Mᴜᴛᴀɴᴛ Aᴘᴏᴄᴀʟʏᴘsᴇ: Dᴏɴᴀᴛᴇʟʟᴏ's 200 Dᴀʏs

15 || 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓

𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟶

Katie's concussion really kicked in the following day. To her, it felt like someone just ran her over with a truck full of bricks. It was difficult for her to get up from the couch, so Donnie took the time to care for her. He fed her empty belly, checked her health, and stayed close by to keep her entertained if she wasn't sleeping.

While his friend was asleep, Donnie went outside to investigate the truck on the side of the house. He figured since that dead man was once sitting inside, maybe the vehicle works. The only problem he has on his mind right now is that he won't fit inside the truck due to his size and that shell blocking everything he does-- sometimes.

Donnie yanks the man's body from the truck and his body thuds on the ground. Next, Don reached into the driver's side and instantly found the keys on the passenger's seat. He takes them, puts them in the ignition, turns the keys, and heard the tuck come alive. On the gas meter, it looks like it only had half a tank. "Okay," Don says, turning off the truck and placing the keys in his pocket.

If he and Katie are going to use this truck, he needed to figure out who was going to drive. Katie's head is sore, and Donnie can barely fit in the truck. He needed to think about his companion and come up with a plan. The only solution he has is to remove the driver's seat so his body had room to sit.

That's what he did. Donnie gathered some tools from inside the house and got to work quickly, making the driver's seat out of the truck and nodding once at his accomplishment. Hopefully, this evening or tomorrow, Donnie could take Katie away from here.

Then, he realized the things that has happened so far.

Since having Katie as a traveling partner, he was injured and she took care of him. They were ambushed by hunters on the street, nearly died from a pack of infected and barely got away, and Katie got a concussion. The friends have known each other for only a few days and Donnie is beginning to feel like Katie wasn't safe with him. Wherever he goes as a mutant, he is being hunted by survivors and getting hurt or having the secret urge to pop out a hot temper.

Don leaned on the side of the truck, rethinking the things he and Katie planned. He was going to teach her to fight, and go find Donnie's family, but sometimes plans change. Somehow, Don needed to let Katie go soon-- for her own good.

Deep in his bones, in his thoughts, Don wanted to bring Katie to a safe haven where she could thrive as a young teenager and learn to stay alive. He thought it was unfair to be risking her life all of the time with a mutant turtle. He could feel himself going down a path that she can't follow, one that includes a lot of danger than the average survivor. Donnie has mental problems and a bunch of other crap to deal with and he can't drag Katie down anymore.

Later in the evening, around 8 o'clock, Donnie helped Katie into the truck. He put her seatbelt on and leaned the seat back so she would be more comfortable to sleep. Don set his eyes on her light skin and blonde hair, knowing he can't keep her with him. Sighing deeply, Don shut the passenger side door and went around the front of the vehicle to climb into the driver's side.

After turning on the truck, Donnie drove off of the farmhouse's property and sped down the road until the tank ran on fumes. When the truck died, Donnie pulled over to the side of the road and let him and Katie rest until the sun came up the next morning.

****

𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟷

About an hour after waking up, the two friends exit the truck to continue their journey. But Katie doesn't have any idea that Don was planning to let her go. It's a good thing she is asleep in his arms, taking a small cat nap as she leaned her head on his plastron.

After ten more minutes of walking, Don wanted to check on Katie and get a verbal response from her. "How are you feeling?" He asked her.

She cracked her eyes open, yawning wide as she nuzzled into his chest. "Head still hurts." Katie groaned.

If Donnie was honest to a total stranger about how he felt toward Katie Reynolds, he would probably say she is one of the best things that has ever happened to him since being alone. He's thankful he has her to keep his sanity in order... the is thankful to have a friend like her.

Deep in his heart, he knows he would have gone off the deep end. Not only did Katie have the skills to teach Donnie, about who she is, but she taught Donnie who he is, too.

Somehow, Katie unlocked these areas of his personality and kept them afloat on the mental waves. To him, Katie--this teenager who was not even sixteen years old has been nothing but generous, kind, and cared for Donnie's well-being. She is one of those sweet souls that deserves to stay alive in this world and teach the living how to survive correctly and fairly if possible.

As he peered down to her in his arms while he carried her on the road, Donnie needed to figure out how how to protect her without even being near her. The hardest part about making this decision is to take action.

This is going to be the hardest thing to do-- one of them.

He wanted to show his deep appreciation for her right now, but he didn't want to wake her from her recovery nap.

𝐃𝗼𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝗼'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Walking down this long stretch of road only forced my head to overthink everything, wondering about the possibilities of my future and Katie's future.

My eyes really opened up for her when she got hurt, Or the other times we were in danger together. Of course, this world is ugly and it will hurt anybody that has value-- whether that's having food, supplies, or even a unique appearance such as mine. I still don't understand why people want mutants.

The moment I first met Katie in the house a while back, I already made the decision of me not wanting I didn't want her company. I didn't want someone to drag me down, cause me trouble, or have me feed them. But somehow, Katie just drilled into my head enough to where I gave in and let her come along with me. We just became this duo, each person being insanely different-- our stories somewhat similar, yet so different.

If I had a better strategy and a better mental state, maybe I would keep her with me on this journey... but I can't bring myself to have her with me when I know I'll get her killed before she can fire a gun correctly or fight physically.

She deserves a friend in all of this.

But not me.

What hurts me is... is that she won't get to decide for herself because I finalised my decision in letting her go.

And then, it was like my thoughts have been read... An opportunity to give her chance.

Just about half a mile down the road, I could see children with a big group, possibly some mutants. I gulped nervously, my breath shuddering the more I walked closer.