Taking a shaky breath, Rachel composed herself. "We can't tell her," she said, her voice a whisper. "It would kill her, Ethan."
Ethan nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know," he agreed, his voice thick with pain. "But I can't just ignore it either."
Rachel's eyes searched his, looking for some semblance of the man she had married. "What do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Ethan took a step closer, reaching out to her. "We keep this between us," he said firmly. "We have to protect her. And we have to figure out what's happening outside. The farm... it's our sanctuary. We can keep you both safe here."
Rachel nodded, her eyes never leaving his. "Okay," she murmured, the word a lifeline thrown into the abyss. "We'll deal with this later. First, we have to survive."
Their world had changed in an instant, the foundation of their marriage cracked beneath the weight of Ethan's confession. But as the first drops of rain pattered against the windows, the urgency of the world outside forced them to push their personal crisis aside. The farm was their priority now.
They worked through the night, reinforcing the barn doors, boarding up windows, and gathering supplies. Rachel's thoughts were a tumultuous whirlwind, her heart torn between the love she had for her sister and the anger she felt towards Ethan. Yet, in the face of the growing danger, she knew they had to stand united.
The next morning, the skies had cleared, but the air was thick with an eerie stillness. Rachel and Ethan stepped outside, hand in hand, their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of trouble. Rachel felt the weight of her wedding ring, a constant reminder of the vows they had exchanged.
"Let's check the perimeter," Ethan said, his voice firm. Rachel nodded, her grip on his hand tightening. As they walked the property, Rachel felt the first stirrings of a new resolve. They would face the apocalypse together, as they had always done. And somehow, they would find a way to navigate the treacherous waters of their new reality.
The farm was their bastion, their fortress against the chaos. Yet, Rachel couldn't shake the feeling that the true battle was only just beginning. The one waged within their hearts and minds, where love and loyalty collided with the undeniable pull of desire. It was a battle none of them could have prepared for, not even in their wildest nightmares.