All Chapters of Olivia: Loving You in Ruins: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The City of AshfordAlexander drove his car out of the parking lot of the largest mall in Ashford, with a stack of gifts he had bought using his last paycheck after finally quitting the job he had held for years.The handsome man of mixed Asian heritage ran his fingers through his black hair and exhaled slowly. He hadn’t actually intended to resign anytime soon. But his mother had just remarried a few days ago. News that came as a huge shock to him.Ever since his father passed away, Alexander had been his mother’s only family. That was why, even though she now had a new family, his mother kept urging him to move with her.At first, Alexander refused. He didn’t want to leave this city. The place that had witnessed all his life’s struggles, the place where he’d lost his love. It was sad, yes, but that was precisely why he’d stayed here. Perhaps because he was still waiting, still hoping that girl would come back.But after hearing his mother cry on the phone for nearly half an hour, co

Ashford city parking lots Alan, or whatever he was now, lunged toward Mike. Alexander quickly pulled the young man back, and Argan fired two shots at Alan. Alan’s head was blown to pieces, and his body collapsed, dead for the second time. Fear crept into the hearts of those remaining in the room. A young woman named Sofie screamed loudly and wept. Mike, who had nearly been attacked, curled up in the corner of the room, clutching his head, while Robert tried to calm him down. Mrs. Sarah and her son Jake, who had been rescued earlier, hugged each other in fear. "Listen!" Alexander raised his voice, trying to take control of the situation. "If you’ve been bitten, it seems the infection takes about four hours to fully take hold. We have to check all the wounds right now. Anyone who’s been bitten needs to be isolated." Argan nodded firmly. "I’ll help check. You guys should check each other," Argan said to Mrs. Sarah and Sofie, who was still sobbing uncontrollably. Mrs. Sarah nod

"Grrrhhahh"Three zombies emerged from the aisle of instant food shelves. Cans of sardines and instant noodles fell everywhere as the zombies stumbled into the edges of the shelves.One of the zombies was still wearing a convenience store employee uniform. Its nearly detached name tag swayed as it staggered forward."Watch out, man," Alexander whispered as a warning.He kicked over a light shelf filled with rows of tissues, blocking two zombies at once. Argan closed the open backroom door and wedged it shut with a shopping cart.The fight in that cramped space was brutal and fast-paced. Alexander swung his crowbar swiftly and parried a bite with his elbow, then drove it down into the zombie’s jaw, delivering a barrage of blows that shattered the zombie’s skull.Alexander’s body moved on reflex, years of working as a bodyguard and facing various situations had trained him to anticipate the direction of an attack and his opponent’s movements.Thud! Crack!Argan swung his baseball bat to

#Underground parking garage, Ashford# That night, the rain fell heavily, washing away the dried bloodstains and the rotting flesh scattered across the streets. Drops of dark liquid fell as if simply poured from the sky, soaking the asphalt, building roofs, and wrecked vehicles. The trees bowed their heads slightly, their leaves trembling gently each time the black droplets touched their green surfaces. The rainwater was thick, smelled of metal, and left rust-like stains that were difficult to remove. The emergency lights in the underground parking garage flickered dimly. Some were out, while others glowed with a faint, yellowish light. Alexander sat leaning against the hood of an old sedan, still fiddling with the radio they’d taken from the convenience store. He turned the knob slowly, adjusting the bent antenna. "Are you still hoping for another broadcast?" Argan asked. Alexander didn’t answer. He tapped the side of the radio gently, then turned the dial. "…krrt... shh

Ethan ran through the rain, paying no heed to the raindrops soaking his hair and clothes. "Olivia!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. His voice was drowned out by the roar of thunder and the howling wind. Prickly bushes tore at his pants. Sharp twigs scratched his arms and face. But Ethan didn’t slow down at all. "Liv!" "Olivia!" He kept following the path, which was starting to turn into muddy ground. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Don’t let it be too late… Please… Don’t let me lose her… Ethan pushed through the dense thicket. Wet leaves slapped his face every time he forced his way through. "Olivia!" he called again, his voice now beginning to crack. A few minutes passed. Still no answer. Ethan’s hope slowly began to fade. Until his steps suddenly stopped. Under a pine tree, something lay on the wet ground. A pair of house slippers. Purple rabbit-shaped slippers lying there, almost unrecognizable. Ethan’s eyes widened. He ran over to them, then knelt down. His trembling h