Chapter 5
1192words
With a creak, the tent flap lifted as a tall, thin teenager crawled in carrying a heavy cloth bundle—Alex Carter, Walter Davis's son. Last month, Walter had gone searching for the Purification Station; all that returned was half a blood-stained radiation suit.
"Jack," Alex dropped the cloth bundle on the ground. As it unfolded, it revealed grease-covered gear wheels and circuit boards. "Parts from the camp warehouse. I stole them. Dad always said if there really was a machine that could cure Phosphorescence Syndrome, we should help build it even if it cost our lives."
Jack froze, about to speak when Ella walked in from outside. She clutched a silver metal block with several wires attached—Shelter 79's Energy Core, with "Helium-3 Compatible" printed on its casing.
"Stole it during patrol shift change," Ella wiped rainwater from her face. "Shelter's blockade is on the east side. We need to circle north to the Polar Vortex edge station and take the railway to Colorado. That'll keep us clear of Thorn's people."
"But what about Raymond—" Before Jack could finish, a commotion erupted outside: "Warehouse parts are missing! Find them now!"
"Damn, they've discovered us!" Alex's face went pale. "I'll go distract them. You take the secret passage at the back of camp—it leads to the railway."
Jack grabbed him firmly: "No way—Raymond will kill you if you go out there."
"It's fine," Alex smiled, pulling a modified nail gun from his waistband. "Haven't avenged my father yet—not dying that easily. Go quickly! Lily's waiting for you to save her!"
With that, Alex lifted the tent flap and rushed out. Soon his shouts echoed back: "I took the parts! Come and get me if you dare!"
Jack bit his lip and lifted Lily—still unconscious, breathing softly. Ella shouldered the parts bag, clutched the Energy Core, and followed as they ran toward the back of camp. The secret passage lay hidden behind a scrap metal pile, dug by Scavengers to escape radiation rats, barely wide enough for one person to crawl through.
They hadn't gone far when Raymond's voice carried from outside: "Alex! Hand over those parts and I might spare you this time!"
Jack tensed and quickened his pace. At the passage's end was a hole leading to the railway. He helped Lily out first, then Ella, before climbing out himself. Just as he was about to seal the entrance, he saw Raymond standing nearby, his machete gleaming coldly in the Black Rain.
"You're really going?" Raymond's voice was deep, lacking its previous hostility. "Those parts… are they enough?"
Jack was taken aback by the unexpected question.
"Ethan's leg is healing well," Raymond continued, pulling a small bottle from his pocket and tossing it to Jack. "Last half-bottle of Iodine Tablets. Take it. Radiation's high at the Vortex edge—be careful."
Jack caught the bottle, feeling warmth spread through his chest: "Chief Raymond… thank you."
"Don't call me Chief," Raymond turned his back. "If you really can activate that Station… don't forget our camp."
Jack nodded, cradling Lily as he followed Ella north along the railway. The Black Rain continued falling, Raymond's figure quickly vanishing into the curtain of water.
After traveling a day and night, the Black Rain stopped, but the weather turned colder. Tiny ice particles in the wind cut against their faces like knives.
Trees along both sides of the railway stood completely bare, white frost clinging to their branches. In the distance, the sky showed a grayish haze, as if covered by dirty glass—the direction of the Polar Vortex.
"Edge Station's just ahead," Ella pointed to a small building in the distance with a massive antenna on its roof, already tilted halfway over. "That's the shelter's monitoring point. There's a radiation detector inside that can show us the Polar Vortex conditions."
Just as they reached the Edge Station entrance, they heard a sizzling sound from Jack's Radiation Meter. The screen reading suddenly jumped to 2.5 Sv/hour—and was still climbing.
"Not good—Polar Vortex Storm!" Ella's expression changed as she yanked Jack toward the station's basement. "Quick! Lead Coat on and cover your mouth and nose with the Zeolite Filter!"
Jack hurriedly pulled out the spare Lead Coat, wrapped it around Lily, and donned one himself. Ella cut the filter in half, using one portion herself and handing the other to Jack.
Just as they finished their protective measures, a howling sound erupted outside—like countless beasts roaring in unison. The Polar Vortex Storm had arrived.
Basement windows rattled violently in the wind as fine dust crept through the cracks, carrying a faint metallic smell.
Ella suddenly began coughing, covering her mouth with her hand. When she pulled it away, her palm was smeared with fluorescent pus—the early symptom of Phosphorescence Syndrome.
"How bad?" Jack quickly took out the Iodine Tablets, dispensed one and handed it to her.
"I'm fine," Ella smiled weakly and swallowed the tablet. "Seen plenty like this in the shelter. It passes if you hang on."
Jack said nothing, just pulled his lead coat toward her to better block the dust seeping through. He cradled Lily, alarmed at how cold her body felt—they needed to reach Colorado as soon as possible.
After what felt like eternity, the dust storm finally stopped. Jack checked the radiation meter—the reading had dropped to 1.2 Sv/hour. Still high, but at least they could venture outside now.
"Let's check the monitoring data upstairs," Ella stood, her legs wobbling slightly. Jack quickly steadied her.
In the Edge Station's monitoring room, most equipment was broken. Only one ancient computer still glowed with life.
Ella sat at the keyboard, typing for several minutes until she finally pulled up the data. The screen showed radioactive dust from the Polar Vortex spreading at an accelerating rate. At this pace, it would cover the entire southern survival zone in three months. By then, every Scavenger would be infected with Phosphorescence Syndrome—no exceptions.
"It's worse than we thought." Ella's voice trembled. "We must activate the Purification Station within three months or we're all finished."
Jack stared at the screen data, then down at Lily in his arms, his determination solidifying. He picked up the parts package, hoisted the Energy Core onto his shoulder, and said to Ella: "Let's get to Colorado."
Ella nodded and followed him downstairs. Outside, the sky remained gray and hazy. The railroad stretched into the distance, disappearing into the looming shadow of the Polar Vortex.
Jack carried Lily with Ella beside him. Their footsteps made rhythmic thump-thump sounds on the railroad ties, like beating drums of hope for the wasteland.
He touched the iodine tablet bottle in his pocket, then looked at the Energy Core in his hand. Marcus, Alex Carter, Raymond Frost, and everyone struggling in this wasteland—we won't let you down. Purification Station, here we come.
