promises made, kept, and broken

Chapter One: Achievement unlocked: Adoption

He slowly walks through yet another abandoned building. This time a cinema. Several posters on the walls and the floor are advertising movies that got shown until the day hell broke loose.
He looks around his flashlight lighting up small parts of the dim room. With his other hand, he is holding a knife. He knows he is not entirely alone because zombies are roaming through the streets. So he needs to find a separate room for the night if he doesn't want to get bitten.
Normally he would just walk through the night and rest early in the morning, but he has to look after the injury on his leg. "Somewhere here has to be a staff room or something.", he says to himself and walks further into the building.
As he finally finds the staff room, a sound from inside the room causes him to freeze. Multiple things are shooting through his mind. A zombie? Other people? Mercenaries? He looks around again. There are no signs of mercenary activity in the cinema and there weren't any in the rest of the city. So mercenaries are out of the game. It could be a zombie, that wouldn't be much of a problem. A well-placed knife throw and the thing is dead. Other travelers however are kind of a problem because he would have to search for another place to sleep. He could threaten them, but they found the place earlier. Killing the people isn't even an option. He has never killed another person out of cold blood. The only time he ever killed an alive person he did it to protect himself. And he regretted it. The people were messing with him and his best friend, and they were the last to ever mess with him everyone else is just intimidated by his height and backs up. He puts a hand on the door handle and prepares for everything he can think of.

What he didn't prepare for is a small child, maybe five years old, pointing a little knife at him. The boy is standing on his little bed, pointing the knife at him with trembling hands. The left side of his face looks slightly deformed, probably something that happened at birth. He backs off and puts away his knife. Then he crouches down to not be intimidating to him and puts his hands up. "I don't wanna hurt you. I just need a place for the night and I can't walk any further," he says looking at the kid.

"Here first. My place," the boy says. "And you could be evil. You wear a mask."

"You're smart I give you that. But do the bad guys have one of these?" he asks slowly pulling out a necklace with a bee pendant. The boy shakes his head but still looks suspicious.

"What about the mask?" the kid asks.

"It blocks out some of the bad smell and I don't have to see my full face in reflections," he explains and sits down in the doorway keeping an eye out for any zombies. The boy puts the knife away and watches him for a while. Then he slowly walks over to him and extends his little hand.
"I'm Micheal."

"I'm Ranboo," he answers and shakes the boy's hand.
"That's a weird name," Michael states.

"Maybe but I like it," Ranboo answers and looks around the small room, "Where are your parents?"

Michael shrugs with a sad look on his face. "Said they'd be back soon. A long time ago. Do you have food? Mine empty."

Ranboo nods, puts his backpack on the ground, the crossbow in front of it, and rummages through it for some food. He pulls out a can of beans, opens it, and hands it to Michael. "Here you go." Then he opens himself another can of beans and starts eating.
After they finished eating Michael looks up and asks: "Do you think my parents will come back?"

"I don't know. But I don't really think so," Ranboo says carefully.

"Are they monsters?" Michael asks him sniffling.

"No. I'm certain they aren't. But I also don't think they will come back."

"Where are you going? Can I come with you?" Michael asks looking up at him.

Ranboo thinks about it for a second. Taking the kid with him would be good in terms of company. So he wouldn't be alone. But Michael will need more food because he is still growing. Ranboo on the other hand doesn't need that much food. He is not growing anymore and he is used to less food than a normal person had in a normal time. So he nods.
"I can take you with me."

Michael jumps up from where he was sitting and hugs him. "So you are gonna keep me safe from the monsters?"

"I will keep you safe. I promise.", Ranboo says and hopes that he can keep this promise. He's already broken one. He can't break another one.

"Thank you," Michael says and clings more onto him. Ranboo smiles a bit and ruffles through Michael's hair.

After a short while, the kid lets go of him, takes his little plush chicken, and opens his sleeping bag. "Where's that bee from?" he asks pointing at the pendant.

"I got it from my best friend," Ranboo answers a bit sad, "He is somewhere out there with my other friends and I'm on my way to get to them."

"Has he a bee as well?" Michael as curiously.

Ranboo shakes his head: "He has got another one."

"That's cool," Michael answers yawning.

"You should try to sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be exhausting," Ranboo says.

"You gonna protect me?" Michael asks and snuggles into his sleeping bag. Ranboo nods and takes a small book and pen out of his rucksack.
He opens it and starts writing in it.
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Day 1095 after the Outbreak
Day 61 after getting separated
I guess I kind of adopted a child today. I found Michael in an abandoned cinema. I'mma take him with me to find the others. I really miss them.
I made another promise today. I hope I can keep it.
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After he finished he puts the bock back into his backpack and takes his knife. He is going to check the perimeter one last time before also going to bed. He grabs his flashlight and quietly opens the door to not wake up Michael and then steps outside. He still doesn't trust the quiet, but it seems the quiet is okay. He doesn't see any zombies or other people. As he is sure it's safe he goes back to the room, barricades the door, and goes to sleep as well.