chapter 9

CHAPTER 9: THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Elise and her family set out in their modified SUV the next day, after carefully planning their route to City G. The vehicle was equipped with reinforced armor plating, bulletproof glass, and a state-of-the-art navigation system.

"Mom, Dad, Madison, are you done packing?" Elise asked, immediately after storing the last of their supplies in her space.

"Yes, we are on our way down," Anita replied, as the family made their way to the vehicle.

As they drove out of their neighborhood, they were met with hordes of zombies shambling through the streets. Derick expertly navigated the SUV through the chaos, smashing and slaying zombies with ease.

"I'm glad we modified the SUV," Elise said, watching as a zombie was crushed beneath their wheels. "It's definitely coming in handy."

"Having a reliable vehicle is crucial in a post-apocalyptic world," Derick agreed. "And speaking of being prepared, let's stop at the Lexi supermarket and stock up on more supplies."

"Why do we need more supplies, Dad?" Madison asked, looking up from her book. "We already have a lot."

"Having too much isn't bad, sweetie," Elise explained. "In fact, it's better to have more than we need, just in case. We don't know what kind of situations we'll face on our journey to City G."

"I see what you mean," Madison said thoughtfully. "It's always better to be safe than sorry."

The family arrived at the Lexi supermarket, and as they entered the parking lot, they were immediately met with a wave of zombies. Although the supermarket's items were still intact, they had to fight for them.

Elise sprang into action, using her gun to start killing zombies before anyone could react. She quickly pulled out several guns and knives from her space and threw them to her dad, who distributed them to Anita and Madison.

"Dad, catch!" Elise shouted, as she continued fighting the zombies.

Her bullets ran out, and she pulled out a knife, striking it at the incoming zombie's head. A rotten stench and green blood splattered out.

After cleaning up the zombies, Elise asked, "Mom, Madison, are you alright?"

"Mom, Madison, you look pale," Elise said, her expression worried.

"Don't worry about Mom and me, little sis," Madison replied, with an assuring tone. "We're just trying to adjust to the apocalypse. By the time we kill more zombies, we'll be used to it."

"Dad, how do you feel?" Elise asked.

"Weird, baby, but manageable," Derick replied.

"Okay, Dad, let's store some of the supplies in my space, and Madison, pack some in the car to distract people from focusing on us," Elise said, as she stored some supplies in the supermarket and went to look for the warehouse.

As Elise made her way to the warehouse, she found the keys in the pocket of one of the zombies she had killed earlier. She smiled, feeling a sense of luck, and unlocked the door.

With her torch lit, she cautiously stepped inside, calling out, "Is anyone here?" The only response was silence.

Elise's senses went on high alert as she navigated through the warehouse, her eyes scanning the shelves stacked with goods. She began storing the supplies in her space, her movements swift and efficient.

Just as she was about to leave, a level 1 zombie lunged at her from behind. Elise spun around, a hint of amusement in her voice as she sang, "Sneaking up on me, are we?"

With a swift motion, she summoned her ice powers, now upgraded to level 2 thanks to her diligent training. A blast of icy air struck the zombie, freezing it solid.

Elise approached the frozen zombie and examined its head. She carefully extracted a core from its brain, recalling the information she had learned in her past life. The core was said to have the ability to restore one's strength after depletion and even increase their level.

Elise's eyes sparkled with excitement as she held the core, feeling its potential energy coursing through her veins. She stored the core in her space, eager to experiment with its properties later.

With her task complete, Elise left the warehouse, ready to reunite with her family.

"Baby, are you alright?" Anita shouted, her voice laced with concern, as they waited in the car park for Elise to return.

"I'm fine, Mom," Elise replied, getting into the car.

"Dad, we should leave here before people start coming," Elise suggested.

"Okay, baby, let's go," Derick said, starting the engine and holding Anita's hand as they drove away.

After five hours of driving without stopping, despite hearing cries for help, they arrived at City A. Derick decided it was time to stop for the night.

"Dad, I think I see a fenced yard. I think we should camp there tonight," Madison suggested.

"Okay, dear, but wait in the car. Let Dad survey the area. We can't just go in without making sure it's safe, right?" Derick said with a chuckle, noticing Madison's tired expression.

As Derick got out of the car, Elise cautioned, "Dad, be careful. Should I come with you?"

"Don't worry, baby. Daddy will take care of it. Just stay and protect your mom and big sister," Derick reassured her with a smile.

Derick carefully surveyed the area, ensuring it was safe. He discovered that the family who lived there had already escaped, leaving behind only their furniture.

After settling in, they made a simple dinner consisting of kung pao chicken noodle trays. As they finished eating, they headed to their respective rooms to rest.

Just as they were drifting off to sleep, a desperate voice screamed for help outside their door.

"Mom, can you hear that?" Madison asked, alarmed.

"Yes, baby, calm down. Stay with Elise while Mom and Dad go check it out," Anita instructed.

Anita and Derick cautiously made their way downstairs, guns in hand. They peered through a crack in the window.

"Derick, is that a child?" Anita asked.

"Yes, it is. And he's supporting an adult. The man looks to be around 26 years old, slightly older than Madison," Derick observed.

"Should we help before the zombies attack the child and the man?" Anita asked.

"Yes, after all, we have ways to protect ourselves," Derick said, carefully opening the door to investigate.

"Hey buddy, do you need help?" Derick asked, although it was clear that the child and his relative desperately required assistance.

The little boy, no more than five years old, looked up at Derick with innocent eyes. "Sir, are you a bad guy?" he asked.

Derick chuckled. "Nope, but I can be a bad guy if you try hurting my family."

The little boy's eyes widened, but he quickly composed himself. "My name is Mark, and this is my brother Marcus," he said, sniffling. "And he's hurt... please, can you save him?" Mark begged, tears streaming down his face.

Okay, Mark, can you let me carry your brother inside so we can treat him?" Derick asked, stretching out his hands.

Mark nodded, and Derick carefully lifted Marcus into his arms, holding Mark's hand as they headed into the house.

"Derick, what's going on?" Anita asked, noticing the commotion.

"This is Mark and his brother Marcus. Marcus is seriously injured," Derick explained, laying Marcus on the couch.

"Anita, can you please tell Elise to bring the first aid kit while I secure the doors?" Derick asked, heading towards the door.

Anita hurried upstairs to call Elise and Madison. "Mom, what happened?" Madison asked.

"Nothing much, just someone who's injured and a little boy," Anita replied. "Elise, your dad needs you to bring the first aid kit."

Elise rushed downstairs immediately, fearing the worst. "Elise, wait up!" Madison shouted, following close behind.

"Where is he?" Elise asked anxiously.

"What's wrong baby? Calm down," Derick reassured her.

Elise ignored him and rushed to Marcus's side, checking his injuries for any signs of zombie bites or mutation. After confirming he was safe, she let out a sigh of relief.

Here's the rewritten text:

"What's wrong, Elise?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"I was worried Marcus might have been bitten by a zombie," Elise replied, her voice laced with anxiety. "If that's the case, he could undergo a terrifying transformation."

Derick's curiosity was piqued. "What kind of transformation?" he asked, his eyes locked on Elise.

Elise's expression turned grave. "I've heard stories and witnessed it firsthand in my past life," she began, her voice measured. "A zombie bite can trigger unpredictable changes. Sometimes, the person will turn into a zombie, losing all sense of humanity. Other times, their body will adapt, granting them extraordinary abilities."

Derick's eyes widened as he considered the implications. "You mean superhuman strength, agility, or enhanced senses?" he asked, his voice tinged with awe.

Elise nodded solemnly. "Yes, exactly. But it's crucial to remember that the outcome is unpredictable. We can't know for certain how Marcus will react if he's been bitten."

Derick nodded thoughtfully, his expression a mask of calm. "I understand your concern. Thankfully, Marcus doesn't appear to have been bitten."

Elise exhaled a sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging slightly. "Let's hope it stays that way."

Derick assured her he would be more careful next time.

After feeding Mark, they settled him into a room and carried Marcus to another. Exhausted from the night's ordeal, they retired to their rooms to rest.