When the World Ends, She Begins novel Chapter 19

The water's surface was crowded with makeshift "boats"—plastic storage tubs, bathtubs, anything that could float with a person inside.

Someone had scored a bag of chips drifting in the water. Someone else fished out a watermelon that had been soaking for who knew how long—whether it was still edible was anyone's guess.

A few lucky ones had raided an outdoor gear company's office building and found kayaks.

The extras were brought back and traded to neighbors—not for cash, but for food.

Humans might not be indestructible, but they sure knew how to adapt.

Natalie watched the scene for two days from her window. People came and went nonstop, and she figured it was about time for her to head out, too.

Staying holed up inside only made it obvious she had plenty of supplies, and that kind of attention was dangerous.

Right now, no one had tried to mess with her. But as the days dragged on and stomachs got emptier, people would be willing to do anything.

She decided to get some air—and to take the dog with her.

Even though her reinforced front door was solid, who knew if there were any lock-picking pros in the building like Leandro from before? Leaving Lucky at home alone didn't feel safe.

Luckily, she was small enough to fit in her backpack without weighing much.

Lucky had never been inside a bag before. She pawed at the edge in protest.

Natalie warned her, "If you don't hide, someone's gonna snatch you up and kill you."

Her eyes went wide, and she bolted straight into the open bag.

Then she turned around and tapped the zipper with a paw, as if she was saying, "Zip me in."

"You little rascal." Natalie grinned, zipped her up while leaving a vent, slung the pack over her shoulders, and grabbed her inflatable dinghy from storage.

She carried Lucky down to the seventh floor.

With the water level now covering the sixth floor, the seventh had become the new "ground level," and everyone came and went through the hallway windows.

When she stepped outside, a whole group from her building was already getting ready to leave.

Things had gotten bad out there. Fights over supplies were common, so most people now moved in building-based crews for safety, searching together and defending what they found.

At first, no one trusted each other because of all the break-ins and thefts from the early days.

But after a few solo trips that ended with their haul stolen by outsiders, they'd put grudges aside—at least for now—and formed a team.

Everyone was there except Natalie—and Harold and his mother, who lived on the 15th floor.

Her dinghy stood out next to their random tubs, barrels, and buckets.

He was holding Olivia's hand, keeping to the very back of the group and putting as much distance between himself and Owen as possible.

Things out there must be really bad—otherwise, Daniel would never team up with Owen. After all, the last time Natalie had seen him, he had been scared out of his mind.

The apocalypse sure had a way of showing you new things: murderers and eyewitnesses scavenging side by side.

Owen studied Natalie's expression and tried again. "It's dangerous out there. You'll be safer if you team up with us."

He kept his smile wide and his tone friendly, all the while thinking, If I can hitch a ride on her dinghy, I won't have to paddle half as hard. And with her kind of skill? She'd be a huge asset to the crew. She's killed a couple people—big deal. These cowards act like that's something to fear. I've killed too; they just don't know it.

Natalie shot him down again without hesitation. "Thanks for the heads-up, but I'm not teaming up."

And with that, she ignored the mix of looks from the group, stepped out the window, and motored away in her dinghy.

Owen's face flushed at being dismissed in front of everyone, irritation simmering under the surface.

But he kept his voice pleasant as he turned to the others. "Alright then, since she's not joining, let's get moving."

Braxton and Tiffany watched Natalie's back as she pulled away, their eyes narrowing.

"Braxton, look at her—she hasn't lost a pound. If anything, her skin looks better than ever."