Apocalypse Baby

Alex heard the soft patter of footsteps behind him, then felt a gentle hand wrap around his wrist.

He stopped, his shoulders tense, but didn't turn around.

"Where are you going?" Nancy's voice was calm, almost soothing, but there was a firmness in her tone that demanded an answer.

Alex finally glanced over his shoulder.

Her gaze was steady, her eyes soft, as if she was silently telling him she understood.

But she didn't.

She couldn't possibly understand him
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He sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion.

"I'm not a good person, Nancy," he said flatly, shaking his head.

He turned to leave, trying to pull his hand free, but her grip tightened. She wasn't letting him go so easily.

"Where are you going?" she repeated, her voice firmer this time.

"It's obvious," Alex replied, keeping his back to her. "I don't belong in this group."

Nancy stepped closer, still holding onto his wrist. "But we need you, Alex. I know you're capable of so much more. You're just holding back."

"Because I don't care," Alex said, his tone sharp and dismissive.

He tried to convince himself it was true, that it didn't matter.

But deep down, even he wasn't sure.

Nancy frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him.

She didn't believe a word of it. She'd seen him with Evelyn, the way he watched out for her, the way he quietly stepped in when things got too dangerous.

"No," she said, her voice cutting through his denial. "It's because you're afraid."

That made Alex pause.

He turned to face her fully, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Afraid?"

"Yes," she said, her grip unwavering. "Afraid people will see your strength and be terrified of it. Afraid you'll lose control. Afraid of admitting that, deep down, you actually care."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut.

Alex stared at her, stunned into silence.

She wasn't wrong, and the truth in her words made his chest tighten.

Alex scoffed, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"What the hell do you know?"

Nancy's expression softened, but her resolve didn't waver. "Nothing," she admitted. "Which is why I'm curious. I want to know more about you."

His eyes narrowed, studying her face for any sign of fear or deception. "You're not afraid of me?"

His voice dropped lower, tinged with something dark. "You could die in less than a second if I willed it."

Nancy frowned at the statement.

Somehow, she didn't doubt him.

They were supposed to be on the same level—maybe she was even a little stronger after leveling up from the tiger boss fight—but none of that mattered.

Standing in front of Alex, she felt a weight, an unspoken presence, that screamed he was far beyond her.

"I'm not afraid," she said quietly but firmly.

Alex chuckled bitterly, his voice dripping with self-loathing.

"You should be."

His gaze drifted downward, almost as if he couldn't bear to look her in the eye.

"I watched him get hurt, Nancy. I stood there and did nothing."

Nancy's brow furrowed.

"Who?"

"Gustaff," Alex said, his tone cold and detached. "I could have helped. I could have stopped it. Easily. Made sure no one had to die."

He clenched his fists, his voice breaking slightly.

"But I didn't."

Nancy's grip loosened, and she finally let go of his hand, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and unease.

She took a small step back, trying to process his words.

He wasn't wrong.

If Alex had stepped in, the battle would've been over faster.

The casualties would've been fewer.

She wanted to dismiss it, to say it wasn't his fault, but deep down, she couldn't completely silence the small voice of resentment that had taken root.

"I'm not a good person, Nancy," Alex said flatly, his voice carrying a cold finality.

His eyes locked onto hers, unflinching. "Even now, I consider all of you burdens… especially you."

Nancy froze.

The words hit her like a sudden gust of icy wind.

She stared at him, searching his expression for any trace of hesitation or regret, but found none.

He wasn't lying—he truly believed what he had just said.

"Ahh, is that so?" Nancy murmured, forcing a small, bitter smile as she looked down at the ground.

Alex's gaze remained on her, unyielding.

He studied her reaction with a mix of curiosity and indifference. Her posture slumped slightly, and for a moment, it seemed like his words had cut deep.

Nancy sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Her voice was softer now, but there was still a spark of defiance in her tone.

"I still think you're not a good person," she admitted.

Then, raising her head to meet his gaze, she added, "But you're definitely an asshole. No doubt about that."

Alex blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her bluntness.

Before he could reply, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the tense silence.

Both of them turned toward the noise.

It was Jonah.

He slowed as he approached, immediately noticing the heavy atmosphere hanging between Alex and Nancy.

His eyes darted between them, picking up on their expressions—Nancy's guarded stance, Alex's distant and cold demeanor.

Jonah stepped closer.

Whatever had passed between them wasn't his concern right now.

He cleared his throat and got straight to the point.

"Ash found a place where we can stay for the night," Jonah said, his voice steady but tinged with exhaustion. "We're heading there after burning… after we handle those who didn't make it."

Nancy nodded awkwardly, clearly still processing everything. "Oh, alright," she replied quietly, avoiding Alex's gaze as she turned and started walking away.

Alex stood still, his eyes following Nancy as she left. She didn't look back.

Jonah started to follow her, his steps slow and deliberate. Then, as if remembering something, he stopped and turned back to Alex.

"You coming too?" Jonah asked his tone light but his eyes studying Alex carefully.

Alex didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he observed Jonah closely.

His demeanor was different—calmer, more composed than when he'd almost lost it earlier during the confrontation with Thompson.

There was even a faint smile on Jonah's face now, but something about it struck Alex as unreadable.

Alex's mind churned, trying to decipher the expression, but as always, Jonah was an enigma.

When Alex didn't reply, Jonah spoke again, his voice a little softer this time.

"Like I said, we need to stick together to survive. Don't keep everyone waiting too long." He gestured toward the group. "We'll leave once we bury the ones who didn't make it."

Jonah turned and walked away, his footsteps crunching softly against the dirt.

Alex remained standing, rooted in place, as the weight of Jonah's words settled over him like a heavy blanket. A swirl of emotions churned inside him—guilt and hope wrestling for dominance.

Guilt gnawed at him because he couldn't shake the thought that if I had acted, no one would've died.

The faces of the fallen flashed through his mind like ghosts, haunting and unrelenting.

But Alex shoved them back, he wouldn't allow himself to be judged.

In contrast to the feeling of guilt, there was also hope—a flicker of something unfamiliar yet stubborn. A lie.

Jonah's words implied that, despite everything, there was still a place for him.

A spot in the group he thought he didn't belong to.

Alex exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the cold night air.

His eyes followed the path Jonah had taken, his figure now a distant shadow.

Jonah's words always had a way of messing with him.

Even before this chaos, back at work, there had been something about the way Jonah spoke. His words always felt like something layered, like a puzzle he couldn't solve. Simple sentences felt like they carried hidden meanings meant only for him.

Yet he never understood.

It frustrated him.

Maybe it meant nothing.

Maybe he was just overthinking it.

Against his better judgment, Jonah's words always managed to nudge Alex into action, even when he didn't want to move.

He hated how they lingered in his mind, challenging him to figure out Jonah's intent.

But not this time.

Alex clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

I'm done being the fool, he thought bitterly.

He was done being the guy everyone uses and expects to just go along with it.

With that resolve, Alex spun on his heel and walked in the opposite direction.

His steps were firm and purposeful.

He wasn't going to deal with this emotional mess anymore.

He didn't need to nor want to.

There were bigger things to focus on—monsters to kill, leveling up so he wouldn't be a pawn in anyone's game.

That's where his attention needed to be.

Opening the system interface, Alex pulled up the map.

A holographic grid appeared in front of him, marking key points across the terrain. His eyes locked onto one spot in the north of the forest—a marker glowing ominously red.

The first king-level beast.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Perfect."

That would be his next destination.

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Author's Note:

An ice-cold cola or a slice of pizza would totally make my day. Show some love to this struggling author, huh? No homo, just a hungry writer out here. 😎🍕