Chapter 658: Attending Class
Chapter 658: Chapter 658: Attending Class
In the afternoon, Evelyn Ford saw the madwoman Yolanda Lawrence had told her about. The woman wore a tattered, black padded cotton jacket, her hair hung down like straw, and her feet were bare, not even protected by straw sandals. She left a trail of bloody scratches as she walked over the stones.
"Lily, Lily..."
Lily, the name on the madwoman’s lips, was her missing daughter. She would lift a tent flap and run inside to search for any sign of her, only to be cursed at and chased out.
"Get lost! Why are you back again, you crazy woman? Come any closer and I’ll beat you."
"Lily..."
She was shoved to the ground, surrounded by curses and pitying gazes. The woman timidly picked herself up and moved to the next tent to continue her search.
There were many, many more people who had lost their minds in the base, just like her.
"Dr. Ford, we should go."
Dr. Turner came over to Evelyn Ford, carrying a medical kit. He had to report to the classroom today, so he had deliberately changed into clean clothes and washed his hair. However, he was still wearing the same pair of tattered straw sandals.
"Dr. Turner, what about your parents...?"
"My parents are on the older side, but they’re still fairly robust. They can take care of themselves."
Evelyn Ford was relieved. "Then let’s go check in."
On the way to the classroom, they saw many more people wandering about in a daze. It was nothing new to Dr. Turner. He told Evelyn Ford that most of them had lost family and children, and the shock had been too much for them to bear.
"Having them wander around the base is a safety hazard. It would be better to find a quiet place for them, away from the crowds. They might have a chance to recover then."
Dr. Turner shook his head. "Perhaps some of them are lucid. They just don’t want to be."
Evelyn Ford froze at his words. She thought of her past life, how she had lived in a daze for five years. Right before her death, she hadn’t been much different from these broken people.
For some, to be alive is to have hope. But for those who have long since lost it, life is the very source of their suffering—a hellish abyss.
"Dr. Ford, do you have any other family?"
"My parents passed away before the apocalypse began, but I have a new family now."
Dr. Turner smiled. "That’s good. As long as you have family, life isn’t too difficult. You can endure any hardship."
While they were talking, they arrived at the administration office. Evelyn Ford explained Dr. Turner’s situation to a staff member, who immediately handed him a form. After he filled it out, he could start teaching the next day.
Evelyn Ford’s class was from one to three o’clock. Dr. Turner would be in charge of the class from three-thirty to five-thirty.
The administrator gave Dr. Turner some documents, paper and a pen, a rucksack, and a canteen. These were the basic supplies issued to teachers by the base. On the first of each month, everyone could collect the previous month’s supply subsidy and ration tickets.
After filling out the paperwork, Dr. Turner was about to leave. Evelyn Ford suggested he go say hello to the students in the classroom, so it would be easier for him to jump right in the next day.
"Will I scare the kids, looking like this?" Dr. Turner nervously smoothed his hair and tugged at his wrinkled jacket.
Evelyn Ford gave him a thumbs-up. "You look very sharp."
The two of them entered the classroom. The once-noisy students immediately fell silent, staring blankly at Evelyn Ford and Dr. Turner.
Evelyn Ford walked to the front of the class and introduced Dr. Turner.
"This is Dr. Turner. Starting today, he, like me, will be teaching you about obstetrics, gynecology, and some surgical principles. Let’s give him a warm welcome."
The students had never seen such a distinctive-looking teacher. One of the older ones pointed at Dr. Turner and shouted, "Einstein!" Dr. Turner just smiled and gave the class a deep, ninety-degree bow.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Toby Turner. I’m forty-two years old. I was an obstetrician-gynecologist before, and I still am. I live in the tent camp in District Z. Starting today, I’ll be teaching alongside Dr. Ford. My class will be from three-thirty to five-thirty in the afternoon."
After Dr. Turner finished, the students applauded to welcome him again.
Dr. Turner finally relaxed. He thanked Evelyn Ford, said goodbye to the class, and left the classroom with his belongings.
"I’ll see you all tomorrow."
After he left, the students began to chatter amongst themselves. A few of the bolder ones even asked Evelyn Ford for more details about Dr. Turner.
"Mr. Ford, Mr. Turner really does look like Einstein! When he first walked in, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."
Evelyn Ford smiled. "Dr. Turner certainly has a unique personality. Alright, let’s begin class. Today, we’re going to discuss amniotic fluid embolism."
...
Two hours later, Evelyn Ford left the classroom and jogged back to her vehicle through the blowing sand. Then, a thought struck her. She put her medical kit inside and turned, heading for the medical tent where Wendy was stationed.
As she approached the tent, she heard a commotion coming from inside.
"Apologize to me."
"You little bitch, you dare tell me to apologize to you? Do you have any idea who I am? I barely even touched you, so stop putting on an act. If you hadn’t been parading around in front of me trying to get my attention, do you think I would’ve touched you? You’re just a kid and you’re already trying to seduce men. Now you have the nerve to blame me and start trouble? Believe me, I can make your life in this base impossible."
"You’re full of shit! It was obviously you who deliberately touched my waist! You should take a piss and have a good look at your own pathetic self! And you dare throw dirt on my name? All I wanted was an apology and I would’ve let it go. I never thought you’d be so unrepentant as to claim I was seducing you. Pah!"
It was Wendy’s voice.
Evelyn Ford’s expression turned cold. She threw open the tent flap and strode inside.
"You brat, you dare look down on me?" The man raised his hand to strike Wendy. But Evelyn Ford had already uncoiled a whip from her waist and lashed out.
With a sharp CRACK, the whip struck the man’s shoulder, the tip catching his face and neck. He let out a loud scream of pain, but before he could even see who had attacked him, a second lash struck.
"Miss Evelyn!" Wendy’s voice was filled with pleasant surprise. In truth, she had already been preparing to counterattack, a Silver Needle held between her fingers. She just hadn’t expected Evelyn Ford to show up and interrupt her plan.
"Who the fuck is hitting me?! Help! Ahh, it hurts! Stop, stop hitting me...!"
The man scrambled around the tent, trying to dodge Evelyn Ford’s whip. The other people inside, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire, scrambled to get out.
Evelyn Ford hooked the man’s neck with the tip of her whip and flung him to the ground.
"Wendy, which hand did he touch you with?"
"His right hand." With someone there to back her up, Wendy was suddenly full of confidence.
Evelyn Ford pulled a dagger from the small of her back, glanced at the man on the floor, and severed the tendons in his right wrist without hesitation.
"AAARGH!" He writhed on the ground in agony.
Evelyn Ford sheathed her dagger and shot a cold glare at the crowd of onlookers that had gathered outside the tent.
Just then, the security team leader arrived.
"Who’s causing trouble?"
"Chief, there’s a crazy woman in there hitting someone with a whip!"
Before the leader could even enter, Evelyn Ford viciously kicked the man writhing on the ground, sending him flying out of the tent.