Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Jolie

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Jolie spun around, her eyes widening as she took in Joanna’s striking appearance. “Uh, wow. Hi,” Jolie stammered, completely blindsided. “Do I know you? Why are you buying my breakfast?”

Joanna chuckled, gesturing toward a quiet corner next to the food truck. “Hi, Jolie. I’m Joanna. I wanted to see if you had a few minutes to talk over a business proposition.”

Jolie let out a breath, her eyes scanning Joanna’s face with intense curiosity. In her mind, Jolie wondered “Whoa. Her skin is flawless, and her eyelashes are insanely long. Is she a model or something?”

“Are you currently wondering if my eyelashes are real, or if I’m just trying to recruit you into a pyramid scheme?” Joanna asked, her voice dripping with playful amusement.

Jolie’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Oh my god! Are you a mind reader? How did you just do that?”

“Let’s sit down,” Joanna laughed, leading the way to one of the small tables next to the food truck. This was the exact, eccentric reaction Jolie had asked in her dream when they originally

met.

Once they slid into the booth, Joanna leaned forward, her expression turning serious. “I know your name is Jolie. I know your aunt tragically passed away from cancer last winter. And I know that despite working part-time, your absolute favorite hobby is perfecting your secret recipe for homemade hickory turkey jerky. Am I right?”

The color completely drained from Jolie’s face. She sat frozen, her eyes turning as wide and round as saucers as she stared across the table. The sheer impossibility of a total stranger knowing her deepest secret love for turkey jerky left her completely speechless. Yet, looking into Joanna’s calm, fiercely steady gaze, she didn’t feel threatened-she felt a strange, magnetic pull of profound safety.

“Okay… you have officially blown my mind,” Jolie whispered, a mix of awe and terror in her voice. “I didn’t think mind readers actually existed. And I definitely didn’t think one would buy me a breakfast wrap.”

Joanna leaned in closer, the air between them growing heavy with anticipation. “I’m not a mind reader, Jolie. But I had a dream about the future. And if you want to live through what’s coming in exactly six months, you are going to want to listen very carefully to what I have to say next.”

Joanna looked at Jolie across the narrow table, a sudden wave of genuine affection washing over her. In the frozen landscape of her past life, they had been reliable brothers-in-arms if only for a few weeks traveling to the base. Here, Jolie was just a lonely girl trying to survive. Reaching across the table, Joanna gently took Jolie’s hand.

“I am so incredibly happy I ran into you today,” Joanna said, her voice steady and warm. “And I

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Chapter 15 Jolie

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want you to know something. All that food and those supplies you’ve been meticulously hoarding? It’s going to change your life for the better. You are going to need every single ounce of it for what’s coming.”

Jolie blinked, tears suddenly brimming in her eyes. “How do you… how do you know about that? Honestly, I’ve always had this weird, burning voice in the back of my mind telling me to be ready for the end of the world. Life has always been a struggle, but my aunt always told me to stay positive because things could always get a lot worse.” She wiped a stray tear, letting out a wet laugh. “I save money wherever I can. I wouldn’t even be splurging on a food truck today, except it’s my actual birthday. I just wanted to celebrate. To splurge for once.”

Joanna’s heart softened. It was time to pull her in. “Well, if you can believe that I’m a messenger of sorts, then I need you to trust me a little further. I have a job proposal for you. Are you willing to relocate near me for the next six months?”

Jolie paused, her burger hovering mid-air. “Relocate? I mean… doing what?”

“Be my operations manager,” Joanna said smoothly. “If what I say doesn’t happen by the end of those six months, you still get to keep fifty thousand dollars for a half-year’s work. I will bankroll all of our logistical operations, and you can use that cash to fund your own personal supply list-gear, tactical clothes, and other supplies preppers use. What do you think?”

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