Chapter 1 A sharp, metallic ringing pierced her ears, accompanied by a blinding headache. Joanna Harington forced her eyes open. She was staring at her own ceiling. Was that all a dream? She snatched her phone from the nightstand. The glowing screen left her utterly confused. She distinctly remembered climbing into bed on Sunday night with a slight fever. Now, the lock screen read Wednesday. Had she really slept for three days in a bizarre, comatose dream state? It felt far too real. In that dream, she had survived a brutal zombie apocalypse for five long years, clawing her way through endless disasters. She had dragged her family along, keeping them safe at all costs, only for her mother and stepsister to betray her. They had sold her to an enemy base to be experimented on for her space-storage ability. Alice, her stepsister, had been the mastermind. She wanted Joanna out of the picture to claim the base commander, Drew, for herself. "You just wouldn't die," Alice’s voice echoed in Joanna's memory, chillingly vivid. "So I had to invite Elliot here to pick you up." In the dream, Alice had switched on Joanna’s walkie-talkie to radio the base. "Drew, I found Joanna’s comm, but she is nowhere to be found. It looks like there are signs of an attack. I am heading back now." Smiling a sickening smile, Alice had sliced into Joanna’s arms and legs. "Either the zombies will get you, or Nightshade Base will. Either way, I want you too weak to run." Then, the door had swung open in the dream. "Alice, is it done yet?" It was Gwen—Joanna’s mother. Weakened and bleeding, Joanna had cried out, "Mom, help me!" But Gwen had only sneered. She walked over and delivered a hard slap that knocked Joanna to the ground. "Don’t ever call me mom again, you ungrateful brat! You turned into a freak with powers and still wouldn’t help your sister out. After all the food and clothing I gave you, this is how you repay me? You were never worthy of being my daughter! You got a storage ability and barely keep anything in it. If Alice had that power, we would have never kept you around." Gwen had delivered two sharp kicks, shattering Joanna’s ribs. As Joanna coughed up blood and slipped into unconsciousness in the dream, a wave of bitter regret had washed over her. She regretted protecting her family. She regretted fighting bloody battles to feed them while she starved on their scraps. After that, the memory fractured into hazy, agonizing images: meeting Elliot, the ruthless leader of Nightshade Base, and undergoing horrific experiments in a darkened basement. Trying to remember anything beyond that made her head throb violently. Sitting up, Joanna found herself drenched in sweat. Was it truly just a nightmare, or was it a premonition? The trauma felt too tangible to ignore. If she didn't act, she knew this future would become her reality. She looked at her phone again. Today was Wednesday, May 23rd. That meant she was exactly six months away from the apocalypse. In her dream, the virus had crippled the world during Thanksgiving weekend. She also remembered that Alice’s birthday was just a week away. In her past life—or the dream—Joanna had gifted Alice her inheritance: millions of dollars in company shares left to her by their grandfather. Alice had immediately liquidated them to buy massive stockpiles of food for the early days of the collapse. Yet, Gwen and Alice had refused to share a single bite. They wasted most of it when the power grid failed a month into the apocalypse, then forced Joanna to scavenge in the dead zones to feed them. Not this time, Joanna thought, her jaw tightening. This time, I will sell my shares first. I will hoard the supplies. She threw off the covers and hurried into the bathroom. Splashing cold water on her face, she looked into the mirror. There were no scars, no grime, no hollow cheeks. Just a healthy, beautiful young woman staring back at her. I hardly remember looking like this, she thought, tracing her jawline. Where did my muscles go? A cold determination settled in her chest. She needed to start working out immediately. She had exactly six months to build a fortress, hoard supplies, and turn her body into a weapon. A bone-deep certainty settled in her chest: she had either seen the future, or she had truly lived through that nightmare. Either way, she knew she had been given a second chance to survive the coming collapse. Stepping into the shower, she realized just how weak and depleted her body felt. Step one, she thought. Get takeout and hydrate. Clean water and fresh food were luxuries that vanished almost immediately after the virus hit. Even later, when plant-based superhumans evolved, any cabbage or fresh green Joanna managed to get her hands on was immediately stolen by Gwen and Alice. Not this time, Joanna vowed, scrubbing the phantom grime from her skin. This time, she would be the one eating fresh greens while they starved. After placing a delivery order from the restaurant down the street, she grabbed her phone to check her notifications. There were a handful of messages from classmates. A few friends asked if she was coming back for the fall semester, while others were simply text-messaging their final goodbyes for the summer. In her dream—or her past life—Joanna never made it back for the fall term. Gwen had demanded she come home to take care of the house. That same summer, Joanna had signed over her grandfather’s company shares to Alice for her birthday. Both Gwen and Alice had promised that once the inheritance was transferred, they would pay for Joanna to finish college. Chapter 2 It was all a calculated lie. Once Joanna returned home that summer, they conveniently changed their minds. Back then, naive and desperate for affection, Joanna actually believed they just loved her too much to let her move away again. Instead, she ended up working a grueling summer job for pocket change, completely broke and forced to give up on her degree. A sharp knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Her takeout had arrived. After paying the delivery driver, she sat down and opened the container. Steak and potatoes, cooked to absolute perfection. She took a bite and closed her eyes in pure bliss. Five years of starvation made the hot meal taste like heaven. Even the sting of an ice-cold cola felt like a miracle. Joanna smiled a bit. Even though it was a dream, I truly feel like I have lived through every missed meal of the past five years. As she finished her meal, she began mapping out her next steps. Suddenly, a memory struck her like lightning. My great-grandmother's emerald bracelet! She remembered a specific fight during Thanksgiving weekend, right before the zombies appeared. Gwen had violently thrown her down the stairs, and Joanna's arm had been badly cut against the sharp edges of the emerald bracelet she was wearing. In the dream, Joanna had only been wearing it because she spotted it in her safety deposit box while handling the share transfer, deciding on a whim to take it. Everything had been normal until her blood soaked into the emeralds. She had to get that bracelet immediately. It was her greatest asset. In her dream, everyone assumed she had naturally awakened a space-storage superpower during the apocalypse. She had kept the truth strictly to herself. The moment her blood activated the bracelet, a mechanical system had chimed inside her mind, granting her the pocket dimension. Because she could never find enough rare gemstones to upgrade it, the space had remained locked at level three. This time, she would maximize its potential. She would go home, strip her life of unnecessary baggage, and hoard every resource imaginable. And when the world fell apart, she would watch her mother and stepsister try to survive without her. A dark, predatory smile spread across Joanna's face, a sudden flash of killing intent glinting in her eyes. Fortunately, her bags were already packed for the summer break. She was originally scheduled to fly home on Friday, but she refused to step foot in their house just to be treated like an unpaid maid. Feeling her energy return thanks to the meal, she decided to audit her finances. Her branch of the family possessed massive wealth tied up in company shares. Even though her father had passed away years ago, Gwen and Alice had been left an identical amount of shares, which should have allowed them to live in luxury. Instead, Joanna used her funds responsibly to pay for college, while Gwen and Alice constantly whined about being broke. They blew through millions every single month on mindless luxury until nothing was left. That was exactly why Gwen had manipulated her on the phone a few weeks prior. "Your sister should have your shares since she is getting older," Gwen’s voice echoed on the phone a few weeks ago, dripping with false sweetness. "If you give them to us, we promise we will send you to college so Alice won’t have to worry. With the extra wealth, she’ll be guaranteed an excellent match for a husband. It’s not like you’ll ever need that extra money once you have a career. Besides, you should always take care of your family." It was hilarious how Gwen always preached about taking care of family, considering they had never spent a single second caring for her. Ever since moving away for university last year, Joanna had lived modestly, working campus jobs and never overspending. Joanna unlocked her phone, opened her banking app, and logged into her account. She currently had just over 10 million dollars in her account. Once she sold her shares, she should be able to pocket roughly 50 million more. Joanna frowned at the screen. Is that even enough? It doesn’t feel like it. She paused, considering the logistics of a global collapse. After the apocalypse starts, society breaks down instantly. Looting and stealing become the norm. Since 90% of the world's population would contract the zombie virus within the first three months, Joanna decided to shift her strategy. She would delay purchasing bulk supplies until just a few days before the outbreak. She wasn't scheduled to leave for her hometown until Friday. Tomorrow, she would start mapping out the warehouses and big-box stores she targeted to raid. When Thanksgiving weekend arrived, she would simply walk in and collect everything for free. Her immediate priority for the morning, however, was tracking down raw gemstones. Her pocket dimension started at a modest 500 square feet, but it could expand significantly by absorbing emeralds and other precious stones. She knew of three local flea markets that specialized in estate jewelry. Once she retrieved her great-grandmother's bracelet from the safety deposit box, the real work would begin. Time was terrifyingly short. Beyond the zombie threat, the Earth would soon be ravaged by extreme climate shifts: mega-tsunamis, catastrophic flooding, subarctic winters, and scorching heat waves. Because her college town sat only a few hours from the coast, she knew she would eventually have to migrate toward the mountains by year three. Alice and Gwen would need to make it there too—otherwise, her revenge would be incomplete. Rather than succumbing to the horrific fate of her timeline, Joanna would become the apex predator of this new world while her family suffered at the bottom. Chapter 3 She powered down her phone. As exhaustion finally claimed her, a voice drifted through the quiet room. It sounded hauntingly familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place it. "Sleep and rest. You know I am watching over you." The mysterious comfort allowed Joanna to sleep through the night in absolute peace. When she woke up at eight the next morning, a spike of anxiety hit her. How can I possibly prepare for the end of the world in just six months? Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to compartmentalize. First, she needed to unlock her storage space. Second, she had to establish secure safe houses. Finally, she needed a network. To survive the reach of Nightshade Base, she had to build early alliances with other future faction leaders. She needed to dismantle Elliot’s operation before they ever knew she existed. After getting dressed, she stopped by a local bakery. The taste of a flaky, fresh-baked croissant blew her away. She made a mental note to return and buy out their entire inventory once her bracelet was active; any food placed inside her pocket dimension remained frozen in time, perfectly preserved. She had just finished her last bite when her phone flashed with an incoming call. It was Alice. "Joanna, are you still coming home?" A wave of pure hatred crashed over Joanna, but she instantly masked her expression. Softening her tone to hide the killing intent vibrating in her veins, she replied, "Yes, Alice. I’m leaving tomorrow morning. I’ll be home soon." Alice scoffed on the other end. "Good. Mom wants you to stop by the bank to handle the share transfer first. You better have everything ready in time for my birthday, or Mom is going to absolutely lose it." Joanna smiled darkly to herself. Why don't I help them bleed their own bank accounts dry before the world ends? Let’s see how long they last without a dime to their names. "Don’t worry, sis," Joanna said, her voice dripping with artificial warmth. "I have a massive surprise waiting for you guys when I get back this summer, I promise. See you soon!" She hung up immediately and climbed into her car. This time, they wouldn't rob her of a single thing. She spent the afternoon scouting jewelry stores and flea markets. Pulling up to her first stop, she approached an outdoor stall managed by an overweight, balding vendor. His glass display cases housed an assortment of high-quality ruby necklaces, diamond bracelets, and gold pendants. The price tags were steep, but the craftsmanship was undeniable. "Excuse me, miss," the vendor said, leaning forward. "Are you interested in anything specific? I have a few estate pieces in the back if you're looking for something unique." He lifted a velvet cloth on his rear workbench, revealing a pair of diamond earrings and two small jade statues. Something inside Joanna’s chest fluttered the moment her eyes locked onto the figurines. While she knew her storage space reacted well to traditional jewelry, her intuition anchored entirely onto the green jade. They were a matching pair of intricately carved elephants, each weighing a few pounds. "How much for the elephants?" she asked. The vendor’s smile widened. "Ah, those are made from rare, grade-A jadeite. Very high quality. I can do ten thousand for one, or fifteen thousand for the pair." He placed both figurines on the counter for her to inspect. As she lifted them, her heart raced. It was an uncanny, magnetic pull—her subconscious already knew exactly what raw energy her pocket dimension craved. "Fifteen thousand is a bit outside my current budget," Joanna lied smoothly, setting them down to scan the rest of the inventory. She ran a rapid calculation of the total value displayed in his front cases. "Do you happen to carry any uncut or raw gemstones?" The vendor blinked in surprise. "I don’t keep raw stones here, but my cousin does. Most of these display pieces actually come from his workshop. They were custom commissions that clients backed out on, so he let me list them at a discount. I can give you his shop address." "Thank you," Joanna replied. Then, leaning over the glass, she gestured to the rows of diamonds and rubies. "Since these are uncollected commissions he’s trying to liquidate... what's your bulk price if I buy out every single piece in these front display cases right now?" The vendor rapidly tapped away at his calculator. After a few tense minutes, he looked up, his eyes bright. "If you take the entire front inventory off my hands today, I can give you a flat fifteen percent discount off the total wholesale cost." The vendor was visibly sweating. Who is this gorgeous young woman who can drop this much cash on jewelry? he thought, a spike of anxiety hitting him. She better not be trying to scam me. Sensing his hesitation, Joanna leaned against the glass counter. "How about this: give me a flat twenty percent discount, throw in the two jade elephant figurines, and I will pay you in cash right now." The man swallowed hard, running the numbers. The transaction would still net him a tidy two-thousand-dollar commission. "Deal," he said hastily. He packed up the entire display in record time, his hands moving almost frantically, terrified she might change her mind. "I tucked my cousin’s contact information inside the bag," he whispered, offering a bright, relieved smile. "Just tell him you’re the one who cleared out my inventory today, and he’ll give you a massive discount on any uncut gems he has in stock." As the vendor eagerly packed up his booth to go home early, the owners of the two neighboring jewelry stalls perked up. Having witnessed the cash transaction, they practically tripped over themselves to catch her attention, immediately offering twenty-five percent discounts on their own stock. Joanna felt a surge of satisfaction. She bought them out too, paying in cash. All of this wealth was coming home with her tomorrow. Actually, Joanna realized as she walked away, if I want to avoid Gwen and Alice, I shouldn't even step foot in their house. It would be much smarter to book a hotel room for a few days, stay hidden, and vanish the moment her shares were liquidated.
Not enough history yet to show a trend.