6 Chapter 6: Black Ink

Emma looked down, her heart racing as she took in the sight before her. The once spotless white sheets were now drenched in a thick black liquid, the same substance that coated her arms. She shuddered, her senses slowly returning as she sniffed the air, detecting the strong smell of sweat mixed with the unmistakable odor of the black fluid.

Confusion clouded Emma's mind as she scrambled to clean up the mess. Filling the tub with hot water, she sank into its depths, seeking comfort in the warmth as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Why was she sweating black ink? The thought gnawed at her, a puzzle with no clear solution. She couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with the house, but the truth escaped her grasp.

As the water enveloped her body, Emma's exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave, pulling her into a deep slumber. "Just one second," she murmured to herself, her eyelids growing heavy with tiredness.

Hours passed in a blur, and Emma was jolted awake by the icy chill of the water. Smelling sweat again, she glanced down, expecting the worst. And there it was – the water, once clear, now tainted with the same inky blackness that had stained her sheets.

As Emma put on fresh clothing, her reflection in the mirror caught her attention. Drawing closer, she couldn't help but be amazed by what she saw. Her eyes sparkled, and her skin seemed to glow with health. The stretch marks on her waist had faded, and her complexion was clearer than ever before. Gone were the acne and pimples, replaced instead by smooth, blemish-free skin. Even the tiny pockets of fat that had once bothered her appeared to have diminished slightly. As she ran her hands over her body, she noticed that the dry, shriveled patches of skin that typically accompanied prolonged water exposure were absent.

Her mind immediately made the connection to the black ink-smelling water she had been soaking in. It must have been the freshwater system, a reward gifted upon her, that had brought these changes. It seemed to possess some kind of magical healing power, but Emma realized it only worked its wonders while she slept. 

As Emma's mind raced with the implications of her discovery, she realized she couldn't afford to sleep anymore, at least not until she understood the full extent of the freshwater system's powers. With this newfound knowledge at the forefront of her thoughts, she focused on the tasks at hand.

First, she prepared breakfast from the supplies in her storage room, fueling herself for the day ahead. Then, climbing into her truck, she set off for the self-storage facility she had arranged to rent the day before. The journey took her through winding roads, eventually leading her to the bustling city, a complete contrast to her quiet forest home.

Arriving at the storage facility, Emma started in conversation with the staff, explaining her need for the space and the arrangements she had made for supplies to be delivered there. Initially met with unhappiness, she quickly turned the tide by sliding a stack of money across the counter. The staff's resistance crumbled in the face of the tempting offer, and he readily agreed to ensure that the supplies would be accommodated as she requested.

"Thank you," Emma said, as she took the keys. With the storage space secured, she could now focus on the next steps of her plan.

With a satisfied smile, Emma stepped into the storage room, confirming her suspicions. It was a replica of a section of her storage room – because it was. The idea had struck her after seeing the layout of her storage room at home. She had imagined slicing it in half and relocating one portion elsewhere. And now, as she stood in this rented storage space, she marveled at the realization of her vision.

Booking this self-storage room had been a stroke of genius. Emma realized she could replicate the same setup she had at home, sparing herself the effort of transporting supplies to an unfamiliar location so no one suspected her. Now, she could simply transfer items between her inner storage room and this external one, saving valuable time and energy.

With the storage problem solved, Emma shifted her focus to owning a car – an RV. With the looming threat of the apocalypse, she knew she needed a haven when outside her forest home. Scouring different RV dealerships around the city, she wanted a safe place on wheels, able to prevent the dangers that lurked outside if she ever needed to lead her house.

After hours of careful decision, Emma finally found it – her dream RV. It was a beast of a machine, with enough horsepower to outrun any threat and enough space to carry everything she needed. The seller rattled off a list of features – solar panels, a state-of-the-art security system, even a mini fridge stocked with snacks – but Emma was already sold. This was the one.

Despite the seller's offer to deliver it straight to her doorstep, Emma insisted on picking it up herself in a week. She didn't want to risk drawing attention to her hidden hideaway in the woods, especially with the world teetering on the brink of collapse.

After an hour of touring around the city, and exploring different options for her survival plan, Emma returned to the storage space. As she opened the door, a sense of satisfaction washed over her. The room was already filled with the first batch of supplies, neatly stacked and ready for action. Emma couldn't help but smile; things were falling into place faster than she had imagined.

Back at her forest home, Emma was greeted by a pleasant surprise – the seeds she had planted yesterday were already sprouting, proof of the fertile soil's hidden power. Energized by this discovery, Emma's mind buzzed with possibilities. But it was at nightfall that she decided to put her theory to the test.

Under the moon's gentle glow, Emma dragged out a wooden bath barrel from her storage. It was time to experiment.