Chapter 52: A break (End Vol 1)
Back at Zack's compound, he enjoyed a rare moment of calm. After a refreshing swim, he lounged by the pool, letting the sun warm his skin as a soft breeze rustled the surrounding trees. For once, there were no zombies, no chaos—just peace.
"Ego," Zack said, slipping on his sunglasses, "sometimes I think the apocalypse isn't so bad. Quiet, not too much noise..." He trailed off, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he watched the clouds drift lazily across the sky.
His peace didn't last long. When he opened his eyes, Sarah was sprawled out in the chair next to him. Her red hair glinted in the sunlight, and the collar around her neck caught the light.
Zack frowned. "Do you need something?"
Sarah rolled her eyes dramatically, then settled back in her chair. She'd been hovering around him all day, and by now, she seemed convinced he wasn't lying about the collar being a safety measure. "Coward," she muttered under her breath, though her fingers instinctively touched the collar as if to make sure it wasn't about to explode.
"This isn't cowardice—it's caution," Zack replied, not even looking at her. "You should try it sometime."
"Got it," Sarah replied with mock enthusiasm, sticking her tongue out at his back as he leaned further into his chair.
"I can hear you," Zack said with a sigh. He regretted bringing her along—her unpredictable behavior and strange logic always caught him off guard.
Sarah hummed a little tune, pretending to relax just like Zack, sunglasses and all.