Chapter 1

When the apocalypse arrived, I was reborn one month before the disaster.

I frantically stockpiled supplies and hid in an underground bunker with my five-year-old son.

My only wish was to protect him and keep him alive.

But as the zombies kept evolving, I started to notice something strange about my son.

He was never afraid of zombies. He could even make the most violent mutated zombies become obedient to him.

Then, one day, the strongest human base was at our gates, demanding I hand over the "Zombie Source."

That was when I realized in horror… the well-behaved son I had been protecting all alone was actually the one they called the being who could command all zombies in the world.

The final boss.

*****

In my last life, my son Leonard died right in my arms.

I held his tiny body close, feeling his warmth slip away bit by bit until he was cold and stiff.

Then, the zombies behind me tore me apart.

Right before the pain and darkness swallowed me whole, the only thing on my mind was, "If I ever get another chance, I'll risk everything to protect him."

When I opened my eyes again, the sunlight was blinding.

The calendar on the wall showed that there were exactly thirty days left before the apocalypse hit.

I was reborn.

There was no joy, only a bone-deep chill and a sense of urgency.

I rushed into the room. Leonard was hugging his teddy bear, sleeping soundly.

I gently touched his warm little face, just to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

"Mommy?" Leonard mumbled, rubbing his eyes, his voice still sweet and drowsy.

I hugged him so tight that he wriggled in my arms, a little uncomfortable.

"Mommy, what's wrong?"

"It's okay, Mommy loves you."

From that moment on, my life had just one mission: stock up, build a bunker, and do whatever it takes to keep Leonard alive.

I put my fully paid-off downtown apartment and my car up for sale, ignoring everyone telling me I was nuts.

In just three days, all my assets were liquidated, and 2,5 million dollars landed in my bank account.

Without a second thought, I jumped headfirst into a high-stakes race against death.

I rented a huge underground warehouse in an abandoned factory out in the suburbs, locking in a ten-year lease.

Then, with all that cash, I went absolutely wild, clearing out every supermarket, pharmacy, and hardware store in the nearby cities.

Survival biscuits, canned food, dehydrated vegetables, rice, and flour piled high everywhere.

Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicine, bandages, and iodine stuffed three big metal cabinets to the brim.

I bought two of everything. Diesel generators, solar panels, water purification systems, and large-capacity batteries, for backup.

I stocked up on machetes, fire axes, a compound bow, and thousands of arrows. I even pulled some strings and got myself a pistol with three hundred rounds of ammo.

I also bought loads of seeds, soil, and planting boxes, plus all kinds of childcare books and toys.

I wasn't just going to keep him alive. I wanted to give him a childhood that was as close to normal as I could manage.

The workers, following my instructions, reinforced the only entrance to the underground bunker with steel plates, installed over a dozen heavy-duty locks, and set up a full set of surveillance cameras.

The ventilation system was upgraded with military-grade triple-protection filters, against toxins, biohazards, and radiation.

By day twenty-nine, the bunker was completed.

With Leonard by my side, I drove the last supply truck, packed full of everything we needed, into the bunker that would become our new world.

When I locked the final door from the inside, cutting off the sunlight for good, Leonard clung to my sleeve, his fear written all over his face.

"Mommy, why do we have to live here? It's so dark."

I switched on the bright lights in the bunker, crouched down, and ran my hand gently over his hair.

"Because we're playing a really long game called 'Survival.' If we stick together in here, we win."

He nodded, not really getting it, but trusting me anyway.

On the thirtieth day.

Through the shortwave radio in the bunker, I heard the first blood-curdling alarm.

Then came the screams, the cries, and the chaotic sound of gunfire.

The apocalypse had arrived, right on schedule.

Outside the bunker, it was hell on earth.

Inside, time flowed gently, life was calm and serene.

Leonard and I lived like clockwork.

Every morning, I taught him to read and do math, and told him stories from before the apocalypse, about blue skies, white clouds, and amusement parks.

In the afternoons, we tended to our little indoor garden, watching the green shoots break through the soil.

At night, I'd check the bunker's equipment and take inventory, while Leonard, hugging his teddy bear, would fall asleep to the sound of my recorded bedtime stories.

Food was plentiful, water and power were never a problem. This place was the ultimate Eden in the apocalypse.

I thought these days would last forever.

That day, I looked through the periscope and spotted a zombie outside, half its body rotting away as it wandered aimlessly.

It still had its work uniform on, and I could just make out the name tag pinned to its chest.

I felt sick to my stomach.

"Mommy, what's it looking at?"

Leonard had come up beside me, pressing his face to the periscope too.