The next morning, Ava sat at the kitchen table, sharing a quiet breakfast with Pablo.
The smell of eggs and coffee filled the room. Outside, the sky was clear, and a soft breeze blew through the open window. It didn't feel like the end of the world.
They ate in silence for a while, then Pablo spoke first.
"I was watching the news earlier," he said, his voice calm but distant. "The government's trying to reorganize. Fill in all the empty seats left by those who… disappeared."
Ava nodded slowly. "That's good, I guess. At least someone's trying to keep things running."
"They say it's under control," Pablo added. "Adjustments are being made. They even plan to reopen schools next week."
Ava stirred her coffee quietly. The spoon clinked softly against the cup.
So many people had vanished. Children. Believers. Whole families. But outside the window, birds still chirped. Life looked normal. Too normal.
It didn't match the warnings her system had given.
Was the system wrong?
Or was something still coming?
Pablo's voice broke her thoughts. "My son… his family… they're gone."
Ava turned to him. "I'm sorry."
He nodded. "Only my granddaughter was left behind. Aryan, she's sixteen. She's the one who told me what happened."
Ava blinked. "She was left behind too?"
"Yes," Pablo said quietly. "The only one in our family."
Ava hesitated, then asked, "Do you want to bring her here? I really wouldn't mind. This place is safe."
"I already asked her," Pablo replied. "But she refused. She said school's reopening soon… and she wants to go back."
Ava was quiet for a moment.
In a world like this… why was school still important to some people?
But maybe that was her way of holding on. Pretending things were still normal.
Pablo took another sip of coffee, then paused as a thought came to him.
"You know," he said slowly, "before Jacob left on that ship… maybe three years ago… he had a talk with your father."
Ava looked up. "About what?"
"He had all these ideas," Pablo said with a faint smile. "Told your father to build fences. Make the gate thicker. Renovate the house. Add a warehouse. Said the farm should be more… secure."
He chuckled softly. "Your dad went all-in. Didn't even hesitate. Next thing I knew, this place turned into a fortress."
Ava blinked.
Her husband…?
The memory of the letter her father left returned to her. Jacob said you'd need these when you have no one left.
So it really started with him.
Before she could ask more, a soft chime echoed in her mind.
[Countdown to Global Resurrection: 05:01:21]
Five hours left.
Ava's breath caught in her throat. She stared at the time, heart tightening.
Then she saw the emoji icon floating above Pablo's head. The face looked… sad. Worried.
Ava's chest ached. It's because of his granddaughter…
What if the system was right? What if the danger was real, and it was coming soon?
She imagined Nazi in that girl's place, all alone. Her hands clenched.
Another notification appeared in front of her.
[New Task: Retrieve the Survivor]
Pick up Pablo's granddaughter before the resurrection event.
Exactly just what she wants to do.
Ava stood up immediately, her voice firm.
"Let's go get her."
Pablo looked surprised. "Now?"
"She can't stay out there, Pablo. Not with what's coming."
He hesitated, clearly conflicted. "But she already said…"
"I know what she said," Ava replied. "But I won't leave her behind."
Without waiting, she scooped up Nazi, who had been playing with his duck near the table, and rushed toward the door.
Behind her, Pablo stood up slowly, puzzled.
They drove quietly through the countryside, the road winding past familiar fields and sleepy villages. It took them around thirty minutes to reach Pablo's son's house.
But when they got there, the house was empty.
Pablo knocked several times, calling out. No one answered.
He pulled out his phone and tried calling his granddaughter, Aryan. The call rang and rang, but there was no reply.
Ava frowned, glancing around the quiet street. A moment later, a neighbor stepped outside, an elderly man watering his plants.
"Looking for Aryan?" he asked, recognizing Pablo. "She left early this morning. Said she was going to Manila… something about school registration."
Pablo nodded, thanking the man. He turned to Ava, face lined with worry.
"It'll take at least two hours to get there," Ava murmured, thinking out loud.
The system's timer ticked inside her mind. Every minute felt heavier.
But she shook off the doubt and opened the car door. "Let's go."
They drove toward the city. The roads were busier than before, filled with trucks and government vehicles. Sirens wailed in the distance now and then, but no one seemed to panic. Everyone acted like the world was returning to normal.
When they finally arrived at Aryan's school, the sun hung high in the sky.
Pablo took out his phone and called again.
This time, the line connected.
"Aryan?" she said quickly. "We're outside. At the school gate. Can you come meet us?"
—-----
After a few minutes, Aryan finally came out of the school gates. She looked surprised to see both Ava and his grandfather waiting for her.
"We came to bring you home," Ava said gently, her tone firm but calm.
Aryan blinked. "Home? But I'm not done here. I still have to finish registration."
From a short distance away, Ava noticed someone standing near the sidewalk, perhaps a classmate or a friend waiting for her. It looked like Aryan had other plans for the day.
"I can't leave yet," she added, shaking his head.
Even when Pablo spoke, trying to persuade her, Aryan wouldn't listen. She was stubborn, like most teenagers, and she didn't understand why they were in such a rush.
Pablo too, looked unsure. But he trusted Ava.
Ava hesitated for a moment. Then, quietly, she said, "In just a few hours… the dead will rise."
Aryan blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
Pablo too.
"The apocalypse," Ava said, her voice low but serious. "It comes after the Rapture. And it's starting today."
Aryan gave a small, awkward laugh, like she had just made a strange joke. "That's a bit much, don't you think?"
Ava's eyes narrowed. "You think the Rapture just happened and nothing else will follow?"
Still, Aryan shook her head. "Even if that's true, I can't just disappear. I have responsibilities."
Ava looked at Pablo, who stood silently, unsure of what to say. The old man was caught between two people he cared about deeply.
Frustration surged through her. Part of her wanted to just leave. Let him stay. Let him learn the hard way.
But…
She sighed. 'What if the system is right? What if Pablo loses his last family member because I didn't try hard enough?'
Without another word, Ava stepped forward, grabbed Aryan's handbag. In one swift motion, she opened her palm, and a soft blue glow shimmered in the air. A circular ring of light appeared, like a portal floating in her hand.
Then, right in front of Aryan and Pablo, she placed the bag into the glowing space. And just like that, it disappeared.
Aryan's eyes widened. "W-what was that?!"
Pablo stared in disbelief. "Ava… What did you just do?"
"I'm not joking," Ava said quietly. "We only have two hours left."
Still confused and stunned, Aryan finally nodded, unsure of what else to say.
She followed them to the car.
Inside the vehicle, before they started the engine, Ava held out her palm once more. The glow returned, and Aryan's bag reappeared in her hand.
She placed it gently on her lap.
"Let's go."