Novels by Jena Jane

Chapter 7: The First WaveThe flashing red light on my phone screen was still on when the big steel door of the warehouse suddenly rattled. A frantic heavy pounding echoed through the ceiling. It mixed with the screams coming from the city center. My heart felt like it was jumping out of my chest. I was breathing fast. I gripped the heavy steel crowbar tightly."Hey! Is anyone there? Please open the door!" A man's voice screamed from outside. It was raw and broken with fear. "Please lock the gates! They are tearing people down at the docks! Let us in!"I did not move. I stood still in the room. My eyes were fixed on the heavy metal shutter as the emergency sirens kept screaming across the morning sky. In this life I had to be cold. I had food and water to live. Opening that door for strangers was a death sentence."LUS " I whispered. "Who is there?"[Scanning the area outside the building, Host Eva. There are three workers from the neighboring shipping yard at your door. However there

Chapter 6: The Steel WarehouseThe crimson light of the system screen burned into my eyes. My fingers dug hard into the wood of the floorboards. The numbers were spinning down fast. They glowed like coals in the dark cargo hold.Twenty-four hours."LUS " I choked out. My chest was tightening until it hurt. "You gave me your word. You told me I had a month."[THE TIMELINE HAS CHANGED, HOST EVA. THE SICKNESS IS ALREADY SPREADING THROUGH THE SUBWAY STATIONS AND AIRPORT TERMINALS. EVERYTHING FALLS APART IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR PLAN NOW.]"Change my plan?" A wild breathless laugh escaped my lips. I pulled myself up against the cold metal wall of the truck. My legs were shaking so badly that my knees were knocked together. "I do not have a weapon. I do not have a wall to hide behind. I am sitting in a rented box in a dark alleyway!"[THEN STOP HIDING, HOST EVA. EVERY SECOND YOU SPEND CRYING IN THIS TRUCK IS ANOTHER SECOND YOU GIVE TO THE DEAD.]The red warning light bl

Chapter 5: Liquidating and HoardingThe light from the system screen went away. I could still feel the warmth in my chest. Infinite Dimensional Storage was real. I was standing in my living room staring at the words floating in the air. I took a breath and it sounded loud in the quiet apartment."LUS " I said quietly. "How do I use it? How do I put something inside?"[Just touch the object with your hand and think of the word 'Store' Host Eva.]I looked down at the small plastic trash can that Marcus had kicked over. I walked over to it, got down on my knees and pressed my hand against the side of the can.“Store.”The air seemed to ripple. The trash can disappeared. It did not move, it just vanished. I gasped, my eyes wide as I stared at the spot on the carpet. I closed my eyes and focused on my mind. I could see a big empty space inside my head. The gray trash can was sitting right in the middle of it.“Oh my god," I breathed, a genuine smile breaking across my face for the first ti

Chapter 4: Slapping the LeechesThe wood of my apartment door shook as Brenda slammed her palms against it again. I stood in the middle of my living room watching the brass deadbolt jiggle. Then, this noise would have made my throat tighten with anxiety. I would have rushed to open it, Babbling apologies, desperate to keep the peaceNow? My heart was beating hard but it was from a cold sharp focus."Eva! Open this door now!" Brenda shouted from the hallway. Her voice sounded like nails scraping together. "I know you're there! Marcus told me what you did! You have no right to touch my money!""Yeah, open up!" Cindy yelled after Brenda. "You ruined my night! The cashier looked at me like I was a thief because of you!"I walked over to the door. Unlocked it. I didn't push it open. I just cracked it an inch, keeping my body blocking the gap.The three of them were jammed into the hallway. Brenda's face was bright red with her chest heaving under her floral shirt. Cindy stood behind with h

Chapter 3: Ditching the Ungrateful Boyfriend Marcus walked into my apartment as the door cracked open, bringing the smell of cheap cigarettes and wet rain with him. He didn't even look at me, rather his eyes went straight to the kitchen counter where I kept my purse and car keys."What is wrong with you Eva?" Marcus snapped, slamming the door shut as He stepped closer, "You didn't answer my calls. You said you would call the police on me. Are you losing it?"I didn't back down. I stood in the middle of the room, my feet on the cold floor. Looking at him made me feel sick. This was the face that stared at me through the rainy SUV window while he drove away with my food."Get out of my apartment, Marcus, " I said. My voice wasn't loud and it wasn't shaking either.Marcus looked shocked as he let out a breath and threw his hands up. "Get out? I live here sometimes! My moms electric bill is due. Her medication costs more. I need to use your credit card to pay for it. Where's your wallet?

Chapter 2: Binding the Level-Up SystemThe phone in my hand would not stop shaking as Marcus's name kept blinking on the screen, bright and green cutting through the dark bedroom. Marcus. The man who just left me to die. The man who watched me get torn apart while he drove away in my car. A cold sweat broke out across my forehead as I threw the phone onto the blanket like it was a hot coal. It bounced, still buzzing, still demanding my attention.“ no, no no”. I choked out, pulled my knees up to my chest. “This is not real. It cannot be real.” I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes trying to block out the image of those rotting eyes. I could still taste the copper in the back of my throat. I could still feel the teeth sinking into my shoulder, ripping my skin to shreds. My whole body was trembling violently when the headboard rattled against the wall.I opened my eyes as I looked down at my hands. They were smooth. There was no dirt under my fingernails, no blood, no scars. T