Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday - Chapter 107

Chapter 107: The Harsh Decision

[Time left before the world ends: 20 Days and 7 Hours]

The huge and loud timer inside the space was a constant reminder of how little time Grace was left with. Twenty days didn’t feel like enough, but she pushed the thought aside as 2025 finished its analysis of the pets in the pethouse.

“Master, we need to quarantine the four of them.” 2025 informed her as soon as the scanning was over.

Grace’s heart sank as she reviewed the final report. Even though out of the thirty pets only four were showing signs of zombification, she still felt bad. As for the rest, they had undergone through DNA alterations as well and were beginning to show signs of developing powers and unique features.

With a steady hand, Grace used the system’s options to isolate the infected animals. The system created a safe quarantine area in a house near the pethouse and the four infected pets were moved there instantly, ensuring the others wouldn’t be at risk.

“Take care of them,” she murmured softly, even though she knew 2025 would do everything that was necessary.

Leaving the pethouse, she headed toward the farmhouse. She had too much to do and no time to waste dwelling on what she couldn’t change.

Without wasting any time, she threw herself into her work. She fed the animals, collected fresh milk and eggs, and made her rounds to check on the rest of the livestock, continuing with her routine tasks.

Once the animals were cared for, she moved on to harvesting. Crops, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers – it was a never-ending list, but she was more than happy to work. Every harvest was a blessing and filled with hope for survival. She worked professionally, her hands moving with practiced ease as she filled basket after basket. When the fields were bare, she planted new seeds with care, her mind wandering as she worked.

It was during these moments of that she founf her thoughts turning deep and somewhat… dark.

What exactly would happen in twenty days?

In her previous life, the apocalypse had officially begun with the first appearance of zombies. While several disasters hit the Earth one after the other, it were the zombies who ended the world. That had been four months after the day she was reborn into this timeline. By that calculation, the zombies shouldn’t appear for another two months. And yet, the timer in her system seemed to contradict that.

Was the apocalypse coming earlier this time? Or was something even worse looming on the horizon?

She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. The uncertainty gnawed at her, but she didn’t have any answers. All she could do was prepare and hope she would be ready for whatever was coming.

By the time she finished her tasks, the sun had begun its slow descent. She didn’t stop to rest. Instead, she moved to her training area, a small meadow behind the farmhouse that was secluded and quiet.

For days, she had been focusing on the presence of that warm energy deep within her. It felt like a flicker of flame waiting to be unleashed, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t quite grasp it.

She closed her eyes and stood still, letting the world around her fade into the background. Her breathing slowed as she concentrated on the warmth inside her, willing it to grow stronger, brighter.

Nothing.

Frustration bubbled up, but Grace pushed it down. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions get the better of her. She tried again, this time imagining the warmth as a tiny spark in a vast ocean of darkness. Slowly, she coaxed it forward, and for a brief moment, she thought she felt it respond.

But just as quickly as it had come, it vanished.

She opened her eyes with a sigh. The progress was slow, but she wasn’t going to give up. This power, whatever it was, could be the key to survival – not just for her, but for everyone she cared about.

As the days were passing, the weight on her shoulders was growing heavier. Marcus and Julian, who had been quarantined due to the infection, were deteriorating quickly. Despite all efforts, their health showed no signs of improvement. It became clear that they weren’t going to survive the virus.

Grace wanted to hold on to hope, but she knew it would be cruel to pretend there was a chance. She avoided the topic with Davian, knowing how much it weighed on him. He had been their leader, their protector, and now he was helpless to save them.

Then, one evening, she found out the truth.

The news hit her like a punch to the gut. She couldn’t imagine the pain Davian must have felt as he made the decision, the guilt that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Marcus and Julian had been more than teammates – they had been family.

That night, Grace made her way to Davian’s apartment.

The air was cold, and the snow crunched beneath her boots as she walked. The building was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that pressed down on you and made the world feel smaller.

When she reached his door, she started hesitating. What could she possibly say to him? How could she make this any better? She wondered and it made her stop right outside his apartment.

The inner struggle continued for a few more minutes before she was finally able to shake off all the unnecessary thoughts and pulled herself together. Taking a deep breath, she finally stepped forward and rang the doorbell.

The door opened barely a moment later, and she finally got to see Davian. His face was pale, while his eyes were shadowed with exhaustion and grief. He looked at her, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

“Grace,” he finally said as if acknowledging her presence. His voice was too rough compared to how it sounded usually.

“Can I come in?” She asked gently, ready to head back incase he wanted to be left alone.