Chapter 1

"I specifically told you to prepare the best imported anesthetic, Dr. Loden. Terence will be fine, right?" my mother, Cassandra Ellis asked. "As long as he's willing to get on that operating table for my sake, I'll take it as proof that he passed the test and that his love for me is genuine.

"I've watched him face many hardships, after all. He doesn't deserve to be my son if he's unwilling to make such a small sacrifice."

Mom sounded perfectly healthy as she spoke to the person on the other end of the line. In fact, she even sounded a little at ease.

Meanwhile, I stood at the door.

The serum that I got by putting my life on the line slipped from my slackened fingers and shattered when it hit the floor.

It turned out that the apocalypse and the man-eating zombies weren't real.

For the past month, I had carried Mom with me as we hid in the sewers and ate expired food. I had even given up my kidney without any hesitation, but everything had just been a farce that she designed to test if my love for her was genuine.

Mom assumed that everything was under her control. She had no idea that the doctor who operated on me wasn't part of her crew. On the contrary, he was an actual outlaw.

He didn't give me any anesthetic or disinfect the incision during the operation. He had even used a rusty scalpel when he cut me open.

I looked at the wound on the side of my waist that had been hastily stitched up with a thick thread. I wiped the sweat that had beaded across my forehead before pushing the door open and stepping inside the room.

Mom immediately hung up when she heard the sounds of movement. The calm and relaxed expression on her face melted away in an instant as she turned around.

"Terence… You're back…" she murmured weakly through heavy breaths. She reached a trembling hand toward me. "Did you… get the serum? I'm in so much pain…"

I looked at her. She had always carried herself with quiet strength.

In the past month, I would dig out the untainted core of a moldy piece of bread and let her eat that while I ate the moldy outer parts. I also gave her the cleanest water to drink while I drank the water that was mixed with mud and sand.

Everything had just been a test.

I didn't say a single word as I approached Mom with heavy steps. I touched her forehead, my expression dark.

Her skin felt perfectly cool beneath my fingertips.

"Why don't you have a fever, Mom?" I asked in a low voice, doing my best to keep my emotions in check. "I looked through the handbook in the shelter. A person who was bitten by a zombie should contract a high fever within two hours. Their entire body should feel like it's boiling.

"You were bitten more than 12 hours ago. Why does your body temperature still feel normal?"

A hint of panic flickered in Mom's eyes. She subconsciously tugged at her collar and averted her gaze, mumbling, "I… Maybe my body's special. Everyone reacts differently, Terence."

Then she immediately changed the topic, fearing I would question her further. "Where's the serum, Terence? Didn't you leave to get it in exchange for your kidney?"

If Mom actually loved me, the first thing she would have asked me was if I was in any pain.

I averted my gaze.

"I couldn't get it," I said coldly. "The doctor changed his mind. He wanted two kidneys instead. I didn't agree because I didn't want to die."

"What?" Mom exclaimed, her weak voice rising in pitch in an instant.

She bolted up into a sitting position before she started to berate me. "Why didn't you agree to his demands? Didn't you tell me that you love me more than anything else, Terence? As I suspected, you actually love yourself more than you love me!"

A deathly silence descended upon the room seconds after the words left her lips.

Mom also seemed to realize that she had lost control of herself. Her body stiffened for a moment before she quickly pressed a hand to her chest. She collapsed on the bed again and groaned in pain.

"I'm sorry, Terence," she mumbled between coughs. "I'm just in so much pain… I can't keep my temper in check anymore. I don't want to die… Can you try to convince the doctor again, Terence? I'm hurting so much…"

The wound on the side of my waist throbbed terribly as I watched Mom's performance. The pain was so excruciating that I couldn't stand straight.

"Okay." I said after taking a deep breath, gritting my teeth and nodding. "I'll think of something. I'm going to look for some food for you too."

Just before I turned around, I caught the quiet sigh of relief that escaped Mom.