{"id":465,"date":"2014-07-28T05:28:33","date_gmt":"2014-07-28T05:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/?page_id=465"},"modified":"2014-07-29T08:18:54","modified_gmt":"2014-07-29T08:18:54","slug":"chapter-109","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/story\/chapter-109\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 109"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 109<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

In this life, nothing is guaranteed. <\/i><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot of things I know I\u2019ll probably never know. There\u2019s a lot of things I know I\u2019ll probably never have. I\u2019ll never find out if Kristin was \u201cthe one\u201d because the zombie apocalypse killed any chance of finding out, literally. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever find another love like that. There\u2019s not many left alive in this world. Life isn\u2019t neat; not everyone gets their\u00a0 \u201cHappily Ever After.\u201d Because of that, I\u2019ll never have any children of my own. But you know, that\u2019s okay. I have those around me I would protect with my life. Riley and Gretchen are the sisters I never had. Brian, AJ, Nick, and Howie are the younger brothers I never had, having been the youngest myself. <\/i><\/p>\n

Gabby is the daughter I will never have. I know I can never replace her real parents. I don\u2019t want to. I simply want to be that stability she hasn\u2019t had since her father died. I want her to know that she\u2019ll never have to feel alone again. Now that the Undead are finally gone for good, I can give her, everyone, a future to strive for. <\/i><\/p>\n

I think that\u2019s all enough to make my life worthwhile. <\/i><\/p>\n

It may not be that fairy tale ending, but I\u2019m okay with that. <\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Friday, October 25, 2013<\/b>
\nWeek Seventy-Nine<\/i><\/p>\n

The past week had been mostly work on trying to pile up the bodies so they could burn them up. Hopefully, in time, the base would be clear once more, for the last time. Sure, there was still more work to be done. They had the generators up and running again, but they were going to be down to their last fuel tank within about a month or so. The military was prepared for the worst, but nothing lasts forever. Kevin was almost positive that every worst-case scenario still called for society having been rebuilt, at least to a point, within two years. Supplies would begin to dry up.<\/p>\n

With the zombies gone, there was the option of trying to raid another base, but even that was just another quick fix. So while the others were working more on festive decorations for the wedding next week along the beach, Kevin was further up the shore. He\u2019d been reading all morning. He had raided the library earlier for ways to implement the plans he was laying out for their future. It would take a long time. Years, maybe. But in the long run, it would be what helped keep them going as far as they could. That was his role in the base, and he relished in it. Having a purpose suited him well.<\/p>\n

He yawned and rolled his shoulders. Last night, he had been up late looking at various blueprints.<\/p>\n

AJ was constructing what looked to be an arch with Howie and Nick, laughing and joking around about Nick\u2019s insistence on what the wedding date had to be. Kevin chuckled to himself. It was a little odd, but he\u2019d long ago become accustomed to Nick\u2019s idiosyncrasies. In fact, he was almost positive that everyone in their small group enjoyed, them deep down. He set the book aside, in need of a break, and moved to help them. Poor Riley didn\u2019t need the arch falling on them as she tried to say her vows.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good thing the girls aren\u2019t here, or they\u2019d be worried about y\u2019all hurting yourselves,\u201d he joked as he walked up to them.<\/p>\n

Nick grinned at him.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re out trying to look at dresses, since it\u2019s safe now.\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ smirked as he hammered some boards together that Howie was holding for him. He paused to examine their work so far. Right now it was a work in progress but Kevin had a feeling that, with AJ\u2019s artistic ability, it was going to look pretty good in the end. He still remembered that mural in the church AJ had painted back in the early days. AJ tilted his head before continuing, \u201cThe world\u2019s a living graveyard with all the bodies everywhere, but unless they run into a gator or something, they\u2019re alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin immediately frowned.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t joke about that.\u00a0 They brought Gabby with \u2018em.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howie laughed, moving his hand just in time to avoid it being hit by AJ\u2019s hammer.\u00a0 \u201cCome on, the odds of that are nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure when everything hit the fan a lot of animals at the zoo found their ways out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they didn\u2019t die or become zombie chow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick was working on braiding various-colored wildflowers with wire and vines to put along the arch once it was done. It was looking pretty well-put-together so far. \u201cCan we not talk about something that depressing, dude? Those poor animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFair enough.\u201d Kevin smiled at the others, his tone a teasing one. \u201cNeed any help? I\u2019d help Brian plan a bachelor party but there\u2019s no one left to strip. Unless AJ let us borrow Selena.\u201d<\/p>\n

A derisive snort followed. \u201cShe\u2019d kick your ass if she heard you suggest that. But nah, we\u2019re good right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is she, anyway?\u201d Howie asked, knowing Brian was busy with Evette. Kevin had seen him down there with her earlier before she started fussing, in need of a nap.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the hospital, taking inventory of what\u2019s left and getting books that might help with shit. She said she\u2019ll come by to go over them with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few honks caught Kevin\u2019s attention, and the men all turned to see the car drive by before turning around back towards the houses. With a wave to the others, he started the walk back up to meet with the girls. He wanted to see how their shopping trip had gone and if it had lifted Gabby\u2019s spirits at all. She seemed happy to be back, but, at the same time, he saw the differences in her since they\u2019d left Bodiam Castle. Despite all that had gone on there, Alistair in particular, she had been happier there in several ways. It was easy to see why. For the first time since the apocalypse, she\u2019d had a companion her own age.<\/p>\n

This had been one of the reasons he\u2019d been torn on leaving to begin with.\u00a0 When they\u2019d left England, the undead had still been hanging on, but he had suspected that back in Florida, where the weather was hotter and much more humid, they would have decomposed faster \u2013 and he had been right. That knowledge helped with the guilt of tearing Gabby away again, but it didn\u2019t get rid of it completely. Kevin had talked with Abby after the group had decided it was time to come home. She\u2019d wanted to stay, and while she wouldn\u2019t say it, he knew she wanted Callum to stay with her. Gabby herself had asked Callum, and he couldn\u2019t leave Abby behind. It was something Kevin understood. Abby had become Callum\u2019s surrogate parent the way Kevin had for Gabby.<\/p>\n

But here, Gabby was more apt to be alone, more likely to fall into her quiet depressions.<\/p>\n

On his way towards their homes, he was surprised to see Gabby out by the memorial garden the group had made while Kevin, Riley, and Nick had been traveling the country in search for more people. He had expected her to be with the girls, trying on the dresses again. It seemed like the thing for a teen girl to do. Instead, she was kneeling by the crosses made for her parents, talking quietly to them. He waited until she was finished and had stood once again, understanding her need for privacy. Slowly, he approached her, stepping up beside her with a hand resting gently on her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

She gazed up at him with her big, brown eyes. He hoped one day there wouldn\u2019t be such a haunted look always settled within them. \u201cI\u2019m okay. I was telling my mom and dad about Callum, Riley marrying Nick, the new baby, everything. I hadn\u2019t had a chance yet. But I know they \u2013 Mom, especially \u2013 would want to know. I know she\u2019s not really here,<\/i> but I like talking to her here. I like to think they can hear me here. You think so?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin smiled tenderly down at her. \u201cJo would be happy for us. That I know. And I know they\u2019re looking down on us and watching out for you. The same way I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

She started brushing the dirt off her clothes. \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve got this really pretty dress Gretchen picked out for me. Riley wanted us to get what we liked cause she said something about ugly bridesmaid dresses needing to die like the zombies. I\u2019ll show you later.\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed and nodded. \u201cI bet you look beautiful in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She blushed, just slightly. \u201cShe got sad, though, cause, ya know, her dad isn\u2019t here to walk her down the aisle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re all gonna have moments where we miss our families like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey\u2026 Kevin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her foot twisted nervously in the dirt, scattering a few pebbles away. \u201cYou think I\u2019ll ever get married?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin wondered the same thing. He knew why she was asking, same reason he\u2019d been thinking about it. Between the Littrells and, soon, the future Carters, it was hard not to think of settling down with that special someone. Even in a world like this. It was still easy, so easy, to dream. For a moment, the image of Kristin laughing at Disney World with him flashed before his eyes. Back before he\u2019d joined the military. Long before their relationship experienced the off-and-on pattern that had become so typical. Would he still be alive if he\u2019d left the military and tried to be the man she needed? It was a question he\u2019d asked himself back in Louisiana on that little speedboat. It was a question he knew he\u2019d ask himself often throughout his lifetime, but never know the answer to. He wanted for Gabby what he didn\u2019t get the chance to have.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you will.\u201d He grinned at her with an all-knowing expression that hid his own doubts. \u201cThere\u2019s Callum back in Europe and a bunch of survivors around the world, like Dr. Kwak In-Su had told us about. Maybe you\u2019ll meet your future husband there. You never know.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled back, but, in that smile, Kevin could tell she had the same doubts as he did. \u201cIf I do\u2026 ever get married someday, would you walk me down the aisle? I think my mom would want that. I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking her hand, he led her not towards the house, but back to the beach. He would never marry in this life. Kevin would not be as lucky as the others. But still, without a wife or even a girlfriend, he had managed one thing. He had managed to find himself a daughter. In that respect, he couldn\u2019t have been luckier if he\u2019d tried.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be an honor to do that for you someday, Gabby.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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Chapter 109 In this life, nothing is guaranteed. There\u2019s a lot of things I know I\u2019ll probably never know. There\u2019s a lot of things I know I\u2019ll probably never have. I\u2019ll never find out if Kristin was \u201cthe one\u201d because … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":8,"menu_order":109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"onecolumn-page.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/465"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=465"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":474,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/465\/revisions\/474"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}