Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 45: Unburied Truth.

Chapter 45: Unburied Truth.

"It’s like Victor has a map that tracks everything happening in this world," Larry said, his voice laced with a mix of frustration and awe. "A map he uses to pinpoint survivors’ locations and attack them. But just as Victor has his organization, there’s also someone out there, someone with powers who’s built their own organization. If we can find him, I believe we’ll have a real shot. Most people with powers like ours are probably under his protection."

Louise leaned back against the wall, her arms crossed and a smirk curling on her lips. "A person with powers like you three? Forming organizations now, are we?"

Larry responded with a nod, his tone more serious. "I believe there are different groups forming all over. If we could locate all the others, it might give us the edge we need." He moved to sit beside Maya, who silently nodded in agreement.

Scarlett’s voice broke through the conversation, sharp and determined. "Whatever it is, once we cross the sea, everything will fall into place. That’s where the real monster slaughter begins. We’ll kill those motherfuckers, gather the resources we need, and give Victor and his men a taste of the pain and suffering they’ve caused." Her fiery gaze flicked across the room, her resolve infecting the others as they nodded in unison.

Without waiting for a response, Scarlett moved away from the group, her jaw clenched, and her thoughts heavy. She sat down on the damp floor, her back turned to the others, lost in her own spiraling emotions.

The memories of Hope, Golden, and Jaden, the children she’d grown to love as her own, surged into her mind. Even though she wasn’t their biological mother, the bond she felt was unbreakable. The ache of their absence cut through her, leaving her chest hollow and her heart raw.

Are they really safe? she wondered, the question circling her mind until tears streamed down her cheeks, betraying her stoic demeanor.

"Hey," Garvin’s voice called gently from behind, breaking her solitude. He approached carefully, his expression soft. "You okay? Sitting here all alone like this..."

Scarlett hastily wiped her tears, forcing a faint smile as she turned to meet his gaze. Inwardly, she thought his question was ridiculous. Of course, she wasn’t okay, none of them were but she lacked the energy to argue.

Garvin didn’t press her. Instead, he settled beside her with a sigh. "You know, when I first found myself in this world, I thought about everything I’d left behind, my family, my wealth. None of it mattered here. I realized pretty quickly that I was being punished for the way I lived back on Earth." His voice was low, filled with remorse, as he stared into the distance.

"I used to be a terrible boss. I didn’t care if my workers were sick or struggling; I only cared about my money. And now?" He let out a bitter laugh. "That money I obsessed over couldn’t even save me."

Scarlett glanced at him, surprised by the vulnerability in his tone.

"I guess we’re all being punished," Garvin continued, his gaze dark. "Here, your position, your money, none of it matters. There’s no law, no order. Every minute is a fight to survive, and you never know if it’ll be your last."

"Yeah," Scarlett said softly, her voice trembling as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "We’re being punished, and yet some of us are still committing the same evils we’re here to atone for. Humans never learn, do we?"

Garvin nodded solemnly. "Do you think we’ll ever go back to Earth?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "What if we’re stuck here forever? What if... this is it?"

"We’ll go back," Scarlett said firmly, her hands curling into fists. "But it depends on us. Cooperation is the only way. If humanity can learn to work together, we’ll find a way out of this."

"Cooperation," Garvin repeated, a cynical smile tugging at his lips. "Humanity has always struggled with that, hasn’t it? It feels impossible."

"Maybe," Scarlett admitted, her tone softening. "But it’s the only chance we have to get out of here."

Silence stretched between them for a moment. Scarlett’s thoughts wandered again, dwelling on her failed attempts to build something, a safe haven, a community. She sighed heavily. If only we could come together faster...

"Why are you sure we can get out of here if humanity cooperates?" Garvin asked, his voice cutting through her thoughts. "People are dying every day. Humanity is shrinking while the monsters keep growing stronger. What if we’re doomed to extinction?"

Scarlett offered a faint smile. "I had a dream," she said, her tone light but resolute. It’s not like she can tell him the system says that they can leave after building a save haven before the real apocalypse strikes Earth.

"A dream?" Garvin raised an eyebrow, a wry chuckle escaping him. "Well, I guess that makes you Joseph the Dreamer now. Let’s hope your dream comes true. It really needs to."

He paused before asking, "Have you ever come across any of your family members here?"

Scarlett’s expression darkened. "I’m an orphan. I don’t have anyone to look for. And the people I once considered family? They betrayed me. I have no desire to see them again."

Garvin tilted his head, studying her. "Not even once?"

"I hope they’ve been eaten by monsters," Scarlett said coldly, her jaw tightening. "If they’ve turned into monsters themselves, I’ll kill them with my own hands."

Garvin chuckled, though his tone was tinged with sadness. "Well, I can’t blame you. They deserve it." He looked down at his hands. "I haven’t seen my parents either. They’re old... I’m scared they didn’t make it."

Scarlett placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "They might be alive. This world is massive, and it’s not easy to find people. Don’t lose hope."

"Hope," Garvin echoed, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Like your kids. Hope, Jaden, and Golden. They’ll come back to you. I know they will."

Scarlett’s heart clenched, but she nodded, her expression softening. "I believe that too."

A silence settled between them again before Garvin broke it. "I’m sorry," he said quietly, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"For what?" Scarlett asked, puzzled.

"For how I treated you at work," he admitted, his voice heavy with guilt. "I yelled at you. I didn’t care about what you were going through with your mother and sister-in-law. I was awful to you."

Scarlett blinked, caught off guard. "I’ve moved past it," she said gently. "You even tried to warn me about my husband’s cheating, but I didn’t listen. I trusted him..."

Garvin’s expression darkened, and he hesitated before speaking. "There’s something you need to know. The reason you couldn’t have children... it wasn’t your fault. It was him."

Scarlett’s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

Garvin swallowed hard. "After what happened to you, after they buried you alive, I couldn’t let it go. I did some digging to make sure they’d face justice. That’s when I found out... your husband was drugging you. He put something in your tea every morning to prevent you from getting pregnant."

Scarlett’s breath hitched, her mind reeling. Waves of shock and fury surged through her, leaving her speechless.