When the World Ends, She Begins novel Chapter 9

Why the hell was it raining so hard all of a sudden?

Braxton glanced at his watch. The meeting time had come and gone, but Natalie still hadn't shown.

Still, this was a rare opportunity, and he wasn't about to blow it. He forced himself to wait.

Thirty minutes passed. There was no sign of Natalie. As the downpour outside grew heavier, a sliver of unease crept into his chest.

He pulled out his phone to call her—still blocked.

Left with no choice, he borrowed the restaurant's phone and dialed again.

"Hello?"

"Natalie? It's me, Braxton. I'm already at Locust Tree Restaurant. Any idea when you'll be here?"

"Oh, something came up on my end. I'll be a little late. Just hang on a bit, okay?"

"Alright, Nat."

He hung up. She didn't sound angry, so Braxton relaxed and patiently waited.

So long as tonight went according to plan, he'd have her eating out of his hand soon enough—along with all the riches and glory that came with her. A little wait wasn't going to kill him.

Outside, the storm raged on.

Another hour slipped by.

Ding—Buzz—

Phones all over the restaurant lit up. Braxton checked his—an emergency weather alert from the weather bureau.

Red Alert: Torrential Rainfall. All citizens are advised to remain indoors. Cease outdoor activity and operations immediately. Evacuate dangerous areas to safe shelter.

"Oh my god! That car's floating!" someone at the next table screamed.

Braxton looked out the window at last and froze. The street outside was waist-deep in floodwater. Some small cars were actually drifting.

What the hell is going on?

Even typhoon rains hadn't hit this hard before.

He snatched the restaurant phone again and called Natalie. "Nat, where are you now?"

"Who is this?"

"It's Braxton."

"Braxton? Never heard of you. What a terrible name." Click.

He stared at the phone in disbelief. He redialed. This time, only a busy tone.

Braxton's face darkened. She was playing him.

Inside the restaurant, chaos erupted.

Someone's car had been swept away. Someone else got a call from their kid's school to come pick them up immediately. Others were stuck—ride shares weren't accepting any orders.

Braxton rushed downstairs, only to find the flooding had gotten worse. Water now reached chest level.

Though the front doors were shut, water had already started seeping in.

His car out front was completely submerged. There was no chance of driving it now.

He was furious. He'd been made a fool of, left sitting here for an hour and a half like a chump, and lost a car in the process.

Now, he was trapped, too.

The roads were a mess. The rainstorm was fierce, and many people were panicking.

Some were stuck in their cars, others had slipped and gotten swept away. A few even tried swimming, only to end up bleeding from god knows what.

Meanwhile, Natalie was at home watching TV and enjoying a steaming fondue.

The spicy beef tallow bubbled in the pot, sealing off the muggy dampness from outside.

Even Lucky, who had been a bit anxious at first, had calmed down and was now curled up at her feet, happily chewing a massive bone.

Natalie dipped a slice of tripe into the pot, then rolled it in dipping oil and popped it into her mouth.

The fragrant steam filled the entire room.

After eating, she tossed the dishes into the dishwasher and opened WhatsApp. The neighborhood chat group had exploded.

"What the hell?! The rain's insane! My brand new car is floating away!"

"Damn, I feel sorry for you! At least I'm broke and don't own a car."

"With all this thunder, I swear some immortal must be transcending the heavens!"

"When the sky suddenly went dark at noon, I knew something was off. It's like the heavens are leaking!"

"This weather's not right ... could it be the end of the world?"

Natalie raised an eyebrow. Someone hit the nail on the head.

She tapped the profile of the sender. It was the 15th floor guy.

"Don't make me laugh. It's just a rainstorm, dude. You've clearly watched too many movies."

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