Call of Duty Ghosts: The Aftermath

Chapter 30

Logan

As I run into the other room after Keegan, I wipe my bloody hands on my pants, leaving dark red stains.

Sweeping the room for him, my eyebrow raises. Where the hell did he go?

Then I hear a soft sound, sniffling and crying.

Turning around, I see a shadow in the corner on the other side of the weapons cache.

I slowly walk over, and I stop when I see Keegan sitting on the floor between the cabinet and the wall, hugging his knees and crying.

Sighing sadly, I crouch down in front of him and reach my hand out, then hesitate.

"Keegan?" I say softly, and he slowly lifts his head.

His eyes are red, and more blood streaks mark his face from him rubbing away the tears.

Meeting my eyes, he stares at me for a moment, then puts his head back down to rest on his arms. His shoulders shake as he cries, and I scoot forward to hold his arm.

"Keegan, please." I urge, and Keegan shakes his head, still pressed back against the wall.

"No." He defies, and I sigh.

Grabbing his arm, I pull him towards me, away from his small alcove.

"Keegan, get up," I tell him, dragging him out. He falls forward on the floor onto his hands and knees, then he sits back on his feet.

Staring at the ground, he sits motionless, and I sit next to him.

"Keegan-"

"Logan, just stop. Stop." He murmurs. Shaking his head, another tear drips down his chin.

"...He's dead, Logan. I tried to save him, but I couldn't. Yet another one of my friends who died that I couldn't save. I failed your brother, Gavin died before I could help him, and Slate just died while I was trying to save his life."

Keegan looks up at me disheartedly.

"Don't you get it?! Everyone I care about dies, Logan! EVERYONE!" He yells, and I lean back with wide eyes as Keegan wipes his tears away again, leaving another blood streak.

Staring at my best friend, my brother, I shake my head.

"Keegan, you didn't fail them. It wasn't your fault. It was always Davis and his men. They're the ones who killed them all. Gavin and Slate and David-"

My voice catches in my throat when I mention my brother, but I shake it away. Putting my arm around Keegan's shoulder, I hold him close.

"Keegan, you need to understand. This is war. We can't always save everyone. I would know. I lost my dad and my brother. Hesh felt the same way you do. That it was his fault everyone died. But then he realized what I'm telling you now. He told me that you can't save every life. There's always going to be casualties, whether you're ready for it or not." I teach, and Keegan sighs, his shoulders dropping.

His eyes are broken as he looks up at me, and I feel something inside of me crack.

I've seen Keegan hurt before, like when Kick was killed, or when Hesh was first hurt, or when he found Gavin, but this look now?

This fear?

I've never seen it before. He seems like a young boy, just being introduced to a frighteningly violent world.

Merrick told me that Keegan was the most resilient kid he had ever known.

That nothing could break him. But this right here, this man now seems shattered inside.