Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Third Time's a Charm

I woke up to the excruciating pain of my limbs being ripped from my body. The groans and occasional screams of pleasure coming from the Class 3 zombie horde echoed throughout my head as I try to make sense of what happened. I remembered answering the door to my apartment in the compound and seeing my best friend, Colin, outside. I turned around to let him come in and, all of a sudden, there was a cracking sound before I blacked out.

Laying there, I turned my head and, not five feet away, the two hundred-some people of the Phoenix Compound stood on the other side of the wire fence, staring at me as I got eaten alive. Why? Why would they do this?? Did they not realize that it was me that saved them? That created the compound? That farmed the fields that fed them and drilled the well that gave them water? All that was me, so why did they push me out into a Class 3 hoard?

Oh well, too late for regrets now. It took me ten years to get used to this new world that I found myself in, and I wish them all the best in surviving without my knowledge from Earth. Who knew, maybe now I will find myself back home in Canada, eating my favorite foods and thinking that this second life was all a dream.

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the sight of the light purple zombies as they continued to feast on my arms and legs. I knew they liked to keep their victim alive as long as possible. Apparently fear changed the taste of a human and the Class 3 zombies were intelligent enough to get as much fear into the meat as possible before finishing the kill. I knew some people that stayed alive for a week before finally being killed off. The tradition of human pigs continued into this new world as the zombies experimented with their food to see what would provide them with the best taste. Who knew zombies could be foodies too?

I sighed as my two previous lives flashed before my eyes. Would I finally be able to rest in peace this time? Or was I destined to constantly wake up in a new place and a new body? All I could do was hope and pray that there would be no zombies in the afterlife. I was tired.

In my final act of defiance, I looked deep within my body for the pinkish-gold flame that lived inside me. I woke up with this flame the last time I died, but I hid it from my friends and those I considered to be family. After all, I didn't want to be different from the rest. But now, I needed the comfort of that flame.

It rose from my body to rest on my chest, right where my heart was slowly beating. I look one last look at those I thought to be my friends and smiled as the flame grew bigger and bigger until it surrounded what was left of my body in a hug. The flame welcomed me into the security of its warmth.

"Thank you, my friend," I whispered to it as I let out my final breath and allowed the flames to consume me.

My name was Li Dai Lu, and I was born and raised in the country of Canada on a planet called Earth where I lived for 30 some-odd years until I fell sick from a virus that swept the world and died. I was nothing special on Earth. I was short, no more than 5'2, with long black hair, and blue eyes. I had a love of all things Asian and a thirst for knowledge. I had no family and spent my time in Social Services until I turned 18 and could make my own way. Life was hard, but it was mine.

I would like to think that I found a path in life when I discovered web novels about transmigration and rebirth. Having that fantasy to take me away from my reality, I spent my days dreaming of going back in time to Ancient China or Ancient Europe and, in my free time, I studied all the old arts of surviving in the dark ages.

Who knew that my passion for the past would be completely useless when I died and was sent to another world that was in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? Knowing how to make sourdough bread from scratch was not as beneficial as I thought it would be when I was on the run from the undead. But at least transmigration was real... right?

What was useful was knowing how to find water, grow food, and build a home using whatever I could find. I rescued those that needed help and slowly, my home for one grew and expanded as more and more people came to me for help.

And, as a good Canadian, I helped all those that I could, until they threw me to the zombies.

But now that I was dead, I could finally enjoy the peace and quiet of the afterlife.

------------

I woke up to a pounding headache. "Fuck," I muttered to myself as I raised my hand to massage my forehead.

"Fuckity Fuck Fuck," I muttered again as I looked at my hand that was clearly attached to my body. I guess the Fates really hated me if I managed to be reborn for a third time.

I slowly open my eyes and looked around the room. I prayed that it was my home back on Earth, but I knew I was bound to be disappointed. 2020 AD had nothing on my life.

I looked at the black covers on my bed and knew that I was back in the other world, most likely before the apocalypse, and the soft, comfy bed that I was on was screaming my name. The downfall of the world could wait. I wanted more sleep.

I pulled the covers up over my head as I burrow down deep into the warmth and comfort of my bed. Wait… warmth… I quickly sat up and looked deep into myself, trying to see the pinkish-gold flame that accompanied me in my last life. And there it was, nestled deep inside, its light flickering in the darkness.

But this time, it wasn't alone. Standing beside the pink flame was an ice-blue one. I watched it as it flickered, almost as if it was waving 'hi' to me before going back to guard the pink flame. I smiled, content. At least my power was back, and with a new one in tow.

No longer would I just act passively, hiding who I really was, saving all those who came to me to be saved. From now on, I would look after me and mine and burn down anyone that thought to use me in the process.

Deciding that sleep could wait, I sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to see if this life brought me any new surprises besides the ice flame. I was hoping for some type of space pocket or an affinity to earth. Some people in my last life were blessed with those two mutated powers and they basically ruled the world. Colin was one of them.

Taking a slow, steady breath in, I expanded my mind inside my body. Sure enough, there it was. It looked like a small, wooden door with a key in the lock. Just like a secret passageway in Alice In Wonderland, well, let's see where this rabbit hole will go.

I pushed open the door and found what I had been hoping for, a space of my very own. In the middle of a vast field stood a red brick, three-story house with a wraparound porch and a white picket fence. Roses grew from the flower beds around the house and ivy climbed up the walls and framed the windows. This was my dream home back on Earth, and now here it was. I climbed the steps of the porch and opened the door. The entire house was empty, just waiting for me to make it a home.

I closed the door again and walked around. I saw fields where I could plant my food, the stream, and the pond that I could swim in or raise fish. This place was everything I needed to happily live out the zombie apocalypse that was going to happen in just a short time. I smiled in contentment; maybe this life wouldn't be that bad after all.

I exited my space and looked around the apartment I had woken up in. The first time I was reborn into this world I was thrown smack dab into the middle of the apocalypse. However, it appeared that this time, fate was on my side and had given me a bit of time to prepare before the world turned to pot.

I swiped my arm and everything that was once in the apartment now appeared in my space, including the bed and pillows. I was looking forward to sleeping on that later.

I checked the date: November 1st, 2119. I had exactly one year to prepare for the rest of my life. I better get to it.

Looking around my empty apartment and walked out the door with a smile on my face. This time would be different. This time, I would be prepared. This time I would live the life I was supposed to live. The life of an apocalypse queen