeph said, "The clouds are blocking the sun."Lightning in the apocalypse wasn't something to ignore. For safety, Nicole didn't even turn on the solar lights. She took out a kerosene lamp from her storage space and lit it.The glow was dim and yellow, but it pushed back the darkness.Poppy stared at it, curious. "Nicole, what is that?"It was practically an antique now. Nicole began telling Poppy about the kind of life their grandmother's generation had lived.Outside, thunder rolled, and lightning split the sky. Inside, the lamplight flickered, shadows shifting along the walls.Poppy leaned into Nicole. Cola, rattled by the storm, pressed himself against Zeph with a soft whine. Poppy had already claimed his human.The storm lasted about half an hour. Then the thick clouds began to break.Light returned quickly, but the rain didn't stop.The temperature dropped. It was no longer scalding, now carrying a trace of coolness.They went back to collec

If Zeph had been sent out to look for it, the herbs were probably rare, maybe even close to extinct under these conditions.Nicole had always believed in preparing ahead. She looked at him, waiting.Zeph fell silent.He didn't remember. Herbal medicine wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Most of the plant names were a mouthful, and the professor was there to identify them. They were only responsible for the escort.Ten years was a long time. Faces blurred, let alone obscure plant names."I don't remember what they're called," he said. "But if I see them, I might recognize them."Nicole was speechless.Well, that was...reassuring.Oh, well. They would deal with it when the time came.She had air filters and masks. If it came to it, she would rely on diet, anything that could support the lungs and liver. It might be enough to get through."Did you get sick back then?" she asked.Zeph nodded. "Later on. I was in better shape than most. Held out for two months before the medic

Dealing with someone reasonable made things easier.Nicole headed back to Building 5 in a lighter mood.Alex's household was running low on salt as well. When he got home, he poured the sea salt into an iron pan and roasted it for half an hour, then dissolved a small amount in warm water and drank it.He couldn't say he wasn't uneasy. But since it had come from Zeph and Nicole, it felt more reliable than anything he could get outside.Over the past few days, he had seen plenty of salt in the markets. None of it looked like this. The color was off, the crystals uneven, and it carried too many impurities.Three days later, the fatigue in his body eased, and his strength began to return.Relieved, he got on the radio and contacted them, hoping to buy more."Captain Landon, they don't have much left. It started at one pound of salt for 12 pounds of sweet potatoes. Zeph had to call in old favors just to bring it down. At most, a few hundred pounds."Nicole stepped in without missing

Nicole reacted on instinct, twisting the throttle. The scooter surged forward, slipping past the incoming rock.Zeph raised his crossbow and fired without hesitation. A scream came from the rubble behind them.They didn't slow down. They kept going.The closer they got to the city hall, the more people they saw. The main hall was already packed.The building had survived the quake, likely because it had been properly constructed, but it had lost its former presence. The ground outside was cracked, the walls were weathered, and the structure showed fractures.Inside, survivors filled the hall, all drawn by the new city plan.Some things didn't change, even during the apocalypse. A house still meant a home.Those with resources were looking for a way to secure one. Those without were trying to earn points to trade for supplies.Bulletin boards were covered in sheets listing materials and their point values. A working display screen still hung on the wall, cycling through the same

There were too many quacks and con artists around these days, but with a head injury, it was hard not to look for a doctor.Nicole checked Gabrielle over carefully. She had persistent throat pain, constant coughing, and lingering symptoms from a concussion. Aside from that, nothing serious.Her mood was low. There was a quiet fear in her, the sense that death might be close.But an upper respiratory infection wasn't something to ignore. At her age, with weakened immunity, it could easily turn into pneumonia if it wasn't treated.Nicole said, "There's nothing serious going on. You just need something to ease the cough and clear the phlegm. The concussion will take time, but it'll get better."Gabrielle didn't look convinced. She sent Lydia outside, then reached for Nicole's hand. "Tell me the truth. How long do I have?"The Goodmans had struggled for two years to save up what little food they had. Now most of it was being used on her.Every extra day she lived felt like a burden