Chapter 1 Rebirth

She woke up feeling dizzy and confused. Her eyes blurred from the bright light. Slowly regaining her sight, saw the ceiling, old wood with cobwebs in the corner. Turned her head to the left and saw a table, two wooden chairs beside a window with white curtains. Outside the window was a vase of red roses that were almost dried up, obviously neglected for a while. She tried to sit down, holding her head from pain and confusion. Then froze.... Oh my God!!! She's breathing fresh air!!!

When the apocalypse started, the air’s mixed with foul odor from burned things, and blood splattered everywhere. One thing she missed was fresh air with a faint grassy odor. When she was young, her mother had a house in a village. Until five years old, grew up surrounded by fresh grass and trees from the mountain.

She sat down slowly, noticed a small cabinet with a lamp and an old cellphone. Wait a second, this looks like her cellphone in the past, when she was working as a cashier in a supermarket near her apartment in Allegra City.

Trembling, grabbed the phone and saw the screen, July 22, 20xx! One year before the meteor fell and caused the first chaos. Cried her heart out, holding her chest. Feeling happy, sad, and grateful that she's back!!! God pitied her. With tears still falling on her face, noticed the silver necklace with a pendant holding a round blue crystal. It’s from her mother before she disappeared. 'Thank God it's still here.' 

The last thing she remembered, her step-sister Diara Chen pushed her when they were trying to escape from the group of undead. Falling down the stairs, shocked, angry, and desperately shaking her arms that were being eaten. An indescribable pain swept through the entire body, shouting as her flesh tore apart. Blood was everywhere, covering even the tears on her face. Then, little by little, her consciousness fades. The last person she saw was Adelle Wu's crying face, her best friend, shouting her name while being detained by her ex-fiancé, Aquan Feng. She was trying to reach her, but her bas**** ex was holding her, keeping her from using water ability to save her.

When the meteorites scattered across the globe, some people developed abilities almost the same time the undead appeared. The sky was bright red, explosions, screams in every direction. Chills crawl on her back, recalling what would happen a year from now. Her revenge for every suffering will be done slowly because preparing for the approaching apocalypse matters more.

In the future, food and water will be scarce. Guns will be more valuable than gold and jades. There will be safe military and clan bases emerging but still needed some points from working and trading for food.

Thinking back to her past life, this was the time when she was burning from fever. Also remembered calling the supervisor asking for sick leave, then returning home with some groceries that were left on the kitchen counter. Dragged her heavy body on the bed and fell asleep without eating dinner or changing clothes. 'I feel blessed even if I died and won't waste this opportunity.'

Ring-Ring-Ring...

Isabella Chen almost threw her phone when she heard the voice she doesn't want to hear anymore. Recalling the suffering from the hands of these people she treated like family makes her blood boil from anger and disappointment.

All she wanted was to have a normal and peaceful life with her mom, but discovered so many hidden events related to the unpleasant past. Her fiancé’s betrayal, stepbrother’s secrets, the bullying in school, stepsister’s fake sisterly treatment, and the still-unsolved mystery of her grandmother’s and father’s indifferent attitude towards them.

Until her last day, went out to help find food for them but instead, was used as a scapegoat when they no longer needed her. She trembles, recalling the pain from falling down the stairs and her flesh ripped by many undead.

For now, she needs to calm down. Having this advantage, it must be used to counter-attack and avoid them as much as possible. She’s not afraid of them, but the preparation for the disaster is her priority. Breathing became normal again and answered the call.

"Isabella, daddy asks you to come home tonight. Grandma will be here and big brother has two days break from work so we'll have a family dinner tonight. We have a lot of things to talk about since your last visit. I miss you so much, sister, I hope to see you later."   'F*** this b****y step-sister.' If she didn't remember her death, she would have felt touched.

"Diara, can you tell them I can't go because I'm on night duty this week?"  Her hands almost squashed the phone trying to control her emotions.  'Ha! This fake family.'

"Sister, don't you miss me? Why don't you ask for  leave so that Grandma won't  be mad?"

"Sorry I can't."    'You wish'

"It's all right sister, I’ll take care of it. But please come home soon, we miss you." Her voice escaped from the nose so it sounds false. Diara didn't want to call her, but her mother likes to torture Bella by showing off the happy family without her in the picture.

'Goosebumps.' "Sure, bye."

She doesn't feel guilty about lying because change is inevitable, after the chaos, everybody strived to survive. There were no laws outside the bases, some had no conscience to commit crimes, kill or be killed. This is not the time to take revenge, so she'll ignore them for now...

She lied on the bed, recalling what happened in the past. Just like ordinary days, she would continue to work. Then a month later, Diara and Aquan's engagement will be announced. Felt sad for a moment, then it passed like it's nothing. Stood up, took a notepad that was on the table, and wrote what she needed to do.

According to her memory, she saved a lot of money during these years. 70,000$ in the bank. The apartment doesn't cost much. She doesn't go out often, only when her best friend invites her. When shopping, she buys only necessities. Can’t call her stingy, but practical. Her home is tiny so she can clean it well and is not time-consuming. Since she's always at work, the place remains spotless.

Even though she had a full scholarship and monthly allowance from her sponsor Isabella Apparel, she still continued working. The company chose among the hundreds of students who applied for the scholarship. She did well in high school, even though it was hard to maintain high grades. Also did part-time jobs, proofreading novels, and articles during weekends and when free. She majored in English, so it was a piece of cake for her.

But this is not enough. She wants to have a secure base to live in and invite her best friend, the only family she has aside from her mother. It will take a lot of effort to convince her, but will never give up. This time she wants to be with people who are worth it, so she wants to prepare food for at least five people. Preparing more makes her feel secure.

Opening her computer, reads the news, trying to recall anything that will bring money. Isabella was so concentrated and forgot to eat. Her stomach grumbles, looks at the clock, 6:00 pm. In the kitchen, there are ingredients for cooking noodles that she was planning to eat at lunch. While chopping the veggies,

Ring-Ring-Ring

"Hello?"

"Hello, Ms. Isabella Chen?" a male voice on the other line.

"Yes, who's speaking?"

"Good evening, I'm Belden Huang, Mrs. Liu's friend."

"Huh, mom's friend?"   'She never mentioned him, even before she went missing.'

"Yes, if you could spare some time tomorrow, I would like to speak with you about your mother's will."

"!!!!!!!!" Still feeling confused and shocked. "Yes, let's meet tomorrow at 9:00 am at Anya's Cafe'?"

"Sure, see you tomorrow Ms. Chen."

Her mouth was still open when the call dropped and couldn't believe it. How was this life different from the past? Thinking hard, it was sure that she didn't meet him in her last life. What changed?

Then eyes lit. Tonight, she was supposed to be back having dinner with her so-called family. When she arrived, didn’t even sit on the couch and was ordered to help in the kitchen right away like all the family fake 'ehem' dinners in the past. Her bag was left on the couch...Maybe...eyes wide open, realized something...hands formed a fist, digging into the skin with her nails...

"Oh God, don't tell me...they robbed me????!!!!" It’s not sure how much her mom left her, or if there is even money. But in her past life, two months from now, her father's company would open a branch in Galvin Country. Thinking maybe it was supported by her ex-fiancé’s family, so she didn't question it.