Chapter 5 Betrayal and Bloodshed
Our castle was more than just a stronghold. It was a haven for the skilled. Scientists, doctors, engineers, and communication experts had all gathered there.
That was how we intercepted the weretigers and werewolves‘ plans.
They had formed an alliance, intending to take our castle, slaughter everyone inside, and seize our supplies. Furthermore, they planned to use my so–called family as pawns in an inside job. Soon, Kylie, Jolin, and Mandy came crawling to me.
Kylie’s voice crackled through the radio in desperation, “Sheila! Our refuge was overrun! My husband is dead! It’s just the three of us now, and we have nowhere else to go.
“You have to take us in! I heard you’ve been sheltering the homeless, and we’re your family! That makes us different from the rest.”
It was true. I took in those with nowhere else to go. But in times like these, kindness got you killed. I only accepted those who could fight or work. Useless mouths only bred resentment.
I answered flatly, “There’s a condition. Anyone who wants to enter the castle must have a skill or have killed at least two zombies.”
Kylie gritted her teeth but agreed. She had no choice: Going back meant facing Luke’s wrath.
In my previous life, Luke had built a settlement and ruled with an iron grip. Women traded their bodies for food, and he reveled in his power. When he failed to find supplies, he took his frustration out on me. A slap if I was lucky. Kicks and punches if I wasn’t.
I had no doubt Kylie suffered the same fate in this life. Otherwise, the safety of a settlement?
why would she risk leaving
Kylie, John, and Mandy arrived under the escort of the weretigers, stopping just outside the castle’s surveillance zone.
The area was regularly cleared of zombies to keep travel routes safe. To gain entry, the three
of them had to kill zombies in the forest.
I watched them from the monitors.
Sitting on a boulder, Kylie sneered. “Sheila is an ungrateful little bitch. If we hadn’t found her and brought her back, she wouldn’t be living like a queen with the wereserpents now! Once I get inside and signal Luke, the first thing I’ll do is toss her out for the zombies.”
With that, she picked up an empty soda can and tossed it into the bushes.
The forest was silent, amplifying the sound. A moment later, zombies emerged from the shadows. About nine of them were closing in fast.
Panicking, they all froze and dared not to move.
Kylie nearly cried. “Luke said there wouldn’t be this many here!”
Well, there hadn’t been this many until she made noise. Zombies were drawn to sound, and now they were coming.
Mandy was terrified and broke first, sobbing and chanting prayers over and over. John hissed at her to shut up, but she was too lost in fear to listen.
Kylie clicked her tongue in irritation. Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Dad, we can tie Mom to a tree. Her crying will distract the zombies while we escape.”
Mandy froze mid–chant. “Kylie, no! I won’t cry anymore! Please don’t do this!”
John didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Mandy by the arms. The louder she cried, the faster they worked.
“Kylie, I loved you the most. Even when I found out you weren’t my real daughter when you were three, I still gave you everything. I knew Sheila was suffering in that orphanage, but I never once went to see her.
“Even after we brought her home, I only ever thought about you. I even helped you plot to kill my flesh and blood! You can’t do this to me!”
Kylie’s gaze remained indifferent. “If you love me so much, then die for me. You were the one making all that noise. This is your fault. I hate useless people.”
Mandy turned to John in a desperate plea. “John! If Kylie won’t save me, then
then you Please, I’m your wife! We’ve survived together all this time! I gave you children!”
must!
However, John’s expression was even crueler than Kylie’s. “You’re old and useless. You cry at the first sign of danger. You were already dead weight. If you really want to be useful, then cry louder and attract the zombies so Kylie and I can escape.”
After that, they ran and left Mandy behind for the zombies to descend upon her, their rotten mouths stretching wide. Mandy’s screams echoed through the forest as the zombies tore into
her flesh.
–
”
Even in her final moments, she cried out my name, “Sheila, save me! I’m your mother-
Shouldn’t she be calling for her beloved daughter, Kylie? Oh, right. The one who tied her to that tree was none other than the daughter she had cherished for over 20 years.
I watched without emotion as Mandy was devoured before turning into a zombie.
She believed in karma. Perhaps, in that last moment, she realized the truth. But it was too late. Everyone paid for their sins eventually.
Chapter 6 Welcome
Chapter 6 Welcome
