The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 100: Ch : I am fine- Part 2

Selene’s body felt heavy, as if a thousand invisible threads pulled her deeper into the void.

The darkness wrapped around her, comforting yet suffocating.

She couldn’t remember when she had fallen asleep—one moment she was lying on the couch, Zara’s cool cloth on her forehead, and the next, she was adrift.

She wasn’t supposed to sleep. She knew that. But exhaustion had won, and now she was lost.

’What am I doing? Where am I going? I feel like I cannot control myself.’

Her consciousness drifted along an unseen current, a gentle yet insistent force that dragged her further away.

She fought against it, her mind struggling to regain control, but it was like swimming against a riptide—her efforts only pulled her deeper.

The tunnel of darkness began to shift, soft light filtering through, and the world around her started to take shape.

’Am I unconscious again? But this time, it feels different. I feel peaceful.’

Colors bled into existence, greens and blues, the smell of fresh earth and blooming flowers filling the air.

Selene found herself standing on a hill, surrounded by a sea of wildflowers.

The sky stretched above her, a perfect azure with wisps of white clouds lazily drifting by.

A gentle breeze kissed her skin, and the warmth of the sun bathed her in a golden glow.

She took a shaky breath, the air sweet and crisp.

The landscape around her was serene, impossibly beautiful. It felt like a dream—no, not a dream.

Something deeper, more insidious.

"How beautiful...and terrifying at the same time. This place feels like it came out of my nightmares....maybe this is one as well. I should check where I am...System?"

Her instincts flared, and she reached for her Insight, the familiar hum of the system she had grown to rely on.

But nothing happened.

It was as if a part of her had been severed, a limb she couldn’t move.

Panic clawed at her chest, and she forced herself to breathe slowly, to calm the rapid drumming of her heart.

"What is this place? And why cannot I use my system? Is that even possible in this post-apocalyptic world?"

She whispered to no one, her voice barely a murmur against the rustling of the flowers.

A rustle behind her made her spin, but before she could react, warm arms wrapped around her waist.

She stiffened, every muscle in her body going taut, but the embrace was gentle, almost painfully tender.

"Shh, It’s alright. I’m here. There is no need for you to panic."

A male voice murmured against her ear.

The voice was warm, a soothing melody that brushed against the edges of her frayed nerves.

She wanted to relax into it, to let herself be held, but an instinctive alarm screamed at her to get away.

’What the hell-! Another weirdo? And when did this person get so close to me?’

"Who are you?"

Her voice was sharper than she intended, and the arms around her tightened, not painfully but possessively.

It felt ticklish yet uncomfortable at the same time.

"Are you alright? Did you have a bad dream?"

The man asked, his tone lined with genuine concern. His cold hand reached for Selene’s forehead to check if she was sick or not.

But Selene was able to swat it away before it could make contact with her face.

Selene twisted in his hold, managing to turn enough to see his face...or so she hoped. But she was not able to twist her body in that tight hold.

All she could do was hear the man’s voice and it sounded familiar, but different at the same time. She felt like she knew this man, but he did not feel familiar at the same time.

"Where am I? Why can’t I use my Insight? Where’s the system?"

She demanded.

Confusion flashed across his face.

"Insight? System? Selene, what are you talking about?"

Her name on his lips felt wrong. She wrenched herself from his arms, stumbling back into the flowers.

The vibrant colors seemed to dull around her, the edges of the world blurring.

"Answer me."

The man took a careful step forward, his hands held up in a placating gesture.

"Selene, you must still be half-asleep. There’s no system. No Insight. The apocalypse ended years ago. We’re safe now."

"No. This is bullshit."

Her voice shook.

"Selene—"

"Don’t touch me!"

She flinched as he reached for her, her mind racing.

If the system was gone, if the apocalypse had ended, why didn’t she remember it?

Where were Ethan, Zara, and Orion?

Her mind ran in circles, and the man’s expression shifted from concern to heartbreak. His shoulders slumped, and he lowered his hands slowly.

"You’re breaking my heart."

He said softly.

She didn’t care. She couldn’t afford to.

"I’ll physically break your heart if you do not let me go now."

Selene replied back in a flat tone, but the person holding her did not let go.

Instead, his hand reached out, and before she could move away, he gently took her hand in his.

A cool metal sensation against her skin made her look down. Her breath caught in her throat.

A ring adorned her finger—a delicate band with a soft, rose-colored gem at its center. It glinted in the sunlight, mocking her.

"We’re married. How can you not remember? You promised me forever."

He said, his voice wavering.

Selene’s head spun.

"No... No, this isn’t real. This is—"

"Selene, please. I love you. We’ve built a life together. Don’t you see?""

His hold tightened, still gentle but unyielding.

She tried to pull away, but his grip was ironclad. The world around them rippled, the sky darkening, and the flowers began to wilt.

Her panic seemed to infect the landscape, unraveling the serene illusion.

"This isn’t real!"

She screamed, pouring all her fear and anger into the words.

Tears pooled in his eyes, and his expression twisted into something desperate and unhinged.

"Why are you doing this? I’ve given you everything. Made this perfect world for us. What more do you want?"

"I want to get out of this nightmare."