Chapter 2: Binding the Level-Up System

The phone in my hand would not stop shaking as Marcus's name kept blinking on the screen, bright and green cutting through the dark bedroom. Marcus. The man who just left me to die. The man who watched me get torn apart while he drove away in my car. A cold sweat broke out across my forehead as I threw the phone onto the blanket like it was a hot coal. It bounced, still buzzing, still demanding my attention.

“ no, no no”. I choked out, pulled my knees up to my chest. “This is not real. It cannot be real.” I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes trying to block out the image of those rotting eyes. I could still taste the copper in the back of my throat. I could still feel the teeth sinking into my shoulder, ripping my skin to shreds. My whole body was trembling violently when the headboard rattled against the wall.

I opened my eyes as I looked down at my hands. They were smooth. There was no dirt under my fingernails, no blood, no scars. The phone stopped buzzing. For a second the room was completely silent. Then it started back up again. Marcus.

“ Pick up Eva. Come on pick up.” I whispered to myself mimicking the voice he always used when he wanted something. I reached out with a trembling hand. Forced myself to grab the phone. I did not answer it. I just stared at the numbers at the top of the screen. May 26. Thirty days before the world collapsed. Thirty days before the grocery store shelves went empty, before the water stopped running and before the people turned into monsters.

“ I am back” I whispered into the room. A shaky breathless laugh escaped my lips turning quickly into a sob.” I am really back.” Suddenly a loud sharp sound echoed inside my head. It was not a sound from the street or the hallway. It was inside my mind like a glass cup shattering directly behind my eyes. I flinched, dropping the phone back onto the bed and clutching my ears.

Ow!" I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut. "What is that?"

[System sync at one hundred percent.]

The voice was cold. It did not sound like a person. It sounded like a machine talking through a wall of ice completely flat and empty of any emotion. It was so loud it made my teeth ache. Who is there? I called out my voice cracking as I looked around the dark bedroom. Who is in here?

Nobody answered. The curtains did not move. The bedroom door stayed shut.

[Welcome, Host Eva. Level-Up System activated.]

I sat frozen as my breath caught in my throat. I pressed my back hard against the headboard wishing I could disappear into the wall. Am I going crazy? Is this from the virus? Did the fever follow me back?

[The virus has not entered this timeline yet. I am LUS. Your personal Level-Up System.]

“ LUS?” I repeated the letters, the sound was strange on my tongue. “What do you mean, system? Like a video game?

[I am a tool built to ensure your survival. You died in the timeline. Your regret and hatred triggered my awakening. I have returned you to the starting point.]

“A tool for survival”. I let out a hollow laugh as my fingers gripped the bedsheets so tight “ Where were you when they were tearing my legs off? Where were you when Marcus stole my food? You did not possess the system in the timeline.”

[You did not possess the system in the previous timeline. You do now. The past cannot be changed, but the future is yours to rewrite.]

The machines words were completely emotionless. They hit me like a slap to the face. The future. I had thirty days. Thirty days to buy food, to find weapons, to build a wall high that no monster living or dead could ever touch me again. My heart started beating so fast, It was not the panic from before. It was a hard anger.

The phone on the bed started buzzing again. Marcus. I picked it up. Finally swiped the screen to answer. I did not say anything. I just held the phone to my ear listening to the sound of his breath. “Eva? Babe? Why did it take you long to pick up?” Marcus's voice came through the speaker,

Hearing his voice made my stomach twist into a knot. It was the same tone he used right before he asked me to do his laundry or buy his groceries. There was no fear in his voice yet. He did not know the world was going to end. He did not know he was a murderer yet. “I was sleeping, Marcus,” I said. My voice sounded flat even to my own ears. It sounded a bit like the machine in my head.

“Oh right. Look I need a favor” he said, rushing his words like he always did when he was being selfish. “My mom needs to use your car tomorrow. Her truck will not move, She has that doctor's appointment.. Uh Cindy needs a ride to the mall later too. You do not mind, right? I can come pick up the keys tonight.” Cindy. The girl who screamed at him to drive while I begged for my life. She wanted a ride to the mall.

A cold dark weight settled in my chest. In my previous life, I would have said yes. I would have gotten out of bed, smiled, handed him the keys and spent my money to fill up the gas tank for his lazy mother and his secret mistress. I had been so stupid. I had been a mat for them to wipe their dirty boots on.” No,” I said clearly.

There was a silence on the other end of the line. Marcus let out a confused breath. “What do you mean, no? Eva, my mom really needs it. Do not be selfish.”. “ I said no Marcus” I repeated, my grip tightening on the phone until the plastic casing creaked. “Your mother can take the bus.. Cindy can walk.”

“Eva what is wrong with you?” his voice flared with anger, the fake sweet tone totally varnished . “Why are you acting like a bitch out of nowhere? I am coming over now. We need to talk about your attitude.”

“Do not come here” I said, as my teeth clenched hard my jaw throbbed. “If you come to my building I will call the police.”

“You would not do that," he scoffed, sounding completely sure of himself. He thought he owned me. He thought I was still the girl who would cry and apologize the moment he raised his voice. “Try me,” I whispered. I slammed my thumb down on the red button cutting him off in the middle of a sentence. I threw the phone back onto the mattress, my chest heaving as the adrenaline crashed through my veins.

My hands were shaking again. Not just from fear. I was so angry I felt like I could tear the room apart with my fingers.

[Warning. The target is currently heading toward your location.]

The cold voice of LUS echoed in my skull again making me jump. A small blue translucent screen suddenly popped up in front of my face floating in the empty air.

I blinked, reaching out to touch it. My fingers just passed right through the light. “He is coming here?” I asked, looking at the glowing words on the screen. “How do you know?”

[ I track all threats to the host. Marcus is currently five minutes away. He has a key to your apartment building.]

“He has a key” I muttered, the reality of the situation hitting me like a blow. He was coming to take what was mine. Just like he did on that highway. He wanted my car, my keys, my compliance. I threw the blankets off my legs. Swung my feet out of bed. The wooden floor felt cold against my soles grounding me.

I walked over to the window. Looked down at the dark quiet street. A pair of headlights turned the corner, the engine rumbling in a way I recognized instantly. It was his noisy sedan. He was already here. My heart hammered against my ribs. My mind felt incredibly clear as The soft weak version of Eva died in the mud thirty days from now. The girl standing in this bedroom was not going to open the door.

[Notice. A new user requires an inventory to survive the upcoming crisis. Do you wish to accept your evaluation?]

“ An evaluation?” I whispered, watching the light flicker, in the reflection of the window pane. “What do I get?”

[Resources are unlocked through action. You must remove the leeches from your life before you can accumulate power.]

The car downstairs turned off its headlights. The car door closed with a bang. I heard the sound of the glass door at the front of my building opening from far away. Marcus was inside the building. He was coming up the stairs.

I just stood in my room, my hands were clenched into fists waiting for Marcus to come to my door.

I didn't try to lock the door. I didn't hide. I just stood there waiting for him.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The knocking was really loud. It echoed all over my apartment.

"Eva!" Marcus yelled from the other side of the door. His voice was loud and angry. "Open the door! I know you are there. Stop being crazy. Give me the keys!"

I didn't say anything. I didn't move.

The doorknob began to jiggle violently. He was putting his spare key into the lock. The metal clicked. The knob turned.

Then the blue screen in front of me flashed a bright red color. It was so bright that it lit up my dark room. The cold, mechanical voice of LUS boomed so hard inside my brain that it made my ears ring.

[LUS Initializing. First Quest: Sever the leeching ties. Reward: Dimensional Storage.]

Chapter 3: Ditching the Ungrateful Boyfriend

Marcus walked into my apartment as the door cracked open, bringing the smell of cheap cigarettes and wet rain with him. He didn't even look at me, rather his eyes went straight to the kitchen counter where I kept my purse and car keys.

"What is wrong with you Eva?" Marcus snapped, slamming the door shut as He stepped closer, "You didn't answer my calls. You said you would call the police on me. Are you losing it?"

I didn't back down. I stood in the middle of the room, my feet on the cold floor. Looking at him made me feel sick. This was the face that stared at me through the rainy SUV window while he drove away with my food.

"Get out of my apartment, Marcus, " I said. My voice wasn't loud and it wasn't shaking either.

Marcus looked shocked as he let out a breath and threw his hands up. "Get out? I live here sometimes! My moms electric bill is due. Her medication costs more. I need to use your credit card to pay for it. Where's your wallet?"

He took a step toward my bedroom thinking I would let him pass. He thought he could still control me.

"I said, get out, " I repeated, stepping in front of him.

Marcus stopped, his eyebrows pulled together in anger. "Eva what's wrong with you? My mom needs her medicine! Are you going to be heartless? You know my family is struggling. Why are you being so selfish?"

"Your mom needs her medicine?" I asked, laughing bitterly. "Why is that my problem, Marcus? Why do I have to pay for her electricity?"

"Because we're together!" he yelled, "That's what people do when they love each other! They help each other!. You've been keeping track of every dime like a psycho!"

"Help each other out?" I stepped closer with my heart racing with anger. "When did you ever help me Marcus? When did your family do anything for me except take and take?"

"We let you hang out with us!" Marcus shouted. "My mom cooks for you! Cindy treats you like a sister!. This is how you repay us? By locking your doors and acting like you're better than us?"

"Cindy treats me like a sister?" I whispered, my fists clenched as I remembered Cindy's voice telling him to step on the gas and leave me to be eaten by monsters. "Cindy is a leech. Your mom is a leech.. You are the biggest leech of all."

Marcus stared at me with his mouth wide open. He had never heard me speak to him like this. Before he would raise his voice and I would cry and apologize. I would give him my wallet to make him smile.

"You're crazy, " Marcus muttered, shaking his head as he pulled out his phone. "I'm calling my mom. You need to tell her why you're cutting us off. You need to apologize to her."

"Don't bother, " I said, picking up my phone from the kitchen counter. I opened my bank app. Showed him the screen. "Look, Marcus. Take a look."

He frowned, leaning in to see the screen. His eyes widened as he read the text.

"What did you do?" he gasped. "Eva what is this?"

"I froze the cards, " I said, smiling darkly. "I cancelled the users. Your moms name is off my account. Cindy's name is off my account. You can't use my money anymore."

"Are you insane?!" Marcus roared with his face twisted in anger, and then he grabbed my wrist, his grip was tight and painful. "Unfreeze them now! My moms bill auto-pays tomorrow! If it bounces her credit is ruined! Do you hear me? Unfreeze them!"

When he touched me I remembered hands grabbing my clothes pulling me down to the asphalt while the horde tore into my flesh.

I didn't cry. I didn't beg.

I raised my hand and slapped him across the face with all my strength.

Smack!

The sound was loud in the room as Marcus's head snapped to the side, his grip breaking instantly as he stumbled backward, his hand flying up to touch his burning cheek. He stared at me with shock and hatred.

"You hit me, " he whispered with his voice trembling with fury. "You actually hit me."

"If you ever touch me again I will do worse than slap you " I said, my voice cold as ice. "We are done, Marcus. It is over. I am throwing your clothes into the trash tonight. Get out of my face before I call security and have you dragged out in handcuffs."

Marcus stared at me for a moment. I could see the anger in him. He wanted to hit me back but something about my face stopped him. He realized the weak girl he used to control was gone.

"You're going to regret this Eva " Marcus spat, his voice dropping into a hiss. "You think you can survive without me? You think anyone else will ever want a broken girl like you? You're going to come crawling back to me on your knees begging for my help. Just. See."

"I'd rather die, " I said clearly.

Marcus turned around, kicked my trash can over and slammed my apartment door hard. Even the pictures on the wall shook.

The moment the door clicked shut the heavy silence of the room rushed in. I let out a shaky breath, my shoulders dropping as the anger began to cool down. My hand was still stinging from the slap. For the first time in a long time I felt like I could breathe.

[Ding! Quest progress updated: Tie cut with leech. Reward pending completion of the event.]

The blue screen from LUS flickered in front of my face, the mechanical voice sounding pleased but flat.

"Is it over?" I asked aloud looking at the glowing text.

[Negative. The leeches have roots. A simple verbal rejection will not clear the infestation. Prepare yourself, Host. The threat level is rising.]

I frowned as a bad feeling settled in my gut. "What do you mean the threat level is rising? He left."

Before LUS could answer, my phone started vibrating in my hand. I looked down expecting it to be Marcus texting me insults.. It wasn't Marcus. It was alerts from my banking app.

Alert: Declined charge at Electronics Depot. $1,200.00.

Alert: Declined charge at Gas Station. $85.00.

Alert: Declined charge at Boutique Fashion. $450.00.

They were already trying to drain my accounts. Marcus must have called Cindy and his mother the second he walked out of my building telling them to use the cards before I could change the passwords.. I had been faster. The cards were useless now.

I walked back into my bedroom. Sat on the edge of the bed. I needed to plan. I had thirty days. I needed to buy -perishable food, water purification tablets, medical supplies and a lot of fuel. I needed a place to hide. My current apartment was on the third floor, which was good for avoiding the initial panic on the streets but the doors were just cheap wood. A strong zombie or a desperate human could kick it down in seconds.

"LUS " I called out into the room. "You mentioned a reward. Dimensional Storage. How does that work?"

[Dimensional Storage is a pocket dimension bound to your soul. It allows the host to store items without weight limits or space restrictions. Time inside the storage is frozen. Food will not rot. Water will remain pure.]

My jaw dropped. Frozen time? Infinite space? That meant I could buy food, fresh meat and thousands of gallons of water and it would stay perfectly fresh until the end of the world. I wouldn't have to worry about people stealing my crates from the back of a car again. Everything would be hidden safely inside my mind.

"I need that reward " I said to myself, my eyes shining with determination. "How do I finish the task?"

[The leeches must realize their power over you is completely gone. Total detachment must be achieved.]

I didn't have to wait for that to happen.

Twenty minutes later a loud banging sound came from the front door of my apartment. It wasn't a polite knock. It sounded like someone was throwing their body against the wood trying to break the lock.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

"Eva! Open this door now!" a loud angry voice screamed from the hallway. It was Marcus's mother, Brenda.

"Eva! You ungrateful little brat!" another voice shouted, pitched and full of anger. That was Cindy, his secret mistress he claimed to be his sister "My card got declined at the store! I had a cart full of clothes and they embarrassed me in front of everyone! Open the door. Fix it!"

I stood up from my bed not feeling scared as I walked out into the living room. Through the wood of the door I could hear people breathing heavily.

BAM! BAM!

"Open up Eva!" Marcus's voice boomed, joined with his family. "My mom and sister are here! You humiliated them! You unfreeze those cards now or we are breaking this door down!"

I stopped a foot away, from the door looking at the wood shaking under their fists. They hadn't just come back to talk. They had brought the angry group to intimidate me, furious that their free ride was finally over.

Chapter 4: Slapping the Leeches

The wood of my apartment door shook as Brenda slammed her palms against it again. I stood in the middle of my living room watching the brass deadbolt jiggle. Then, this noise would have made my throat tighten with anxiety. I would have rushed to open it, Babbling apologies, desperate to keep the peace

Now? My heart was beating hard but it was from a cold sharp focus.

"Eva! Open this door now!" Brenda shouted from the hallway. Her voice sounded like nails scraping together. "I know you're there! Marcus told me what you did! You have no right to touch my money!"

"Yeah, open up!" Cindy yelled after Brenda. "You ruined my night! The cashier looked at me like I was a thief because of you!"

I walked over to the door. Unlocked it. I didn't push it open. I just cracked it an inch, keeping my body blocking the gap.

The three of them were jammed into the hallway. Brenda's face was bright red with her chest heaving under her floral shirt. Cindy stood behind with her arms crossed, as her eyes were glaring at me with anger. Marcus was at the back looking pleased now that he had his backup.

"What do you want?" I asked.

Brenda didn't even answer. She pushed her weight against the door forcing it open. The wood hit me in the shoulder knocking me back a step. She marched into my living room like she owned the place, with Cindy and Marcus trailing right behind her.

"Don't use that tone with me girl " Brenda barked, pointing a thick finger at my face. "Marcus has been good to you. We took you in like family and the second things get tough you froze my credit card? My medicine is supposed to be ready tomorrow! Do you want me to die?"

“Your medicine isn't what got declined at the store, Brenda," I said, pointing at my phone on the counter. "The alerts showed a twelve-hundred-dollar charge at an electronics store and four hundred dollars at a clothing boutique. Is your medicine made of flat-screen TVs and designer shoes?”

Cindy's face turned pink. She stepped forward stomping her foot. "That's none of your business! Marcus said we could use the account! You don't get to track what we buy like you're our boss!"

"It is my business when it's my bank account " I said, looking directly at Marcus.

Marcus shifted his weight looking away from my eyes. "Eva come on. Don't be like this. We were going to pay you when I got paid. You're being unreasonable over a few dollars."

"A few dollars?" I let out a laugh. "You guys have taken thousands from me over the years. I paid your car note, Marcus. I paid for Cindy's tuition fees. I paid your moms rent.. The second I say no you bring a crowd to my home to scream at me?"

"Because you're acting like a spoiled brat!" Brenda yelled. She started pacing around my living room, with her eyes looking at my things. "You have stuff, a nice apartment and you're keeping your money while we suffer. If you're going to act like a stranger then fine.. You're going to pay for the trouble you caused us tonight."

Before I could ask her what she meant Brenda walked past me and into my bedroom.

"Hey! Get out of there!" I yelled, chasing after her.

Cindy and Marcus blocked the bedroom doorway so I couldn't get through. Inside the room I heard my jewelry box being flipped over onto the mattress.

" find the gold necklace her grandmother gave her!" Cindy called out over her shoulder, "The one with the diamond clasp. That'll cover my shopping trip and our bills."

"I found it!" Brenda shouted back from inside. ". I'm taking these silver rings too. Consider it payment for the distress, you ungrateful woman."

A dark, violent curtain dropped over my mind.

In the future, on that highway, I had learned how to fight for a single scrap of moldy bread. I had learned how to use my elbows, my teeth, and my weight to push past monsters that wanted to eat my flesh. These three people weren't monsters yet. They were just greedy, soft humans who thought I was weak.

"Get out of my way " I whispered to Marcus.

"Eva, calm down and let my mom take"

I didn't let him finish. I grabbed Marcus by the collar of his shirt, twisted my hips and slammed his body into Cindy. They tangled together. Crashed hard against the wall, a loud thud echoing through the apartment. Cindy screamed as her elbow hit the baseboard.

I didn't waste time. I marched into my bedroom.

Brenda was standing by my nightstand, her hands stuffing my grandmother's gold necklace into her purse.

"Put it down, " I said.

Brenda spun around as her eyes widened with shock. Then her face twisted into a sneer. "You think you can scare me? You're nothing but a.."

I closed the distance between us. I grabbed her wrist. Twisted it downward. Brenda let out a yelp as her fingers lost their grip. The purse fell to the carpet. Before she could scream again I raised my hand and slapped her across the face.

SMACK!

The force of the slap made her gasp. She stumbled backward, hitting the bed and tumbling onto it. She clutched her swelling cheek staring up at me with fear.

"You... You hit me!" Brenda whimpered, her voice shaking.

"I told you to put it down, " I said. I reached down and snatched my grandmother's necklace out of her purse and put it in my pocket. "Now get off my bed before I hurt you."

Marcus appeared at the bedroom door holding his shoulder, h

"Eva! Are you crazy?! You just hit my mom!"

"And I'll hit her again if she doesn't leave my house " I snapped, turning my gaze to him. The anger in my eyes made him step back into the hallway. "I am done being nice, to you people. You think you can walk into my home and steal from me? You think I'm still the girl who begged you to love her?"

Cindy was crying on the floor of the hallway clutching her arm. "Marcus, call the cops! She's assaulting us! She's crazy!"

"Go ahead, call them!" I shouted, stepping out of the bedroom and looming over them. "Tell the police how you broke into my apartment using a key I told you not to use. Tell them how your mom was caught stealing my jewelry. Let's see who goes to jail tonight!"

Marcus looked at crying Brenda at his trembling mom who was slowly getting out of my bedroom. He knew I was right. The law wouldn't take their side.

"You've changed, " Marcus whispered, with his voice full of fear. "You're not the Eva I know. You're a monster."

"You don't know anything about monsters yet Marcus " I said, a dark smile touching my lips.. I would know. Soon I would see them everywhere. ". I'm learning."

I grabbed Brenda by the back of her shirt and hauled her toward the front door. She didn't even try to fight back; she was too shaken by my strength. I threw her out into the hallway.

"Marcus! Help me!" she wailed, scrambling to her feet.

I turned around. Pointed at Marcus and Cindy. "Out. Both of you. Right now."

Cindy didn't need to be told. She scrambled up from the floor crying and cursing and ran out into the hallway to hide behind her mom. Marcus stayed for a second, his lips trembling, looking like he wanted to say something.

"If you are still standing on my property in three seconds Marcus " I said, my voice dropping into a whisper "I will make sure you leave here in an ambulance."

He swallowed hard, as his confidence evaporated. He turned around and walked out of the door, his head hanging low.

I stood at the doorway looking at the three of them packed into the hallway.

Neighbors were starting to open their doors a bit peeking out to see what all the shouting was about. Brenda was still cursing under her breath. Cindy was scowling, but none of them dared to come close to my door again.

"Listen to me, " I said loudly, making sure everyone in the neighborhood could hear. "If I see any of you near my car, my job or this building again I will file a restraining order. Let my lawyer take care of the rest. We are done. Never say my name again."

Before they could say another word I grabbed the door. Slammed it shut with a loud bang.

I turned the deadbolt. Then I locked the chain.

The apartment was completely quiet. All I could hear was my heavy breathing. I leaned my back against the door, my legs suddenly feeling weak as the rush of adrenaline began to fade. My hands were shaking. My mind felt really light. It was over. The things that had been weighing me down were finally gone.

Suddenly a bright light appeared in front of me.

A blue screen showed up in the air. This time it wasn't flickering or warning me of threats. It was glowing with a light and a clear sound like a bell rang out in my mind.

[Ding! Quest Complete: Sever the leeching ties.]

The voice of LUS echoed in my head. It sounded clearer now.

[Evaluation: Host Eva successfully removed all parasites without getting hurt. Independence achieved.]

The words on the screen started to change, flashing in a gold color that lit up the dark entryway of my apartment.

[Rewards Unlocked: Infinite Dimensional Storage activated. 100 System Points credited to account. Congratulations, Host Eva. Your journey toward domination has officially begun.]