After Death (Season 2)

Chapter 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. We're safe, we're happy, we're fed.

We all have our jobs to do to keep this place from falling. Catherine's a good leader but she's not the best at troubleshooting. I worry about her future. My fear of her is slightly starting to disappear.

The humid July air swarms me as I work in the field. I harvest the crops with Ashton. Edin's been working with Dr. Paul, learning everything he knows. Aiden and Dallen have been training with a group on how to use more skillful weapons.

Rudi apparently adopted another child now. Her name's Airianna. She was an ophan 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 supplies 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 at night talking to Amy. She wont 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. I regret not doing so.

We couldn't let our guard down, we couldn't become weak. This place will never be truly safe. It was only a matter of time.

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Rudolph Alinsky

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"Airi?" I asked as we sat on the porch together. Ashton 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. I still don't know why.

"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 to. My dad's dead. My mom got bit. I don't want that to happen to you. I know Steve put you up to this but you're happy to do it. I just can't see you die like everyone else has."

"Airi, that won't happen. But even if it does, there's 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.

"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.

"I will too," she sighed.