No Second Chances Apocalypse

| September 22, 2023 - 11:32 PM

Lin sat cross-legged on her bed, laptop open, the glow of the screen reflecting off her tired eyes. A cold cup of tea sat forgotten on the nightstand.

She had one chance to get this right.

She needed land—far from the city, but not isolated. She needed defenses, access to water, and space for food production. And most importantly, she needed something she could reinforce before the world collapsed.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she filtered properties:

Too close to highways. Reject. Too deep into the mountains. Reject. Too expensive. Reject.

Then she found them.

Option 1: Abandoned School – $210,000 Large, reinforced structure. Thick brick walls, multiple floors. Good defensibility. Limited entry points, could be converted into a stronghold. Located on a hill. High ground advantage. Downside: No farmland, located in a dying town, far from fresh water.

Option 2: Sunrise Valley Hotel – $195,000 17 acres of land. Includes a main building (old hotel), guest cabins, farmland, and a river. Already built for long-term stay. Generator system, water tanks, kitchens. Multiple structures. Could be used for storage, housing survivors, or farming. Downside: Had a mass shooting last year. Haunted reputation. Some repairs needed.

Option 3: Old Farmhouse – $170,000 Remote, far from the city. Large fields for farming, a small barn. Fresh water well. Downside: Wooden structure. Weak defensibility. Would require extensive fortification.

Lin stared at the screen.

The school was secure, but without food or water, it would be a death trap.

The farmhouse had good land, but weak defenses.

But the hotel…

Her mind began constructing it, piece by piece.

The main building—thick walls, multiple rooms. Easily fortifiable. Could be turned into a command center.

The cabins—small but useful. Separate shelters for farming staff or allies.

The farmland—food production year-round.

The river—unlimited fresh water.

And the best part? No one would want to live there because of the shooting.

It was perfect.

| September 22, 2023 - 11:58 PM

Lin pulled up her bank account.

$750,000.

She had been saving since she was twenty. Every raise, every bonus, every side hustle—she had stockpiled it, hoping for an early retirement.

Well, that retirement was coming sooner than expected.

| September 23, 2023 - 12:12 AM

Lin stared at the screen, pulse steady.

She had 93 days before the world collapsed.

Lin cracked her knuckles, staring at the property listing for the Sunrise Valley Hotel.

The land was perfect, the price was insanely low, and no one else was stupid enough to buy it.

Which meant she needed to lock it down fast.

She clicked on the contact email and started typing.

To: [email protected]

Subject: Urgent Inquiry – Sunrise Valley Hotel Property

Dear Seller,

I'm highly interested in purchasing the Sunrise Valley Hotel property. I'd like to schedule a viewing as soon as possible and discuss a potential offer. My finances are in order, and I'm prepared to move forward quickly.

Please let me know your earliest availability.

Looking forward to your response.

Best,

Lin Zhang

| September 23, 2023 - 12:18 AM

Lin hit send, leaning back in her chair.

Now, she just had to wait.

She had no idea how fast they would respond, but if they were as desperate to sell as she suspected…

Her phone vibrated.

New Email.

Lin's eyebrows lifted. That was fast.

She clicked it open.

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Urgent Inquiry – Sunrise Valley Hotel Property

Dear Miss Zhang,

Thank you for your interest. The property is still available, and we are happy to schedule a viewing. We have an opening tomorrow at 2 PM. If that works for you, please confirm, and we will provide the location details.

Best regards,

Amy Carter

Sunrise Valley Realty

| September 23, 2023 - 12:20 AM

Lin's lips curled into a small smirk.

Tomorrow at 2 PM.

Perfect.

She typed her response.

To: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Urgent Inquiry – Sunrise Valley Hotel Property

Tomorrow at 2 PM works for me. Please send the details.

Best,

Lin Zhang

| September 23, 2023 - 12:22 AM

Lin exhaled slowly, closing her laptop.

Tomorrow, she would see her future safe haven with her own eyes.

And if everything checked out—

She was putting money down immediately.