Sam’s POV

It has already been two days since the second meteor shower, during those two days, I could feel something in the air reacts with the virus inside my body, merging with it and very slowly changing it, it’s really hard to explain the feeling, all I’m sure of is that something is happening to the virus. Which made me wonder if the change is going to make me lose my mind again like in the first apocalypse or even something worse.

When I asked Jack about it, although he agreed with me that something was happening, he himself didn’t feel anything and mostly reached this conclusion because of the condition of the new zombies.

But what is really freaking me out is the pulling energy I’m feeling from the direction where the meteorite fell, and I’m sure that it’s from it; because this energy wasn’t there beforehand. I’m planning to sneak out of the base and check it out as fast as possible before this feeling drives me crazy.

While I was consumed with my thoughts, I heard Jack clear his throat which interrupted my thoughts. I looked at him and nodded my head in greeting then looked outside the window again, unfortunately, he didn’t leave me alone and made his way toward me.

He stood behind me and put his hand on my shoulder then said “How long are you planning to stay like this? You hardly moved from this chair during the past two days, whatever will happen we can face it together, so please, stop worrying yourself.”

I wished it was just me worrying myself over nothing, but I knew that whatever the changes to the virus were, they weren’t good. I looked at him and absentmindedly said “As much as I hated the apocalypse in the original timeline, I will choose it over this one any time, a big change is coming, and I’m not sure if humanity will be able to survive.”

Although what I said sounded like a retort, it was mostly my thoughts escaped through my lips, and I directly regretted saying it; because Jack’s face became black and his grip on my shoulder tightened, so I forced myself to smile faintly and continued “But since you are here with me, I’m sure we will manage somehow, so, stop worrying yourself about me.”

As I finished speaking, I patted his hand that was still over my shoulder two times then rested my hand over his, which of course, made him chuckle and made me feel a little embarrassed, but my embarrassment only increased when he put his free arm and his head over my other shoulder and rested his body over it.

I tried to remove my hand from over his, only for him to catch it and keep it firmly in his hand, and put his arm around the other shoulder instead of his hand. I tilted my head a little away from his and was about to complain, but before I had the chance to say anything I felt his lips on my cheek, and he gave me a deep and strong kiss.

I froze in my place in shock and didn’t know what to say, I already reached to the conclusion that the way he looks at me and treats me is most likely some kind of love, but I never expected him to kiss me, although I can’t deny that I feel comfortable around him, but still, what the hell.

He looked at my shocked face and smiled innocently then said defensively “It’s a good luck charm, it can do wonders.”

His silly defense made me want to laugh, so I just shook my head and retorted “Said who?”

Before he got the chance to answer my question, we heard knocks at the door, Jack looked at me then at the door which somebody knocked at it again and reluctantly went to open it; while cursing all the way until he reached the door and opened it.

The moment the door was ajar, Mark’s head bobbed inside and his body quickly followed, and he shouted happily “Hello guys, the curfew is finally over, let’s go out and have a walk, it’s boring to walk alone.”

Mark is a very nice and energetic guy, he is what you can call ‘sunshine’, he is always optimistic and spreads happiness all around him. He is the only person I interacted with except Jack, even though I kept some distance for safety measures.

Jack looked at me then at Mark who was already in the middle of the living room, he closed the front door and asked while walking toward Mark “Only the curfew? What about outside missions?”

Mark stopped in his tracks and scratched his head thinking before he shrugged and answered “I’m not sure, I heard that the higher-ups are going to have a meeting within the next two hours to discuss whatever they want to discuss before announcing the new orders and arrangements. Come on now, move your asses before they assign jobs for us.”

I wanted to refuse but I changed my mind and accepted Mark’s invitation since I really wanted to have a look outside, and it was a suitable time because whether they were afraid to go out or didn’t know that the curfew was over, most of the people likely were still inside the houses.

I stretched my hands then stood up and headed toward the front door where Mark was dragging Jack by his arm. When Jack saw me coming, he stopped his futile resistance and started to walk by himself, which made Mark almost hit his head against the door frame when he pulled a non-resistant Jack.

Jack and Mark started to skirmish over the imminent accident while I pretended that I didn’t see anything and left the house, I quickened my steps and created a little distance between me and them to avoid getting caught in their skirmish.

I walked on a few streets and as I guessed, the streets were almost empty except for a few individuals heading towards the town’s center and some standing cautiously near their houses. I took a deep breath out of habit and walked toward a big tree with very noticeable green leaves.