The Good, The Bad, The Dead

The Genesis of the Immune

Grandfather started to explain everything, "The Immune are misjudged, my boy. We look like the deadies but we are, in fact, nothing like them. For one, we don't get sick. I had cancer three years ago and now-" he held his arms out proud. "I'm cancer free. And another point, the deadies decompose. We don't age."
I look at Mia. And Grandfather sighs. "Yes. She will live forever as a child. Unfortunate but good for her. She still has that innocence she had three years ago. And she will retain it for the years to come."
Grandfather shakes his head. "The only thing that can end our lives, is physical wounds. Our bodies work the way a humans does. If a bullet were to fly into my head-" he pointed a finger gun to his head. "Boom. Dead. We seem like a more advanced species already, do we not?"
I nodded. "But what about the deadies? Do they attack you?"
Grandfather shakes his head. "Yes. But our more dangerous enemy isn't one that tears at our flesh... It's the one that drives giant metal machines and can kill a living thing from a mile away."
I met his eyes. My heart dropped. "So... The children... With the injuries..."
Grandfather nodded and Ella looked away. Grandfather looked to the door. "The children don't fight back. The soldiers took advantage of that. They thought it was a docile deadie... I'm afraid the physical injuries weren't even the worst part... As soon as they found out we can't reproduce..."
Grandfather hung his head in sorrow as Ella began to cry. I walked around and put a hand on his shoulder and a hand on Ella's. They looked at me and I think Grandfather saw my sorrow match his. Because he smiled at me. "You're a different human. I can tell already."
I nodded. "You mentioned you needed my help. How so?"
Grandfather cleared his throat. "Well since the humans won't very well believe we're not the monsters outside, we were hoping, when they come here as they have every city, that you could bargain for us to live in peace with them."
I backed up "Peace? After what they... what we did to you... you want peace?"
Grandfather nodded. "Another thing we have that humans don't... a better look at life. In all forms. The deadies will die out eventually. The humans either become an Immune or die out. Either way, we try to see the best in everything."
I paused for a second and then smiled at him. "Ok. I'll do it."
Mia jumped up excited. "You will???" I nodded to her. Grandfather chuckled. I looked to Ella, who was smiling at me. She noticed my gaze but quickly looked away, pale cheeks filling with color. I smiled and looked to Grandfather.
"My team is taking Yankee Stadium. If we can meet them there, we might have a chance. I have seen good in a couple of them, a lot more in some than others, but if you believe we can. I'll go for it!"
Grandfather stood up and put a hand on my shoulder. "If humans have become as good as you, then there's a chance yet!"