Chapter 1

The zombie apocalypse had already broken out, and my boyfriend, Alex Ford, went missing on his way to find me.

I was about to go out to look for him when my best friend, Grace Wynn, grabbed me and wouldn't let go. "Emily, I came back from the future. Alex's already been bitten by zombies. Don't go out there, or you'll die too."

Stunned, I suddenly saw lines of comments appear in my vision.

[The first thing Grace does after coming back? She snatches Alex from Emily. Cold, ruthless, and decisive. Total classic apocalypse queen.]

[Emily is so dumb. Grace just fooled her, and she already gave up looking for Alex. No wonder she's just a side character.]

[What if Emily runs into Alex later?]

[Don't worry. Grace won't let her live long enough to meet Alex. A strong couple is always better.]

While I was still in a daze, Grace kept trying to stop me. "Emily, please believe me. Your boyfriend is really gone. Don't go out there and get yourself killed."

I slowly came back to myself, then nodded. "I believe you."

For a split second, something flashed in Grace's eyes, a hint of satisfaction that was gone before I could be sure it was real.

"Emily, I know you care about your boyfriend, but I can't let you risk your life. I'll hold on to your car keys for now," Grace said.

Before I could react, she snatched the keys right out of my hand.

I swallowed my shock and nodded blankly. "Okay, but..."

"No buts." She cut me off and shoved me toward the bedroom.

"I know you have questions, but it's late. Get some rest tonight. I'll explain everything tomorrow.

"I'll stay up and keep watch tonight, so you just sleep."

The moment I was inside, she quickly shut the door behind me, like she was afraid I might ignore her warning and come out.

I stood there, staring at the closed door, still a little dazed.

Grace and I had grown up together in the same orphanage, closer than sisters.

If it had just been those comments, I might've only felt a bit suspicious.

But that brief look of satisfaction in her eyes made it impossible for me to keep lying to myself. She hadn't just come back from the future. She was here to take Alex from me.

Whether it was about my feelings or my future, there was no way I was giving Alex up.

I was anxious, but I knew better than to confront her head-on.

She had probably spent years surviving in the apocalypse. She didn't just have sharp instincts. She had plenty of combat experience, too.

If I made a move now, I'd just be digging my own grave.

Things weren't looking good for me, but it wasn't all bad.

Since Alex was the hero of the story, his life wasn't really in danger.

There was no need for me to rush out and try to save him.

Still, I couldn't just let Grace run the show. If I did, I might not live long enough to see Alex again.

I had to find Alex as soon as possible, at the very least before she could turn everything against me.

Thinking about all this, I took a deep breath and quietly opened the door.

At the sound, Grace immediately got to her feet and came over.

She shot me an annoyed look, and for a split second, something cold flashed in her eyes, like she wanted to kill me here. "Didn't I tell you to go to sleep? What are you doing out here?"

I forced my expression steady and whispered, "I need to use the bathroom."

Her tense expression eased a little. "Go on. Hurry up."

I nodded. "Okay."

After using the bathroom, I splashed some water on my hands and rubbed my eyes hard.

I didn't stop until they were red, then slowly made my way out.

Grace sat on the couch, expressionless, as if lost in thought.

I walked over, forcing a shaky tone into my voice. "Grace, is Alex really dead?"

Grace snapped out of it and nodded without hesitation. "Emily, I'm not lying to you. He's really gone."

I started crying harder. "It's all my fault. I should've stopped him from coming to find me. If he hadn't come for me, he wouldn't have died."

Grace stood up and hugged me. "Emily, this isn't on you. Even if he made it through this time, there's no telling if he'd survive the next."

She paused for a moment, then held my hand. "Don't worry. I've survived in the apocalypse before. I'll take care of you."

Grace sounded completely sincere, like she truly meant every word. If I hadn't already figured out what was really going on, I probably would've fallen for it.

I swallowed the urge to scoff and forced a touched look onto my face. My voice caught slightly. "Thanks, Grace."

She patted my back. "We're like sisters. You don't have to thank me."

I nodded, a little blankly. "Yeah."

[Why do I feel like Emily is kind of adorably clueless? She's getting played and doesn't even realize it.]

[Adorable? Seriously? She's just dumb and weak. In the apocalypse, she'd only drag everyone down. Who'd want dead weight like that?]

[Grace's still not ruthless enough. She should've gotten rid of Emily already.]

[They've been friends for over twenty years. Of course, she can't be completely heartless. But if Emily dares to sneak off with the car keys to find Alex, Grace wouldn't hesitate to kill her.]

[I'm telling you, if Grace doesn't kill Emily now, she's going to have trouble later. Honestly, it's safest to just take her out.]

[Grace's been hesitating this whole time. It just depends on whether she can go through with it, or if Emily gets herself killed first.]