Chapter 2
I wasn't about to throw my life away, so I could only play along with Grace.
I hugged her for a bit, pretending to be upset, then went back to my room.
I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, wide awake.
Grace was far too cautious. There was almost no chance of slipping out without her noticing, so I could only wait for her to leave before making my move.
If Grace took the car, I'd have to grab a bike from the street, but there was no way a bike could outrun a car.
No matter what, I'd end up reaching Alex after she did.
The situation wasn't in my favor, but as long as I stayed alive long enough to see Alex, I'd still have a chance to explain.
So that wasn't the biggest problem.
What worried me most was that, just to be safe, Grace might decide to kill me herself.
That was the real problem.
I couldn't risk falling asleep. Not even for a second.
About an hour later, Grace suddenly called out softly from outside my door, "Emily?"
I had no idea what she was up to, and my heart tightened.
After a brief pause, I answered in a groggy voice, "What is it, Grace? Is something going on outside?"
"Nothing," she said calmly. "I just wanted to see if you were asleep."
"I can't sleep," I said. "I feel awful."
Alex had "died" because of me, so even if I had no idea she was plotting anything, I still shouldn't be able to sleep.
Grace paused for a few seconds, then said, "I have some sleeping pills left. Maybe you should take one?
"I need to rest during the day tomorrow, so keep an eye on things outside for me."
I knew refusing would only make her suspicious, so I just played along. "Alright. Otherwise, there's no way I'll get any sleep."
"Alright," Grace replied, her tone unreadable. "I'll go get it."
As soon as I stepped into the living room, she had already found the pills.
She handed me one. "Take it, and you'll be out like a light."
I nodded hesitantly. "Okay."
I poured myself a glass of water, turned slightly away from her, and pretended to swallow the pill, then said tiredly, "Grace, I'm going to bed. Don't forget to wake me up tomorrow."
Grace gave a faint, mocking smile and nodded. "Sure, I'll wake you up."
I pretended not to notice the mockery in her tone and headed back to my room.
[She took the pill herself. If she sleeps too deeply and a zombie wanders in and bites her, that's not on Grace.]
[But Emily and Alex are together. Isn't it kind of messed up for Grace to break them up on purpose?]
[Come on, Emily isn't innocent either. In her previous life, she played the saint and got everyone to drive Grace out of the base, basically getting her killed. It's kind of Grace to just take Alex instead of killing her.]
I doubted what they said. Even though I'd just entered the apocalypse, I'd read enough novels to know we couldn't afford to play the saint at a time like this. Besides, everyone looked out for themselves.
No matter what, I couldn't let her plot against me.
About an hour later, Grace knocked on my door again to test me. When I didn't respond, she didn't leave and opened the door instead.
My heart was in my throat, but I forced myself to stay still.
Grace stepped inside, moving slowly toward me.
[Now that's what I'm talking about. In the apocalypse, mercy gets you killed. Wipe her out.]
[I don't know... she hasn't actually done anything yet. Killing her now feels a bit much.]
[She hasn't yet, sure. But didn't she get Grace killed in her previous life? How is that not bad enough?]
[Hesitate, and you're dead. If you've got a saint complex, maybe this genre isn't for you.]
As Grace drew closer and closer, my heart sped up, pounding in my ears, as if it might leap into my throat.
"Emily?" She called me again, testing me.
I stayed silent, tightening my grip on the scissors, running through how I'd fight back in my head, no matter how futile it might be.
Just as Grace was about to reach my bed, a sudden, urgent knock came from the living room.
Grace froze for a second, then turned and walked out.
The door clicked shut behind her. Only then did I realize my back was soaked in cold sweat.
[Who the hell is that? Seriously, right when she was about to make her move?]
[I've got a feeling Emily is gonna be a problem for a long time.]
[Count on it.]
[It's fine. As long as Grace takes all the food and water, with her survival skills, Emily won't last long. Even if zombies don't get her, she'll starve.]
[Not necessarily. When people get desperate, they'll do anything. She's got looks to work with. In a world like this, that's a way to survive.]
Watching those comments, I clenched my fists.