PKOTA) Chapter 2 Part 4 (Patreon)

A week later the temperatures outside kept on rising and only falling at night. The news has stated a few times now that people should only go out at night. It seemed that even many businesses switched to night time hours. While the temps were still hot, around one hundred and ten degrees, it was still much more bearable than the daytime temps that had reached a staggering one hundred and thirty-eight. And this did not seem to be the end of the rise of temperatures.

“Jade are you still practicing?” it was now six in the morning. And Momo seemed to be slightly out of it. She had just woken up. I was in the one room I designated as my training room since it was the only space I could actually train without dying in the heat.

“Yeah.” I stopped to wipe my sweat and looked at the yawning girl in front of me.

“You really are amazing. Even though things are like this you are still working so hard. I know you get up once a night to check on things up stairs as well.” Momo stretched before letting out another yawn

“I need to make sure nothing is going on outside. The solar panels could easily be stolen. I am sure such things are a hot commodity right now. Plus, crime has been going up for a few days now.” The news had been reporting on theft. People breaking into other people’s homes and stealing their supplies.

They did not do this during the day but at night. There have also been a few incidents where people have been killed. I hate to say it, but I feel this is just the precursor to what is to come.

We were basically in a doomsday scenario. Societal collapses will happen eventually. This means looting and murders will become more commonplace. At least, that is how it happens in movies. Survival of the fittest. I guess the biggest question is, am I ready for such a scenario? Yes, I have enough food and water to get by for a while, but what about after? Would I be willing to kill for food? In my head, I say yes, but when it came down to it, I did not know.

“Just be careful.” Momo was always the one to worry the most between the two of us.

“I will. Remember I am strong!” I tapped my sword on my shoulder and smiled. This resulted in an epic eye roll from Momo.

I took a shower and changed my clothes before walking out to the living area, where Hank was watching the news while sipping on a cup of coffee. “Uncle Hank anything new?”

“Nope. They keep talking bullshit on every news channel saying the heat will end soon but all the weather stations say otherwise. When the entire world is experiencing the same kind of heat something is wrong. This is no global warming shit.” It seemed Hank was upset this morning.

“Hank, watch your language!” Claire yelled at him from the kitchen area. I chuckled and was about to sit down when I heard a scream from the other room.

The scream came from the water storage. I quickly made my way over, with Hank following behind me, to see Momo standing there, pointing at the large water tank.

“What’s wrong with the water?” I asked in confusion.

“Monster! Like the ones on TV!” Momo’s words made me furrow my brow. I turned to take a better look inside the water tank, and sure enough, inside was a round blob with a core in the middle of it floating around. It was just one, but it was enough to make use all surprised.

“Did they say if slimes were dangerous?” I asked, looking at Hank. We had seen quite a few clips of them on the news but I had not been paying much attention to them since normal animals seemed more dangerous.

“Nothing as of yet. They seem to just appear in different areas. But only when provoked have they attacked people.” Hank replied. He only knew what I was talking about because that was what I called them since they were the textbook example of a slime from any fantasy novel or manga.

“Then let’s do this. Uncle Hank, the box over there can you get it for me. I will grab the slime and shove it inside. Then I will take it to the training room to dispose of.” The last thing I wanted was a slime bashing things in here and destroying our supplies.

“Alright.” Hank did not seem to mind doing what I asked. He did not even hesitate to grab the box. When he came back over, he opened it and asked: “Like this?”

“Yeah. When I toss it in, just close the top. Don’t let it out. While I do not wish to kill the little guy,” Yes, I thought the slime thing was kind of cute. “It is better to get rid of it now.”

“I… I am going to go by the door.” Momo still seemed a bit scared of it. Not that I do not blame her. It was a new kind of animal, I guess you could say. Although I think it is better to name it a monster like Momo did since in every bit of literature they appear in, they are normally monsters.

“Ready when you are.” Hank had the box ready, and I was now trying to use a small net I had bought a long time ago to go fishing with that was still in its package. Meaning I never got a chance to use it. I had bought it a few days before my parents died. My father and I had a fishing trip planned. Luckily the opening on the water tank was big enough for me to it it through.

With my arm fully submerged in the water tank, I fished around with the net until I finally scooped it up. It was just floating in there anyway, so it was not hard to catch it. I slowly pulled the net back and slid myself back onto the floor as I pulled the net out of the tank.

“Hmmm? It’s just sitting there…” I looked at the blue transparent ball that did not even move a single inch and wondered just what it was doing in the water tank. I couldn’t help but try to poke it with my finger. It was just that…

Pop!

It popped like a balloon, and a small gem-like thing fell to the ground.