Free Web NovelChapter 12: Chapter 12 The flu
Ding!
{Time to purchase a generator to power the shelter.}
"Oh..."
Ivy’s fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel.
A generator.
Of course.
{You need electricity for most appliances. It is no longer optional, Host. You should purchase a high-capacity one.}
{You can also use this opportunity to acquire other household appliances. I will only point out what is essential for your survival in the apocalypse. As a human, you must think of the rest yourself.}
Ivy let out a soft breath, her lips curving into a faint smile.
"Alright... I understand."
She glanced at the rearview mirror.
Aria and Lila sat quietly in the backseat, their small faces calm... unaware of the storm creeping toward the world.
Her chest tightened.
"I promised them shopping..."
Her voice dropped slightly, more to herself than the system.
"Let’s go shopping girls!"
"Yahhhh." Aria and Lila chorused excitedly.
---
The engine hummed as Ivy drove into the city.
At first glance, everything looked normal but the longer she drove, the more the cracks began to show.
And just as she finally stopped at the traffic light...she was able to study the situation more clearly.
People walked along the streets wearing face masks.
Some coughed into their sleeves.
Others looked pale... exhausted... like their bodies were slowly giving up.
Ivy’s grip on the wheel tightened.
Her heartbeat quickened as she remembered this incident.
A flu outbreak...
The memory hit her like a wave.
In her past life, it had started just like this.
Quiet and ignored by the government and the people who treated it as normal flu which would pass.
Until it wasn’t.
Her vision blurred slightly as flashes of the past forced their way forward...flashes she didn’t want to have but somehow slipped into her thoughts.
Running through dangerous streets, begging for medicine, risking her life...
For that woman....her husband’s mistress, the one they claimed was infected.
"Go out there and find drugs for Maya or I’ll be forced to throw those little devils of yours out to feed the monsters."
That exact word echoed in Ivy’s head, her heart hurt so much that she pressed her hand against her chest as if that could ease the pain.
Her children were used in threatening her hence she had no choice freewebnσvel.cøm
A bitter smile touched her lips.
Maya who was said to be sick was never sick...It was all a lie by Maya just to send Ivy out and wish she would die.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"Those bastards!"
A sudden voice broke through her thoughts.
"Mama?"
Ivy blinked.
Aria leaned forward slightly from the backseat, her small brows furrowed with concern.
"Why are those people wearing masks? Are they okay?"
Lila clutched her little bag tighter.
"What are you thinking about mom?"
Ivy’s heart clenched.
She forced a smile...gentle, warm and reassuring.
"It’s nothing, my loves."
Her voice softened instinctively.
"They’re just being careful. Like when you don’t want to catch a cold."
Aria tilted her head.
"Should we wear masks too?"
"...Yes." Ivy replied immediately, her tone grew firm. "We should."
Without another word, she reached into the system storage invisible to her children.
Two small masks appeared in her hand.
She passed them back.
"Put these on for me, okay?"
"Yes, Mama," they replied softly.
As she watched them through the mirror, carefully adjusting the masks over their tiny faces...
A warm satisfied smile appeared on her face and just then...the traffic light turned green hence Ivy continued their journey to the spar supermarket.
____
The car finally pulled to a stop in front of the large supermarket complex.
Bright lights,wide glass doors.
A place filled with everything a household could need.
Ivy stepped out of the car, then moved to help her daughters down.
"Stay close to me," she said quietly as she adjusted the mask on their faces, after which she adjusted hers too before walking towards the supermarket entrance.
---
A man in a light blue uniform, professional smile on his face approached almost immediately from the electronic section since that was where Ivy and her children headed to first.... ignoring other goods in different sections.
"Good afternoon, ma’am. Welcome to SPAR supermarket. What would you like to purchase today?"
"Good afternoon. I need a generator," Ivy said without hesitation.
Her tone was calm but firm.
She then turned to her children the moment her gaze fell on the toy section which was just beside the electronic section hence she could monitor them from here.
She had noticed her children gazes lingering on the different types of snacks and drinks, but since they had a lot at home, so they were not bothered, yet their gazes couldn’t leave the toy section.
"How about you two go and pick the toys you want?" Ivy raised an eyebrow, making the girls’ eyes to widen open in shock.
"Are you for real mama? I can buy the princess and her palace toy?" Aria was the first to ask.
"As well as the superhero games accompanied with the evil step mother toy?" Lila added.
"Sure darling. Now off you go." Ivy responded and before she know it...Aria and Lila ran towards the toy section making her burst into laughter as well as the sales man who joined in as he couldn’t hold it anymore.
"Children! Anyways what kind of generator do you need ma’am." The sales man raised an eyebrow, finally back to business.
"A powerful one. Something that can run continuously."
The man blinked.
"Is it for home use, ma’am?"
Ivy met his gaze evenly.
"It’s for a large company."
A lie.
But a necessary one given by the system.
"I see..."
He nodded slowly.
"Please follow me."
Noticing Ivy hesitation.
"You can still see your children from the show glass." He added immediately while Ivy nodded her head in response.
They walked toward the the showroom which was just thirty seconds walk hence the man opened it immediately, leaving the door widely opened.
Large machines filled the space.
Industrial.
Powerful.
Loud, even while idle.
"These are high-capacity diesel generators," the man explained, gesturing toward them.
"They can power entire buildings for extended periods."
Ivy’s eyes moved across the units.
Ding!
{Yes! That one. It’s no longer a normal generator.}
"I’ll take this one," she said.
No hesitation.
The salesman blinked.
"You have a good eye, ma’am..."
He walked closer to it.
"That unit costs one thousand five thousand dollars. It runs on diesel and is ideal for large facilities....hotels, companies...."
"I said I’ll take it alongside a deep freezer, television, dishwasher, microwave, washing machine, blender...."
Her voice didn’t rise.
But it cut through his explanation cleanly.
The list went on and on that the salesman began jotting it down so as not to forget until Ivy was finally done listing all household appliances.
A brief silence followed.
"...Alright, ma’am. I’ll pack everything up for you and bring the bill." he finally voiced out while Ivy nodded her head in response.
Behind Ivy Aria soon tugged lightly at her sleeve promting Ivy to turn only for her gaze to land on her two children who were holding basket each filled with toys.
"Mama..."
Ivy glanced down.
"You both are here. Are you done shopping?"
"Yes mama." The girls chorused together.
"Good! Let’s wait for our generator and other appliances to be packed then. We’ll no longer be sleeping in darkness."
Aria and Lila nodded in response....not bothered about Ivy, but rather thinking about their new toys.
