Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 24: Dammit!

Chapter 24: Dammit!

The next day arrived with a gentle warmth, as dawn wrapped the world in light. Soft rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, streaming through the glass window and casting a calm glow over the faces of the survivors.

The air vibrated with the sweet songs of birds, their melodies intertwining with the gentle rustle of leaves, and distant growls of monsters which is hard to notice.

Scarlett stirred, stretching her body and blinking into the golden light. Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up suddenly, blinking in surprise. For the first time in a while, it felt like there were no monsters lurking nearby, only peaceful silence, broken only by the soft singing of the birds but she could still hear their distant growls due to her enhansed senses.

Her gaze fell on Hope, who was still sleeping peacefully in her crib. Hope was known for her deep sleep, rarely waking during the night. Even if she did, it was usually just once or twice. Scarlett smiled; it seemed that Hope loved sleeping even in such tense times.

Today, however, Scarlett’s eyes widened in sudden worry. She reached a trembling hand towards Hope’s face, feeling for her breath. When she felt the warm air brush her fingers, Scarlett let out a sigh of relief. Hope was safe. She let her gaze drift to Garvin, who was sound asleep nearby, and a small smile crept across her face.

It amused her that Garvin, younger but technically her boss, had always made her life difficult, holding her to high expectations. Yet, in this world, he had changed, becoming kinder and more considerate to everyone around him, especially to Scarlett. Ironically, she almost wished he would revert to his ruthless self; it might keep him alive a little longer. She didn’t want him to risk his life for others, as it could cost them both dearly. Her smile faded, and her expression turned thoughtful, even a bit angry.

’Is this what people mean when they say trauma changes you?’ Scarlett thought with a sigh.

Her eyes shifted to the spot where Rose had been sitting and crying the previous night, but to Scarlett’s shock, Rose was gone.

"Garvin!" she called urgently, shaking his shoulder. "Rose is gone!"

Garvin’s eyes flew open, instantly alert. He jumped up, scanning the room. "Everyone wake up!"

The group scrambled to their feet, alarm and confusion evident on their faces.

"What’s wrong? Louise asked, with sleepy eyes.

"Rose left." Garvin revealed promting the group to turn their gaze to the spot she had been sitting only to see that she’s no longer there.

"Oh, for God’s sake! Does she have a death wish?" Louise cursed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Why do some people always have to make the worst choices?"

Garvin rounded on him, his gaze sharp. "Weren’t you supposed to be on watch last night? It was your turn. Why did you fall asleep?"

"We’re all exhausted, Garvin," Louise replied in a low, defensive tone. "After that axe squad drove off most of the monsters yesterday, I thought we could actually get a full night’s sleep. For the first time in what feels like forever, I wasn’t listening to monster growls all night."

Garvin sighed, rubbing his temples. "What are we going to do now?"

Louise crossed his arms and looked away. "Well, she’s gone. We shouldn’t risk our necks for her? You’re not actually thinking of going after her, are you?"

Garvin’s face hardened. "Why shouldn’t we go after her? Those monsters are still lurking around; she’ll die out there, probably before she even finds Matthew. And if she does find him, it’ll be him or that axe squad who kills her. Besides," he added, glancing at Scarlett, "we have Scarlett’s powers from the pendant. And we still have our weapons."

"She chose this path, she’s the one who left, so it’s her responsibility if something happens. The moment we leave this room, we’ll be putting ourselves in danger. She might be dead already ," Louise replied coldly.

"Oh please don’t say that. Don’t be ruthless." Garvin interjected.

"This world demands ruthlessness if we want to survive," Louise shot back, meeting his gaze. "Tell me, are you really going out there to save a stupid human being that walked into the hands of death by herself?"

"He wouldn’t dare!" Mrs. Anderson chimed in, her steely gaze fixed on Garvin. "Rose made her choice when she left. We don’t need to be fools like her."

"Exactly!" Louise echoed, settling back onto the floor. "We’re not risking our lives for her. That would be suicide."

"Just what part of the word that Matthew is now a monster doesn’t she understand." Scarlett murmured under her breath, tracing her fingers to her neck, where she suddenly felt the absence of her pendant.

’She’s actually relying on the pendant’s powers.’ Scarlett thought bitterly, shaking her head in disbelief. ’What a fool!’

"Your pendant," Mr. Anderson said, his gaze fixed on her neck. "Did she steal it?"

"Oh, hell," Louise growled, jumping up again, his face flushed with anger. "She’s going to get us all killed by taking that pendant."

"I really don’t want to die," Mary whimpered, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes. "The pendant was our hope, and now it’s gone. What are we supposed to do?"

Garvin’s shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head in defeat. The rest of the group slowly sank to the floor, lost in grim thoughts about their chances of survival. Everyone stared into the distance, wondering if they’d even live to see another sunrise.

Just then, Scarlett felt a strange tingling in her body. Her eyes turned crimson red, and, almost as if summoned by an unseen force, a map of the mall materialized in her mind. She saw Rose’s figure, still somewhere within the mall, but surrounded by monsters ready to close in on her.

"Damn it!" Scarlett cried out, spinning to face Garvin. "Rose is still in the mall, and she’s alive, but she’s in serious danger."