Apocalypse: The Dead Lives
Chapter 47: The Storm

Chapter 47: The Storm

I pushed forward through the ruined streets. The air was thick with the smell of decay.

My fingers instinctively brushed the knife at my hip as I adjusted the strap of my backpack. Every step forward felt heavy with tension.

Marco walked beside me; his usual smirk faded as he quietly scanned our surroundings. On my other side, August exhaled sharply, kicking at a stray rock.

"We should find shelter soon," August muttered. "There’s a storm’s coming. They announced it on the radio last night."

I glanced up at the darkening sky. The clouds swirled dangerously. Thick and heavy. A promise of thunder and rain.

An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of my stomach.

"You think we’ll make it to the old church before it hits?" Marco asked, his tone casual, but his body tense.

August shook his head. "Doubt it. And honestly, I don’t know if I wanna be trapped in there when the storm rolls through. Feels like a death trap."

I hummed in agreement, my gaze shifting to Marco. "You’ve been quiet."

He chuckled dryly. "Guess I’m just getting tired of this whole ’fighting to survive’ thing. Thought the end of the world would at least be a little more exciting."

August scoffed. "Yeah, because starving and running for our lives isn’t thrilling enough."

Marco grinned. "You know what I mean. Would’ve been nice if the apocalypse came with superpowers or something."

I snorted. "Right. Instead, we just get zombies and assholes with guns."

Before Marco could reply, the sound of footsteps echoed through the streets. We all froze, hands moving to our weapons.

The mist rolled in and all around us, concealing the figures that were approaching us. Then-

They stepped into view.

Ronan, Ender, and their guards moved with confidence. Each step was calculated and precise. Their presence was commanding and untouchable.

Ender’s eyes immediately locked onto August, and within seconds, he was pulling him into a tight hug, relief washing over his face. I barely had time to process it before I felt two strong arms wrap around me.

Ronan.

His scent, the warmth of his body, the way his grip tightened like he never wanted to let go. It was all so painfully familiar.

But just as quickly as the moment settled, it shattered. His body went rigid, his breath hitched, and he pulled back slightly.

His eyes flicked past me.

To Marco.

Everything changed in an instant. Ronan stepped back, his face darkening. His entire demeanor shifted into something lethal.

The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. An invisible storm was building between them before the first drop of rain even fell.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ronan’s voice was low, edged with barely contained anger.

Marco crossed his arms, smirking slightly, though his eyes held no humor. "Surviving. Same as you."

The tension thickened. No one spoke. No one dared to move.

Ronan’s fists curled at his sides. "You don’t belong here."

"Last time I checked, you weren’t the only one fighting to keep her alive," Marco shot back, eyes flicking briefly to me before locking back onto Ronan’s.

That was it.

Lightning split the sky, and in the next second, Ronan swung. His fist connected with Marco’s jaw, sending him stumbling back, but Marco recovered fast.

He lunged forward, tackling Ronan to the ground. The world around them blurred as they fought, fists and elbows colliding.

Rain began to pour, instantly soaking them, but neither of them backed down.

Ronan drove his knee into Marco’s stomach, forcing a sharp grunt from him, but Marco twisted, grabbing Ronan’s collar and yanking him forward into a brutal headbutt.

Ronan staggered but didn’t fall. Instead, he retaliated with a fierce uppercut that snapped Marco’s head back.

Marco wiped the blood from his lip and grinned. "That all you got?"

Ronan growled, charging at him again.

They slammed into a rusted car, the metal groaning under the force of their struggle.

Marco shoved Ronan off, then swung hard, but Ronan ducked, slamming his shoulder into Marco’s ribs and sending him sprawling onto the wet pavement.

Before Marco could recover, Ronan was on top of him, raining down fists, fury dripping from every punch.

Ender shouted something, but his voice was lost in the storm. I took a step forward, but August grabbed my arm, shaking his head.

Then I realized that this wasn’t a fight that anyone could stop.

Marco managed to get his legs under Ronan, using the momentum to flip them both over.

He landed a sharp punch to Ronan’s ribs, then another to his face. Ronan spat blood and laughed, the sound dark and dangerous.

He grabbed Marco by the front of his shirt and twisted, rolling them both until they slammed into a broken lamppost. The impact rattled through them, but neither of them let go.

"You always have to be the hero, don’t you?" Marco gritted out, shoving Ronan back. "Always the one who saves her."

Ronan sneered. "What’s so wrong with that? She’s my girlfriend. I have to protect her from men like you."

Marco’s face darkened, his next punch fueled by something deeper than anger. It connected with Ronan’s cheekbone, sending him stumbling. But Ronan caught himself, eyes blazing with something equally primal.

Then-

A bolt of lightning streaked down from the sky.

It struck them both at the same time, the explosion of energy so fierce it sent everyone else stumbling back. A white-hot glow engulfed their bodies, crackling with raw power. And then...

They vanished.

The storm raged on, rain pelting the ground where they had stood just moments before. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the empty space.

"Where are they?" Ender asked, his voice laced with confusion.

"Ronan?" I called. I ran over to where they were fighting. But all that was left was a black hole in the ground.

"What the fuck just happened?" August asked in disbelief.

"Language, young man," Ender warned, and August guiltily looked down to his shoes.

"Ronan?" I called again, my voice sounding more urgent this time. But no response came.

I dropped to my knees, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. They were just here. Fighting. Alive. And now-

They were just- gone.

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