1. Prologue

Logan seems to think of me as his dog.

This is not a mere delusion.

I cannot leave the house without Logan’s permission. I must eat only the food he gives me, and when he calls, I must drop whatever I’m doing and go to him.

But that’s not all. Twice a day, I have to undergo a naked physical examination, and even when he plunges a thick needle into my arm, I can’t scream; I have to endure it in silence.

Every time he orders me around, a hot lump of anger rises within me.

‘You were just the guy next door. Who do you think you are, acting like you own me? As if you know everything about me…’

The words I want to hurl at him pile up inside my chest.

But sadly, I can’t rebel against him. Every time I stand before him, it’s as if my airways are clamped shut, leaving me utterly immobilized.

* * *

I wasn’t always in this situation.

In the past, I was just an ordinary person who graduated high school, took exams, got a driver’s license, and peacefully lived with my parents, waiting for the day I would enter college.

But not anymore. Why?

Because not long ago, I wasn’t human.

To be precise, I used to be a normal person, then I became something else, and now I’m back.

After the zombie outbreak, I became a zombie.

Naturally, my citizenship was revoked. It’s still unclear whether I’m human or some terrifying monster.

So there’s no one to help me. No one treats me like a person; they only look at me with disgust and horror.

I was a monster. Honestly, I might still be a monster. And who knows, I could become one again. The zombie virus doesn’t just disappear easily.

“Logan, I’m thirsty. My throat feels like it’s burning up. Can I just take a little bite?”

“If you try that, you’ll regret it.”

“You’re too much. I’m working so hard here.”

“You’re the one who said you’d do it. Now, do it properly.”

Thin streams of saliva dripped from my gaping jaw. His filled my mouth and throat completely.

Even in this suffocating situation, I felt hunger more than pain.

I’m hungry. I ate dinner, so why am I still so hungry?

‘Ah, I want to chew on something.’

Every time I see him, I feel uncomfortable, like something is stuck inside me, and I’m overwhelmed by an intense thirst that makes my throat feel like it’s on fire… It’s clear I haven’t fully recovered yet.