The Wife, The Ex, and the Apocalypse

A sound, deep and unearthly, cracked across the sky — like the world itself had been struck with a sledgehammer. The stars flickered, then vanished behind creeping waves of ash and violet light. A fracture spread across the heavens, jagged and violent. And from that wound in the sky... they fell. Shapes. Twisted. Wrong. Crawling, jerking — no longer human. But inside a secluded estate tucked behind electronic gates and manicured hedges, the world still slept. Ryan stirred beneath the sheets, tangled in warmth. Jane Blackwood lay beside him, her breath calm and even. For a fleeting moment, the illusion held. Then— Bang! Bang! Bang! “Ryan!” Maggi’s voice, sharp with panic. A second slam, louder. “Open the door! Now!” Ryan groaned, still half-dreaming. “What the hell’s going on…” He slid out of bed, eyes heavy, limbs slow. When he opened the door, Eleanor nearly collapsed into him. Her hands were streaked with blood, her eyes wild. “They’re here,” she whispered. “The sky cracked open. Something came through. People are changing. Dying. Tearing each other apart—Ryan, this isn’t a dream. This is real. It’s happening.” Maggi stood behind her, gripping a rifle, jaw clenched. “We’ve got to move. Now. This estate won’t hold them long.” Screams echoed in the distance — not just one. Dozens. Back in the bedroom, Jane sat up, pulling her hair back with one hand. “Ryan?” Her voice was calm, but her eyes were already calculating. He turned, pulse hammering. “Get dressed. We’re leaving.” Outside, the world had ended. And the dead had begun to rise. He reached for his clothes, yanking on a shirt. But just as he stepped toward the hallway, a voice — soft, familiar, like silk — stopped him cold. “Ryan...?” He froze. Slowly, he turned toward the source of the voice. There, standing at the end of the corridor, bathed in the eerie flicker of backup lights, was a woman he had never seen before. And yet… something in her gaze — the tilt of her head, the tremble in her voice — pulled at him like gravity. His mind raced, breath caught in his throat. Why did she feel like a memory he'd forgotten? Disclaimer : This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. thank you !