Chapter 178: When you're hungry and craving pancakes.

Chapter 178: When you're hungry and craving pancakes.

Opening his eyes was difficult. Milo was tired and wanted to sleep more. But the constant beep beep beep was annoying him. His muscles were a little stiff as he stepped out of his pod.

Odd, he didn't even remember logging out of the game. The last few days' events ran through his head, culminating with the thought that 'this rock is a pretty good pillow.' His tail flipped over to the pod and reattached to it so he could read through the latest messages from the system.

You have a new notification on the Contribution Board.

You have a new notification on the Contribution Board.

You have a new notification on the Contribution Board.

You are exhausted and suffering from the after-effects of using cheese in combat.

Your character has passed out from exhaustion. You may not be able to access your character for some time.

Would you like to log out?

Would you like to play a nice game of chess?

Butch stared at the mound of food. "Yeah, sure. Let me take a look." He grabbed the paperwork and acted like he was checking things over. He wondered if he should take the delivery. He could sell most of it and keep a little. But someone would follow the paper trail, and his family would suffer. You never left a trail to your own home if you did something you could get in trouble for. He handed the paperwork back. "Sorry, wrong place. I can't pay for it. Didn't order it."

The two delivery men looked at each other and shrugged. "Not our problem. It's paid for in full, including delivery and a very generous tip for the two of us. This place matches the address. It can't go back, and we need to be going." They left quickly, nearly bumping into someone moving down the corridor, driving a four-wheeled delivery cart with a trailer. Ghost hopped off the little cart and took the paperwork out of his hands while Butch tried to figure out what was happening.

"Great. It's all here. Help me set up this grill in the courtyard and we can get cooking. I made it from a couple of old welding units and a titanium-Teflon sheet I scavenged. Should work well for pancakes."

Butch's mother appeared at the door. She eyed the makeshift stove and the food. "Pancakes? I haven't had pancakes in years. We used to be able to get the food system to give us pancake batter, but they claimed we'd like food cubes better and not have to cook. You realize that if you cook out here, you'll get several dozen hungry people popping out of their rooms looking for dinner?"

Milo exhaled and pushed down his anxiety about being around many people. There would be less here today than in the Hollow. He put a grin on his face. "I've got an urge to cook, and I need volunteers to eat. We'll feed everyone we can and then store the rest in my room for next time."

Butch had his datapad out and was sending a message. "I've got the gang on the way to help out and help eat. But how the hell did you get all of this?"

"Got lucky. Found a buyer for some of the old games we repaired and made a big sale, but he insisted I had to take half cash and half food. So we're having a pancake party."

Butch looked skeptical. "Pancakes. They're good?"

His mother rolled her eyes. "Oh, honey, you have no idea. Start unpacking everything and I'll help with the batter. You kids are in for a treat today."