Chapter 1

The apocalypse came. I hid my son, Caleb, after he turned, secretly raising him.

But the people from the settlement found out.

"No wonder that filthy bitch was acting so secretive every day! She was raising a zombie son!"

"Playing with our lives, trying to endanger us all, how utterly selfish!"

"Kill that little monster! Drive that woman out!"

In their fury, they brutally smashed my son's head in, completely forgetting that he had ended up this way because of them.

I walked out of the settlement, silently clutching Caleb's lifeless body. In that zombie-infested hellscape, I found my husband, Ryder, already transformed.

"Ryder, I want them to pay in blood."

It was rationing day in the apocalypse, and Brenda, the settlement director, deliberately withheld my family's share of meat.

I asked her why. She snapped, her face twisted with impatience, "Resources are scarce. You're just one mouth to feed, shouldn't you be more charitable?"

Her words stunned me. "Food is distributed per person," I said. "I'm not asking for extra. Why are you cutting my meat?"

"You're just a woman. Greens are fine for you. Why are you so desperate for meat?" Brenda said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll distribute your share equally among others. It saves more, helping us all last longer."

Naturally, I couldn't agree. I lunged forward to grab my portion, but accidentally scratched her hand.

She shrieked in pain, then raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. "You unreasonable woman, you hit me? Do you want to be kicked out?"

A man in line behind me roughly grabbed me, shoving me aside. He sneered, "You're just a widow. It's good enough we let you stay here. Stop being so picky. Why don't you come with me instead? I'll give you meat every day, as long as you keep me happy."

His voice was loud, drawing a burst of laughter from the crowd, but no one stepped forward to help me.

I stood there, seething with anger, but I knew I couldn't fight them. I could only swallow the humiliation in silence.

It was fine. Just three more days, and I would be reunited with Ryder.

Everyone believed my husband had died out there in the world, but I clung to the belief that he would keep his promise, that he would appear at our agreed time and take us away from this dirty, dark place.