Chapter 2

At first light, I burst out of the isolation room.

The gray-white pattern had already spread across half my shoulder.

After one night, the stench of rot in the air seemed even thicker.

I could feel the zombies closing in on the perimeter. Without me as the main fighting force, the camp would fall sooner or later.

Ethan’s door was slightly open.

I pushed it.

And froze.

Ethan was curled up on a makeshift cot. Sophie was tucked against his chest. They were under the same blanket.

Sophie was wearing Ethan’s jacket.

On the folding table were two cups of coffee still steaming—coffee was a luxury in the apocalypse, rarer than bullets.

Ethan’s hand rested at Sophie’s waist. Sophie was pressed to his chest, sleeping peacefully.

My mind went blank for three seconds.

Then it detonated.

“ETHAN!”

I roared and stormed in, yanking Sophie up and slamming her hard to the floor.

Sophie screamed. Her temple hit the bedframe, and blood immediately seeped out.

Ethan jolted awake. When he saw what was happening, his face went deathly pale.

“Vera! What the hell are you doing?!”

I pointed at Sophie, my voice shaking.

“What am I doing?”

“You’re asking me what I’m doing?! Ethan, look at what you two are doing!”

Sophie clutched her forehead, scrambled up, and hid behind Ethan, her voice thick with tears.

“I just… last night I suddenly started showing infection symptoms. I got scared, so I came to talk to the captain about the Type III serum… I’m sorry. I don’t want to cause trouble for anyone…”

I laughed, sharp and furious.

“And that required wearing his jacket and lying in his bed?”

Ethan stepped in front of Sophie. There was panic in his eyes, but even more anger.

“Vera, enough! Sophie really did show early infection symptoms last night. As the leader, is it wrong for me to take care of a team member?”

“We didn’t do anything!”

I stared at the bruise-dark mark at Sophie’s collarbone—the unmistakable trace of a kiss.

“Ethan. Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Ethan suddenly raised his voice.

“Look at you right now! Out of control, impulsive, violent! Do you even remember you’re the deputy leader?! This is exactly what I was afraid of—your emotions are affecting your judgment!”

I went still.

I remembered the time before the apocalypse, back in the ROTC infirmary. I’d pushed myself too hard in training, aggravated an old injury, and spiked a fever to 39°C.

Ethan skipped an entire afternoon of drills to stay by my bed. He changed my ice packs, made me drink water, and eventually fell asleep with his head against the edge of my mattress.

When he woke up, he said—

“Vera. If you dare die before me, I’ll chase you into hell and beat you back to life.”

Back then, there had been pain in his eyes. Fear. The terror of losing me.

And now?

He looked at me, cold as stone.

“Today’s mission is important. I don’t have time to argue with you. Sophie, get ready. We’re leaving.”

Sophie immediately nodded, wiping at the blood on her forehead as she walked out. When she passed me, she murmured—

“I’m sorry you saw that… it’s not what you think.”

The classic fake-innocent line. An apology on the surface, a flex underneath.

I grabbed Ethan’s wrist.

“You’re taking her with you?”

Ethan shook me off.

“She knows the West District terrain.”

“Vera, the way you are right now—how am I supposed to trust you with the team?”

“You stay here and wait. I’ll bring the Type III serum back.”

He finished packing his gear and left without looking back.

I stood there, staring at the empty room.

At the blanket still warm with two bodies’ heat.

At the two cups of coffee on the table.

The force inside me surged violently. The gray-white pattern spread to my chest in an instant.

My skin felt like it was about to split open. The burning nearly swallowed me whole.

But I held it down.

I clenched my fist until my nails sank deep into my palm. Blood dripped between my fingers.

Ethan.

You chose her again.

Then we’re done.

I staggered back to the isolation room and leaned against the wall, gasping.

I was certain now—this infection wasn’t normal.

Outside the window came the sound of engines turning over.

I went to the glass and saw three modified pickup trucks rolling out of the camp gates.

Ethan was in the driver’s seat of the lead truck. Sophie sat pressed close beside him in the passenger seat.

Sophie turned to say something to him. Ethan smiled—loose, unguarded.

I hadn’t seen him smile like that in a long time.

The convoy disappeared into the ruins at the edge of Denver.

I closed my eyes.

Ethan.

If you don’t come back in time before sunset today…

You’ll regret what you chose.