After Death (Season 4)

Chapter 5 (Gonna Leave More than a Scar)

Chapter 5: Gonna Leave More than a Scar

Rudolph Alinsky

Estimated, March 2025

About 34 months after outbreak

California, The Circus

Season 4

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It was a penetrating wound, that meant that the bullet didn't go through. Evelyn diagnosed her with mild clinical damage. She woke up a few weeks after it happened and it was the best day of my life. She was weak but she still knew who I was, and most importantly, she was alive.

Evelyn's been taking the best care of her, she knows what she's doing and I don't think I'll ever be able to repay her. I haven't left Airianna's side, I refuse to let her out of my sight, my blood has become her's because she lost too much of her own. She was doing better but that didn't mean that any moment couldn't be her last.

Steve took care of Juna for me, she begged me to let her stay with Airianna and I but I knew it wouldn't be good for any of us. They visited whenever they could. I knew it hurt Juna to see her big sister like this but she stayed strong about it, probably stronger than I was.

A few weeks later she started to walk again. It was slow at first but she started to get the hang of it. She needed a hand to hold and I promised I would always be there to help.

But how could I promise such a thing when a bullet had already gone into her head?

Evelyn said that her mentally processing functions had probably been the most damaged. It would take more time to understand things now but she'd still be able to live a somewhat normal life if she allowed her body to heal correctly. I was so amazed that she was even still here, a twelve year old managed to survive one of the most critical injuries and is so far well on their way to recovery. To be honest, it gave me some hope, like they're really was something good in this world even if it came from something terrible.

Probably the worst part of it all though, was the fact that Timothy was still here. I would have never known if Ethan hadn't came and told me and I wish he hadn't. I wanted him dead but that wasn't me. I wasn't about to go hunt him down even though he deserved to die. Ethan was the one who fired first so was it really wrong of me to partially blame him? Timothy was here for Thomas, I knew we wouldn't just give him away, Ethan probably wanted to but I knew we wouldn't. He wasn't here to fight us but now Ethan put a bullet in his arm so I can only imagine what he thinks of us now. But at the end of the day, I wanted him gone. I didn't want Airianna to share air with him let alone a town.

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Leah Souixer

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I hated what the test said. I hated that it was true. I didn't want to believe it because now was a terrible time to deal with something like that. We were on the verge of war, Airianna was recovering from a damn gunshot the the head, and here I was, pregnant with Dallen's baby.

I know I was only 20 and I assumed I was about two months in, he would be born in October, right after everything. I considered getting rid of it, I thought it would be for the best. I wouldn't be able to help fight if I was becoming slower by the day. I didn't though, some shit went down and it made me realize it was for the best. I love him with all my heart, I just wanted him dead at the time.

I didn't tell anyone for a while, they had more important things to worry about. Especially Evelyn, she had her hands full already. I didn't even tell Dallen though I knew he deserved more than anyone to know. I knew he would be thrilled but I still wasn't feeling great about it all.