Error 43 (Book 6)

Ruins & Redemption

- Saturday. Feb. 21st, 2043.

"Can I ask you something?". Cedar asked Tommy hesitantly as the two of them arrived at Grand Teton Park the next day.

"Sure". Tommy replied, cocking his brow up in curiosity as he and Cedar walked through the woodlands.

"H - How long were you in that barn in Catalina?". Cedar asked carefully.

"Like by myself or when Mel, Manny and Owen were still there?". Tommy asked.

"By yourself". Cedar clarified as he and Tommy continued walking deeper into the forest.

"About five days, I could see the sun through a crack in the barn door". Tommy replied with a shudder.

"So Mel and Manny just left you there to slowly die from starvation and dehydration?". Cedar asked.

"I guess". Tommy shrugged. "After they left a guy came by the next morning to feed me, then he just never showed up again and I was left there on my own until you, Joel and Ellie found me".

"Did you recognize the guy?". Cedar asked as he aimed his bow and arrow at a Runner thirty feet away.

"Nope". Tommy replied. "I'm assuming he was either a Firefly or WLF member".

Cedar nodded and watched as Tommy took out his Bolt Action rifle and picked off a pair of Clicker's 100 yards away. "Can you teach me how to use that thing?".

"I think your a bit too small to handle this thing kiddo". Tommy replied. "Best stick to that bow for now".

Cedar frowned but didn't argue as he aimed another arrow at yet another Runner seven feet away. "Sorry for snapping at you yesterday, I didn't mean it".

"Yeah you did". Tommy replied with a grin. "I'm not trying to hold you back or anything, I'm just worried about you that's all".

"There's nothing to worry about, I've been through worse you know". Cedar replied in an almost tired tone.

"Your my nephew ain't you?, worrying over you is my job". Tommy laughed as he picked off another Runner off to his left side.

"How'd you get so good at the whole Sniper thing?". Cedar decided to ask, pleasantly surprised and touched that Tommy officially saw him as family.

"I served in the Army when I was eighteen, I got discharged three years later ." Tommy explained.

"How come?". Cedar asked as he and Tommy headed back towards the exit of the park.

"My PTSD was getting in the way, I tried to ignore it but that obviously didn't work". Tommy revealed with a sigh.

"Oh.. I'm sorry, I - I shouldn't have brought it up". Cedar stuttered out nervously.

"Nah, you were just curious, that's all". Tommy replied easily.

"Don't soldiers develop PTSD during and after serving? How could you have it before serving?". Cedar asked.

"Joel and I's upbringing wasn't the greatest, our parents took off as soon as Joel turned eighteen, I was fourteen at that time". Tommy recalled.

"I'm sorry, that had to have been rough". Cedar replied quietly.

"More so for Joel than anything, I wasn't the easiest kid to live with". Tommy replied in an almost bitter tone.

"Sounds a lot like what Miguel and my dad had to go through". Cedar realized. "So, why did you join the army in the first place?

"My plan was get these things called VA benefits". Tommy explained. "I would have used them so Joel could go to college and we could start up our contracting business together".