Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday - Chapter 125

Chapter 125: Doomsday (II)

The hours ticked by and the day soon turned into night. Merely four hours were left before the end of the world, and yet, the outside world looked just like usual.

The snow storm was still going on outside, the land was still covered in the thick blanket of snow, and the people were hiding inside their houses. Looking outside the window, there was not a single thing that hinted that the world was going to end within next few hours.

But then, no such thing happened in the previous timeline either. There were no signs of a zombie breakout even minutes before it actually happened. Hence, the peaceful appearance of the outside world, except for the ongoing snowstorm, couldn’t be taken too seriously.

Letting out a deep sigh, Grace returned to the living room where everyone was gathered. Because of the end that was so near, no one was able to even think about sleeping. After all, who would want the world to end while they were fast asleep? At least, not the people who were present in the Unit 2101, making the place crowded.

“We can’t possibly just sit and wait for these four hours to pass, right? Let’s find something to do with the time we are left with.” Aleena proposed when she got tired of the heavy silence that was filling the apartment. It wasn’t helping her with her anxiety at all. She needed distraction, and knew that the others needed the same as well.

“What do you suggest?” Ryan asked as he also found the silence too much to handle.

Aleena looked thoughtful for a moment, but then her gaze landed on the kitchen and her eyes sparkled as the idea hit her. “How about we all doing some cooking? The gas supply is working right now, and what could be better than enjoying food at the end of the world.”

She looked really happy about her idea, and at this point, almost everyone in their team had learned to cook at least simple dishes because the situation demanded it. Hence, cooking was their common ground in skills after fighting and killing. Besides, food indeed sounded good when thinking about the end of the world, even when they had their dinner just an hour ago.

“Let’s prepare food to store lunchboxes as well. And then we will sit down to eat at eleven-thirty. Does that sound good?” Kevin suggested, knowing that none of them were feeling hungry at the moment.

No one had any reason to reject the idea, especially when it wasn’t only going to occupy their time and thoughts, but would also help them to make further preparations for their survival in future.

Since they all couldn’t cook in the same kitchen, they decided to head to different units to start the cooking. But before that, they divided everyone into four teams and each team was then given a list of dishes they needed to prepare in the next three and half hours.

Grace headed back to her apartment and the ones who joined her were none other than – Davian, Dr. Kian, Valeska, Nina, and Jasper. The dishes they needed to cook were – garlic bread, potato noodles, oreo milkshake, spicy ramen with cheese, tandoori chicken, steamed bun, cucumber salad, chicken cabbage, and finally croissants.

“Why I feel like they have given us the longest list with hardest dishes?” Nina asked once she got to take a look at the list of dishes that Aleena and Kevin came up with for each team.

A smile formed on Grace lips as she put on her apron before taking out the ingredients from her space that were needed for making garlic bread and potato noodles.

“Because our team got the best chefs.” It was Valeska who answered as she handed aprons to the rest of the team. No one argued with her statement as it was plain truth. They all had tasted the cooking of both Grace and King, and knew that they both could make even simplest dish taste heavenly.

“How about this, Boss and King will be the main chefs, Dr. Kian will be the assistant chef, and the rest of us will help with tasks like chopping, washing, cleaning, and all?” Jasper suggested and everyone agreed immediately.

Nina even put on a playlist of trendy songs as they started working on their night task. It didn’t take too long before the night air of Building K12 got filled with the aroma of delicious dishes that were being cooked in the apartments of the top three floor.

Davian used his powers to seal the aroma from leaving the top floors. The last thing they wanted was to tempt the residents of the lower floor to try and attack them for food right before the world was about to end.

Grace set the oven to preheat as she gathered the ingredients for garlic bread. Her movements were swift and precise, a stark contrast to the chaotic energy filling the kitchen. Everyone had taken their places and tasks seriously as they all were determined to make the most of their time.

Dr. Kian stood beside her, busy slicing cloves of garlic with surprising skill. “It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this,” he said with a faint smile, his deep blue eyes glimmering slightly – a lingering trace of his newly awakened healing powers.

Among all those who had recently unlocked their powers – Grace, Kevin, Aaron, Seth, and Dr. Kian, the doc turned out to be the only one who was showing a physical reaction of his powers – first the golden light, and now the usual shimmer in his eyes.

But as per 2025, there was no reason to worry about this matter.

“Perfect time to brush up on old skills,” Grace replied with a soft smile as she focused on kneading the dough for the bread.

Across the counter, Nina and Jasper were busy chopping vegetables for the cucumber salad and preparing the chicken for the tandoori dish. Nina hummed along to the upbeat song playing from her phone, adding a lively rhythm to the atmosphere.

Valeska had taken charge of organizing the workspace, washing utensils, and clearing away scraps. She paused only to offer tips or adjust the positioning of a chopping board.

“You know, if we survive this, we should consider opening a restaurant,” Jasper joked as he chopped cabbage for the steamed buns.

Dr. Kian chuckled softly. “If we survive, I’ll heal every overworked chef in the city before opening another kitchen.”

Grace smiled at their banter but didn’t let it distract her from her task. The dough was ready, and she began rolling it out, spreading the garlic butter mixture generously over the surface. As she worked, the rich aroma of roasted spices from Valeska’s tandoori chicken began wafting through the air, mingling with the other scents.

Within an hour, the kitchen was a flurry of activity. The garlic bread went into the oven while Dr. Kian moved on to preparing the cheese sauce for the spicy ramen. Nina and Jasper had finished the cucumber salad and steamed buns, their hands were now busy with whisking batter for the croissants.

“Don’t burn the croissants this time,” Nina teased Jasper, earning a playful glare.

“That was one time,” he retorted. “And I’ve improved since then.”

Valeska grinned. “We’ll see.”

Over the months, the two teams – team Grace and team King, had grown closer. And this knowledge pleased both the leaders.

By the time everything was ready, the clock read 11:15 PM. The rest of the team started coming while Grace and her team finished packing the lunchboxes first before placing the remaining food onto trays and carrying it to the dining room, where the rest of the team was already waiting.

As Grace arrived at the table with the last tray, she looked around at the faces of her teammates. Despite the impending doom, there was warmth and camaraderie in the air. They had managed to create something meaningful in the face of uncertainty, and that alone gave her a small spark of hope.

“Looks like our chefs outdid themselves,” Kevin said as he eyed the spread of dishes with a wide grin.

Aleena clapped her hands together. “Let’s eat!”

The team settled around the table, the food becoming a comforting distraction from the countdown looming over them. The croissants were buttery and flaky, the garlic bread was perfectly crisp, and the spicy ramen brought a welcome heat to the cold night.

For the next thirty minutes, the apartment was filled with laughter, chatter, and the sound of clinking utensils.

As the clock neared midnight, they all grew quieter, and the reality of their situation once again settled back in. What really helped them all stay grounded was the fact that they all were together in this.

As the final minutes before midnight approached, the atmosphere shifted. The once lively chatter gave way to a quiet hum of contemplation. Grace glanced around the table, her gaze lingering on each face. These were the people she had come to trust, the ones who would stand with her when the world crumbled.

[Time left before the end of the world: 60 seconds]