Chapter 544: Something to Hold On To
Quincy valued his hair more than his life. He meticulously styled it every day, even applying hair growth tonic every two hours.
Annie had mostly recovered. Evelyn Ford performed a bone alignment for him, and now he could not only speak but also walk steadily.
Evelyn asked him about Serena Lynch and Chase Underwood. Annie was silent for several minutes before telling Evelyn about the past he was unwilling to recall.
Annie recounted that after Ronan Kendrick had warned them about the earthquake, everyone had frantically run toward the farmland. But the farmland suddenly cracked open and collapsed. A hurricane then swept in, catching them up in its winds and slamming them violently to the ground, knocking them unconscious. When they woke up, the high mountains were gone, and the sea had rushed in, submerging the land. Many people, many bodies, were floating on the water’s surface. Serena Lynch and Chase Underwood were holding hands, their fingers intertwined. Annie was not far from them, wearing a sheepskin rain cape whose buoyancy had saved his life.
Serena Lynch tore her clothes into strips and tied Annie to Chase Underwood to keep him from being swept away by the current.
Later, they found a kayak on the water. Between the torrential rain and the hurricane, the kayak capsized several times. Chase Underwood was severely injured while protecting the other two. With no medicine, he died of an infection on the fifth day.
Before Chase Underwood died, he filled the only two plastic bottles they had left with his own blood.
"I knew everything. I watched him cut his arm and squeeze his blood into the bottles. He also said... he told us to eat his flesh to survive." Annie said this calmly, but his hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and his face was streaked with tears.
Evelyn was filled with regret and self-blame. ’I shouldn’t have asked these questions and made Annie relive such pain.’
"I don’t know how long passed. Maybe a month, maybe two, I can’t remember clearly. We finally saw land, and Mom said she wanted to bury Dad on dry land." Annie threw himself into Evelyn Ford’s arms, his voice trembling.
"I remember the place. So we wouldn’t forget, Mom carved our names into a small nearby tree. She said the tree would keep Dad company so he wouldn’t be lonely, and that we would come back for him someday. As long as we saw that tree, we would know where he was."
Evelyn Ford looked up and wiped away her tears.
"Every day, I force myself to picture what that tree looks like. I’m so afraid I’ll forget."
"Mom took me to many places, and we met a lot of people later on. She would always cry in secret. I knew she missed Dad, and she must have been terrified. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t have had to suffer so much. She gave me all the food. Later, her eyes went blind, and people often bullied us. An auntie helped us and chased the bad people away, but a few days after that, Mom never woke up again."
Annie sniffled. "The auntie buried Mom in a forest and carved my name on a nearby tree. I remember that place, too. I won’t forget it."
"After that, the auntie and I went to many more places. We only arrived at the refugee camp two years ago. But after we got here, she disappeared. I don’t know where she went. I started following some of the grandpas and grandmas to dig for tree roots, and sometimes I would steal things. The day you saw me, the reason I didn’t go with the others to pick leaves was because I had stolen a flatbread and didn’t want them to find out."
Annie looked up at Evelyn Ford. "I’m not a good kid. I do bad things all the time. I steal other people’s food. I didn’t dare tell you before because I was afraid you’d send me away. I’m sorry."
"Annie, you were just trying to survive. You did nothing wrong."
Even she would do whatever it took to survive.
Annie gripped Evelyn Ford’s hand tightly. "Aunt Ford, can you help me draw a map of where my mom and dad are buried? I’m so scared I’ll forget. When I grow up, I want to go back and find them and bury them together."
Evelyn Ford wiped away his tears. "Of course, I can."
"I’ll grow up fast, and then I can go get them soon."
Evelyn suppressed the sorrow in her heart. "I believe you. They would be so happy. Annie is a good boy."
After saying everything he had been holding inside, Annie seemed much more relaxed.
Based on his description, Evelyn Ford drew maps of both locations. Using some of the details, she was even able to deduce the approximate location of Serena Lynch’s grave.
A great weight was lifted from Annie’s mind. He had been terrified of forgetting where Serena Lynch and Chase Underwood were buried and had constantly forced himself to recall the details over and over. He also worried about the auntie who had disappeared, and he had scoured every corner of the refugee camp daily, just to find her. To survive, he had often stolen food from others, which left him with a heavy sense of guilt. During this recent time, even though he had plenty to eat and drink and had been reunited with people he knew, he still felt deeply unsettled. He was afraid of being abandoned and afraid that everyone would hate him if they found out he was a thief.
Now that he had revealed all his secrets, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. He was no longer afraid of people’s scrutinizing gazes, nor did he constantly worry about being abandoned.
"Aunt Ford, Mom told me you were amazing, and that as long as I survived, I would definitely see you again. She wasn’t lying. I really did see you again."
"She must be watching over you, allowing us to meet again. But you’re amazing, too. Annie, you’re the second-most amazing kid I’ve ever met."
Annie’s eyes widened. "Who’s the most amazing?"
"Wendy."
’During their time stranded on the deserted island, Wendy had also survived through similar hardships.’
"Aunt Ford, will I be able to see Aunt Cindy again?"
Evelyn Ford nodded. "If you’re fated to meet, you’ll be reunited no matter how long you’re apart."
"Aunt Cindy and I are definitely fated to meet! I’ll pray for her. She’ll definitely come back for me. She said she would. She promised."
Evelyn Ford didn’t shatter Annie’s hope. Although he was just a child, he understood many things clearly in his heart.
Whether it was self-deception or not, a person needed something to hold onto in order to keep living.
For the past few days, Ronan Kendrick hadn’t left the villa, but Liam Sterling came to see him every day. The two always spoke away from everyone else, making things very mysterious.
That evening at dinner, Ronan Kendrick announced he had good news for everyone.
"The first batch of simple-assembly houses is finished. They’re located five kilometers east of the refugee camp. The government will be uniformly distributing the housing and assigning residents. The base has sent soldiers to maintain stability and order. Just like in the villa district, a street lamp has been installed every five meters. The elderly and children will be the first to move in, followed by women."
Quincy clapped his hands. "As expected of the government! Their efficiency is incredible. How long has it even been? And they’ve already got the houses built."
"How many people can the simple-assembly houses hold?"
Ronan Kendrick thought for a moment. "There are a few different types. They’re actually a lot like shipping containers. There are units for six people, ten people, and even twenty people."
"So they’re just dormitories, then? Are they co-ed?"
"Men and women are housed separately. They’ve also built public restrooms and showers. They’re hiring right now, too. Even the elderly can apply to be sanitation workers. In addition to the three catties of grain distributed by the government, sanitation workers will also receive five catties of coarse grain per month."