Real Sacrifice in a Fake Apocalypse

To save my mother who's been bitten by a zombie, I exchange my own kidney for the only vial of serum that's available. I'm not given any anesthetic during the surgery. I bite down on a wooden rod until it snaps, but I still don't make a single sound. But when I rush back to the shelter to look for Mom, I catch her talking to someone on the phone. "You should drop the act soon, Mrs. Sawyer. Mr. Sawyer is going to collapse if this continues!" I recognize the voice. It belongs to Mom's assistant, Richard Peterson. "What's the rush?" Mom replies flippantly. "Although Terence is my son, he's never faced any hardship since he was a child. He doesn't know how hard it is to earn money. "I had to overcome many challenges before I became the richest person in the city. What if Terence is only treating me well for my money? He must pass this test to prove that his love for me is genuine." I clench my fists. The life-saving serum drops to the floor. It turns out that the apocalypse and the man-eating zombies aren't real. I have carried Mom on my back while darting through ruins for the last month. I eat rotten meat and even sacrifice my kidney without any hesitation for her, but everything is just part of a test that she designed. I look down at the bloody hole that wasn't stitched up properly on the side of my waist. Mom thinks that everything is just part of an act, but she has no idea that the doctor who wandered onto the set and performed the surgery on me is real. Chapter 1 "I specifically told you to prepare the best imported anesthetic, Dr. Loden. Terence will be fine, right?" my mother, Cassandra Ellis asked. "As long as he's willing to get on that operating table for my sake, I'll take it as proof that he passed the test and that his love for me is genuine. "I've watched him face many hardships, after all. He doesn't deserve to be my son if he's unwilling to make such a small sacrifice." Mom sounded perfectly healthy as she spoke to the person on the other end of the line. In fact, she even sounded a little at ease. Meanwhile, I stood at the door. The serum that I got by putting my life on the line slipped from my slackened fingers and shattered when it hit the floor. It turned out that the apocalypse and the man-eating zombies weren't real. For the past month, I had carried Mom with me as we hid in the sewers and ate expired food. I had even given up my kidney without any hesitation, but everything had just been a farce that she designed to test if my love for her was genuine. Mom assumed that everything was under her control. She had no idea that the doctor who operated on me wasn't part of her crew. On the contrary, he was an actual outlaw. He didn't give me any anesthetic or disinfect the incision during the operation. He had even used a rusty scalpel when he cut me open. I looked at the wound on the side of my waist that had been hastily stitched up with a thick thread. I wiped the sweat that had beaded across my forehead before pushing the door open and stepping inside the room. Mom immediately hung up when she heard the sounds of movement. The calm and relaxed expression on her face melted away in an instant as she turned around. "Terence… You're back…" she murmured weakly through heavy breaths. She reached a trembling hand toward me. "Did you… get the serum? I'm in so much pain…" I looked at her. She had always carried herself with quiet strength. In the past month, I would dig out the untainted core of a moldy piece of bread and let her eat that while I ate the moldy outer parts. I also gave her the cleanest water to drink while I drank the water that was mixed with mud and sand. Everything had just been a test. I didn't say a single word as I approached Mom with heavy steps. I touched her forehead, my expression dark. Her skin felt perfectly cool beneath my fingertips. "Why don't you have a fever, Mom?" I asked in a low voice, doing my best to keep my emotions in check. "I looked through the handbook in the shelter. A person who was bitten by a zombie should contract a high fever within two hours. Their entire body should feel like it's boiling. "You were bitten more than 12 hours ago. Why does your body temperature still feel normal?" A hint of panic flickered in Mom's eyes. She subconsciously tugged at her collar and averted her gaze, mumbling, "I… Maybe my body's special. Everyone reacts differently, Terence." Then she immediately changed the topic, fearing I would question her further. "Where's the serum, Terence? Didn't you leave to get it in exchange for your kidney?" If Mom actually loved me, the first thing she would have asked me was if I was in any pain. I averted my gaze. "I couldn't get it," I said coldly. "The doctor changed his mind. He wanted two kidneys instead. I didn't agree because I didn't want to die." "What?" Mom exclaimed, her weak voice rising in pitch in an instant. She bolted up into a sitting position before she started to berate me. "Why didn't you agree to his demands? Didn't you tell me that you love me more than anything else, Terence? As I suspected, you actually love yourself more than you love me!" A deathly silence descended upon the room seconds after the words left her lips. Mom also seemed to realize that she had lost control of herself. Her body stiffened for a moment before she quickly pressed a hand to her chest. She collapsed on the bed again and groaned in pain. "I'm sorry, Terence," she mumbled between coughs. "I'm just in so much pain… I can't keep my temper in check anymore. I don't want to die… Can you try to convince the doctor again, Terence? I'm hurting so much…" The wound on the side of my waist throbbed terribly as I watched Mom's performance. The pain was so excruciating that I couldn't stand straight. "Okay." I said after taking a deep breath, gritting my teeth and nodding. "I'll think of something. I'm going to look for some food for you too." Just before I turned around, I caught the quiet sigh of relief that escaped Mom. Chapter 2 I walked out of the dim and damp shelter. The sunlight outside was so bright that I could barely open my eyes. The streets lay in ruins, strewn with abandoned cars, shredded papers, and walls streaked with dried blood. Mom must have spent a small fortune to create this scene. In the past, I would carry her with me as we hid among the ruins. I would keep watch at night while gripping a steel bar, ready to put my life on the line to protect her at all costs. I had acted like an utter fool in retrospect. It felt like someone was digging a knife into the wound on the side of my waist with every step that I took. However, I kept my back ramrod straight and kept walking. A few zombies appeared from around the corner and stumbled toward me. I looked at them coldly, not bothering to hide or run. I simply stared at them emotionlessly as I walked toward them. The zombies were obviously stunned by my reaction. Noticing that I was behaving strangely, one of the zombies suddenly lunged at me. He opened his bloody mouth, as though he was going to bite my neck. A fishy stench assaulted my nose. I didn't bat an eye or halt my footsteps as I brushed past him. The zombie stood rooted to the spot, looking like he had no idea if he was supposed to bite me. I could hear them whispering among themselves behind me. "What happened to him? Did the fear finally get to his head?" "I don't know. The director didn't tell us to stop, so we should just keep up the act for now." I scoffed and continued walking until I reached an abandoned residential area. It was the same place where I had been robbed earlier. I had managed to get my hands on a pack of cookies and half a bottle of water at the time. I was just about to bring the items back to Mom when a group of fierce-looking survivors suddenly burst onto the scene, brandishing bats. Not only did they rob me of my belongings, but they also shoved me to the ground and kicked me several times. I clutched the bottle of water to my chest to stop them from taking it away. I refused to let go even after they broke two of my ribs, allowing them to rain blows down on my back. I could hear people talking from one of the dilapidated buildings ahead. Powering through the excruciating pain, I snuck closer to one of the building's windows. A group of men sat in a circle while smoking together. Cartons of bottled water sat near their feet, along with several boxes of pizza. They were the men who robbed me. "Do you reckon that all rich people have loose screws in their heads?" a bald man asked while blowing a smoke circle. "Instead of living comfortably in their fancy homes, they would rather spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to create this set to pretend that they're survivors in an apocalypse." "What do you know?" a tall, thin man retorted. "Ms. Ellis already explained the situation to us. She's worried that Terence is only treating her well because of her money." "It's very important to her to find out whether his love for her is genuine. She wants to know if Terence will put his life on the line to protect her in extreme conditions." "Ms. Ellis specifically ordered us to rob Terence last time." Baldie clicked his tongue and said, "She's so ruthless. Terence was beaten black and blue, but he still refused to let go of the bottle of water. He has definitely proved himself, in my opinion. On the other hand, Ms. Ellis is pretty heartless even though she's his mother." "Keep it down. Ms. Ellis is planning something much bigger over the next two days. She wants us to rob him again, but this time, the goal is to trap him with nowhere left to run." I leaned against the cement wall and dug my nails into my rough palms. Mom wanted me to prove that my love for her was genuine. She wanted to watch me struggle after being cornered into a dead end. A metallic taste surged up my throat, but I forcefully swallowed it down. I emerged from behind the broken wall and said, "No need to wait another two days." I watched as the men leaped to their feet, their faces etched with bewilderment. "Call Cassandra Ellis now," I said. "Tell her that the jig is up." Chapter 3 "You… What are you…" Baldie stammered as his cigarette slipped from his fingers. "Call her now," I repeated, sitting down on the cleanest slab of stone that I could find. The pain that was radiating from my waist was beginning to numb. That side of my shirt was already thoroughly soaked, sticking to my skin. Mom arrived ten minutes later. She had dropped the act. The artificial marks of zombification had been wiped clean, revealing smooth, rosy skin that made it blatantly obvious she was well cared for. Her assistant, Richard Peterson, and a group of muscular men trailed behind her. Mom barely showed any remorse when she spotted me sitting on the slab. On the contrary, the way she looked at me gave off the impression that she was scrutinizing me as if she were superior to me. "I guess there's no need for me to keep up the act any longer since you've discovered the truth, Terence," she said, "The zombies and the apocalypse aren't real. I also didn't get bitten by a zombie." I looked up at her and asked, "Why?" Mom sighed. She smoothed down her tailored coat before she answered, "Because I'm rich, Terence. Your father left me a business empire when he passed away. I have to be cautious. "It's why I decided to put you through a test for a month. I wanted to find out what truly mattered to you when your life was on the line—me or money. "Not only did I want to test you, but I also wanted to strengthen our bond as mother and son. Everything that I did was to prepare you so that you would have an easier time when it was your turn to take over the business." I braced my fists on my knees, gritting my teeth as I rose to my feet. An explosive pain lanced through the side of my waist from the excessive movement. My vision turned black for a split second, but I kept my feet steady on the ground. "Was everything just a test for you, Mom? I jumped off the second floor of a building and broke my leg to get medicine for you. I fought with feral dogs just to get some clean bread for you. Do you think that I deserve everything that happened to me?" Mom frowned. She looked at me impatiently and said, "I know that you faced some hardship, Terence, but I was with you the entire time. Also, I already told you that I would compensate you in the future. I'll transfer an extra 5% of the company's shares to you." Her eyes were filled with bewilderment as she looked at me. I suddenly started chuckling in a low voice, and my eyes reddened slightly. "You're so smart, Mom. You planned everything. Truth be told, I managed to get the serum. I had to exchange one of my kidneys for it." Mom was briefly stunned before she nonchalantly waved her hand and said, "I know. Mr. Loden already told me. The surgery was a success. It's only a minor wound, so it'll be fully recovered in the next two days. But you shouldn't have lied to me, Terence." "A minor wound?" I repeated, pointing at my waist with a shaking finger. "The person who cut me open didn't even wear a mask. He wasn't wearing a white coat either. He also didn't give me any anesthetic… before he forcefully… removed my kidney from my body." I had to muster all the strength that I had left in my body to force the last few words past my lips. My voice sounded like it had been rubbed raw with sandpaper. Mom was startled by my appearance and subconsciously stepped back. "Were you scared out of your wits, Terence? Or are you still stuck in your role? I already told you. That doctor is a professional whom I spent a small fortune to hire. Why wouldn't he give you any anesthetic before he operated on you?" She turned to look at Richard, who was standing behind her, and asked sternly, "Didn't you explain the situation to him? Or did he not follow the script?" "I contacted Dr. Brandon Loden from Dawnlight Hospital, Mrs. Sawyer," Richard explained, looking confused. "He was waiting in the operating room there. All of his equipment was imported from abroad…" I ignored their conversation. My body felt like it was growing heavier. My consciousness was slipping away beneath the high fever brought on by the infection ravaging my body. "Mom…" I wheezed through heavy breaths. "The specialist you mentioned… I didn't see him at all…" Chapter 4 Mom frowned in dissatisfaction, assuming that I was trying to play to her sympathies. "That's enough. You can drop the act now. I know that you want to make me regret what I did—to make me think that I owe you. But let's not twist the facts. I'm the one who arranged the surgery, so I'm perfectly aware of the entire procedure. "Pretending to be so weak now will only make me think that you're being a hypocrite. You're not behaving like a man at all." She stepped closer and reached out to grab me. "Let's go back to the villa. I've already asked the household staff to prepare a grand feast." My strength drained from my body the moment her hand touched my arm. I was hit by an intense dizzy spell. My knees buckled before I crumpled to the ground with a loud thud. "Terence!" Mom shrieked, reflexively reaching out for me. She lost her balance when I fell against her. She shoved me angrily, shouting, "What do you think you're doing? Can't you even stand up right?" I collided against a sharp edge of a stone block when she shoved me, coincidentally slamming against my festering wound. I let out a muffled groan. My muscles contracted as sweat immediately drenched my body. "How long do you plan to keep up this act, Terence? Just touch yourself for a moment. You're burning up. You must have intentionally stayed out in the sun for a long time. Am I right?" Crouching, Mom continued to nag even as she tried to pull me up to my feet. "Just drop the act. I saw you earlier. You were walking perfectly fine, so why are you pretending to faint after seeing me? You just want me to feel sorry for you and make me think that I owe you for the rest of my life!" "It's not an act…" I mumbled weakly. "It really hurts… Mom…" I also wished that I was just putting up an act. I wished that the director would ask us to stop in the next second. I wanted to stand up, dust the dirt from my clothes, and calmly tell everyone that I was done with my part. But I couldn't. Mom finally noticed that something was amiss. The pungent smell of blood permeated her senses when I moved. "What's that smell?" Mom covered her nose and frowned deeply. Following the scent of blood, her eyes eventually fell to my waist. A large puddle of gruesome, blackened red liquid had already pooled beneath me. "T-This…" she stammered before she gritted her teeth and swiftly lifted the hem of my shirt. She seemed to freeze at that moment. I didn't have a minor wound on my waist. It also wasn't covered up with clean, sterile gauze. Instead, I had a massive incision that looked like a writhing centipede that had been messily stitched up with a rough thread. The skin around the incision had turned a sickly purplish-black, while thick, foul-looking pus oozed from the wound. Richard immediately turned away and started vomiting when he laid eyes on the wound. Mom's face turned as white as a sheet as her entire body stiffened. "Terence… What happened? Where's Dr. Loden? Where did he go?" She frantically pulled out her phone. I continued lying on the floor and stared up at the gray sky. I could feel my consciousness slipping away. Seconds before I succumbed to the darkness, I heard Mom screaming in despair. "Ambulance! Call an ambulance now! Don't scare me, Terence! I was wrong! I admit that I was wrong!"