Chapter 5-Act a fool

Chapter 5: 5-Act a fool

Aymara’s first stop was a supermarket. She pushed a shopping cart through the aisles like an ordinary woman on daily errands.

She deliberately avoided filling it too much to avoid drawing attention. For her first shopping, she went with the basics and picked seeds first, she could grow them in the space and they’ll become long term staple food in the cruise.

She picked rice and beans seeds in large quantity and added flour, salt, cooking oil and some canned food to the cart. Since it was the first day, she kept it small.

Just as she decided to move along to the checkout, she walked through the aisle holding water purification tablets, batteries, candles, matches, toileteries and couldn’t help but add them to the list.

She paid attention to everything. Mentally checking them off her checklist as she moved.

In her last life, she didn’t have a seven day advance knowledge and warning before the world collapsed. So she was forced to raid a mall during the chaos and that’s how she had enough on the ship for survival.

The memory sent a shiver down her body because it reminded her of the ungrateful survivors she took pity on. They had taken her kindness and used her resources and turned around and stabbed her in the back.

"If I ever take pity on anyone in this life then I am a dog!" She cursed, breathed in and pushed the bad memories away.

Then, as she turned around the corner, she heard someone call her name. "Aymara?"

She stopped, that voice. She recognized it and it made the hairs on her skin stand.

Aymara slowly turned. Her eyes clear and without any emotion which was unlike her raging heart hammering against her ribcage.

Sarah stood several meters away. Her hands rested on the handle of her own shopping cart.

Aymara’s eyes narrowed for less than a second at the cart full to the brim before she concealed it.

’She’s reborn too,’ she thought. She could tell from the amount Sarah stocked up.

There was no doubt. The shopping cart was filled with canned food, bottled water, batteries, medical supplies, and packaged goods.

Far too much for any normal usage or consumption. It was enough to tell Aymara that she was getting ready for the apocalypse as well.

Sarah was looking at her with the same calculating eyes Aymara remembered from her previous life.

She smiled and walked over, "Shopping for the apocalypse?" she asked, trying to gauge if Aymara was also reborn.

Aymara blinked innocently. There was no way she was giving herself away to her enemy. Killing her once, her mistake but thinking they can get an upper hand on her again, that’s their foolishness.

"The apocalypse?" she asked, acting ignorant. "What are you talking about, Sarah?"

Sarah laughed. "You don’t remember?" She inquired with the same smug smile Aymara remembered her wearing the day that they killed her.

"Remember what?" she stopped and even scratched the back of her head. She threw Sarah a confused look and asked. "What exactly are you trying to say, Sarah? Say it clearly."

"It’s nothing," seeing that Aymara wasn’t reborn, she didn’t want to say more than necessary. "There are all kinds of rumors online," she changed her approach and leaned closer, "Scientists are saying the weather is behaving strangely."

Aymara gave her a blank look. "Scientists say strange things all the time. You shouldn’t take them seriously and blow up on your savings," she said, pointing at the full cart with a judgy expression on her face.

Sarah laughed. "You really haven’t changed."

There it was, the condescension and the same attitude Sarah showed at the last moment. One that she wore to show Aymara that she was above her.

Sarah still believed Aymara was naive. "This time, I will be the one who has it good," she said, proudly.

’Have it good?’ Aymara asked internally. ’Sarah, you and that useless cheating scumbag are yet to repay me the debt of life that you owe me and Nathaniel and you dare dream of living well in the apocalypse? Over. My. Dead. Body!’

On the surface, Aymara smiled sweetly. "Should I be worried?"

Sarah glanced at her cart. Seeing her but simple household stuff in small quantity, she was even more convinced that Aymara didn’t get a second chance.

’Blame fate, Aymara. Either in the first life or this one, you are just destined to always suffer,’ she thought pitifully.

"Honestly? You should buy more," she encouraged her.

"Why?" Aymara asked, continuing to play the fool. "Why should I buy more when I can’t finish it all?"

"In case something happens. You can never be too prepared," Sarah pretended to sound concerned. ’This time, I’ll be the one with a ship, a crew, endless supplies and Dylan. You’ll have to bow at my feet if you want scraps for survival!’ her lips curled up.

She pictured Aymara on her knees, desperate for shelter, starved and weak. The begging... pleading... and bowing. It all made her feel even better than she did when she woke up and realized she had been reborn.

Having a sea monster chew at her body and bones had been a horrible way to die. However, she figured heaven had mercy on her and rewarded her by sending her back.

Now, she will rewrite her fate by being prepared. Having everything ready before doomsday, that way, she won’t have to fake politeness for scraps or watch Dylan flirt and spend time with someone else for resources.

Sarah was determined to change her fate and crash Aymara under her feet. She believed in her heart that that was the reason she was given another chance to start again: to triumph over Aymara Ellington!

She looked at Aymara, her eyes full of pride. "You are a rich heiress so you have money. Why not stock up?"

Aymara looked at her and then at her overflowing cart before her eyes drifted back back at Sarah.

"Are you watching too many disaster movies and short dramas, Sarah?"

Sarah’s smile stiffened. "I’m serious, Aymara. You’ll regret it if you don’t listen to me."

"So am I. I don’t buy that crap," Aymara pushed her cart forward. "If the world ends, I’ll call you since you’re already prepared."

Sarah scoffed. "You’re unbelievable."

Aymara smiled and didn’t say anything. She pushed her cart to the checkout section. Refusing to stay there a second longer because Sarah made her uncomfortable.

She wanted to see the look on Sarah’s face later when Sarah realizes that she is the true queen of the apocalypse, not her.

Behind her, Sarah’s expression darkened. "Even in this life... You are still blind and stupid," a contempted smile spread across her lips.

Aymara could practically feel her watching. She didn’t turn around, she couldn’t afford to reveal anything out of ordinary, not yet.

One wrong move could ruin her future plans of watching them suffer. "Go on, Sarah. Believe that I am still naive. I will make certain that it costs you dearly!"

Aymara wanted Sarah to believe that she was still the same foolish, trusting woman.

Let her underestimate her, laugh at her and think Aymara was still easy to manipulate.

When the apocalypse arrived, Sarah would learn the difference between fake victory and true conquest.