Eternal Love Amidst the Apocalypse

“c***k!” Emilia felt a rush of air as a sharp slap landed on her cheek, searing pain igniting across her face. “How can you treat people like this?” A young nurse pulled Emilia back, her eyes brimming with tears as she confronted the aggressors. “It’s you incompetent doctors we’re talking about!” the woman in front of them shouted, her plain clothing doing little to hide the swelling around her eyes, filled with sorrow and rage. “We saved up for so long to bring our son to your hospital, and what happened? He died! It’s because you didn’t care enough to save him! I’ll make you pay!” The woman had brought reinforcements, each of them looking fierce and ready for a fight. As they surged forward, Emilia’s heart raced. The doctors and nurses behind her rushed to protect her, but the situation had spiraled out of control. The hospital lobby buzzed with activity, but now it was filled with onlookers, shocked by the scene of family members openly attacking the medical staff. Despite the sting of her injury, Emilia raised her hands in a gesture of peace, her voice steady as she tried to mediate, “Please, let’s all stay calm! There are many uncertainties during surgery. The patient suffered cardiac failure halfway through. We did everything we could! This isn’t helping anyone!” But the crowd continued to shout threats, insisting they would harm the “incompetent doctors.” Thankfully, security arrived just in time to subdue the chaos. As Emilia was pulled into an office, the pain on her cheek throbbed intensely. The young nurse, still red-eyed, hurriedly handed her an ice pack. “Emilia, you weren’t even the lead surgeon for that operation! Why are you taking the blame? They’re being so unreasonable!” Emilia’s fair, delicate features were already swelling from the blow. After years of witnessing conflicts between patients and doctors, this was the first time she had been physically attacked—and for someone else’s troubles at that. With a slight tug at the corner of her mouth, she replied, “It’s fine.” She clearly didn’t want to dwell on the matter, but the nurse pressed on, “Isn’t it enough that Erica stole the title that belonged to you? Now she’s taken your surgeries too! If you had been the lead surgeon, that patient wouldn’t have died!” Emilia turned her gaze toward the window, where the sky loomed dark and heavy, the winds howling ominously as a storm approached. New York City had issued flood warnings for days, and she felt an unsettling weight in her chest. These hands, which had wielded a scalpel for so many years, seemed powerless against the intricate web of connections that others wielded. It was infuriating to have been slapped for no reason at all—she couldn’t honestly claim it didn’t anger her. “Look how gloomy it’s been outside for days. Why hasn’t it rained yet?” Emilia said, trying to shift the conversation. The young nurse nodded, following her lead. “Who knows? The weather is truly frightening. I’ve been carrying an umbrella with me everywhere lately.” On the computer in Emilia’s office, the news played on, showing a man in prison garb being escorted away in handcuffs. He had a chiseled face, deep-set eyes, and a tall, commanding presence—his looks strikingly captivating. The newscaster’s composed voice filled the room: “…Suspect Abraham has been returned to the country, with a verdict expected in three days. We will continue to follow the developments of this case…” Emilia lost interest and turned her head away, but caught the nurse’s wistful comment: “That man looks so young and handsome. What a shame he’s facing judgment…” “We’re barely able to protect ourselves right now; we shouldn’t worry about others,” Emilia thought, knowing those family members were not the type to back down easily. A fleeting thought crossed her mind—perhaps she should just stay in the hospital for a while. The thought of encountering more trouble on her way home was unnerving. That night, the torrential rain indeed began to pour down. Emilia was on duty at the hospital, having closed all the windows, yet she could still hear the relentless pounding of rain against the glass, a rhythmic staccato echoing in the silence. Outside, massive bolts of lightning sliced through the sky, illuminating the darkness, while the booming thunder seemed powerful enough to shake the very earth beneath her feet. After finishing her rounds, she prepared to rest, but the corridor lights began to flicker ominously. Initially, she assumed it was just old wiring that needed repair, but soon realized it wasn’t just the lights that were flickering—the entire corridor was shaking! The fierce winds, driven by the storm, battered against the windows with a thunderous clap, and to her horror, she saw cracks forming in the tempered glass. With a sudden rush, the storm ripped the entire window away, allowing torrents of rain to flood in! The ground trembled violently, and the folder Emilia was holding was knocked from her grip, crashing to the floor as she was thrown against the wall by the force of the shaking. As the tremors intensified, cracks appeared in the walls, and debris began to fall from the ceiling, pieces of cement and wood raining down. The fragile chandelier overhead finally succumbed to the chaos, crashing down with a shattering impact! “Ah!” Emilia felt a surge of fear as the cold wind whipped through the room, chilling her skin like daggers. This was an earthquake! Hadn’t they said it was just a storm? How could there be an earthquake as well? It wasn’t just her—the entire hospital erupted into chaos after a brief moment of stunned silence. Screams filled the air as countless patients rushed from their rooms, and doctors and nurses were thrown into disarray. The entire building seemed on the verge of collapse; at that moment, no one cared for anyone else. People pushed and shoved, and many patients were left behind in their rooms, abandoned by their frantic relatives! The world felt like it had turned into a hellscape, torn apart by unseen black hands, mercilessly ripping everything asunder. Emilia stumbled along with the panicked crowd, her phone gripped tightly in her hand. Her legs felt as heavy as lead, trembling uncontrollably with fear. Around her, people cried out as they were struck by falling debris. Her throat tightened; she could no longer muster a scream. Just as she reached the staircase leading down, another slab of stone plummeted from above. Luckily, she dodged just in time—otherwise, she would have been crushed to a pulp. Surveying her surroundings, she realized how narrow and confining the space was. Exiting would require significant effort. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the floor, wiping the rainwater from her face as she opened her phone. She had no idea what was happening outside; the sound of destruction echoed all around her. Desperately, she dialed her father over and over, but he never answered. The tears she had managed to hold back finally flowed freely, mixing with the rainwater on her screen. “Dad, please answer the phone… What’s happening…?” Her father was just an ordinary worker, likely at home, so why wasn’t he picking up? Fear gripped her heart, and she couldn’t dare to close her eyes, as images of terrified faces fleeing the hospital filled her mind. The earthquake continued to rumble, and with such strong tremors, New York City might well have been reduced to ruins. Emilia nearly dropped her phone in her panic. “Dad…” He was her only family. “I really regret it. I shouldn’t have applied to medical school… I should have spent more time with you… I shouldn’t have lost my temper so often. I would come to you with my grievances after a tough day at the hospital… I know I was wrong. Please, just answer…!” As a doctor, she was accustomed to witnessing life and death, but the thought of her father’s fate was unbearable. What if he had been trapped under a fallen slab? What if he hadn’t made it out in time? The earthquake persisted for over half an hour, followed by aftershocks. By the time dawn broke, Emilia noticed that the slab blocking her was now aglow with light, having been shifted aside by the tremors. She could finally escape! Wiping her face with all her might, she realized her clothes were soaked, her lab coat clinging to her body. Summoning all her strength, she pushed the stone aside. Although she had mentally prepared herself for the sight ahead, the devastation that greeted her eyes made her break down in tears. The scene was one of chaos and ruin, with smoke rising slowly from the rubble. Even after a night of torrential rain, the blood beneath hadn’t been washed away. “How could this happen…” she gasped, covering her mouth as she limped out into the light. Someone stumbled toward her, swaying unsteadily. Instinctively, as a doctor, Emilia approached him. “Sir, are you okay? Are you injured anywhere?” Her mind raced; the hospital was in ruins, yet some equipment might still be salvageable beneath the rubble. She was deeply worried about her father’s safety, but with the roads blocked, she couldn’t get home. She needed to gather the doctors and nurses—New York had faced a catastrophic disaster, and she had to help. But to her shock, the man didn’t respond at all. She took a couple of steps closer, and suddenly, the man jerked his head up. Emilia’s last impression was of a face mottled in shades of blue and black, the cheek marred by decay, and eyes that were empty yet bloodthirsty. What kind of person was this?! Before she could react, he lunged at her, sinking his teeth into her neck. He released her almost instantly, and she crumpled to the ground. With a deafening thud, Emilia's vision blurred as she stared fearfully at the sky. As her consciousness began to fade, she caught a glimpse of countless figures crawling out from under the debris, resembling the man who had attacked her. Their movements defied logic; they were no longer human. “Is this… the end of the world…? Dad… I’m sorry, I can’t come back to find you…” Emilia realized she was on the brink of death. If luck were to turn against her, she might become one of those monsters too. Her thoughts raced. Why had her peaceful life been shattered so abruptly? There were still so many things she wanted to do, so many goals left unachieved. She hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye to her loved ones. As her vision faded to darkness, a single thought consumed her mind: she didn’t want to die yet. New York’s prison might have been one of the city’s most formidable structures, but even it had succumbed to the quake last night. As chaos reigned outside, everyone was preoccupied with their own escape, leaving the inmates to fend for themselves. Clad in prison garb, Abraham’s muscular frame exuded strength. Emotionlessly, he removed his handcuffs, surveying his surroundings with steady, deliberate steps through the rising water. Turning a corner, he caught sight of a massive screen still broadcasting the day’s news: “...Last night, New York endured the assault of a powerful earthquake, with the death toll yet to be determined. Meanwhile, the entire United States is facing disaster, as massive earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions are reported worldwide... This morning, citizens have spotted frenzied unidentified creatures. Survivors are advised to remain indoors and await rescue…” Abraham clenched his fist tightly, his gaze locking onto the screen before he finally turned away with a cold resolve. Right now, clearing his name was no longer important; survival was the only priority. New York had descended into chaos, and the mention of unidentified creatures raised his alertness. He glanced down at his own condition and made the decision to head to the supply base first. As he passed by the lifeless body of a guard, the crackling voice of a radio broke through the silence: “Mayday! Mayday! Zombies have appeared here! Requesting backup! Ah…” The sound ignited a fire within him. There was no time to waste. The world outside had transformed into a nightmare, and he would need to navigate it carefully if he wanted to survive.