When the World Ends, She Begins novel Chapter 15

The whole apartment complex had lost power, water, and internet. It was a total shutdown.

Most residents had already run out of food and supplies. So now, they had no choice but to swim through the floodwaters to search for anything they could find.

Natalie looked out the window and saw people jumping into the water one after another.

But this wasn't a swimming pool. The flood was now over 50 feet deep, full of floating debris and hidden currents—dangerous and unpredictable.

Some people got cut by sharp debris almost as soon as they hit the water. The risk of infection from the dirty water was high, but they swam anyway.

To them, nothing was more terrifying than starving to death.

It had only been a day since the floods started rising, and there were already bodies floating in the water.

Natalie was bathing her dog, Lucky, when she heard screams from outside.

She pulled back the curtain. A body was drifting past their window, rocking with the current. The corpse's arms swayed with the motion of the water.

Everyone had grown up in peace and stability. Sure, they'd been stuck inside for days because of the storm, but none of them had ever seen a dead body. Panic spread like wildfire. People screamed, cried, and backed away from the windows.

Natalie just shook her head. This is only the beginning. Soon, dead bodies will be as common as meals. People will get used to it. They'll grow cold and numb.

Even now, with a corpse drifting right by their building, people were still diving into the water for supplies. They had no choice.

Those who couldn't swim turned their bathtubs or water tanks into makeshift boats.

And some didn't want to go out at all. They'd rather leech off others.

Like the old lady in unit 701—Florence Lafferty. She went knocking on door to doors.

"Neighbor? Do you have anything to eat? I haven't eaten in two days!"

No one answered.

"You're all so heartless! My two boys are wasting away from hunger!

"My poor children! They don't deserve this!"

No matter how loud she cried or how long she knocked, no one opened up.

It wasn't until after knocking on several doors that someone—probably already fed up with her—finally shouted through one.

"What kind of kids are you talking about? You mean your two 30-something musclehead sons?

"They're grown men! Why can't they go out and find food themselves? Why should we risk our lives so they can eat for free?"

Florence's eyes bulged in rage. "I don't care how old they are! They're still my babies!

"What if something happens to them in that deep water?"

She yelled for a while longer, but still, no one answered. She finally walked off, muttering to herself.

"No one has compassion anymore. Not these young people."

...

That night, two men quietly slipped out of the apartment on the seventh floor.

They were Florence's sons—Vincent Lafferty and Leandro Lafferty.

They crept down the hallway and climbed the stairs to the 14th floor.

They'd been watching the girl on that floor for a while now. She was pretty, but they never had a chance to talk to her. Tonight, they overheard Tiffany and Braxton mention that she had a lot of food stocked up, and she lived alone.

That was all they needed to hear. If they could get into her apartment, they'd have food—and maybe more.

The brothers smirked at each other.

Other residents on the fifth and sixth floors noticed them sneaking upstairs and instantly knew they were up to no good. But no one said a word. These guys had asked to stay in people's homes before and got rejected. So they didn't feel bad at all. Let someone else deal with them.

Maybe even a fight would break out—that would be entertaining.

Vincent and Leandro reached the 14th floor, backpacks full of lock-picking tools.

They used to steal stuff all the time. Picking locks was easy for them.

The first stainless-steel hallway door opened in seconds. But then they hit a second door—an armored one.

What the hell? Did she build this herself?

They bent down and started working on it.

This one was tougher. But, the younger brother, Leandro, had worked as a professional locksmith before. It took longer than the first one, but eventually, he got it open.

They grinned at each other. Finally.

But when they reached the door to unit 1402, their smiles faded.

She changed the building-issued steel door into another armored one?

They gritted their teeth. Good things take effort. Keep going.

Damn door. Feels like it's messing with us.

Vincent sneered. "You think a weapon will help you? In the hands of a woman, it's more dangerous to yourself than to others."

But before he could say more, Natalie had already grabbed him by the collar and slammed the blade into his gut.

"You looking down on women?"

She stabbed again. Blood gushed from Vincent's stomach.

Lucky barked in shock, as if she was saying, "Whoa! Natalie, you're amazing!" Then she darted behind Natalie to avoid getting blood on her pristine white fur.

Vincent stumbled back, stunned, then roared in rage. One hand clutched his bleeding stomach, the other swung his knife toward her.

Natalie slipped past his attack and drove her blade into him again and again.

Each time she pulled it out, blood streamed down the bayonet's channel groove.

She stabbed him ten times before finally letting go.

Vincent fell to the floor, eyes wide, and didn't move again.

Leandro stared in horror.

He'd always been a coward—only brave when sneaking around. He wasn't built for real violence.

And now, his brother had just been killed like it was nothing. He was scared out of his wits and collapsed to the ground.

"D-Don't come any closer!

"S-Someone help!"

Natalie couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the trembling man before her. But the moment her smile faded—replaced by a cold, unreadable expression—she closed the distance slowly, each step deliberate.

She still wore her pink bunny pajamas. But her face was blank. Her bayonet was dripping red.

Vincent's blood was spattered across her clothes.

Drops hit the floor, one by one.

Leandro's fear overwhelmed him, and in that moment, he lost control, wetting himself on the spot.

Natalie stopped in front of him. She raised her blade and pointed. "Put the doors back the way they were."