- 9.
By noon on the second day of the heatwave, the temperature rose to 60 degrees, just like in my previous life. Most of the leaves in the yard curled up, and even though I had set up a canopy, it barely helped.
I reluctantly picked the vegetables and put them in the fridge to keep cool.
As long as the electricity and internet were working, I turned on the TV. The news was urging citizens to stay safely indoors due to the ongoing heatwave. The government was preparing for heavy rains and asked everyone to be patient.
I tried to search online for some information about what might happen next.
I found many people were lamenting.
“I didn’t stock up on supplies, and we’re running out of food at home…”
“The water pipe’s been broken for two days, and no one dares to come to fix it. I’ll pay 500 if anyone can bring me two bottles of water.”
“Friends, my AC is broken, and it’s like a big steamer here… Can anyone help me?”
I turned off my phone, trying to forget what I had just seen. I don’t have the capacity to protect everyone.
I can only protect myself and those around me if I have the strength.
With that in mind, I flew the drone around.
Every family in the village had prepared some food and water, so there didn’t seem to be any major problems. Seeing my grandparents wave at the drone brought me some comfort.
On the sixth day of the heat apocalypse, the power went out.
The temperature stayed steady, stubbornly holding at 65 degrees.
With such heat, many forest areas experienced spontaneous fires, which spread rapidly, burning down entire villages near the mountains overnight.
In less than a week since the apocalypse began, hundreds had died. Some succumbed to the heat, others to dehydration from heatstroke.
Multiple departments issued a joint statement urging everyone to stay indoors and take measures to stay cool. The government promised to air–drop supplies every three days, ensuring no citizen would be abandoned.
I checked the surveillance footage at home.
The three of them looked gaunt.
Ethan was lying naked in the bathtub with Chloe, trying to cool down.
My son was squeezed to the floor beside the tub, trying to catch some coolness from it, occasionally dipping his head in for relief.
But with the indoor temperature at 65 degrees, the water in the tub soon started to steam.
My son was so uncomfortable he was rolling around on the floor, but Ethan and Chloe were too preoccupied with their own discomfort to care about him.
Chloe brought up the topic of supplies.
“Brother, we’re running low on water and food here. No one’s taking orders outside. Why don’t you go out and get some supplies?”
“In this heat, you want me to go out? Are you trying to kill me? I’ll give you money; you go out and get it.”
My son saw Ethan and Chloe pushing the responsibility around and started crying on the floor, demanding Chloe go, or he’d disown her as his
mom.
C
10:47 AM
<
Chloe had no intention of going. She snuggled up to Ethan, cooing: “I just got pregnant with your baby, and I’m so delicate. I’d faint in this heat… But little Alex, he’s strong and fast…”
Sensing the situation, my son quickly got up from the floor and scurried back to his room.
Ethan cursed a few times, then pulled out his phone and tapped away.
A message popped up in the group chat I hadn’t yet exited.
“Unit 103 seeking 10 bottles of water and any food, price negotiable.”
As the saying goes, don’t flaunt your wealth. Ethan’s brain must be fried, afraid he won’t get robbed.
