Doomsday Rewind: My Ex Gets What's Coming

My fiance, Leo Parker, cheated on me with my best friend, Jessica Thorne. When the apocalypse hit, they threw me out to be torn apart by zombies.After I was reborn, I spent every last dollar I saved for Leo to build up a stash of supplies.When the zombie outbreak happened again, I finally got to sit back and watch the two of them face the consequences they deserved.…"No! Don't!"I jolted upright in bed, cold sweat soaking through my pajamas.A tearing pain ripped through my limbs, as if dozens of sharp teeth were gnawing into my flesh. I looked down at my arms and saw that they were completely intact, without a single mark.Yet the agony of being eaten alive felt so real I could hear my bones crunch and taste the coppery tang of my own blood."Chloe? Babe, did you have another nightmare?"Leo came out of the bathroom with his hair still damp, worry all over his face. He sat on the edge of the bed and reached for my cheek.I pulled back on instinct, dodging his hand."I'm

I called the real estate agent right away."I need to rent a place immediately. I need to sign the lease and move in today," I said, my voice hurried but clear."Ma'am, that's really short notice. We usually need at least 24 hours to schedule a showing."I let the right amount of tremor and desperation creep into my voice. "My fiance cheated on me, and I need to move out immediately. Money isn't an issue. I can pay any additional fees."There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. "Alright, I can see what I can do. Do you have any specific requirements?""I want the vacant third-floor unit at 1247 Maple Street.""How do you know that unit is available for rent?"I told a flawless lie. "I noticed it when I passed by earlier. There was a "For Rent" sign on the door. Please contact the landlord immediately. I need to sign the lease within the hour."…An hour later, I stood inside the vacant apartment. The view couldn't have been better. I had a clear line of sight to

Jessica's voice came through the phone, rough with tears. "Chloe? Can I stay with you tonight?"I took a deep breath and steadied my voice. "Jessica, what happened? Do you need help?"She sobbed as she spoke. "I fought with Rex again. He was drunk and tried to hit me. I have nowhere to go right now."It was exactly the same as in my past life. Jessica always came to me after fighting with her violent boyfriend, Rex Henderson, and I always took her in without hesitation.I'd never had many friends, and she had been the only one who'd treated me kindly since college.In my past life, I truly thought of her as a friend, and whenever she had a problem, I did everything I could to help. I didn't realize that every time she came to me, it was so she could sneak around with Leo.I made my voice sound shocked and sympathetic. "That's horrible. How could he do that to you? Of course, you can come over. I'll come pick you up."Relief softened Jessica's voice. "Really? You're the best. I'l

"Damn it! What the hell is going on out there?"Leo's roar came through the listening device.I kept chewing my steak, binoculars trained on the apartment across the street.The screams outside finally yanked Leo and Jessica fully awake. They leaned against the window and looked down.The street already looked like the apocalypse. Zombies shambled along the roadway, and severed limbs littered the pavement.A police cruiser tore past, its body smeared with blood and claw marks, before it slammed into a utility pole at the curb.The driver's door flew open, and an officer stumbled out. His uniform hung in tatters, and bite marks ringed his neck. A few seconds later, he was shambling with the rest."We're trapped! Those things are eating people!" Jessica cried, tears in her voice.Leo tried to stay calm, but the tremor in his voice gave him away. "Calm down! First, we grab food. Then we'll figure out how to get out of here."I watched them tear through drawers and cabinets for fo

Leo's voice was ragged. "There was nothing. Nothing at all! We already searched every corner!"Another three days passed, and Leo, Jessica, and Rex were all starving to the point of collapse. Rex became the de facto ruler of the tiny space, keeping everyone in line with his fists.He kicked Leo, who was curled up in the corner. "You useless pieces of trash! You couldn't even find a scrap of food."Leo curled in on himself in pain and didn't dare fight back. After three days without eating, his cheeks had hollowed out. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked skeletal.Jessica was even worse off. Her lips were cracked and bleeding, her hair was tangled and filthy. She stank of sweat, and she looked wrecked.Jessica begged weakly. "Rex, please… Just give me a sip of water. Just one sip…"Rex shot her a vicious glare. "Shut up! The water is mine. If you want any, go outside and ask the zombies for it!"He was starving too, but his physical advantage still let him keep Leo and Jessica