Chapter 3

At 10 PM, I sat alertly on the couch clutching a baseball bat, listening to the zombies' howls and curling up in fear.

I should have listened to Adrian and exercised with him every morning. Then I wouldn't be so scared now.

The sound of electric shocks at the door was constant. I gripped the baseball bat tightly, secretly peeking at the situation outside from behind the large floor-to-ceiling window.

In the dim light, there was a man wearing a white shirt stained red with blood. His handsome face was also smeared with blood. His once-gentle almond eyes had turned red. He stared blankly, like a polluted white lotus.

It was Adrian!

He wandered in front of the villa gate like a lost puppy, only knowing to keep touching the gate, looking pitiful and wronged.

My first instinct was to open the door for him, but reason told me I couldn't.

I pulled the curtains closed, no longer looking at him.

I sat blankly on the couch for two hours, my mind empty but my ears catching the sound of footsteps not far away.

I immediately grabbed the baseball bat tightly and hid behind the door, ready to strike at any moment.

The entire villa was pitch black. The footsteps were particularly jarring in the night. I silently counted as I listened to the approaching footsteps. When I sensed someone touching the doorknob, I quickly emerged from behind the door and swung the bat down hard.

"Ah!! Don't hit me!" A cry of pain came from my right.

But I couldn't stop my momentum. The second swing had already landed. The person inhaled sharply, sounding very pained. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'm not a bad guy."

I crouched down cautiously and turned on my phone's flashlight, illuminating the floor and allowing me to see the person to my right clearly.

It was the delivery guy who had helped me with my groceries this afternoon. I recognized him.

He looked very young and was now grimacing in pain, covering his bleeding head that I had hit. Using the flashlight, I could see his face clearly. He was a young man. He said, "Big sis, I'm the one who delivered your groceries today. My name is Leo."

"I'm a sophomore at State University. I can't go back now. Can you take me in? I'm a sports major. I can be your bodyguard. I can definitely protect you!"

Leo's gaze was sincere. Afraid I wouldn't believe him, he started to lift up his shirt to show me his muscles. I quickly stopped him and took a step back to distance myself. "My name is Emily. Let me be clear, I don't support freeloaders. The zombies are so vicious. Are you sure you can protect me?"

Leo didn't immediately reply. Instead, he thought for a few seconds. His gaze was clear and transparent as he said seriously, "I'm not certain, but as long as I'm alive, I'll definitely keep you safe behind me."

Leo must have stayed because of the two carloads of supplies in my basement. The number of zombies was increasing. When we ran out of supplies, how would a weak woman like me go out to fight for resources?

The only option now was to take him in.

The clock on the wall pointed to 1 AM. I felt the desolate autumn wind and lifted a corner of the curtain to look at Adrian at the door. The next second, as if sensing my gaze, he raised his face and looked over. When he saw me, his eyes flashed red, looking at me with a kind of forceful possessiveness and frenzied excitement.

Before, he had never looked at me with that kind of gaze. But now, the bloodthirsty and crazy Adrian looked terrifying.

I closed the curtains, not daring to look at him anymore.