It's The End of the World... And I Feel Fine (The Adventures of Max Harvey)

Chapter 17

The camp had a sense of quiet I wasn't used to. Most of the kids were still asleep or had gone off to gather supplies. The wind rustled the tents and makeshift shelters, carrying with it that same unsettling chill that seemed to cling to everything these days. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

I made my way to the south edge of the camp, my eyes scanning the trees as I went. It was eerie how the once-familiar forest surrounding us now felt like enemy territory. Everything looked the same as before the world ended, but somehow different, like it was pretending. Even the birds didn't sound right—too quiet, too distant.

As I approached the meeting spot, I saw Ellie sitting cross-legged on a tree stump, a small camping stove and a frying pan in front of her. She was flipping pancakes, humming a tune I didn't recognize. Her bright pink and purple hair seemed out of place in the dull, gray morning light, like she didn't belong in this world. Or maybe she was too good for it.

"Hey, Max!" she called out, waving a spatula like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Just in time!"

I raised an eyebrow as I approached. "You weren't kidding about the pancakes, huh?"

"Why would I joke about pancakes?" she said with a grin. "They're the best apocalypse food."

I smirked. "Not sure that's true, but I'll take it."

I sat down across from her, the smell of sizzling batter filling the air. It was almost enough to make me forget the world had ended. Almost. "So, what's your deal?" I asked, leaning back on my hands. "I mean, you just showed up out of nowhere."

Ellie shrugged, flipping another pancake. "I've been around. You guys just didn't notice." She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling with an energy that felt foreign in this world of chaos. "But, if you want the truth, I'm here because of Ruby."

My stomach twisted. "Ruby? What about her?"

Ellie's smile faltered for a moment. "Let's just say... she's special. And special people need looking after in times like these."

I frowned, my suspicion meter spiking. "How do you know Ruby?"

"It's complicated," she replied, her tone suddenly serious. "And before you ask, no, I'm not some demon or alien or whatever else your brain is trying to come up with." She handed me a pancake on a paper plate, steam rising from it. "I'm just a friend."

I eyed her warily, but my hunger won out. I took a bite, and it was surprisingly good—warm, fluffy, and sweet. "Okay, so you're a friend. But why show up now? And why are you helping us?"

Ellie paused, her eyes searching mine. "Because you're all in danger, and you need all the help you can get."

I set the plate down, my appetite fading as worry took over. "Danger? You mean from Delilah?"

"Delilah's just the start," she said, her voice lowering as if she was afraid the trees might be listening. "There are bigger things coming, Max. Things that make demons look like puppies."

I felt my pulse quicken. "Bigger things? Like what?"

Ellie glanced around, then leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "There are beings out there, ancient ones. And they're waking up because the world is collapsing. Whatever's happening with Ruby, it's tied to them."

My mind raced as I tried to process her words. "So... what do we do? How do we stop it?"

Ellie gave a small, sad smile. "That's the thing. You can't stop it, not completely. But you can try to survive it." She looked at me, her eyes steady. "And to do that, you're going to need Ruby more than ever."

Before I could respond, a shout echoed from the camp, followed by the sound of panicked voices. Ellie and I both jumped to our feet, the pancakes forgotten. "Come on!" I yelled, taking off toward the noise with Ellie right behind me.

When we reached the center of camp, chaos had already broken out. People were running in every direction, and Luke was shouting orders, trying to keep things under control. But the sight that made my blood run cold was Ruby, standing at the center of it all, her hands glowing with an unnatural light.

"Ruby!" I shouted, pushing through the crowd to get to her.

She didn't seem to hear me. Her eyes were locked onto something in the trees, her face twisted in concentration. The air around her crackled with energy, and I could feel the hairs on my arms stand on end.

"Max, stay back!" she shouted, her voice strained. "I don't know if I can control it!"

I skidded to a stop, fear clawing at my throat. "What's happening?"

But before she could answer, the ground shook, and a shadow emerged from the trees—massive, with limbs that stretched like twisted roots and eyes that burned like coals. It wasn't Delilah. It was something worse.

Ellie grabbed my arm, pulling me back. "That's one of them. An ancient one."

"What do we do?" I asked, panic rising in my chest.

"We hold the line," she said, pulling something out of her backpack. It looked like a small vial filled with a shimmering, silvery liquid. "And pray Ruby knows how to use her powers."

I watched as Ruby raised her hands, the glow intensifying, but the shadow only seemed to grow larger, like it was feeding off her energy. The ground split open beneath it, and black tendrils clawed their way toward her.

"Ruby, stop!" I shouted. "You're making it stronger!"

But Ruby's eyes were glowing now, her expression fierce and determined. "I can't—if I don't fight it, it'll tear the camp apart!"

Ellie stepped forward, holding up the vial. "Ruby, catch!" she yelled, tossing it toward her.

Ruby caught it mid-air, her eyes widening in recognition. "Is this—?"

"Use it!" Ellie urged. "Now!"

Ruby popped the cap off and poured the liquid over her hands. The glow shifted, turning from a harsh white to a deep, pulsing blue. She thrust her hands forward, and a blast of energy shot out, hitting the shadow square in the chest.

The creature screamed, a sound that pierced through the air like a thousand nails on a chalkboard. It shrank back, its tendrils retreating into the earth as it dissolved into a dark mist.

When it finally disappeared, Ruby collapsed to her knees, panting. I rushed over, grabbing her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

She nodded weakly. "Yeah, I think so. But that... that wasn't the last of them."

Ellie stood beside us, her expression grim. "No, it wasn't. And they're only going to get stronger."

I looked between Ruby and Ellie, my heart pounding in my chest. "So what do we do now?"

Ellie smiled, a fierce glint in her eyes. "We prepare for war."