I know that I can’t believe just what the past has brought us, to the people we want to be. I know that we have had some times, that we won’t forget the struggle ‘cause we had so far to go. I know we’ve changed, but change can be so good.
Time.
Look where we are, and what we’ve been through.
It’s astonishing to see, to think about. The base is hardly recognizable anymore. We’ve changed it so much to make it a real place to live in, and we’ve thrived. We can sustain ourselves. But like the base, the people here barely resemble their old selves. They’ve grown so much. And when I look at them, I feel nothing but pride. Everyone has come so far. I’ll miss them when I leave with Gabby. But I know they’ll be alright.
Come what may.
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Ten years after Infernal Friday
In many ways, Kevin was living a life he always thought he would. Unlike the others, he hadn’t changed much over the years. There was no grand journey for his character that would help him grow and evolve. He’d always had a strong sense of self and the ability to lead. A life in the military had only strengthened those qualities, and so he had been the most prepared for the Day of Unholy Resurrection. As ready as any one person could possibly be for what had once been thought impossible, at least. He saw it as another battle, but not for freedom, rather, the future of humanity. And as hard as the war had been, and as many losses that they had suffered, he’d won. No, they had won.
Kevin smiled to himself as he adjusted the solar panel on the roof and began tightening it down again. In the first month, their mismatched little group was such a contrast to who they were today. Having never been given a chance to father a child, he knew that same proud feeling others fathers had. He had it any time he looked at the others, especially today. It was easy to forget that AJ had been a suicidal addict who once painted apocalyptic murals onto church walls while antagonizing Howie. Howie, who hadn’t been called Howard in years and worked hard every day to keep this place going, no longer looked down on anyone for the life they’d left behind, or tried to hide his weaknesses under a veil of snobbery.
AJ and Howie, of course, made him think of Kayleigh. She’d been lost so early on. But even she had begun to change before that fateful day. She’d come slowly out of her shell and started to become strong. He wondered if she had watched over them all these years, if she knew how far they’d come in just a decade’s time. Her death had united them all. It had also caused them to search for others, a mistake he would always carry with him. That mistake had inadvertently cost them Jo. If he was the father of the base, she’d always been the mother. He knew she would be so proud of the woman Gabby had grown up to be, in the face of what losing her mother had done to her.
Kevin wiped his brow and sighed softly. Gabby. If he had done anything right in the last ten years, she would be at the top of his list. The little girl who’d come to the base had every reason in the world to grow into a screwed-up person, far beyond recognition. Yet that wasn’t what had happened. She might have become somewhat emotionally distant, but that was minor in comparison to the damage the trauma of her childhood could have done. She was also strong, capable, and compassionate. She was the big sister to the children of the base. Kevin knew they’d miss her terribly when they flew overseas. The choice to go with her had been a hard one, but it was one he wouldn’t regret.
Life was too precious to let it drown in past regrets.
Like that fateful flight with Nick and Riley across the country. It wasn’t often he let himself think about it anymore. Who would’ve thought the same woman who had that short fuse and rough exterior would soften up so much over the years? Her workaholic nature had not faded so much as matured with her mothering duties, and the kids had cooled her once-hot temper. And Nick… Kevin smiled to himself. Nick had been a child in a grown man’s body, which was good in some ways and bad in others. He’d been self-doubting and immature, unsure of who he was. Now he was still light-hearted and playful, but self-assured and mature. He’d been a kid then. These days, he was a man. A proud and caring father to his children.
His thoughts drifted to the only blood family he had left in the world, Brian. Brian, who had come as nothing but a shell of who he once had been. He’d lost his wife, his children, and, as a result, his faith. That loss of faith had shaken his very foundation. Depression had consumed his cousin, and Kevin worried he’d never come back again completely. Yet, in the end, he had. Leighanne and the twins would never be forgotten or replaced. Instead, Gretchen had helped him heal the holes they’d left behind. She, over time, had to overcome her denial about her own husband’s demise. She had to find her own reasons to move forward in life. Just as she’d helped Brian, Brian had guided her back to happiness. The two gave each other reasons to hope and dream once again.
Kevin grunted as he finished tightening down the solar panel, his biceps flexing under the hot sun. Everything about today made him feel so nostalgic. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d finally confirmed to himself and Gabby that he was leaving with her. The others didn’t know yet. He planned to tell them towards the end of the celebration dinner. He only hoped there was something left for his surrogate daughter to find. She deserved at least that. She’d lost so much. All he wanted was for her to gain something.
Maybe if there isn’t, we can look for the other groups of survivors, finally, he mused, glancing up. The sky was ablaze with hues of pinks and reds as dusk began to creep upon the base.
It was his fault that they’d never sought out anyone else. Kevin had felt it was more prudent to work on their home so it could last in the long term. After everything they’d been through, a time of peace seemed to be the best medicine to heal. No one had ever come to the base again, not since the UK group had heard their desperate broadcast so many years before. He sometimes wondered if anyone had managed to survive long enough to see the zombies finally fall apart in their respective countries. Had any managed to keep living after starting civilization over, as they had? There was no way to tell. But perhaps they were overdue to find out.
Slowly, he climbed back down the ladder from the roof, smirking to himself as he heard his bones pop in places. Age was beginning to finally creep up on him, it seemed. Long ago, he’d taught Brian and AJ how their solar-powered system worked, just to be safe. He would go over it again as a refresher course soon. Not that he thought anything would go wrong here. He had complete faith in everyone. They were strong, and they were survivors. Just because the undead were gone, it didn’t mean that sort of thing went away. No. It stayed with you. Buried deep until you needed that sort of strength again one day.
“Kids! It’s getting dark! We need you to go in and clean up for the celebration dinner!” Brian called out, addressing all of the children at once, rather than just his own.
Josh tagged Eve one last time with a mischievous grin before running back towards his house, his little sister Leslie trying to catch up behind him. Eve laughed and rolled her eyes as she looked around for Kayleigh. Once she spotted her sister, she grabbed her hand, and the two ran together to where their father was waiting. The only one left was little Asha McLean. Asha was dragging along her teddy bear as she began to run home, only to miss some pebbles and slip, tumbling backwards to the ground. Kevin rushed over to her as she began to sniffle. The grass was soft, and so she wasn’t hurt, thankfully.
“Asha!”
She gazed up at him with her big brown eyes, soulful as her father’s beneath her dark curls. “Hi, Kevvy.”
“You okay there?” He’d never say it, but he had a soft spot for Asha, the sweetheart of all the kids - ironically, the complete opposite of her parents. “I don’t see any boo-boos.”
The little girl held up her bear, its head now hanging by a few threads. “But-but Mister Bear!”
Kevin took it with gentle hands and looked it over. “You know, Riley is a master surgeon when it comes to teddy bears. How about I bring this to her, and by tomorrow, he’ll be good as new.”
Her eyes shone as she smiled softly. “Really?”
He kissed the top of her head and helped her up. “Really. Now go home before your mom and dad worry. I’ll make sure Riley takes care of Mister Bear for you.”
Asha hugged his legs tightly. “Love you, Kevvy!”
Watching her run off before heading towards the Carter house, Kevin chuckled. He was always going to be the father of the base, despite being the one with no children of his own. Though he supposed that was slowly morphing into grandfather of the base. Either way, that was okay. Like a father, he knew when he could leave his kids because they had the world in their capable hands. No one knew for sure what the future would bring. He only knew one thing.
Whatever it was, they would keep living.
