The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Up on the table, Hayley had fried five eggs and sautéed a whole pan of fresh greens. The golden fried eggs, and crisp vegetables, alongside a big platter of barbecue ribs, made everyone’s mouths water with just one look.

It was especially tempting for these veterans, who hadn’t had a proper meal in over ten days.

Look at that feast!

Leonard froze when he saw the huge bowl of ribs in front of him and the cooker next to it, filled to the brim with, steaming pasta. His chest tightened with emotion.

“Boss, you really didn’t have to make something this good just for me. I’d be fine eating whatever you normally eat.”

He knew exactly how scarce supplies were. Forget ribs–most people couldn’t even get a full meal these days.

The fact that Hayley had prepared such a spread for him felt like a welcome feast in his honor.

This was way too much. Even if she valued him, just a small plate of meat and vegetables would’ve been enough. This was over the top!

Hayley grabbed a pot and sat under the grapevine trellis. “This is what I normally eat.”

Leonard froze, and the men behind him struggled to keep their jaws closed.

“From now on, whatever I eat, you eat,” Hayley said loudly. “Stick with me, and this is the baseline day.”

every

single

The men listening nearby nearly popped their eyes out.

No way! This was the starting point?

This was the apocalypse! Back at the base, they couldn’t even dream of having meat and vegetables. And now, Hayley was promising Leonard that kind of life on the regular?

This didn’t sound like the miserable slave life they had imagined for him.

If anything, following Hayley seemed like an upgrade. He’d be living way better than they were.

“Come on, dig in. These are for the two of us.”

Derek snorted. “We’ve got our own food! We’ll eat that.”

He pulled a pack of ration biscuits from his bag, poured a little water over them, and chewed with effort.

M&

The others avoided looking at Hayley’s spread, pitifully taking out what little was left of their own dry biscuits. As they ate the tasteless, choking rations, the smell of smoky barbecue ribs drifted over again and again.

The biscuits just got harder to swallow.

It smelled so damn good over there. They couldn’t stop themselves from wishing they could have a bite.

“Eat more! Why are you eating so slowly?” Hayley said to Leonard as she tore into a rib.

She didn’t even bother gnawing the bones clean, letting Summer and the others crouch nearby to chew on them.

Leonard, on the other hand, ate carefully, working through each rib slowly and stripping the bones down to nothing. Hayley’s ribs were cooked so tender and flavorful that even the marrow could be eaten.

+25 Bohus

“The bones are for Summer and the others to chew on. You focus on the meat. Nothing’s going to waste.”

Leonard shook his head and kept gnawing the bones, determined.

Hayley understood right away. She didn’t push it and just kept eating until she was full. After polishing off a bottle of cola, there were still plenty of ribs left in the big bowl.

Wiping her hands, she got up.

Leonard asked, “Boss, are you going to finish these?”

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