When the World Ends, She Begins novel Chapter 16

"Okay! I'll fix it right now, I swear!"

Leandro trembled as he spoke, his hands shaking uncontrollably while trying to repair the door lock. Terrified, he worked faster than he ever had in his life.

"It's done!" he said, stepping back and eyeing Natalie nervously, watching for any sign of approval.

She leaned down to inspect the lock closely.

Seeing his chance, Leandro turned and bolted, sprinting down the stairs like a madman. His voice echoed through the dark, flooded stairwell.

"Help! Somebody help! There's a killer in 1402!"

Natalie raised an eyebrow. So, the coward could run fast after all.

Without wasting a second, she grabbed her blade and went after him.

Leandro's escape was awkward and clumsy, but somehow, it helped him avoid being stabbed in a vital spot. Natalie's blade only grazed his shoulder.

Blood streamed down his arm, but the panic gave him speed. He pushed forward, stumbling and gasping until he reached the seventh floor—his home.

The neighbors who'd been hiding between the fifth and sixth floors saw the chase and went pale with fear, backing away and screaming.

Before Leandro could unlock his door, Natalie was right behind him.

"Please—don't kill me!" He sobbed.

But Natalie didn't hesitate. In a world without law or order, leaving someone like him alive was like planting a ticking time bomb.

She finished him off cleanly.

Turning around, she looked directly at the terrified crowd of neighbors. Without a word, she headed back to her apartment, leaving Leandro's body in the stairwell.

This was her way of warning the others.

In her previous life, none of these neighbors were easy to deal with.

Things were about to descend into chaos, so she needed to make it clear early on—she wasn't someone to mess with.

The next morning, the rest of the residents hesitantly peeked out of their homes.

Everyone had heard Leandro's screams the night before, but no one had dared to open their doors.

Even though everyone had mentally prepared themselves before opening the door, they were still badly shaken by the sight of red blood splattered all over the hallway walls.

It felt just like stepping into a horror movie scene.

The story spread fast through the flooded building. And like every game of telephone, the story got more and more dramatic.

"There's a psycho living on the 14th floor!"

"She carries a knife around and stabs people without blinking! I heard she's a fugitive on the run ... "

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