LOGINChapter 9Leora’s povAdrian collapsed before I could pull the trigger.His knees buckled, and his body slammed against the wall before sliding to the floor.“Adrian?” I cautiously approached him, keeping the gun pointed at his chest. He didn’t respond.Okay?His breathing was uneven, his skin burning with fever, the black veins around his bite had spread toward his elbow.Damn it.I couldn’t leave him here. Not when he was the only person who knew anything about my missing noodles.After checking that he wasn’t going to wake up immediately, I dragged him into a nearby storage room. It was small, enclosed, and had a heavy metal door. More importantly, there was only one entrance.I found some cables and secured his wrists behind him and tied him to a metal chair. Then fastened the chair to a metal fixture bolted into the floor.I stared back, pointing my gun at him. Now, all I could do was wait.Either Adrian would wake up as himself, or I’d have to put a bullet through his head.I wa
Chapter 8Leora’s povThe gates finally gave way and an infected dashed through the opening, soldiers fired desperately but the walkers leading the attack moved too quickly for their bullets to land.I saw its face and my blood ran cold. “No..” I knew that thing.In my past life, walkers had been the reason entire neighborhoods disappeared from the map. They weren’t ordinarily zombies, they were an upgraded mutation, stronger and intelligent enough to recognize traps.When walkers infested an area, the military didn’t bother sending ordinary soldiers. They evacuated everyone they could and bombed the entire location.Killing one was practically suicidal. But I knew something the military had found out too late. The neck… that was the weak point. “Everyone, aim for the neck!” I screamed.No one listened, the soldiers kept firing at its chest while the walker jumped behind a concrete barrier.Shit.The walker peeked around the barrier, observing the soldiers’ position, then charged to
Chapter 7Leora’s povAdrian glanced at me, one hand resting on the steering wheel. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then a faint irritating smile appeared on his face.“Would you feel safer if I said no?”I stared at him. “You know what? Forget I asked.”“Gladly.”I turned toward the window, still heaving my shoulders from the earlier shock, while wondering how I had once fallen in love with this infuriating man. The Adrian I remembered had been gentle, patient, and almost ridiculously sweet. This version seemed to take pleasure in making me miserable.I tuned in the radio and listened to the news.“….advice everyone to remain indoors and avoid contact with anyone with any type of cuts….”The usual drill that does little to no help.I rubbed my temples and shut my eyes, taking a deep breath.Before I could sink deeper into my thoughts, a familiar chime sounded inside my head.[Ding!]I straightened immediately.[Emergency Mission Activated!][Objective: Reach the designated emer
Chapter 6 Leora’s pov I screamed, stumbling backward as its bloodied fingers reached for my face, its rotten breath hit me before I could move, and I squeezed my eyes shut, certain that I was about to die for the second time. So much for a second chance. A gunshot exploded beside my ear. The zombie's head snapped backward, splattering blood across the wall; its body collapsed at my feet, and I stood frozen, staring at the lifeless creature. “Are you planning on standing there until another one eats you?” Adrian’s furious voice snapped me out of my daze, and I turned toward him. My chest heaving. “Untie my hands!” “Not happening.” He retorted. “Are you insane? There’s a zombie in front of us!” “And yet you’re alive, how unfortunate that you haven’t learned to follow instructions.” I glared at him. “You kidnapped me, dragged me into his bunker, and tied my hands behind my back! What exactly do you expect me to do?” “Start by answering my questions." “Only God kn
Leoras pov“Adrian?”The name slipped out before I could stop myself.He stared at me without a trace of the warmth I remembered. The man who had once looked at me as though I were the only woman in the world he loved, down-to-earth, now regarded me like a stranger who had inconvenienced him.“Don’t call me that like we’re old friends.” He picked up his mask. “Where are the cartons?”My chest tightened.Three years ago, Adrian had begged me not to marry Ken. He had shown up at my apartment in the middle of the night, stood in the rain outside my gate, and asked me to give him one reason to stay away from me.I’d given him one; I told him I loved Ken.Then I’d watched Adrian walk away, believing I would never see him again; now he was standing in my bedroom, armed and demanding answers.“I told you, I don’t have your cartons.” I pressed my lips together.I didn’t expect a good guy like him who had been so full of life to become a criminal… such a pity.He stepped closer. “I’m running o
Leora’s pov“Thirty days,” I muttered, staring at the growing pile of supplies in my storage facility.I had spent the past week buying food, bottled water, medicine, batteries, cooking oil, canned goods, and everything else I could afford to stockpile without attracting unnecessary attention.It still wasn’t enough.I needed more food, better security, and a reliable means of transportation. I also needed to figure out how to protect myself and my unborn child once the streets became overrun with zombies.But I couldn’t do everything at once.For now, I had to focus on the essentials.A notification appeared before my eyes.[Ding! Your shipment has arrived.]Finally,I grabbed my keys and hurried outside. I’d ordered thousands of cartons of instant noodles from a manufacturer, and the delivery had arrived at the storage shed I’d rented under my great-aunt’s name.If everything went according to plan, I would transfer the shipment into my system storage and move it to my private bunke







