Apocalyptic Family Reunion

1.Rebirth

"I'm still alive?" Emilia Lu says as she stares blankly at the younger 24-year-old version of herself in her old room's mirror. Emilia Lu had stayed in this room six years ago. The house she spent almost all of her savings on when she relocated to City A for a fresh start eight years before her death.

Hand fumbling to the dresser next to her, Emilia reaches for her phone. Once in her grasp, she immediately turned it on and brought it to her face still staring at the mirror in front of her in shock. On the screen of her apple 6 displays the date of 7 years ago,15 April 20XX

"I came back ...I'm back!!!"She said still reeling in shock. "But how I clearly remember falling from the top of the base wall. Even if the fall didn't kill me, those zombies at the bottom should have torn me apart."

Slowly stumbling to the window, Emilia Lu firmly gripped the curtains covering the window in her hands as if she is holding on to this reality, praying that it would not be broken after opening these curtains that block her from the reality of outside, the view of the damaged world, hoping that this is not a dream, her last wishful thought before her spirit vanishes and joins the rest in Nirvana.

After finally stabilizing her mental state and coming to peace with the fact that this might just be a dream, Emilia opened the curtains in a single motion wanting for this fake reality to end, but once she does, she is met with the busy street right in front of her house. People working to and fro on both sides of the street, hectic traffic, and busy shops. The exact scene of how the world once was.

"I am back. IT'S ALL REAL!! I'M BACK!!"

Finally letting the reality of her rebirth sink in, Emilia lets her tears of joy and excitement fall as she stares at the scene outside. A scene so ordinary but represents a lot, represents a new chance at life, a chance to do things differently. To be able to live and not just survive like in her past life.

Emilia was still invested in her thoughts when a milky childish soft voice broke through her reverie.

"Mommy..? Mommy are you ok?"

Emilia quickly turns around to face the direction of where the sound came from. And right by the door was her 6-year-old son !!!

Only then did Emilia come to realize that since she went back in time, then her son who died two years into the apocalypse from a zombie bite when one of the people at the base suddenly changed, should still be alive at this time.

Honestly, the only reason why she was able to last as long as she did even though her son died early was her desire for revenge. She wanted to fight to the very end with all the zombies ... so that she could avenge her son who died at the beginning of his life. Died without getting the chance to grow.

And also because Xiaoqin was her only family left. After she was pregnant with him at 18, after a drunken night at the bar, Emilia ran to City A from the Capital so that she could live and raise him in peace.

Though it was cowardly of her to run, she just wasn't able to face the thought that her parents and brother would have been disappointed with her. The thought of it scared her so much but she also wasn't willing to give up her baby so she chose what she thought was best and left.