Chapter 4 : THE WARNING

Sharon stared at the message on her phone.

DON’T TRUST ALEX KNIGHT.

Her fingers tightened around the device.

The black vehicle had disappeared from the road.

Alex was gone too.

But his words remained in her head.

You’ll find out.

Sharon walked back into the old resort that had been empty for a long time, and then she locked the big heavy door behind her.

She took a look at the security cameras that she had set up just that morning.

Nothing.

The road was empty.

The forest was silent.

Yet something felt wrong.

Someone had been watching her.

Someone who knew about the apocalypse.

Someone who knew she had been reborn.

And now that person was warning her about Alex.

Sharon sat at the kitchen counter.

She didn't trust the message.

But she couldn't ignore it either.

She just couldn't bring herself to trust Alex, and that was the problem.

In her previous life, Alex Knight had been one of the most powerful men during the apocalypse.

You heard his name a lot on the news for a while at first.

Billionaire.

Business tycoon.

Survivor.

Later, people called him ruthless.

People had been talking about him having a secret underground bunker that could keep hundreds of people safe.

But Sharon had never met him.

Not until now.

And that was strange.

Very strange.

If Alex had truly survived the previous timeline, why had he approached her so early?

Why had he noticed her?

And why did he seem to know more than he should?

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

Sharon froze.

Another message.

She opened it.

You shouldn't have spoken to him.

Her heartbeat quickened.

She typed rapidly.

Who are you?

No response.

She waited.

Ten seconds.

Twenty.

Nothing.

Sharon sent another message.

How do you know about Alex?

Still nothing.

Then the screen lit up.

Because I remember what happens to people who trust him.

Sharon's expression hardened.

She stared at the words.

What happens to people who trust him?

That could mean anything.

Maybe Alex had betrayed someone.

Maybe the sender was manipulating her.

Or maybe

A loud noise came from outside.

Sharon immediately stood.

She picked up the gun she had bought and walked over to the window.

The security camera showed nothing.

Then she heard it again.

A metallic sound.

Clang.

Someone was at the back entrance.

Sharon switched off the lights.

The entire resort fell into darkness.

She moved silently through the hallway.

Another sound.

Closer.

Her grip tightened.

The back door handle moved.

Once.

Twice.

Someone was trying to get inside.

Sharon raised the weapon.

The door suddenly stopped moving.

Silence.

She waited.

Nothing.

Then footsteps sounded outside.

They moved away.

Sharon rushed to the camera monitor.

A figure was walking toward the forest.

A hood covered their face.

Sharon zoomed in.

The person stopped.

Slowly, they turned toward the camera.

Even from a distance, Sharon could feel their eyes watching her.

Then the figure raised one hand.

Something flashed between their fingers.

A phone.

Sharon's own phone vibrated.

She looked down.

A new message appeared.

You should leave the city tomorrow.

Her eyes narrowed.

Another message followed.

Day Zero is coming earlier than you remember.

Sharon's blood ran cold.

That wasn't possible.

She remembered the date.

Thirty days.

Exactly thirty days.

The end of the world started on December 2 in her past life.

Today was November 2.

Thirty days.

Unless

The figure outside suddenly disappeared into the trees.

Sharon ran toward the back door.

She unlocked it and stepped outside.

Cold air hit her face.

The forest stretched before her.

Empty.

Whoever had been there was gone.

But something had been left behind.

A small black envelope lay on the ground.

Sharon carefully picked it up.

There was no name.

No address.

Nothing.

She opened it.

Inside was a single photograph.

Sharon stared at it.

Her breath caught.

It was a picture of the resort.

Taken from inside.

Her eyes moved across the photograph.

The resort entrance.

The walls.

The cameras.

And--

Her.

Standing beside the delivery trucks earlier that day.

Someone had photographed her from close range.

Very close.

There were only six words written on the back of the picture.

Thirty days is not your real countdown.

Sharon's face went pale.

A vehicle suddenly roared in the distance.

She turned.

Headlights appeared between the trees.

A black SUV was approaching the resort.

Sharon raised her weapon.

The vehicle stopped.

The driver's door opened.

Alex Knight stepped out.

Sharon's eyes narrowed.

Of all the people who could have appeared at that moment.

It had to be him.

Alex looked at her weapon.

Then at the photograph in her hand.

His expression changed.

Sharon had never seen him like that before, but now she saw real surprise in his eyes.

"You received one too," he said.

Sharon didn't lower the weapon.

"One what?"

Alex slowly closed the car door.

"A warning."

Sharon's heart skipped.

"You know about this?"

Alex looked toward the forest.

His jaw tightened.

"Unfortunately."

Sharon stepped closer.

"Who sent it?"

Alex didn't answer immediately.

His eyes returned to hers.

"Someone who has been watching both of us."

"Why?"

"Because they want us to prepare."

Sharon frowned.

"Prepare for what?"

Alex's expression became grim.

"The apocalypse."

The wind suddenly swept through the trees.

Sharon stared at him.

Alex continued.

"But there's something you don't know."

"What?"

He took a step toward her.

Sharon instinctively stepped back.

Alex stopped.

Their eyes locked.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

The tension between them was immediate.

Annoying.

Unwanted.

And impossible to ignore.

Alex looked at her, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before drifting down to her lips, then quickly back up to her eyes again.

Sharon noticed.

Her expression hardened.

"Don't."

A faint smile touched his mouth.

"Don't what?"

"Look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"You know exactly what you're doing."

Alex moved one step closer.

"I don't think you do."

Sharon's heart beat faster.

She hated that he could affect her so easily.

It really bothered her that he seemed so aware of it too.

Just as they were about to continue their conversation, Alex's phone suddenly rang, interrupting the moment.

He answered.

His expression changed almost immediately.

"Where?"

A pause.

"How many?"

Another pause.

"Get everyone out."

Sharon watched him carefully.

Alex ended the call.

"What happened?"

He looked at her.

"The first infected case has appeared."

Sharon froze.

"That's impossible."

"Not according to my people."

"Where?"

Alex's eyes became cold.

"At the central hospital."

Sharon's stomach dropped.

The hospital was one of the first things to fall apart in her past life.

It was still thirty days away, so how could this be happening now.

Alex stepped closer.

"Your countdown is wrong, Sharon."

She stared at him.

Then her phone vibrated.

One final message appeared.

Day Zero begins in seven days.

Sharon's blood ran cold.

Seven days.

Not thirty.

Seven.

In the depths of darkness, a faint smile crept onto the face of someone who held a secret: they remembered what was to come.