All Chapters of I Promised To Protect My Brother In the Apocalypse. : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

It had been years since the apocalypse began. I didn't know what lay beyond the dark underground tunnel where my mother and I lived. But three days had passed since she ventured outside to search for food, and she still hadn't returned.I was only twelve when the world ended. The creatures outside were neither human nor beast. They moved in silence, clad in robes of deep red cloth. No living soul had ever seen their faces, because seeing them meant instant death.They appeared only at a specific hour of the day, slaughtering every living thing in sight. Survival meant one simple rule: hide until the Red Hour passed.My mother had kept us hidden in this damp sanctuary for as long as I could remember. She never allowed us outside, taking on the burden of foraging alone once the Red Hour cleared. But now, three full days had slipped by without a trace of her.I looked down at my little brother resting his head in my lap. Noah’s large brown eyes were dull with exhaustion. I had no idea wh

Adrian checked his watch, then looked up at the road ahead.“We have ten hours before the Red Hour,” he said, his voice clipped. “We have to find a Red Shelter nearby before then.”I stared at him, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion. “What’s a Red Shelter?” Noah nodded beside me, looking equally bewildered.“It’s a place the Red Ones can’t enter,” Adrian explained, his expression turning grim. “No matter what they do, they can’t get inside. They can see the people through the barriers, but they can’t cross them. But...”“But what?” I pressed.“These shelters have masters,” Adrian said, looking down toward the direction of our destroyed tunnel home. “If you don’t bring things to appease them, they won’t let you in. We have to forage for supplies before we go.”“What happened back there?” Noah asked softly, sensing the heavy worry radiating from Adrian.“Your tunnel must have had an old seal or safe lock,” Adrian said, turning to me with a look of genuine pity. “That’s why you

Adrian, please... where are you?! I called out in my mind, my body trembling as the men dragged me back.“Ahh! Let my sister go!” Noah cried, kicking frantically as two heavy-set men forced us apart.I didn't care what they did to me. All I could think of was my brother being thrown out into the Red Hour.“Please, we’ll do anything….”“Adrian!” Noah shouted, cutting off my desperate plea.I shoved my hair out of my face and looked toward the street. Far down the avenue, Adrian was sprinting like a man possessed, his boots pounding against the cracked asphalt. Hope surged through my chest like a jolt of electricity.“Let us go!” I screamed, twisting violently until the men released their grip. I scrambled across the floor, pulling Noah tightly into my arms as we stared through the shelter's protective barrier. Right behind Adrian, the crimson silhouettes of the Red Ones were closing in at terrifying speed, long blades raised to strike.Whispers broke out among the refugees crowded ins

When we reached the convenience store, the place was packed with desperate refugees. Some were violently shoving one another over cans, others were frantically tearing into food right in the aisles, and a few were stuffing whatever they could grab into their bags. “Hold on to each other tightly,” Adrian warned, and we nodded. The store was chaotic and crowded, but we managed to push our way through the mob, holding hands so tightly our knuckles turned white. “Phew,” Noah and I sighed in unison once we finally found a relatively clear corner. We grabbed bottled water, sugary drinks, and pre-packaged snacks. There was no real food, no rice, no beans, no meat, no pasta, none of the warm meals I loved. But this is an apocalypse, I reminded myself as we shoved the provisions into our backpacks. “We have five hours before the Red Hour,” Adrian said, checking his watch. “Pack fast so we can move. We need enough food for three days so we don't have to risk coming back out tomorrow.” I n

“I’ve been trying to survive,” Lyla said, her voice dropping as she stared out into the dark hallway. “I’ve wandered this town as much as I could, but honestly... I don't think I'm ever getting out of here alive.” Her response didn't really answer my question, but I gave a quiet nod, remembering Noah’s words about accepting help where we could find it. Then a sudden thought struck me, sending a jolt of electricity through my chest. “Wait, that means you might know my mother!” I said, a bright smile breaking across my face. Lyla blinked in surprise. “I don't know, kid. What’s her name?” “Mara Vance,” I said eagerly, my hope soaring. “She’s tall, she has dark wavy hair, and she’s in her late thirties.” Lyla fell silent for a moment, her eyes drifting upward as if searching her memory. “Wait... yes! I think I do know her,” Lyla said, her face lighting up. “I saw a woman matching that description in a shelter on the north side, the last safe zone before you reach the school basem