Dead love in my hands (Troy Otto story/ Fear the walking dead/ ftwd)

Chin-chin!

I went to look for Jeremy. I came across him in the Trimbolls house when he was sitting on the rocks.

"Good afternoon, Della!"

His face was beaming. He seemed happy. A little later I noticed a bottle of whiskey at his feet.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Nothing. Is there anything that can be done?"

"Maybe we'll just leave! They want you dead, let's offer them an alternative!"

"No," he shook his head, "I'm too old to wander the world."

"But Troy won't live peacefully with your murderers! He will also die because of your prejudices!"

"Troy is a warrior. To die defending his home from enemies is an honor for him, dear!"

"Do you have a philosophy club here?! Both of you will die just like that, not for the land, not for principles, but out of stupidity! I love him, you know? I need him alive!"

"We all love someone, Della."

"Talk to him. I'm begging you."

"What should I tell him? Throw your house to the mercy of enemies and leave to drag out a miserable existence?!"

"You have lived a life, but he has not. It's unfair not to let him live to old age because of stupid beliefs."

"When was the purpose of human life to live to old age?"

"Then what is the purpose of people's lives?"

"I don't know. But it seems to me that the goal is a process, not the end result."

"What does that mean?"

"For me, the goal of a person on Earth is to live in such a way that there is no shame. And any fool can live to old age!" he laughed.

I waved my hand, realizing that it was pointless to argue with him.

"I won't let Troy die because of someone else's reckless ideas, especially yours."

"I will be grateful to you for that, my girl. But you will hardly be able to convince him," he raised the bottle, "I drink to you! Chin-chin!"

It was getting close to night. The semicircle of the sun was quickly disappearing behind the hill, flooding everything with dried colors. Gradually, stars appeared in the sky. I couldn't find Nick. He disappeared from the infirmary somewhere. His bunk was empty. Madison was nowhere to be seen either. Alisha and Jake were sitting in the dining room. Troy and my brother were cleaning guns.

I saw Clara sitting on the ground near the house. I sat down next to my sister and spoke.

"You know, I've been thinking about Michael. It probably makes sense to continue the search."

"I don't think so. He ran away, you know? He's not looking for me. If he's alive, he's just a coward. He started saving only his own skin, giving up on me. Of course, who am I, we didn't have time to get married."

"Clara, what if he's looking for you too? We all fled in the confusion, that's why you lost each other."

"Aron didn't lose you," the sister chuckled.

"We were lucky."

"no. That's not the point. You just choose those who know how to take responsibility."

"I didn't choose them. Life just brought us together. You know that yourself."

"Do you love Troy? Just like Arona?"

"Now it seems to me that it is stronger. Emotions are erased. That's why I feel like this."

"So I can love someone after Michael."

"Of course. If you let him go, it will be easier for you. But if you won't let me go, then you'll have to look. I'll help you when it's over. Let's go together."

Clara shook her head.

"Are you sure this will ever end?"

I didn't answer, but the second my sister asked her question, a shot rang out in Otto's house.

The light was on in Jeremy's office. When we entered, we saw Nick and Madison next to a chair at the table, on which the limp body of the rancher was visible. He was dead.