9 Chapter 9: Before Her Eyes

Two hundred dollars. "Okay, thank you," Emma replied with a polite nod, though inwardly she winced at the high price tag. Remembering the thirty dollars left on her card, Emma knew without a doubt that she couldn't afford it.

Walking away, Emma's stride momentarily faltered as the employee's voice echoed behind her, "We should just ban poor people from coming into this store. No money, why even bother to shop?" The arrogance in the woman's tone was unmistakable, leaving a bitter taste in Emma's mouth.

Emma rolled her eyes, a mixture of frustration and incredulity swirling within her. The employee's boldness was shocking, she seemed to feel superior just because she worked at an expensive store. It was like she thought her job made her better than others, which Emma found hard to believe.

After collecting her food from the different stores, Emma's smile took on a mischievous edge as she caught the attention of the few men who had been following her. She could sense their curiosity and the tension in the air as they approached, likely the people her brother had called for.

Emma sighed heavily, feeling the weight of potential violence bearing down on her conscience. She had hoped to enjoy a peaceful day without doing anything, just a day to relax and enjoy the last of human society in peace. But it seemed that Liam had other plans in store for her, pushing her once again into a situation she didn't like. 

Cracking her fingers with a quick motion, Emma steeled herself for what was to come. With a determined stride, she made her way into a nearby dark alley, the shadows enveloping her like a protective cloak. 

The men followed her into the alley, their intentions clear from the menacing looks on their faces. Emma turned around to face them, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. "Liam asked you guys to come?" she questioned, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.

There were five men in total, each of them exuding an aura of strength and aggression. As Emma's gaze swept over them, she could see the realization dawning on their faces that she was onto them.

Before she could ask any more, one of the men lunged at her, his movements swift and aggressive. Emma instinctively dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, but she found herself quickly surrounded as the other men closed in, forming a tight circle around her.

Emma's smile stretched wide, a glimmer of excitement dancing in her eyes. It seemed that her practice was about to be put to the test. With a quick turn, Emma turned towards the man who had lunged at her, singling him out as her first target.

The man, caught off guard by Emma's sudden movement, hesitated for a split second before launching another attack. But Emma was ready. With lightning-fast reflexes, she sidestepped his punches, smoothly slipping past his reach.

In one swift and seamless motion, Emma brought her arm up, delivering a precise strike to the man's solar plexus. The force of her blow knocked the wind out of him, causing him to stagger backward, gasping for breath.

Taking advantage of the opening, Emma followed up with a swift kick to the man's knee, sending him crashing to the ground with a pained grunt. She didn't waste a moment, immediately turning her attention to the next assailant, her movements quick and precise as she danced through the circle of attackers.

As Emma stepped out of the alley, a satisfied smirk played across her lips as she watched the last remaining man scramble away in fear. With a flick of her hair, she couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority wash over her. She could have stopped him, but she decided to let him go because she knew he might get help from others.

Smiling to herself, Emma felt good about letting him go, thinking it was a kind thing to do. After all, she reasoned, no one could be kinder than her, especially in such circumstances.

With the sun high in the sky, Emma found a secured spot where she could safely take out her RV from storage. Taking a moment to ensure that she was alone and unnoticed, she brought the car out. Emma decided it was time to leave the chaos of the city and head back to her peaceful home in the forest.

As Emma approached the highway section, a sense of unease settled over her like a heavy blanket. The traffic had slowed to a crawl, and her instincts tingled with warning. Ahead, she noticed a red car stopped in the middle of the highway, causing a chain reaction as cars behind it lightly bumped into one another.

Her heart raced as she watched a man stumble out of the red car, his movements unsteady and erratic. In the chaos that ensued, the owners of the cars that had collided with the red car stepped out, their faces flushed with anger and frustration. 

The owner of the red car stumbled in front of the other frustrated owners, his arms outstretched in a plea for assistance. His face contorted in pain, he collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Shocked gasps filled the air as the other car owners surrounded him.

"Hey! Don't fake death!" one of them shouted, his voice tinged with disbelief and annoyance.

Another joined in, his tone indignant, "You're still paying for my car, even if you are dead!"

"Hey!" Another voice interjected, adding to the chaotic scene unfolding on the highway.

Suddenly the man stands up again. The man's sudden comeback startled everyone, their eyes widening in disbelief. However, as he stood up, it became clear that something was wrong. His eyes once filled with desperation, now appeared entirely white, devoid of any color. Black veins spread across his body, looking scary under his skin.

A hushed silence fell over the onlookers as they watched in horror, uncertain of what they were witnessing.

Emma's heart raced as she realized what had happened: the man had turned into a zombie, one of the undead. Shock and fear surged through her as she tried to comprehend the sudden shift in reality. Why was this happening now? She had thought there were still two more days until the apocalypse began. But then a chilling thought pierced her mind – the voice had said "until the apocalypse happens," not "until it starts." The distinction hit her like a ton of bricks. Apocalypse meant catastrophic damage had already been done, and now it was unfolding right before her eyes.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Emma cursed the voice that had misled her with its warnings. She had never imagined that a seemingly robotic voice would play word games with her. But there was no time to dwell on this misunderstanding. 

With a sense of urgency, Emma rolled down her window and unleashed a high-pitched scream, warning bystanders of the impending danger. "GET OUT OF THE WAY! RUN!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos of the scene.