Regressing Through the Apocalypse with the Third Male Lead-Chapter 17 Nightmare 2.1

One Past Life Ago of Freyah

December 17, 2024

Fort Santiago

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"Hello."

Freyah lifted her head slowly, her fingers trembling as they clutched a piece of bread and a cup of warm water—the simple breakfast provided by the military group that rescued her.

She glanced at the elderly man who had taken a seat beside her.

"Hello," she murmured, her voice barely audible. She carefully placed the bread and cup down on the makeshift table. Her body still shook, haunted by the events of the past two days. The silence of her family and friends—none of whom had contacted her back—felt heavier than ever.

"I’m Timothy," the old man introduced himself with a kind smile.

"Freyah," she replied softly. After a moment of hesitation, she added, "It’s been two days, hasn’t it? Thankfully, the military saved us."

Timothy nodded. "We were lucky to be found."

"Where were you rescued from?" Freyah asked hesitantly.

"Robinsons," he answered.

"Robinsons? Which one?"

"Robinsons Manila," he explained, his tone gentle. "That day, my grandkids, Cherylle and Cheral, had just finished their final exams for the semester. It’s a little tradition of ours—I always treat them to something nice after exams."

Freyah managed a faint smile, a flicker of warmth breaking through the gloom. "They’re lucky to have a grandpaps like you, Tatay Timothy."

Timothy chuckled at the nickname. "No, I’m the lucky one. They’ve given my life so much meaning." His laughter softened, his face glowing with love.

Freyah’s smile faltered slightly, the thought of her own family and what she’d lost tugging at her heart. "Where are they now?" she asked carefully.

"Cherylle is here in the camp," Timothy said, his expression dimming. "But she’s sick right now. She’s resting in the tent. You can see her, if you want."

Freyah’s brows furrowed with concern.

"It’s not because of the virus or a bite," Tatay Timothy reassured her, noticing her worried expression. "It’s her stomach. We’ve been eating nothing but instant noodles at the mall, and it hasn’t been sitting well with her."

"I see..." Freyah muttered. She stood up, glancing at him. With nothing else to occupy her mind—and unwilling to drown in her own worries—she decided to follow him.

Together, they entered the tent. Freyah stopped in her tracks, her body stiffening at the sight before her.

A young girl, barely eighteen or nineteen, lay on the bed. Her wrists were bound with handcuffs secured to the bed’s metal frame. There was also an IV fluid attached to her left wrist.

"Why is she like that?" Freyah asked, her voice tight.

"They said it’s for caution," Tatay Timothy explained, his voice heavy with anguish. "Even though she hasn’t been bitten, they don’t want to risk her dying from her illness and... turning."

Freyah swallowed hard, glancing at the girl’s pale face. "Where’s Cheral?" she asked after a moment, pulling a chair beside the bed and sitting down.

Timothy’s gaze darkened. "He... he got bitten. He ran away before he turned into one of them." His shoulders sagged, his eyes fighting the tears to come out then he sighed deeply. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be unloading all this on you when you’ve already been through so much."

Freyah looked down, her fists clenching in her lap. "It’s alright," she murmured. "When you mentioned she was sick, I... I kind of expected this." She hesitated before continuing. "Tatay, if it’s okay, could I come by this tent and talk to you from time to time?"

A faint, weary smile spread across Tatay Timothy’s face. "Yes. I’d appreciate that."

He must really need someone to talk to, Freyah thought.

The two of them began talking, Timothy sharing stories about his grandkids. As he reminisced, Freyah found a small comfort in their conversation. For the first time since the apocalypse began, she had someone to speak with—someone who made the crushing loneliness and fear a little more bearable.

It seemed, she too also wanted someone to talk to.

Three days passed this way. Freyah returned to the tent every day.

"Freyah, good morning."

"Good morning, Tatay Timothy," Freyah replied with a small smile, holding a piece of bread and a cup of warm water in her hands.

Timothy glanced at the bread in his hand and chuckled. "You know, despite being young, you’re not picky. I’ve never heard you complain about having just bread and water every day."

Freyah shrugged lightly. "I’m just thankful we still have bread to eat. If this apocalypse drags on, bread like this will eventually become a luxury. It spoils too quickly. I want to savor it while we still can."

"You’re right," Timothy said, laughing softly. "I hope Cherylle will have that kind of mindset when she wakes up. She’s quite the picky eater, you know."

"Is that so?" Freyah chuckled, her mood lightening.

"But," Timothy’s tone shifted as his face grew serious. He glanced outside the tent, scanning the area for anyone nearby, then closed the tent flaps.

Freyah’s curiosity piqued. "What is it? You’re making me nervous!" she said with a stiff laugh.

"This..." Timothy opened his palm, and out of nowhere, a burger appeared in his hand.

Before Freyah could react, the burger vanished. A moment later, it reappeared in the same spot.

Freyah’s eyes widened in shock. "What... what did you just do? Is that a magic trick?" She stood from her chair, completely taken aback.

"I don’t know what it is either," Timothy admitted. "But it happened when we were rescued. While the military was escorting us to the fort, we passed by a convenience store. The soldiers were gathering supplies, and I spotted this single burger sitting there. I thought to myself, if I can keep this burger until Cherylle wakes up, I won’t ask for anything more."

"Then suddenly, I found myself standing in a vast green field, holding the burger. When I blinked, the burger was gone from the store’s heating display. Somehow, I just knew—it was in that green field. I closed my eyes, thought about the burger returning to my hand, and when I opened my eyes, there it was. I imagined it going back to the green field, and it disappeared again."

Timothy paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "It’s not just the burger. I’ve discovered I can store all sorts of things in that green field including plants but not animals or humans hahaha." freeweɓnovel-cøm

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