Rebirth Before the End: The World Restarts With Us

souls swam through the rising water, making a daring escape from the neighborhood. The terrain where she stood

e to return depended entirely on luck-a

ided to move over immediately. Avery and Evan lived just abou

hour later, she spotted them: an inflatable rubber boat, bobbing gently on the water. Evan was perched on it, wearing a disposable raincoat, padd

on the second floor. But as she made her way down, she encountered Tessa coming out of Unit 1202 on the twelfth floor. Tessa was wearing a polka-dot d

er face lighting up despite the circumstances.

nter, but Tessa had already lost the radiant glow she once had. She was thinner now,

back to her task, ignoring Tessa's presence a

t, almost pleading, as she followed behind. "If I di

nning. She stopped in her tracks and turned to

a shadow. "Kaelira, really, it's not what you think with me and

tion, she threw the trash she was carrying straight at Tessa, hitting her with

ssion vanished in an instant, replaced by a flicker of rag

n't care if you freeload off others,

a mask of frustration. Her emotions shifted violently,

racked, her patience finally wearing thin. "W

llowing me around like a puppy? Messaging me all

ward Kaelira, her voice shaking with indignation. "Your house is overflowing with

utting edge. "When did you see my house overflowing with food? You're nothing but a leech, sucking the life out of one household and onto the next. Who is

stolen supplies from Arcadia to stockpile food-food that she had taken by bartering her body. In the filth

cus had pushed her into it. The truth was the same. People had been tr

went white, and she trembled, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She had never imagined th

their curious glances, her focus unwavering. She turned and continued downstairs, her footsteps steady despite the t

he sheer fragility of human life became undeniable in the face of such a

several heavy backpacks, bags, and finally, the rubber boat. But Avery was the last to

ng just to survive. Even with rice, flour, and oil stockpiled, cooking was out of the question. Some were burning vodka for fuel; others

A middle-aged woman, her smile far too eager, hurried over, her eyes scanning the bags greedily. "You'

e bags, guarding them fiercely. "Stay back,"

"Young man," she said, her tone soft but firm, "We've been stuck here for days without food o

ut the woman's hand was already reaching for it. He instinctively pulled back,

rate moment, he yanked the boat's air valve, and it deflated, a sharp hiss filling t

uffering here-why can't you just help us?" The

man's aggression. Seeing her boyfriend being cornered, Avery's temper flared. Without warning, she

down the stairs. Her two sons, enraged by the sight of their mother being pushed, rushed over, fists raised

he knocked the two men off their feet. They tumbled down the stairs, sp

the water. She couldn't afford to waste time on a scene. Panic to

n, began murmuring among themselves. "They were just

no one could afford to be naive. She wasn't about to let anyone take advantage of he

d it out, her voice low and dangerous. "Try touching my stuff again," she threatened, her

grown men, faltered. Their gazes flicked between her and the two

tled over them. Evan's shoulders slumped in exhaustion, and Avery's eyes were clouded with frustration. The storm had ravaged not only the physical world but had cracked the

stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide with appreciation. "Kaelira

y. "It was my neighbor's

ness, "If we'd known about this earlier, we would've moved

ders who used their bathroom, the uninvited guests sneaking i

's face as she asked, "You guys

Someone messed up their delivery address right before the hurricane hit

gs of rice, several bundles of spaghetti, pickles, cheese, a portable gas

hey could even track down the mix-up, th

ol cafeteria or order takeout. If it weren't for that misdelivery, w