Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 102

Chapter 102: 102

Zara wiped the sweat from her brow, trying to focus on the task at hand, but her mind kept drifting.

After the strange encounter with the man, the unease that settled deep in Zara’s chest hadn’t loosened its grip. She looked down at her son, his wide eyes darting around nervously. He had noticed something strange about the man too, she could tell.

Clara glanced at Zara as they worked, her brow furrowing slightly. "You okay? You’ve looked a little off all day."

Zara stiffened, fingers pausing in the dirt. She hadn’t expected Clara to notice, but then again, the woman seemed perceptive. She was friendly, maybe even kind, but Zara had only known her for two days. That wasn’t nearly enough time to trust her with what was really on her mind.

So she deflected. "Didn’t get much rest last night," she murmured, shaking loose a clump of dirt from the plant she was replanting. "That’s all."

Clara didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t push. Instead, her gaze flicked to Leo, who clung tightly to Zara’s side, his little hands clutching the fabric of her shirt. He was still scared from their earlier encounter, though he hadn’t said a word about it.

Zara could feel his small body trembling, and she couldn’t blame him. She herself hadn’t felt right since the encounter, the hairs on the back of her neck still prickling.

Zara exhaled slowly and glanced at Clara. "That man... what does he do here?"

"Like I said, he’s a supervisor here," Clara’s lips thinned. "Wasn’t here when I first got to the farm, but he sure as hell isn’t built for hard labor. Guess the officials figured that out too and moved him into supervisor work."

Zara’s stomach twisted. "And the favors? Do you know anyone he’s...?"

Clara fidgeted, busying herself with demonstrating how to replant the crop properly. "You don’t want answers to questions like that," she muttered. "Just do your work and keep your head down."

Zara stared at her, but Clara kept her focus on the dirt. Once the plant was settled, she dusted off her hands and looked at Zara and Leo. "You should take him to the daycare. Might help you focus better."

Zara nodded, grateful for the change of subject. "Thanks."

Leo still stuck close to her side for the rest of the day, his small fingers wrapped around her clothes.

*****

As the evening alarm sounded, signaling the end of the workday, Zara straightened, stretching sore muscles. Dust and dirt clung to her, and Leo was just as much of a mess.

She scooped him up onto her hip, balancing his weight effortlessly.

"You had fun today?" she teased, nudging his cheek. "Bet you’re excited for a bath, huh?"

Leo wrinkled his nose. "No bath."

Zara chuckled, but her thoughts drifted as she made her way to the terminal, pulled between the argument with Winter and the looming orb in the sky. It had grown larger in the past year, inching closer like a silent promise of destruction.

She really needed to find access to those labs and their research materials, to see what they had come up with and brainstorm on actual actionable plans.

But what if they did find a way to push it out of earth’s orbit?

Did they have the resources and materials to pull it off?

She wanted to talk to someone so bad. Her thoughts drifted back to Winter—the things she should have said, and how she had probably pushed him further away this time. The guilt weighed heavily on her. Was this the end? Had she ruined everything between them?

She was about to board the bus when she heard her name. Turning, she spotted Clara and Tessa approaching, exhaustion clear on their faces, but their smiles genuine.

"Hey, mind if we tag along?" Clara asked. "Figured we’re all headed to the bathhouse anyway."

Zara nodded, shifting Leo’s weight as he shyly waved at them. They all boarded together, but as the bus pulled away, her gaze caught on something—or rather, someone.

The man.

He stood at a distance, watching her.

He was standing at a distance, his pale form unmistakable in the fading light. His eyes were locked on her, unblinking, just as they had been earlier.

The familiar feeling of dread curled in Zara’s stomach.

She turned away quickly, swallowing hard as she tried to hide her discomfort.

The others didn’t seem to notice her unease.

Clara and Tessa were already chatting about the farm and base life.

Zara forced herself to listen, absorbing bits of information about supply shortages, patrol rotations, and whispers of new government orders being enforced.

"...They’re saying food rations might be cut again," Clara muttered, resting her head against the edge of the tub. "Something about stockpiling for the winter."

Tessa scoffed. "And yet, you know damn well the higher-ups won’t be going hungry. It’s always us scraping by."

Zara ran her fingers over Leo’s curls, glancing between them. "How bad is it?"

"Bad enough." Clara sighed. "The farms are barely keeping up. Too many new mouths to feed, not enough hands to work. And with the way things are going, it wouldn’t surprise me if they start enforcing stricter work quotas."

"They can try," Tessa muttered. "But people are already running on fumes." She tilted her head toward Clara. "You heard about that guy in Section B, right?"

Clara grimaced. "The one who collapsed?"

"Yeah. Passed out in the middle of the field. They dragged him off, but no one’s seen him since."

"Probably locked in medical."

"Or dumped somewhere," Tessa muttered darkly.

A heavy silence settled between them before Clara cleared her throat. "Well, at least we’re not on patrol duty. I’d rather break my back pulling crops than go up against those things outside the walls."

Tessa shuddered. "Saw one of the patrol guys come back yesterday. Whole side of his face was shredded. Looked like something had tried to take a bite out of him."

Zara frowned. "They’re still letting people go out there?"

"Of course. If they stopped, we’d be sitting ducks. We need the patrols to keep the roads clear for supply runs." Clara shook her head. "Not that it helps much when the shipments keep getting smaller."

"Probably why they’re starting those damn conscriptions," Tessa muttered.

Zara’s brow furrowed. "Conscriptions?"

Both ladies stared at her with confused frowns then Clara hummed. "Right, you just got here."

"They’re pulling people from the farms and sending them to train as soldiers. No choice in it either—you get picked, you go."

Clara sighed. "It started last month. They’re saying it’s for defense, but I don’t buy it."

Zara swallowed, her grip on Leo tightening. "What do you think it’s really for?"

"Probably sending them out to clear the roads themselves," Tessa said grimly. "Throwing more bodies at the problem so they don’t have to waste bullets."

As the bus made its way to the residential area, they disembarked, and Zara couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

By the time they reached the residential area, they split off to their separate rooms, agreeing to meet back up for the bath.

Zara stepped into her quarters with Leo, but the second she looked around, her stomach dropped.

Winter’s things were gone.

The absence hit her like a physical blow, and for a moment, she stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the empty space. The sting of realization—this was her fault. She had driven him away.

This was the consequence of her own mistakes, and now she would lie in the bed she had made.

She picked up things for her and Leo, her heart aching, and closed the door behind her.

*****

The bathhouse was a mix of showers and steaming tubs, built more for efficiency than comfort. People washed off quickly before soaking their aching muscles, always mindful not to take too long.

Zara scrubbed herself and Leo clean, the warm water soothing but not enough to ease her thoughts. Once they were rinsed, she hesitantly joined Clara and Tessa in one of the soaking tubs.

The heat wrapped around her, but she remained tense.

She hesitated, then finally asked, "you’ve both been here for a while right?"

Clara blinked curiously while Tessa nodded. "Yes," Clara said, "why do you ask?"

Zara bit her lip, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Do either of you know anything about the lab?"

Tessa raised a brow. "Why? You looking to join? That’s big-brain stuff, and I’m happy staying dumb."

Clara shook her head at her. "I haven’t been inside, but I’ve passed by it. It’s a bit far from the farms—they transport fertilizer and crops there sometimes."

Before Zara could ask more, another woman shifted closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I heard they experiment on the infected there."

Zara’s brows furrowed. Where had she come from? Then she processed what the woman had just said.

She wouldn’t put it past people to do that.

Logically, studying specimens would help identify patterns, track mutations, maybe even find a cure.

But the mother in her recoiled at the idea of those things being close to her and her child in a supposed safe haven. If the rumors were true, what if something got out?

*****

Back in her room, she fed Leo and ate something small before getting him ready for bed.

As she helped him change, he peered up at her. "Where’s Uncle?"

Zara’s hands froze.

She forced a smile. "Still busy."

"Still? But we done," he shifted under the blankets, brows furrowing.

"We have different work baby, now close your eyes and sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow."

Leo pouted, crossing his arms. "Is he eating? When’s he coming back?"

Her heart clenched. She smoothed his hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I hope soon, baby. Now come on, close your eyes."

She settled into bed beside him, curling around him protectively as she began to hum a tune for him.

Her mind swirled with everything—the strange man, the lab, the breach inching closer, Winter’s absence and her upcoming terrible encounter with whatever that thing in her vision was.

But then her breath hitched.

In every nightmare, in every vision of destruction she’d had recently...

Leo was never with her.

Her stomach dropped.

What did that mean?