The Lazy Chronicles: Apartment of the Apocalypse-Chapter 32

Mallory woke up to an unsettling sound—a rhythmic thumping against the walls of her apartment. It wasn’t the usual chaos of her magical dwelling, nor was it Altair testing another of his wild inventions. This sound was new, unfamiliar, and decidedly ominous.

"Zombies?" Mallory muttered groggily, peeking out from under her comforter. "Please don’t tell me they’ve learned to knock."

Greg burst into her room, as per tradition, looking frazzled. His hair was a mess, and his face was pale. "Mallory! Something weird is happening!"

Mallory sighed, throwing off her blanket. "Define weird. Because let’s be honest, Greg—this is our normal."

Greg tugged at his sweater nervously. "There’s... something outside. It’s not zombies, but it’s definitely not friendly!"

Mallory perked up at that. She loved a good mystery, especially if it came with minimal effort on her part. "Alright, let’s see what we’re dealing with."

---

The group gathered by the large, enchanted bay window that overlooked the dilapidated streets below. Alex sipped their tea as always, unbothered. Zara stood by with her trusty baseball bat, ready to take on whatever dared to disturb their peaceful morning.

"I don’t see anything," Mallory said, squinting.

Altair, who had been fiddling with a pair of binoculars, handed them over. "Here, take a look. There’s movement by that old gas station."

Mallory adjusted the binoculars, focusing on the gas station. Sure enough, a group of people in mismatched armor were scavenging the area, their movements deliberate and coordinated.

"Oh, great," she muttered. "More people. Just what we needed."

"Are they dangerous?" Greg asked, his voice trembling.

"They’re wearing armor," Zara pointed out, her tone flat. "And they’re armed. So yeah, I’m going with dangerous."

Altair grinned. "Or they could be allies! Maybe they’ve got supplies or information about the outside world."

Mallory rolled her eyes. "Or they could be the kind of people who would happily rob us and leave us for dead. Let’s not forget the apocalypse rulebook, Altair: trust no one."

Alex, ever the voice of reason, set their teacup down and sighed. "Let’s not jump to conclusions. We need more information before we decide what to do."

---

The group debated for a while, but ultimately, curiosity won out. They decided to observe the newcomers for a bit longer before making a move. freēnovelkiss.com

Mallory stationed herself on the couch, binoculars in hand, while the others took turns keeping watch. The newcomers eventually moved closer to their building, their presence becoming harder to ignore.

"Alright," Mallory said after an hour of surveillance. "It’s clear they’re heading this way. Time to prepare."

Zara tightened her grip on her bat. "Let them come. I’ve been itching for some action."

Greg, predictably, looked terrified. "What if they’re here to raid us? Or worse—what if they’re cultists?"

"Relax, Greg," Mallory said with a smirk. "If they’re cultists, we’ll just sic the fridge on them."

Altair chuckled. "Yeah, that fridge has a mean streak. Could probably scare off a small army."

---

The group didn’t have to wait long. The newcomers knocked on the apartment’s reinforced door, their voices muffled but firm.

"Hello? We know someone’s in there," a woman’s voice called out. "We’re not here to cause trouble. We just need a safe place to rest."

Mallory exchanged glances with the group. "Thoughts?"

"Could be a trap," Zara said immediately.

"Could also be genuine," Alex countered.

Altair shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

Greg wrung his hands nervously. "I vote for pretending we’re not home."

Mallory sighed, walking over to the door. "Fine. I’ll handle it."

She pressed a button on the intercom system. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

The woman hesitated before replying. "We’re survivors, just like you. We’ve been on the road for weeks, and we need food and water. Please, we don’t mean any harm."

Mallory’s brow furrowed. Something about the woman’s tone sounded genuine, but she wasn’t about to take any chances. "Leave your weapons outside, and we’ll talk."

After a brief pause, the woman agreed. Mallory opened the door cautiously, her hand hovering near the emergency lever that activated the apartment’s defenses.

---

The newcomers stepped inside—a group of three, led by a tall woman with short-cropped black hair and piercing green eyes. She introduced herself as Vanessa, and her companions as Marcus and Jules.

"Nice place," Vanessa said, glancing around. "Better than anything we’ve seen in months."

Mallory raised an eyebrow. "It’s a fixer-upper."

Greg, still hiding behind the couch, muttered, "Understatement of the year."

Vanessa smiled faintly. "We’re not here to cause trouble. We just need a little help. After that, we’ll be on our way."

Mallory studied her for a moment before nodding. "Alright. But no funny business."

---

As the newcomers settled in, the group kept a close eye on them.

Vanessa seemed genuinely grateful, helping Zara repair a broken window and even offering to share some of her own supplies. Marcus, a burly man with a soft-spoken demeanor, proved handy in the kitchen, whipping up a surprisingly decent stew with the apartment’s erratic appliances.

Jules, however, was a different story.

The youngest of the trio, Jules had a sharp tongue and an attitude to match. She seemed particularly intent on annoying Mallory, constantly making snide remarks about her laid-back demeanor.

"Must be nice, living in a magic apartment," Jules said, watching as Mallory lounged on the couch. "While the rest of us are out there fighting for our lives."

Mallory smirked, unfazed. "It is nice, actually. Thanks for noticing."

Jules scowled. "You’re unbelievable. Do you even care about what’s happening out there?"

Mallory yawned. "Not really. I’m more of a ’live and let live’ kind of person."

"That’s just a fancy way of saying you’re lazy," Jules snapped.

Zara, who had been watching the exchange, snorted. "Careful, Jules. Mallory’s laziness is her superpower. Underestimate her, and you’ll regret it."

"Oh, please," Jules said, rolling her eyes. "What’s she gonna do? Nap me to death?"

Mallory grinned, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Don’t tempt me."

---

The tension between Mallory and Jules came to a head later that evening when Jules attempted to snoop around the apartment. She made the mistake of opening the fridge without permission, triggering its new security feature.

"Unauthorized access detected," the fridge announced. "Prepare for containment."

Before Jules could react, the fridge’s holographic face appeared, glaring at her. A mechanical arm shot out, grabbing the soda can she had taken, and slamming the door shut with a dramatic flourish.

"Seriously?" Jules yelled, glaring at Mallory. "Your fridge has a god complex!"

Mallory burst out laughing. "Told you not to touch my snacks."

---

By the time the night ended, tensions had cooled slightly, but it was clear Jules wasn’t ready to admit defeat.

"Goodnight, Princess Lazy," she called out sarcastically as she headed to bed.

Mallory smirked. "Sweet dreams, Snoopy McGee."

---

The next morning brought a surprising development. Vanessa approached Mallory with a proposal:

"You’ve got a good setup here," she said. "If you let us stay, we can help keep this place secure. Think about it—more hands mean less work for you."

Mallory raised an eyebrow. "Less work, you say?"

Vanessa nodded. "We’ll pull our weight. You won’t have to lift a finger."

Mallory leaned back, considering the offer. "Alright. But if Jules touches my snacks again, she’s out."

Vanessa chuckled. "Deal."

---

And so, the newcomers became part of the apartment’s motley crew.

While the adjustment wasn’t without its challenges, it also brought new dynamics, adventures, and, of course, plenty of hilarious moments.

As Mallory settled back into her usual routine of naps and snacks, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny spark of excitement.

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