With Lily safely settled in her room, Milana dimmed the lights and quietly closed the door behind her. Jane and Ethan found themselves in the other bedroom. A single window allowed a sliver of moonlight to filter in the room, casting faint shadows.

Jane turned to Ethan, her eyes reflecting the weariness that clung to them both. "I'll take the first watch," she offered, her voice hushed. "You should get some rest. You look exhausted."

Ethan hesitated for a moment. He knew Jane was right; they all needed rest. He nodded, agreeing to her suggestion. "Okay," he said, his voice strained. "I'll try to get some sleep. Wake me if anything happens."

Jane gave him a reassuring smile, reaching out to squeeze his hand briefly. "Don't worry, Ethan. I'll keep watch, and I promise I'll wake you if there's any trouble."

Ethan nodded again and began to remove his shoes and outer layers of clothing. He climbed into the bed, the threadbare sheets feeling surprisingly comforting against his tired body. As he closed his eyes, the sounds of Jane moving around the room, settling into her watchful position, filled his ears.

The darkness of sleep enveloped him, but it didn't offer the respite he so desperately needed. In the depths of his dreams, his subconscious mind painted a horrifying picture. He found himself back in the house, the one that they had fortified against the encroaching horde of zombies.

The night was silent, save for the distant groans of the undead, which echoed like a terrible lullaby. Ethan stood in the middle of the living room, gripped by an overwhelming sense of dread. The heavy furniture that had been their barricade now looked flimsy and inadequate.

Suddenly, the windows shattered, and a wave of zombies flooded into the room. Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he fought to hold them back, but it was a losing battle. His frantic gaze sought Jane, who was at his side, her eyes filled with fear.

But then, the situation twisted further. Jane's face contorted into one of anguish, and her skin turned pallid. She stumbled backward, her movements jerky and unnatural. It was as if an evil force had taken hold of her.

"Jane?" Ethan called out, his voice trembling with terror.

Jane turned towards him, her eyes vacant and lifeless. Her mouth twisted into a grotesque grin, revealing rows of rotting teeth. She began to crawl towards him, her limbs twitching unnaturally.

"Why, Ethan?" she gurgled in a voice that sent shivers down his spine. "Why didn't you save me?"

Ethan's heartache and guilt surged as he tried to back away, but he was trapped, surrounded by the relentless onslaught of the undead. He watched in horror as Jane, his dear sister, drew closer, her outstretched hand reaching for him, her fingers inches from his throat.

With a gasp, Ethan jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, his heart pounding in his chest. He quickly scanned the room, realizing that he was safe in the dimly lit bedroom. The nightmare had felt so vivid, so real, that it took him a moment to regain his composure.

He took a deep breath, attempting to shake off the residual fear that clung to him. It was just a dream, he reminded himself, a manifestation of his deepest fears and anxieties. He glanced at the window, seeing the pale moonlight filtering through the curtains, which slightly calmed him down.

Ethan's rapid breaths gradually slowed as he gathered his wits, but he couldn't shake off the lingering unease from the vivid nightmare that had gripped him. In the dim room, Jane sat in her watchful corner near the windows, her eyes slowly scanning the streets outside. She had been keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings, ready for any potential threats.

However, Jane's keen senses did not fail to notice Ethan's abrupt awakening. She turned towards him, concern etched on her face as she saw him sitting up, trembling and wide-eyed.

"Ethan, are you okay?" she whispered, her voice filled with worry. She rose from her position and moved closer to him, her footsteps nearly silent on the creaky floor.

Ethan blinked and took a moment to orient himself, realizing that he was back in the safe confines of Jane’s bedroom. He turned to Jane, his face still pale with lingering fear. "I had a nightmare," he admitted, his voice hoarse.

Jane's concern deepened, and she sat down beside him on the bed. "Tell me about it," she urged gently, her hand reaching out to touch his arm in a reassuring gesture.

Ethan hesitated for a moment, his mind replaying the horrifying images from his dream. The memory of Jane turning into a zombie, her accusing words, still sent shivers down his spine. But he knew he needed to share it, to release the burden that was haunting him.

"It was... awful," he finally managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. "We were back in that house, the one we fortified. And the zombies... they broke in, Jane. I couldn't stop them."

Jane listened intently, her expression a mix of sympathy and understanding. 

"Go on," she encouraged gently.

Ethan continued, his words shaky. "And then... it got worse. You, Jane... you turned into one of them. You looked at me with those empty eyes, and you asked me why I didn't save you."

Jane's heart ached for him as she processed the gravity of Ethan's dream. She could only imagine the guilt and despair he must have felt in that nightmare, a reflection of the relentless pressure they faced in their waking lives.

"I'm so sorry, Ethan," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy. "It was just a dream, a manifestation of our fears. You know I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Ethan nodded, his breathing gradually returning to normal. The nightmare still haunted him, but Jane's comforting presence helped.

"Thank you, Jane," he whispered, his gratitude evident in his tired eyes.

Jane gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand gently. "We all have our moments of vulnerability, Ethan. It's okay to lean on each other in times like these."

With a nod of understanding, Ethan settled back into the bed, the memory of the nightmare slowly fading. Jane resumed her watchful position, keeping a close eye on their surroundings. Here and now, their bond and support for one another remained their greatest strength.

As the night wore on, the shadows cast by the moonlight shifted, and the room fell into a peaceful silence once more. Jane's presence was a calming reassurance, and Ethan allowed himself to drift back into a more restful slumber, hoping for better dreams.

Author's Note:

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