"That’s right. I’m just speculating, but I think that boy might be the child of two failed experiments."
If that’s true, the place where they live is probably full of deformed humans.
They’ve been reproducing for generations, with each one becoming more severely deformed than the last.
Light snow drifted past the window. After chatting for a bit, the two of them returned to the upper bunk to rest. After Officer Graham finished tidying the kitchen, he drank a glass of water, turned off the lights, and also prepared to sleep.
A kilometer away, the wolf pack remained standing. They hadn’t left, despite the biting wind and falling snow.
Evelyn Ford hugged Ronan Kendrick tightly. With this human furnace next to her, she didn’t have to worry about freezing to death, even without an electric blanket.
At six-thirty in the morning, Officer Graham pulled open the curtains. After a night of light snow, the ground outside was blanketed in white.
Fortunately, the RV had a high chassis and enormous wheels, so it wouldn’t get stuck in the snow.
"Remember to gas up the RV before we leave today." Evelyn Ford rubbed her eyes as she climbed off Ronan Kendrick.
"I’m driving today." Ronan Kendrick stretched out a long arm and pulled her back into his embrace. "It’s still early. Let’s sleep for another half hour."
"It snowed last night. I want to go see how deep it is."
Ronan Kendrick held her waist tightly, refusing to let her go. "It’s thirty centimeters at most, not too deep. Come on, just a little more sleep."
His voice was a whisper, audible only to the two of them. Evelyn Ford’s face flushed. She grabbed Ronan Kendrick’s wrist and pinned it above his head.
Ronan Kendrick asked with a straight face, "What are you doing?"
"Time for your punishment," she said, tickling his armpit a few times. Ronan Kendrick paused, then burst out laughing.
In reality, tickling had no effect on him whatsoever. He wasn’t ticklish, but he was happy to play along for Evelyn Ford.
"Have mercy, I was wrong."
Evelyn Ford put her hands on her hips. "This is the price for messing with me. I have a hundred and eighty ways to make you surrender."
Ronan Kendrick watched her with a smile. "I’m impressed."
The snow outside wasn’t very deep, and Wendy and Zoe had already gotten out of the RV to build a snowman.
Officer Graham had already made breakfast. This morning, they were having fried dough sticks and steaming hot soy milk.
"I haven’t had fried dough sticks in years. I’ve really missed them! Mr. Graham, you’re an amazing cook. The dough sticks are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the soy milk is sweet and fragrant."
Ethan Dawson looked groggy. He hadn’t dared to sleep all night, afraid the wolves would attack. He’d finally given in around five and dozed off for a little while.
Officer Graham smiled warmly at everyone. "I’m an early riser; I’m always up by six. I can make breakfast from now on. Just let me know if you have any requests."
"Absolutely not." Evelyn Ford set down her bowl of soy milk, putting a stop to Officer Graham’s selfless behavior.
"We have to take turns."
"Exactly. It’s too much work for one person to make breakfast for all of us. How about this? I’ll make a schedule for all three meals. We can rotate duties. What do you think?" Quincy looked to Evelyn Ford, seeking her approval.
Evelyn Ford nodded. "Good idea. Whoever is driving can be exempt. Driving is hard on the wrists, and they’ll need their rest."
"Okay, you can count on me."
The soy milk was so good that Evelyn Ford drank two large bowls. Full and satisfied, she got out of the RV to stretch her limbs. In the distance, Red Wolf was still watching them. The pack was covered in snow, but even after freezing all night, they hadn’t relaxed their guard in the slightest.
Evelyn Ford raised her hand and waved to Red Wolf. "Good morning!"
Red Wolf didn’t look at her, as aloof as the ’Ronan Kendrick 2.0’ he became around other people.
The light snow had stopped, and the wind was no longer as biting as the night before. Evelyn Ford sniffled and pulled out her pocket watch to check the time. It was almost seven-thirty. They could leave now.
Ronan Kendrick was driving today, so Evelyn Ford sat in the passenger seat to keep him company.
Before they set off, Ronan Kendrick honked the horn a few times as a signal to the wolves up ahead.
Evelyn Ford gave a walkie-talkie to Ethan Dawson so they could all stay in touch.
The RV started to move slowly. The wolves split into two groups, continuing their escort on either side. The weather wasn’t great today, and the windshield was fogged up.
After driving for two hours, Evelyn Ford spotted a dense forest with a stream flowing out of it.
Upon seeing the forest, most of the gray wolves left, leaving only three large ones to lead the way, along with Red Wolf.
"They’re gone."
Zoe pointed at the departing wolves, her voice anxious. "Dad, why did they suddenly leave?"
Quincy was visibly relieved to see the wolves go, but Zoe looked sad to see them leave. After a moment’s thought, he pointed to the forest and said, "They’re going home. They’ve been following us since yesterday afternoon. They haven’t eaten, had any water, or slept that whole time. They’re tired, too. The forest is their home, so now they have to go back to eat and get some sleep."
Zoe rubbed her chin. "Will they come back?"
"No, they won’t. We can’t afford to feed them. That many wolves would eat a lot of meat."
Zoe nodded. "Oh, then never mind. They’d eat us into poverty."
"Exactly. They have huge appetites and can eat a ton. If they don’t get enough, they get angry, and when they get angry... they’ll eat us."
Zoe looked horrified. "I don’t want to be eaten! And you can’t be eaten either, Dad!"
Quincy’s heart melted. "Don’t worry, Dad’s really strong. I can send a wolf flying with a single punch."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Evelyn Ford couldn’t stand listening to Quincy’s bragging anymore and quickly grabbed her binoculars to observe the forest in the distance.
’We haven’t seen any houses or signs of civilization this entire way. Could they be living underground or in caves?’
Just then, Red Wolf suddenly let out a howl. It cried out a few times before running toward the forest, leaving only three gray wolves to continue leading the way.
Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick exchanged a look, both of them a little baffled.
"Evelyn Ford, Ronan Kendrick, quick, look over there! I think I see some people," Quincy said, pointing excitedly at the forest ahead.
Evelyn Ford raised her binoculars. The forest was filled with gray wolves, and next to the stream, a few people were standing there, watching them.
After Red Wolf ran over, it stopped in front of one of the figures. Evelyn Ford could see clearly now—it was the boy from yesterday. He was stroking Red Wolf’s head, but his eyes were fixed on their RV.
"There are five of them. Two men, two women, and the boy from yesterday."
Evelyn Ford lowered the binoculars after she finished speaking.
"AWOO! AWOO..." As the RV neared the forest, the wolves began to howl. The sound pierced the sky, threatening to shatter their eardrums.
The five people were wrapped in wolf pelts. None of them wore shoes, stepping barefoot onto the snow. They looked like a family. The older man and woman had completely white hair and facial deformities. The middle-aged couple and the boy were the same, with webbed feet, forked hands, cleft lips, a single ear...
The middle-aged woman was the exception. She had two normal eyes and an intact nose, but her eyes were set wide apart, she had a flat nasal bridge, and an upturned nose. She appeared to have Down syndrome.