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Jill's body was falling toward the ground. As the wind rushed past her ears, a bitter smile tugged at her lips. "Never thought I'd die in a place like this," she murmured weakly. "How unwilling I am… to end like this."
A flash of regret flickered in her eyes, but before she could close them, a faint sound reached her ears.
"Jack, you still owe me ten packs of cigarettes!" she shouted bitterly, her last words carrying a strange mix of anger and resignation. Her mind swam with the thought of that annoying man—Jack.
Then, through the howling wind, she heard a voice she recognized instantly. "I'm returning your cigarettes now."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. That voice—it couldn't be! Jack's voice? Was that possible?
Before she could think further, a strong arm wrapped around her, pulling her into a firm embrace. Jill blinked in confusion, her vision clearing just enough to see a familiar smirking face leaning over her.
"Jack… it's you."
"It's me," he said with that same infuriatingly calm smile.
"You—let me go! Quickly!" Jill struggled in his arms, trying to free herself, but his grip was unyielding.
Jack's smile deepened, a hint of mischief in his tone. "Sure. If you don't mind falling straight into a horde of zombies."
Jill froze, her eyes darting downward. Beneath them, countless decaying hands reached upward, clawing toward her. The sight made her scalp tingle, a chill running down her spine. They were barely a meter above the undead.
"You… you didn't fall?" she stammered. "How… how is that possible?"
"Magic?" Jack chuckled. "Let's just say I've got powers no one else has."
Jill remembered his earlier fight—how he'd faced Alice and Nemesis with those strange, impossible abilities. Her expression hardened. "You're a pervert."
Jack grinned. "A pervert who just saved your life."
"Don't expect me to thank you," Jill huffed, turning her face away.
Jack shrugged lightly. "I'm not that kind of hero. I don't save people for gratitude. I just do what I want. Fame? Credit? Never interested me."
Jill sighed, frustration and confusion mixing in her chest. "Fine. Whatever. Just—Jack, pull me up. The others… the survivors are still up there!"
"Got it." Jack adjusted his hold on her and began rising swiftly toward the upper floor.
When they reached the attic, the scene that met them froze Jill's heart. A group of zombies was already devouring the survivors, tearing into flesh and bone with horrifying greed. The stench of blood filled the air.
Jill's face fell. "We're too late."
Jack's eyes were calm, almost indifferent. "In this world, even if they had survived a few more days, it would've been torture. Death spares them the slow suffering."
Jill turned on him sharply, eyes blazing. "How can you say something so heartless?"
"I'm just stating the truth," he replied softly, his tone almost detached. "You know it as well as I do."
She wanted to argue, but she couldn't. His words stung because they were true. In this ruined world, the average person's fate was already written in blood. She had spent days with these survivors, leading them, protecting them—but deep down, she had always known this was how it would end.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a thunderous roar. A massive mutated zombie, nearly twice the size of Nemesis, raised a huge axe above its head and bellowed from below.
Jack's eyes darkened with fury. "You bastard," he muttered. "You almost killed my Jill. I'll crush you for that."
"My Jill?!" Jill snapped, glaring at him. "You're asking for death if you keep saying that!"
Jack just waved her off. "Don't get hung up on details. Watch closely. I'll avenge you."
The black in his pupils spread outward, forming three sharp, wind-like shapes. Around the giant zombie, several swirling air currents appeared, slicing through the creature's body at blinding speed.
The mutant roared, its voice gurgling into silence as its body split apart—the head, arms, and legs tumbling to the ground one by one.
Jill's eyes widened in astonishment. "That power… it's similar to Alice's, isn't it?"
Jack nodded. "You're right. It's telekinesis—Thought Power."
Her mouth opened slightly. "You mean… you fused with the T-Virus?"
Jack smiled faintly. "It became a part of me. My strength—and my curse."
Jill shook her head, unable to decide if she should be afraid or impressed. "You're terrifying… someone like you shouldn't even exist."
"Yet here I am," Jack said softly. His tone shifted, the mischief fading, replaced by something gentler. "I came because I thought of you."
Jill's expression faltered. For a fleeting second, emotion flashed across her eyes before she scowled again. "Speak properly. Don't spout nonsense."
Jack chuckled. "Alright, alright. I admit, that was a bit much. How about this—let's find somewhere quiet. We can talk… maybe remember old times."
Without waiting for her answer, he tightened his grip and lifted her higher, soaring forward through the broken skyline.
"Where are we going?" Jill shouted against the wind.
"To see the sea together!" he laughed, his voice echoing through the ruins.
The ocean stretched out before them—not the pure, glimmering blue it once was, but a sickly yellow-brown, thick and foul-smelling. The sea had long since died, another casualty of the infection.
Jill grimaced. "You think this is romantic? It stinks! We can't even find a place to stand."
Jack's expression softened. "I think it's perfect. Because it gives me an excuse to hold you like this. On land, you'd probably punch me."
Jill's face turned red instantly. "You—! You shameless man!" she sputtered. "I've never met anyone as blunt as you!"
"Then don't speak," Jack whispered, pulling her closer. His tone grew quieter, more serious. "It's been so long. Did you ever think of me?"
Her heartbeat quickened. His arms were warm and strong around her, too close, too real. "You… idiot," she muttered, her voice trembling slightly. "Let go. You're holding too tight. Who would think about someone as arrogant and narcissistic as you?" But even as she said it, she could feel her pulse racing, faster and faster. Calm down, she told herself. Calm down.
Jack tilted his head, studying her face. "Is that so?"
Jill turned her gaze away, her voice soft now. "Of course it is. Don't ask stupid questions." Then, after a pause, she added quietly, "Where have you been these past six months?"
Jack looked out toward the dead horizon, his eyes filled with something distant, poetic, and oddly peaceful. "Far away," he said gently. "Silently… thinking of you."
Jill was silent for a long time, listening to the whisper of the poisoned wind and the dull crash of waves. For all his teasing and arrogance, Jack's words carried a strange warmth—a spark of something human in a world that had long forgotten what that meant.
And though she would never admit it out loud, for the first time in a long while, Jill felt safe.