Chapter 1 : THE FIRE AND THE REBIRTH

Please sign this, Sarah !!. it doesn't need to be so difficult.

Jason's voice was as cold as ice. With no love in his eyes for the past ten years he slid the divorce papers across the glass table. His mistress, Emily, stood beside him, her hands delicately resting on her belly in a protective embrace.

“You're useless,” Jason sneered as he leaned back in his chair. I can't even give you a kid. You're nothing without me. Just sign the papers, take your shoddy suitcase and leave my house.

I could hardly keep my hands from shaking as I looked at the papers. I had been a friend to this man, and lent him my youth, and my business experience. This was my thanks?

I whispered, "You planned this! You were going to abandon me as soon as she became pregnant.

Yes, of course I did!" He laughed, a bitter mirthless chuckle. Now, you sign or I’ll throw you out?

I rose, my vision dazzled with tears. I picked up my coat and didn't want them to see me cry. I said I would go, my voice trembled. But I hope you two rot in hell!

I headed for the front door but a peculiar metal scent was detected in my nose. Just as I turned around there was a whoosh in the house. The floorboards ignited. The whole living room was soon filled with smoke.

I tried to run back but the fire was too swift and I shrieked. I could see through the flames, but I saw Jason grabbing Emily and dragging her out the back door. He didn't even turn his head to look at me. He left me to die.

The temperature was so high that it was a problem. I had a burn on my skin and smoke in my lungs. I fell to the ground, my eyes closed, I was burning.

I perished in the blaze but my tale was just starting.

I gasped and I jumped out of bed.

My hands were on my chest, rubbing my skin, as if to wipe away something. No burns. No pain. My heart was beating so hard in my ribs I felt like I was holding onto a trapped bird in my ribs and couldn't get rid of it, and my body was sweating profusely. I picked up my cell phone from the bedside table and fumbled with my fingers on the screen to unlock it.

Date: May 15th.

I choked on the words in my mouth. On June 14th, the apocalypse started. I was just 30 days away from the end of the world. I was alive. I was reborn.

Suddenly, a bright blue screen of consciousness appeared in my mind.

[Ding! System Activated: Stockpile Space.]

Current capacity: 10m².

I blinked, and a mental image of just a plain empty gray room came into my mind. There was no need this was overly complicated or Sci-Fi. It was a little, hidden storage box. It was the oasis of life to me.

I didn't cry. I didn't spend one minute regretting things. I left my bed, dressed and walked straight to the bank.

Jason was still sleeping, dreaming of his new life with Emily. I approached the teller and we all withdrew the $300,000 that we had saved collectively. Next, using information from the future, I purchased a winning lottery ticket for a sum of precisely $1,000,000.

At noon, I was in front of Jason with the signed divorce papers in my hands.

"You signed them?" I looked at Jason with an astonished look, he raised his eyebrow. "No tears? No begging? Just like that?"

“Just Sign,” I said, my voice emotionless.

He smiled, hastily signing his name on the papers and imagining that he had won. "Good, now leave, I have to plan a wedding.

I walked away from his life never to see him again. Little did he know that he has just ceded away his only lifeline.

I made it right to the city's biggest wholesale market.

I took one of the trolleys and loaded it with instant noodles. Then another. And another. I purchased a case of bottled water, canned meat, basic supplies and an extensive first aid kit. I purchased a small camping stove, a hunting knife and a water purifier.

I took my card out, and took everything with me into my 10 square meters. The boxes disappeared into nothingness and piled neatly in my brain's warehouse. It was easy, straightforward and rewarding.

I was in the middle of purchasing a truck-load of instant noodles when I noticed the television in the store.

“Widespread panic as reports emerge of a new weird, aggressive virus in the northern hemisphere…”

I smiled. It had started sooner than I believed.

My cellphone rang in my pocket. It was Jason. He was surely yelling at me because of the lack of funds in the bank.

I hit decline.

So, Jason, have a great next three weeks! At the end of the world, I'll be the only one laughing.