Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 128

Chapter 128 Standing close in the quiet courtyard

Jonna let out a long, heavy sigh and rubbed her temples. “I’m tired,” she admitted to the room. “I need to

rest.

Hearing that, the team immediately started moving. Jake, Jolie, Julian, Uncle Nate, Raven, Rachel, and Allen headed upstairs to clear out of the main room. As they walked. Jolie began planning the supply search. organizing everyone into a sweeping group. She specifically excluded Jake and Julian from the search details, knowing they had just been out all night with Joanna and needed a break.

Before the group could fully disperse, Joanna called out to them. “We are going to rest for four hours. Be back here after that.” She took a deep breath, her mind shifting to the uncut emeralds Caleb had handed her earlier. “Then, I am going to absorb the gems Caleb gave me.”

She reached down, unslung a heavy, small duffel bag from her shoulder, and dropped it onto the wooden table with a loud, metallic thud. “Have someone divide all these cores for the ability users.” She threw the emeralds on the counter nearby.

Everyone froze, staring at the bag. Allen stepped forward and pulled the zipper back, revealing a tightly packed, glittering mountain of glowing zombie cores. The room gasped in unison. There were easily several thousand cores crammed into the duffel bag, representing a terrifying amount of raw power.

Allen looked up at Joanna, his jaw dropping before a sarcastic grin forced its way onto his face. “Hey, Boss… maybe save some zombies for the rest of us next time? Some of us want to practice, too.”

A few people chuckled, the sheer absurdity of the haul cutting through the grim news of the morning. Joanna just waved her hand dismissively with a tired smile. She covered basics on how to absorb cores then motioned they were leaving. In an instant, the air shimmered, and she, Jake, and Julian vanished from the room, entering the safety of her upgraded storage space to finally get some sleep.

As the shimmer of the teleportation faded, the three of them materialized inside the expansive, sunlit courtyard of Joanna’s villa space. The air here was fresh, completely untainted by the coastal fog or the stench of the apocalypse outside.

Jake stretched his arms over his head, popping his back. “You two go ahead and crash,” he said, turning toward the fields. “I’m going to look over the animals and crops first before turning in. I got way more rest than you two since I was resting in the space the longest.”

Joanna gave him a tired nod. “Thanks, Jake. Don’t work too hard.” Jake walked away towards the animal pens.

With a wave and a grin, Jake walked off toward the barns, leaving Joanna and Julian standing alone in the quiet courtyard.

The silence between them stretched, suddenly feeling a lot heavier than it had outside. Joanna let out a soft sigh, the adrenaline of the night finally completely draining from her system, leaving her shoulders slumped with exhaustion. She turned toward the main villa house, but her foot caught slightly on the edge of the stone walkway.

Before she could stumble, Julian’s hand shot out, catching her firmly by the forearm. His grip was warm and steady, instantly grounding her.

“Whoa there, hoarder,” Julian murmured, his voice dropping to a low, gentle tone that sent a sudden, unexpected spark through her veins. He didn’t let go of her arm. Instead, his fingers slid down slightly, his

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Chapter 128 Standing close in the quiet courtyard

thumb brushing against the sensitive skin of her wrist.

Finished

ma looked up, her piercing eyes meeting his. Standing this close, she could feel the heat radiating off hi The exhaustion in her mind seemed to blur, replaced by a sudden, electric tension that made her breath catch in her throat.

“I’m fine,” she whispered, though she didn’t step back. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and for once, it had nothing to do with zombies or enemies. “Just tired.”

Julian stepped a fraction closer, his gaze dropping to her lips before locking back onto her eyes. The play. teasing smirk he usually wore was completely gone, replaced by a raw, intense seriousness that made the air between them feel thick. “You carry the weight of this entire world on your shoulders, Joanna,” he said softly, his free hand rising to gently brush a stray lock of hair away from her face. His fingertips lingered on her jawline, his touch incredibly tender. “You’re allowed to be tired. You don’t have to be the invincible boss every second we’re here.”

Joanna’s breath hitched. She was used to fighting, used to commanding, and used to being the shield for everyone else. But looking into Julian’s dark eyes, she felt a dangerous, terrifying urge to just lean into him and let someone else hold her up for a while. The vulnerability of the moment stretched between them, sweet and agonizingly tense, neither of them daring to make the first definitive move, yet both completely paralyzed by the magnetic pull drawing them together.

“Julian…” she murmured, her voice barely a breath.

He leaned in just a fraction more, his chest almost brushing hers, the scent of his cologne and old leather clinging to him. “Go to sleep, Joanna,” he whispered, his thumb trailing one last time across her jaw before he reluctantly, slowly pulled his hands back, breaking the physical contact but leaving her skin tingling. “But know I’m right here if you need anything. Always.”

Joanna stared at him for a beat longer, her heart still racing, before she forced a small, soft smile and nodded, turning to walk into the quiet sanctuary of her bedroom.

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