After Death (Completed)

匚卄卂卩ㄒ乇尺 １６(How the hell could you let this happen)

Chapter 16: How The Hell Could You Let This Happen?

Ethan Warren

July, 2023

14 months after outbreak

Loveland Nebraska

Season 2

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(Two days prior)

"You're a strong leader, Ethan. I can see why your people look up to you. You've been increasing our supply hauls by 25%. That's very impressive. Even a few of my people respect you. I hope this means we will be able to work together. I believe we can make this place stronger if we combine our views for its future."

"I agree; thank you, Catherine."

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(Now)

I felt lost after what happened to Camila. I thought Leah would blame me, but she didn't. It was Camila's choice. I think Leah did blame me, but we were both sick of the constant fighting, so she didn't bring it up.

Catherine let Lucas and Grace go scouting together. She doesn't know Lucas like I do. I heard her talk to them about a herd. I should have stopped them. They brought the herd back, and they broke down the walls with a semi-truck. Hundreds of the dead filled our streets. I looked at our home with terror in my eyes as I realized the chaos that awaited us. The once peaceful neighborhood was now overrun with the relentless undead, and our safe haven had become a nightmare.

"What the hell was that?" Rudi said as he came out of the house with Juna and Airianna. He didn't need my answer; he could see it for himself. The three of them stood frozen, their faces pale with shock and fear. The sound of moaning and growling filled the air as the horde drew closer, their numbers seemingly endless. We knew that our only chance of survival was to find a way out, but with every passing second, it felt like our options were dwindling.

"Please take her, Airi," he said, putting Juna into Airi's arms. "Stay close to me."

My family flooded the streets; we held our guns firmly as we prepared for the worst. We had no home again, but we would still try to fight to save this one.

Catherine joined us on the street; she smiled as she saw all of the dead. It terrified me to see her find joy in such a gruesome sight.

"You see, Ethan, this is our future! Open your eyes!" And with that, she ran at them with no weapon, absolutely nothing. She was happy to die. I knew I should never have trusted her. She told Lucas to do this. She tried to kill us. As Catherine charged towards the enemy, I felt a mix of anger and betrayal. It became clear that she had been playing us all along, manipulating Lucas to carry out her sinister plan. The realization fueled my determination to protect myself and my family at all costs.

I started to walk towards the herd. Rudi grabbed my shoulder, trying to stop me, but it wasn't his place to do so. Everyone else followed behind me. We killed whatever we had to, but my mind wasn't focused on killing the dead. I wanted to make sure Lucas' fate was much worse than Calvin's had been.

The chaos was rising fast; we were out of control. There were too many of them and not enough of us.

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Rudolph Alinsky

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I wouldn't let myself go into the horde; I couldn't risk it, but I had to do something; I just didn't know what.

I saw Lucas and Grace hiding behind one of the buildings. They knew I saw them; I couldn't let them just get away, not after what they'd done. But I forgot who I was supposed to be setting an example for.

I chased them down. Airianna and Juna followed behind me; I had completely forgotten they were there. I wouldn't have done what I did if I had remembered they were watching. I don't think I meant to do what I did, but that doesn't change the fact that I did it.

I shot Grace in the shoulder. She stopped running and fell to the ground, but Lucas didn't come to her aid. We both left her to bleed out. I know I was the one who killed her, but in a way, it kind of felt like mercy.

I took another shot, hitting Lucas in the leg, but I didn't leave him. He deserved to die, and I couldn't just hope that he'd bleed out or that the dead would get to him. I wanted to let Ethan do it, but I didn't. There wasn't enough time.

"Rudi, Rudi, I'm sorry," he pleaded.

"That's not good enough."

"I was just doing what she told me. I only did it because she promised me it would be good for us. I'll do whatever you want, I promise. Just please don't kill me. "

"You don't deserve to live after everything you've put us all through. After everything you've done to Ethan! To my family! You've lost trust that you've never had. Forgive me, "Father", for I guess I've sinned." I brought the gun to his face. I felt something I had never felt before. My hands trembled as I held the weight of justice in my grasp. The anger and betrayal surged through me, clouding my judgment and blurring the line between right and wrong. I pulled the trigger and watched as the bullet completely destroyed Lucas' face before he fell to my feet. As I stood there, the gravity of my actions sank in. The air was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of my own heavy breathing. I didn't regret what I did. I liked it.

"Rudi?"