After Death (Completed)

匚卄卂卩ㄒ乇尺 １４(We love our home)

Chapter 14: We Love Our Home

Ethan Warren

July, 2023

14 months after outbreak

Loveland Nebraska

Season 2

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We've been here for about three months now. It really does feel like home. I really didn't think I'd be able to get used to living a normal life again. We're safe, we're happy, and we're fed.

We all have our jobs to do to keep this place from falling. The people here don't know that none of us ever finished high school, but our jobs are straightforward. I've learned to realize that Catherine's a good leader, but she's not the best at troubleshooting. I worry about her future, and because of that, I worry about all of the rest of ours. However, my initial fear of her as a person is slowly starting to disappear.

The humid July air swarms me as I work in the field. I harvest the crops with Aaron. Edin's been working with Dr. Paul, learning everything he knows. It'll be nice to have a real doctor with us if this place ends up not being our happily ever after. Aiden and Dallen have been training with a group on how to use more skillful weapons. Khai is one of the people teaching the class.

Rudi has apparently adopted another child now. Her name is Airianna. She was an orphan who was making stupid decisions. Someone had to do something, so Rudolph did. He's teaching her how to survive. I'm proud of him.

Leah went on a supply run with Camila and Khai yesterday. They estimated they'd be back in three days, and I had full confidence they would be. I knew Leah only agreed to go to get away from me. She had set up a tent outside of the house Catherine gave us because she couldn't bring herself to sleep anywhere near me. Sometimes I can hear her talking to Amy at night. She won't accept that she's dead, but she needs someone to blame, and that someone just has to be me.

Lucas has been acting weird lately. He's been talking a lot with some woman named Grace, and I haven't heard many positive things about her. It's amazing how they still let her inside the walls. We should have gotten rid of Lucas a long time ago; he's not someone I want near any of us.

I fear that our worst fears are coming true. We should have taken stronger measures to ensure our safety and eliminate any potential threats. Our complacency has put us all at risk, and it's only a matter of time before the consequences catch up to us.

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Rudolph Alinsky

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"Airi?" I asked as we sat on the porch together. Aaron had agreed to watch Juna for the day, and he told me I should talk to Airianna about everything. To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing when it came to trying to raise her. I've been teaching her how to do the stuff that will keep her alive, but I knew that wasn't enough. She needed someone she could always turn to for help, and I was desperately trying to be that person. She loved her father, and I wasn't trying to replace what he was to her, but he isn't here anymore, and I want Airianna to be alive.

"Yeah?" she responded.

"Do you trust me?"

"I think so.

"It's okay if you don't; I understand. I came here unexpectedly, and within a week I pushed myself into a role I don't know if I can play. I know I'm not your dad," I sighed.

"I want to trust you. But it's just hard. I don't want what happened to my family to happen to you. I know Steve put you up to this, but you're happy to do it, and I don't get that. You don't know me, and you don't owe me anything. I just can't see you die like everyone else has."

"Airi, that won't happen. But even if it does, there are so many people here that would die to protect you just because you mean so much to me."

"But I don't want anyone else to die," she said as tears started to flood her eyes. She wiped them away quickly, trying to regain her composure.

"Me neither," I said, pulling her in close. She cried softly into my shoulder. I wanted to cry too, but I couldn't, not in front of her.

"You could be like my dad now. Like how you're Juna's," she suggested.

"That's up for you to decide. I don't want you to forget about your parents if you cared about them. I don't know you very well yet, Airianna, but I promise I will always be there for you. I smiled. Airianna looked up at me with a tear-streaked face. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude and relief. I held her tighter. "I will too," she sighed.