Chapter 16 Trouble in the Living Room
Kiara set down her phone and headed to the living room to check on Honey
The moment she stepped in, an awful stench hit her like a slap.
It was sharp and pungent–enough to jolt her wide awake.
Finished
Though it was daytime, the curtains had been drawn shut against the blazing sun, cloaking the entire room in a dim gray
haze.
Holding her nose, Kiara flicked on the light–and froze.
The floor was covered in poops.
Not just any poop, either. The runny, foul–smelling mess of a young animal, smeared everywhere by Honey’s little paws.
The cub had retreated to a corner, curled up in the makeshift nest Kiara had prepared. Its nose was buried in a rumpled shirt, as if hiding from the smell.
Kiara rubbed at her throbbing temples, then pulled a gas mask from her storage space. Armed for battle, she grabbed a broom and started cleaning up every last bit of the disgusting poop from the floor.
When the living room was finally clean, she pondered about it and decided to stash the mess in her storage space to use as fertilizer.
She redressed Honey’s bandaged leg, fixed a fresh bowl of goat milk formula, and poured cat litter into a shallow tub for a makeshift bathroom. With the poop bag in hand, she stepped into her space
Kiara hadn’t been back since the incident with Travis and the others–when they’d inexplicably aged decades in seconds. The memory still gave her chills.
The moment she entered, Kiara noticed something had changed.
Across the plot stood a neat row of waist–height trees, lush and green.
Even the air felt lighter–fresh instead of the usual stifling heaviness she’d always sensed here.
Then she remembered the gemstones she’d looted from Travis’s house.
Could those crystals have transformed the space?
If so… could she now stay here longer without harm?
Carrying the fertilizer, Kiara walked to the nearest sapling and dumped it at the base.
Back by the wooden lodge, she basked under a sky so vividly blue it almost hurt her eyes. The breeze soft and clean. Every muscle in her body seemed to loosen.
After spacing out for a while, she fetched two solar–powered farming bots from the house, programmed them to weed and till, then sent them off to work the field.
She wandered over to her fenced–off farm plot.
Opening the iron gate, she found the animals inside wandering about lazily in the afternoon warmth. A quick inspection showed they were healthy, which cased her mind.
Back outside, she dragged a hammock onto the lawn, set her alarm for two hours, and stretched out under the sun. Music played softly in her ears as she drifted into an easy, comfortable sleep.
Two hours later, the alarm pulled her back.
She instinctively touched the tip of her nose.
No nosebleed
No tightness in her chest.
410 Ам рр.
Chapter 16 Trouble in the Living Room
No gasping for air.
Before today, she’d thought her dream of retiring in this space was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Now, if she dared, she could imagine raising a full–grown tiger here someday.
Back in reality, Kiara replaced Honey’s bandages, then–still pinching her nose–cleaned up another pile of mess.
The cub ate a lot, and that meant it produced a lot.
She had plenty of cat litter stocked, but only enough for herself. At Honey’s rate, she’d run out fast.
While she could still get out. Kiara decided to make a store run tonight for extra bags.
Finished
Daylight slipped away, and night fell over the neighborhood. Voices drifted up from below, though far fewer than usual.
After the jump from the high–rise earlier that day, most people weren’t eager to be out after dark.
Dressed head–to–toe in her usual black casual wear, Kiara started down the stairs.
On the seventh floor, a petite figure darted out–Joy.
Maybe last night’s events had shaken her. She wore a light–colored lounge set, her hair pulled back in its usual high ponytail.
I knew you’d be going out again tonight.” Joy said with a cheeky grin.
Kiara stopped, curious. “How’d you know I went out yesterday?”
“Yesterday was a lucky guess,” Joy admitted, rubbing her nose. Tonight, I waited on purpose.”
She stepped closer, still smiling, “So think I could hitch a ride?”
Kiara almost laughed at her brazenness,
Still, she wanted to learn more about Joy’s medical skills. Even if she was still in school, a student at an elite university was worth listening to.
In a world like this, even a cold could kill.
“Add me on WhatsApp, Kiara said. “If you ever need to go out for supplies, call me. But you’ve got to teach me medicine in
return.
Joy hadn’t expected a bonus like this. She nodded quickly, grinning. “No problem.”
With the agreement sealed, Joy climbed in as if she belonged there.
This time, the drive was smooth. Kiara reached the supermarket without incident–only to find it busier than expected. She circled for what felt like forever before finally squeezing into a lonely, out–of–the–way parking spot.
