The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 419

Chapter 419

A sharp bang echoed through the pod, followed by a heavy thud.

The escape pod flipped over, sending Nicole and the others tumbling until they were left hanging upside down, heads low and feet braced above them.1

At least it wasn’t completely vertical. It had a slight tilt.

Loose soil shifted under the impact, and the stabilization system slowly worked to correct the balance, dragging the center of gravity back into place. It took a while before everything settled.

Over the next two hours, several more tremors rolled through. The pod had come to rest against a massive rock and no longer dropped, and the shaking gradually eased compared to before.

Most likely, aftershocks.

The pod had been designed for earthquakes and tsunamis, with shock absorption as a key feature. The seating, in particular, protected vital areas of the body.

Even so, Nicole still felt each tremor run through the structure.

If something this reinforced could be tossed around, she could only imagine what it looked like outside. Survivors without protection were already exposed to the blazing sun. Now, they had to endure the earthquake on top of it.

No one spoke inside the cabin.

To keep Poppy and Cola from getting scared, Nicole turned on soft, calming music. She let it fill the space and ease the tension.

It was already noon. With aftershocks still possible at any moment, she had no intention of going out yet.

“Are you guys hungry?” she asked.

“Woof!” Cola never hesitated when it came to food.

Anything with liquid was out of the question. One jolt, and it would spill everywhere. Nicole handed over a slice of bread instead.

Cola swallowed it in one bite.

Poppy had a stuffed roll. Nicole passed her a water bottle with a straw lid, but only let her take a few sips, concerned she wouldn’t be able to hold it if they got stuck longer.

Once the little ones were settled, Zeph and Nicole ate as well, quick and efficient.

The storage area inside the pod was tight, but the insulation was excellent. With the oxygen supply running, it didn’t feel stuffy or overheated.

Even trapped deep in a crack in the ground, with Zeph and Nicole close and calming music in the background, Poppy grew drowsy after eating and soon fell asleep.

Cola slipped out of Zeph’s arms and hopped down, stretching his stiff limbs.

Nicole felt the drowsiness creeping in, too. “When do we head out?”

“Let’s wait a bit longer.” From Zeph’s experience, aftershocks could last into the next day, though they would weaken over time.

1/2

+15 Benus

Stuck in a jagged fissure, Nicole couldn’t help asking, “Can we even get back up?”

That was the downside of the storage space. You came out exactly where you went in.

The window didn’t offer a full view, but with Zeph’s skill, as long as the shaking stopped, he would find a way.

“Get some rest. I’ll keep watch,” he said.

There was no telling when the quake would end, and they likely wouldn’t be heading home anytime soon. One of them needed to stay alert.

Nicole closed her eyes for a while, but never fully fell asleep.

By 5 p.m., there hadn’t been any aftershocks for 2 hours straight. It would be dark soon. They couldn’t stay stuck like this; they had to find a way out.

Zeph unbuckled his seatbelt and moved to the window, studying the surroundings. “The door’s not far from that rock. I can jump onto it, then figure out how to climb up from there.”

Any movement would add weight.

Worried the rock and loose soil might not hold, Nicole moved around the cabin under the pretense of checking compartments, quietly transferring the food she had prepared earlier into her storage space. The difference in weight was noticeable.

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