The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 202

Chapter 202

Just as a smug grin crept across the girl’s face, the dog sprang at her out of nowhere.

“Ah!”

She never saw it coming. Her feet slipped, and she slammed onto the ice.

Cola kicked up his hind leg and sprayed her straight in the face.

It hit all at once. Even though it was warm, the cold air froze it almost instantly. She let out a string of sharp, panicked screams.

Jasper froze where he stood, completely thrown by the scene in front of him.

Cola bolted forward and jumped into Nicole’s arms. She caught the trembling dog without missing a beat. He wrapped his paws around her neck and held on tight, pressing close, refusing to even look at the girl again. He had clearly been holding that grudge for a while.

The girl stood there, soaked and shaken. The people with her recoiled, covering their noses as they backed away. Not one of them stepped in to help.

She scrubbed at her face, trying to clear off the frozen mess, her whole body stiff with embarrassment and anger. She wished she could disappear. Buster had just humiliated her in front of everyone.

When she looked back at the dog, her expression had gone hard. Whatever affection she used to have

was gone.

Still, she wasn’t ready to give up. She reached for the dog again, but Jasper stepped in.

“That’s enough. The dog’s with her now. Push this any further, and you’re getting shipped out for labor.”

Times were bad, and people did what they had to do, but dogs were still known for their loyalty. And this one was different. Jasper had seen enough trained dogs to recognize it. He wasn’t about to pretend

otherwise.

The group shifted uneasily, clearly unhappy.

Before anyone could argue, Nicole spoke.

“Try to take him, and you’ll regret it.”

Her tone was low, but there was no mistaking the warning.

The girl bit down on her frustration and looked to Jasper, hoping he would side with her. The dog used to be hers. That should count for something.

Jasper remained completely unmoved.

“If you’re not leaving, the transport truck hasn’t gone far. I can have it turn around.”

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Chapte 202

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Right. So much for fairness.

Too bad there was no arguing with power. They had just executed over 300 people. This wasn’t the old world anymore, and authority meant everything. How prisoners were dealt with was entirely up to them

now.

In the end, the group backed off.

As the girl walked away, she glanced over her shoulder at the dog curled in Nicole’s arms, her expression tangled with emotion.

There was a time when Buster had lived for her, when he would have thrown himself in harm’s way without hesitation. Now, there was nothing in his eyes but distance.

She didn’t even know when things had fallen apart, or how he had ended up with someone else. 1

When he lunged at her earlier, she had felt a flash of real fear. Even so, he hadn’t hurt her. Maybe that was the last kindness he had left.

Her throat tightened, her eyes burning.

If things hadn’t fallen apart like this, she never would have gone after him just to survive.

Maybe this was fair. Maybe she owed him that much.

At least now, he had someone else. Someone better.

She kept walking, dazed, unable to remember when she had started losing herself. Maybe it began the day she left Buster behind.

Cola hadn’t expected to see his old owner again, and definitely not like this. The thought that she had been eyeing him as food made him cling tighter to Nicole. He let out a soft, shaky whine.

He pressed close, like a big, wounded fluffball looking for comfort.

Jasper started to walk off, then slowed, turned back, and forced a polite smile.

“That dog’s pretty sharp. Was it trained for service?”

Nicole ran a hand over Cola’s back, easing him down, clearly not interested in a long conversation. “No. Just some basic training.”

“Ever thought about bringing him in?” Jasper said. He had met all kinds of people, and these kids stood out. “We could use people like you, and dogs like that.”

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Maple 201

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