Chapter 8: Trail Mix Never Tasted So Good
If the survivors had merely envied Jake earlier for his lucky psychic reading, now they were probably feeling grateful he'd listened to her advice.
The enormous backpack didn't just provide warm clothes for the two women present—it also contained a massive amount of food.
Chocolate bars, hard candy, beef jerky, summer sausage, protein bars, energy drinks, trail mix...
The rumbling of empty stomachs constantly emanated from the group. Every time Jake pulled out another food item, their gazes would intensify with hope, while their anxieties would ease just a little more.
Fortunately, this was a disaster movie where true character is revealed in times of crisis. If it were a darker, more brutal post-apocalyptic scenario, someone would probably have already tried to jump Jake and steal his supplies.
Besides being high in calories and energy, Jake had also packed foods he actually liked—chocolate, jerky, granola. These were survival foods, sure, but also comfort foods.
"What are these? Some kind of crackers?" Sam asked uncertainly, holding up a package of large, round flatbreads wrapped in clear plastic packaging.
"Those are pita breads—Middle Eastern flatbread," Jake said, improvising quickly. "They're really good toasted." He opened the package and took out one of the cooled flatbreads, placing it directly by the fire to warm. "These are great roasted, and they're imported specialty items. Hard to find in regular stores."
Of course they were hard to find—they were actually sesame flatbreads he'd bought from an Asian grocery store, but Jake wasn't about to explain that. The packaging had some characters on it, but in the dim firelight and with everyone's focus on survival, nobody seemed to notice or care.
Sam and the others didn't pay attention to the packaging at all—they just tore open the packages one by one, either toasting them by the fire or eating them cold.
Watching these people—characters played by legitimate Hollywood actors in the original movie—squatting in front of the fire like hungry college students, tearing into day-old flatbread, Jake suddenly realized that hunger was the great equalizer.
What do you mean, equalizer? These people were just starving!
Laura ate with relatively graceful movements despite the circumstances, but the crispy flatbread disappeared quickly without needing any accompaniments.
"This food is amazing! If I survive this, I'm definitely tracking down wherever you got these!" The young guy—Brian, Jake had learned his name was—gnawed on a piece of beef jerky and a chunk of flatbread. The cold had frozen the jerky rock-solid, but his teeth worked through it like a saw through wood.
"I'm coming with you!" Sam exclaimed, his own flatbread slightly burnt around the edges. Jake really wanted to tell him that flatbread wasn't like roasting marshmallows—burnt didn't make it better.
"We'll all go together," Laura added warmly. "Jake, you'll have to show us the way." After she spoke, everyone's eyes turned to him expectantly.
Agreements made during a crisis often became survival goals—something to look forward to, to keep you going. Jake knew he couldn't refuse, so he nodded. "Actually, besides these flatbreads, you guys should try Philly cheesesteaks when we get out of this. Best sandwich in America, hands down."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Brian said enthusiastically.
"I could definitely go for a cheesesteak right now," Sam agreed.
Half an hour later, everyone was as full as they could manage under the circumstances, wrapped in thick blankets and huddled in their makeshift shelter, warming themselves by the fire and chatting with surprising good humor.
Despite being dressed warmly and positioned near the flames, everyone still felt like they were standing naked in a freezer.
They kept talking, though, exchanging stories and ideas. Falling asleep now might mean never waking up again.
This was only the first day. As night fell, an even more critical moment arrived. The disappearance of the sun and the sharp temperature drop made everyone shiver uncontrollably.
The fireplace flames burned even brighter, and sparks threatened to spread dangerously beyond the hearth. The raging fire burned their faces painfully—they could only feel warmth on the side facing the flames, while their backs remained icy cold.
Jake knew this couldn't continue. Although sticking with the main characters was important for increasing that mysterious progress bar, the torturous temperature was pushing him to his breaking point.
"I need to use the bathroom," Jake muttered, shivering as he crawled out from under his blanket. He immediately felt the brutal cold hit him.
"You should just go here," Laura suggested kindly, and everyone nodded in agreement. "It's way too dangerous to go outside."
It was dozens of degrees below zero outside. Going out to the bathroom and pulling down his pants would be suicidal.
But peeing in front of everyone? They were all adults—which was more important, dignity or survival?
Still, Jake shook his head and insisted on going outside. One reason was simple embarrassment—he wasn't about to expose himself in front of strangers. Another reason was that he didn't actually need to use the bathroom.
After leaving the room with the fireplace and reaching the dark hallway, he looked around carefully to make sure no one was watching, then pulled out his phone and exited the world.
In an instant, he was back in his apartment.
"Oh my God, it's so warm!"
Back in the real world, Jake didn't waste a second. He peeled off his freezing clothes, grabbed his toiletries, and rushed downstairs to the building's laundry room where he could at least wash up in the utility sink with hot water.
After that makeshift cleanup, Jake headed out to a nearby 24-hour diner. It was late Saturday night, and the place was nearly empty except for a couple of night-shift workers.
He ordered a massive burger with fries and a hot coffee, eating slowly and savoring every warm bite. The heat from the food and the diner's climate control gradually dispelled the bone-deep chill that had settled into his body.
The time difference between the real world and the movie worlds was definitely real—he could spend hours here and return to find only minutes had passed in The Day After Tomorrow.
After finishing his meal and nursing a second cup of coffee, Jake finally felt completely recovered.
He didn't rush back home. Instead, he took a long, hot shower in his apartment, changed into fresh thermal layers, and checked his phone.
The progress bar had reached 30%. "I knew it! Participating in the plot increases the progress, but what happens when it hits 100%?"
Actually, Jake's smartest move would be to stay out of The Day After Tomorrow entirely and let the characters assume he'd "frozen to death" in the hallway. That way, he could avoid the brutal cold and return later when the weather stabilized to search for valuables buried in the ice.
However, Jake was genuinely reluctant to abandon the movie world at this critical point.
The entire movie only covered about two and a half days of plot time. If he could just endure it, he might gain over 80% plot participation. Then, by spending more time with Mia in The Princess Diaries, he could definitely reach 100% completion.
Gritting his teeth, Jake bundled up in his heavy winter gear again and jumped back into The Day After Tomorrow.
The air was still brutally cold, and the chill hit him immediately despite his preparations.
His legs trembled slightly as he pushed open the door to the reading room.
As soon as Jake appeared, he was greeted by relieved exclamations. "Thank God, Jake! You're alive!" It was Laura, her injured leg making her look even more pale and weak in the firelight.
"Where did you go? We looked for you when we went to get more books—we thought you'd frozen to death out there!"
This was what genuine concern looked like. Even though these people were technically movie characters, they actually cared about whether he lived or died. The movie worlds really weren't just movies—they were real.
"Actually..." Jake frowned, his mind racing. "I just thought of something, so I went to check it out... Laura's wound needs proper treatment, and we need to get to that cruise ship outside to find medical supplies and other necessities."
Before the eye of the storm arrives, securing critical supplies would be the smart move.
In reality, according to the movie's timeline, the eye of the storm was no more than three hours away.
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