Chapter 267: Living in the modern world.
Nana stood in the kitchen, hands on her hips, surveying the unfamiliar appliances and gadgets that cluttered the countertops. Since they arrived, hunger had begun to gnaw at her, prompting her search for sustenance. However, her quest was quickly met with confusion and frustration.
"Where in the world is the wood?" she muttered to herself, scanning the room for any sign of the familiar fuel she was accustomed to using for cooking. Growing up on the island, they relied on traditional methods, but this modern kitchen presented a whole new set of challenges.
She approached the stove cautiously, eyeing the sleek surface and perplexing knobs. "Gas cooker?" she mumbled, reading the name off the object. She had seen Reggie and the others move some of the equipments in earlier. Turned out the safe house was never really setup and it seemed that way because a lot of things still needed to be fit in the right place.
She tentatively pressed a button and jumped back as a flame sparked to life. "Well, that's something," she remarked, though the absence of wood still troubled her.
As she rummaged through drawers and cabinets, she couldn't help but feel out of her depth. "Microwave machine?" she puzzled, staring at the small appliance with skepticism. "How on earth does this contraption work?"
With a sigh, she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to adapt to this new environment. "Alright then, Nana," she said to herself, determination glinting in her eyes. "Time to figure out how to cook in the 21st century."
Nana filled a pot with water from the sleek, unfamiliar faucet, after fiddling with it and figuring out how it worked while her mind was already racing with ideas for what she could cook once she found some ingredients. Yams, fish, meat—anything would do at this point. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, driving her to search every nook and cranny of the kitchen in the hopes of finding something edible.
But to her dismay, the cupboards and refrigerator yielded nothing but disappointment. "Nothing?" she muttered incredulously, frustration mounting with each empty shelf she encountered. "Are you kidding me?"
She sighed heavily, leaning against the countertop in defeat. "So much for a meal," she grumbled, feeling the weight of her hunger pressing down on her. It seemed that even in this unfamiliar world of modern conveniences, some things remained unchanged—like the universal disappointment of an empty stomach.
She figured when Reggie returned, she would have to shamelessly relay her current situation to them with hopes that they understood that unlike them, she wasn't immortal.
However just on the verge of giving up and leaving the kitchen, Nana's eyes widened with surprise as she spotted a tall, grey-colored box-like contraption tucked away in the corner of the kitchen. Intrigued, she approached it cautiously, her curiosity piqued by its unfamiliar appearance.
With a hesitant hand, she reached out and pulled open the door of the contraption, and to her amazement, a rush of icy air greeted her. She stumbled back, taken aback by the sudden chill emanating from within.
"What in the world..." Nana murmured, her breath misting in the cold air. She peered inside the contraption, marveling at the frost-covered shelves and compartments within. "How is it so cold in there?"
Her mind raced with possibilities, trying to make sense of this strange new discovery. Could this be some kind of magical food preservation device? Or perhaps a modern-day version of the ice storage units she had heard about in tales from the mainland?
Whatever it was, Nana couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and excitement at the prospect of unraveling its mysteries. With a newfound determination, she set about exploring the contents of the cold box, eager to uncover its secrets.
Nana's eyes widened in disbelief as she peered into the cold container and spotted neatly arranged cuts of meat, looking remarkably fresh despite the chilly environment. A sense of relief washed over her as she realized she had stumbled upon a treasure trove of food hidden within the mysterious contraption.
"Fresh meat!" Nana exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "This will do just fine."
With deft hands, she carefully extracted a few pieces of meat from the container, her stomach growling in anticipation of a long-awaited meal.
In addition to the meat, Nana spotted a few bottles of drinks and other assorted items that seemed unrelated to her immediate needs. She made a mental note to explore the contents further later on, but for now, her priority was satisfying her hunger.
With her newfound bounty in hand, Nana set about preparing a simple meal, grateful for the unexpected blessings that had come her way in the form of a cold box filled with food.
As Blake descended the steps, fresh and clean from his bath, he couldn't help but notice the absence of Nana in the living room. Curiosity piqued, he followed the sound of bustling activity emanating from the kitchen area.
Entering the kitchen, he found Nana looking slightly bewildered as she searched for something amidst the unfamiliar appliances and gadgets. With a small smile, Blake approached her, careful not to startle her.
"Hey, Nana. What's cooking?" Blake asked, his tone light and casual.
Nana turned to him, a mixture of surprise and relief crossing her features. "Oh, hey Blake. I'm just trying to figure out how to work this...kitchen," she admitted with a sheepish grin.
Blake chuckled softly, nodding in understanding. "Yeah, it can be a bit overwhelming at first. Need a hand?"
Nana's expression softened with gratitude as she nodded. "That would be great, thanks."
Together, they began rummaging through the cabinets and refrigerator, gathering ingredients for a meal. As they worked side by side, Blake couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Nana, grateful for her presence and support in these tumultuous times.
Once everything was set on the fire, Blake called out to Nana, drawing her attention. "Hey, Nana. I just wanted to say thank you. Without your help, I don't know where I'd be right now. You've been a real lifesaver."
Blake said and for a second there was silence. Nana could tell that wasn't all he had to say and she was right. There was more.