Rebirth Before the End: The World Restarts With Us

tlessly, and Kaelira was busy ens

third, and fourth floors, crowding out the original residents. The air was thick with tensi

choed through doors as people fought over access to the limited bathroom facilities. With water available but

share their sanctuary with strangers. As the frustration grew, those on the first floor beg

y direction, voices clashing in the staircases as tensions escalated. The once-quiet community chat exploded into a bat

h one more persistent than the last. When she blocked him, he shifted tactics, bombarding her

ira's screen: [Kaelira, let me exp

od supplies on the twelfth floor must be running dangerously low. It was clear he assumed she had more than enough to spare

ng over a post from a girl on the twelfth floor. She was offering to

was no sign of rescue in sight. The weather department had initially predicted that the storm would pass within four to

n had collapsed and suffered a heart attack. Floodwaters trapped his family, unable to reach emergency services, and frantic pleas flooded the group chat: "Does anyone have

g so small and insignificant compared to the distance between her and the man in need-several hun

r binoculars and focused. It was a body. The group chat confirmed it: the person was from building three. After two days without food, he had tried to s

st life. Back then, her phone had died, and she had relied on

s her gaze shifted, something small caught her eye. Green shoots were pushing their way up from the planters she had carefully tended. Her seeds had sprouted-t

as visibly heavier. Her stomach was swollen, taut with life. Kaelira's heart skipped a beat as she realized: the rabbit was pregnant. She must have been when Kaelira b

perfect. She couldn't resist rewarding the rabbit with two freshly picked

gy drink went down easily as she tuned into a TV show, letting the familiar voices and scenes wash over h

short. It was Livia. The little girl's cold had clearly improved; her cheeks had color again, and she looked much better than befo

ny red apple, her innocent smile li

p the good things for yourself. Don't let others see, or they might take it away." Kaelira's heart ached as she

No give to others, only you," she insisted, hol

own how Maxwell managed to grow apples in these condit

ised, her hand covering her mouth

ed the apple and handed Livia two candies in return,

ped up on her phone from Avery: [Kaelira, the water has flooded over half o

university-level kickboxing champion. Her fierce glare alone could make anyone reconsider their actions, and her punches had left more than a

each other after losing their families. Despite Evan being sickly and Fynn being frail,

d always drawn the attention of girls, his eyes were always on Avery, who was more masculine than most. Evan had confessed that he

em still met up on occasion, their

o survive without connection. This time, she made sure he

I can't fit you in. But 1803 is empty. You and Evan can move there, but you sh

ry's reply came quickly: [Ok

ld only take risks when they had no other option. Avery was cautious but optimistic,

econd floor, though she couldn't reveal that just yet. Still, she held on to t

. The little girl, however, was having none of it. "No, your food

y not used to being rejected. "I followed a re

u said that yesterday too," she said, her vo

s just plain boiled pasta. What's so great

rew colder, more serious. "Livia," he s

lding demeanor, lowered her head and re

toward Kaelira. "Kaelira, the trash in the hallway hasn

deal with it, but Maxwell had beaten her to it. When they met in the common area, they quickly agreed that something needed to be done. Maxwell's suggestio

ilding management on hiatus, the residents of the other floors had begun tossing their garbage down int

ation, Kaelira casually mentione

"Fine by me," he said. "B

more than once during the apocalypse. Once, when food was scarce, Avery had shared a couple of pounds of pasta with her, knowing that it could very well be the difference between life a

tter how strong, became targets for the desperate and the hungry. It was a cruel paradox: the stronger you were, the more other

epay her for her selflessness. But Kaelira knew she had to remain cautious. T

n spent preparing hearty dishes-enough food to last her four to five months. It felt like an accomplishment, but it also w

icane was still raging, though the torrential rain had lessened. The water level