THE LAST OF US: THE EVIL WITHIN

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 16: A CHILD'S DREAM.

third person's POV

...

Perseus was in the dining room, tuned into the radio and enjoying a song, when Madison suddenly walked in and asked, "Mind if I join you?"

Perseus, a bit startled, replied, "S-Sure, take a seat." They sat together and listened to the radio, but Perseus couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. Madison looked beautiful up close, and she smelled nice, like lavender, he thought.

Madison, noticing Perseus' fixation on the radio, said, "You're always on this thing."

"Yeah, it's the only thing that keeps me busy and not bored," Perseus confessed, stammering a bit.

Madison smiled at Perseus and rested her head on the table. "I can't sleep. I'm anxious about the day we have to leave the mansion," she said.

Perseus nodded in understanding. "Yeah, me too," he admitted.

Madison looked at Perseus with a hopeful expression. "I really hope our plan works, and we can get out of here together," she said. Perseus felt his cheeks heat up, and he quickly looked away, flustered. He couldn't shake the thought that he wasn't good with girls, even in the midst of an apocalypse.

While Cadmus gave his dinner share to Chester, he noticed Lilith staring outside the window, lost in her own thought. After providing food for Chester, he approached Lilith and asked, "Are you okay? I'm sorry about Luna."

"You've got nothing to apologize for. I don't care about her. It doesn't bother me, so don't worry," Lilith replied while still gazing outside.

"What's drawing your attention out there?" Cadmus asked, curious about Lilith's constant gaze out the window.

Lilith slowly turned her head to face him and replied in an unsettling tone, "Do you think the other cities or countries are infected?" Before Cadmus could answer, Lilith whispered, "I don't think so. I think no place is untouched. The infected's reach extends beyond what we see. The darkness is everywhere."

Lilith, sounding sad, added, "Maybe this is God's way of punishing us. The infected, the messed-up world. It's like we're getting what we deserve for doing wrong things. The darkness outside is like a punishment for the bad stuff we've done. We made a mess of things, and now we have to deal with it."

Cadmus, absorbing Lilith's words, felt a heaviness in the air. "But what can we do about it?" he asked.

Lilith, her gaze returning to the window, replied, "Survive, I guess. Maybe in facing this punishment, we find a way to make amends. It's a harsh world out there, but we have each other. Maybe that's a start." Her gaze fixed on the troubled world beyond, sighed and added, "What kind of god do we have? I just want to understand. Is God a sadist, making us endure all this pain?"

"I don't know, Lilith. Even if I was raised to believe that God has a plan, even in the midst of hardship, maybe this is a test of our faith, or perhaps there's a lesson we're meant to learn. It's tough, but my family always said that God's ways are beyond our understanding. Maybe there's a plan we can't see." Cadmus responded.

Lilith, chuckled. "That's so full of bullshit, Cadmus. I'm so fucking furious right now. I mean, what kind of so-called higher power lets the world fall apart like this? If there's some divine plan, it's definitely a damn cruel one. I can't find any reason to respect or trust in a force that allows so much suffering. I can't believe in a god who puts us through all this suffering without a clear reason. If there's a plan, it's a messed-up, and I'm not buying into it. It feels like we're abandoned, left to navigate this chaos alone. If there's a purpose, it's fucking hidden well."