Josie was miserable, but she couldn't tell anyone.
To lure away the zombie horde, she had accidentally fallen into a small pit. Surrounded by wandering zombies, she hadn't dared to change back into her human form.
She could only remain a pebble, hopping around in the pit for two whole hours. She had nearly exhausted her energy before she finally managed to jump out.
Looking up at the setting sun, she grew even more anxious. 'I have to hurry and catch up to Lucas Lockwood and the others to replenish my energy.'
'It's true I approached them with an ulterior motive, but I did save their lives, after all.'
'If they just abandoned me like this, then the moment I find the next superpower user who can "recharge" me, I'll leave immediately. I won't have to care whether they live or die anymore.'
The thought that they might have left her behind made her feel wronged and a little indignant.
'But then again,' she thought, 'this is the apocalypse. What's the point of talking about humanity?'
As she rounded the street corner, the hopping pebble came to an instant stop.
Not far away, Lucas Lockwood was running quickly in her direction, his anxious gaze scanning the area.
He seemed worried.
An unconscious smile touched Josie's lips. She slowly reverted to her human form and stood by the side of the road, waiting for him.
When Lucas Lockwood's gaze finally landed on her, the deep frown on his face visibly eased.
"Good. You're okay."
Josie started walking slowly toward him, a joy she herself didn't notice shining in her eyes. She teased him, "Looking for me? Were you that worried?"
She had expected a denial, but to her surprise, Lucas simply said, "Yeah."
The look on his face relaxed noticeably. "Next time, don't run so far. Just luring the zombies away is enough. If something happens, I won't be able to get back to help you in time."
The sunset's afterglow edged his tall figure in gold, making the tense line of his jaw especially distinct in the shifting light.
'He wasn't just saying that. He really came back for me.'
A wave of warmth washed over Josie's heart. She smiled and nodded. "Okay. I'll listen to you."
The sky was growing dark. Lucas glanced around and said, "We need to hurry back."
Night was not kind to humans. Human senses dulled, while the zombies' grew stronger.
He turned to lead the way. In an unspoken agreement, they both quickened their pace, neither of them speaking.
As they reached a certain street corner, Josie suddenly called out to him.
"Wait! I remember there's a small supermarket down this alley. It was packed with zombies before, so it might not have been looted. Want to go check it out?"
Lucas Lockwood looked up at the sky and hesitated for only two seconds. "Okay. In and out."
Just as the last ray of sunlight vanished, they found the small supermarket.
The door, left ajar, swung open with a gentle push, revealing shelves that were surprisingly packed with goods.
"I'll check the back," Lucas said, signaling for Josie to wait.
"I'll look for bags."
Josie had just turned when she heard Lucas's urgent shout, "Watch out!"
A rotting face suddenly appeared before her, so close she could smell the stench of decay.
Just as she was about to transform, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her sharply into a warm embrace.
SHLICK!
An icicle shot straight through the zombie's head.
"Are you okay?" Lucas's voice was tense.
They had been so close; a split second slower and the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Shaken, Josie replied, "It didn't touch me."
'I'm sure I checked for zombies just now. Where did this one come from?'
Only then did they realize they were still pressed tightly together, their breaths mingling, body heat passing through their thin clothes.
Lucas was the first to let go. "I'll go check the rest of the store."
The momentary intimacy dissipated.
Josie's heart was racing, whether from the scare or something else, she didn't know.
But she quickly calmed herself and turned to rummage behind the counter.
After pulling a stack of plastic bags from a cabinet, she began to frantically clear the shelves.
Although it was just a small supermarket selling snacks and sundries, things like instant noodles, bread, and drinks were exactly what they needed most.
They filled eight large bags in total. Josie looked at the pile of goods before her, immensely satisfied.
They tried to take everything with them, but they could only carry six bags at most.
"We'll come back for the rest tomorrow," Lucas Lockwood decided instantly.
Josie was still reluctant to leave anything behind. She stuffed more chocolate and instant noodles into her backpack. 'Who knows if this stuff will still be here tomorrow, now that the alley is clear of zombies?'
'In a pinch, these high-calorie foods could be a lifesaver.'
Only when her backpack was stuffed to the brim did Josie stop.
When they left, there were noticeably more zombies on the street. The two of them crept along, hugging the walls, trying not to alert them.
Fortunately, Lucas had cleared a path on his way there, so the return trip was relatively smooth.
"We're here."
Lucas Lockwood stopped at the intersection.
Josie put down the bags. "You go get people to help carry this. And give me some ice."
She was exhausted and just wanted to wash up and get a good night's sleep.
With practiced ease, Lucas put the ice into her collapsible basin. Satisfied, Josie turned to leave.
Just as she was about to go, Lucas called out, "Wait. Come inside with me in a bit. I'm going to introduce you to everyone."
After spending this time together, he had let his guard down.
'If it weren't for Josie, none of them would have made it here alive.'
'We'd all be dead. Does it even matter if she's after something else?'
'It doesn't.'
And so, in his heart, he had already accepted her as a comrade.
Josie thought for a moment, then shook her head and refused. "Things are fine the way they are. I prefer having my freedom."
'I can come and go as I please, without having to deal with complicated relationships.'
'That way, if I want to leave, I can go whenever I want.'
Lucas gave her a deep look but didn't press the issue. He took out a piece of bread and pressed it into her hand.
"Alright. It's dangerous out here. Finish cleaning up and come inside soon."
By the time Josie had finished taking care of her personal hygiene and floated back to the gold shop as a slip of paper, the college students inside were having a cheerful get-together.
The joy of surviving a near-death experience made them temporarily forget their fear.
"Talk about a blessing in disguise! Fatty, how much good karma did your family rack up in a past life?"
"You should get down on your knees and thank your great-grandma! You got bit by a zombie and didn't turn into one of those things, and you even awakened a superpower..."
The guy they called "Fatty" had actually lost a lot of weight. Three months in the apocalypse was enough to make any big guy slim down.
He lifted his arm and waved it, his face full of smug excitement. "Your man Fatty survived a great disaster, so good fortune must follow! From now on, I'll protect you guys! We'll definitely make it to the safe zone in one piece."
Their escape over the past few days had been like walking a tightrope over a cliff; everyone had been on the verge of breaking down several times.
But now, seeing that Fatty had awakened a superpower, a spark of new life was finally rekindled in their ashen faces.
"Shh! Keep it down. There are wandering zombies outside."
After someone's reminder, the group quieted down.
But even so, a few zombies still came shuffling in their direction.
One zombie bypassed the others and headed straight for them.
Its rotting face pressed against the glass as it seemed to struggle to peer inside.
The color drained from Josie's face at the sight, and her body went taut like a drawn bow, ready to spring...