Escaping from terror - Leon Kennedy

Chapter 18

"I think I've already said it, but I was raised in that castle... As the daughter of Salazar's butler. One day Saddler and his cult arrived and started causing trouble. Starting with Salazar, who, at the time, was someone I respected immensely..." I started to explain to him, trying to stay as objective as possible as I began to have memories of that time, of which I had managed to keep very little positive.

"Anyway, over time everyone became sick, and one night, they knocked on our door, and infected my mother. My father, I had known for a long time he was lost, but my mother was all I had left..." I continued to explain as my voice began to get hoarse. I felt Leon's arms tighten even more around me, feeling his breath near my right cheek.

"I wandered around for three years, watching everyone I loved turn into monsters as I made my way. At the moment I had taken the decision of  leaving the village, I met Luis..." I added, pausing slightly afterward trying to contain the emotion in my voice, just the mention of Luis bringing tears to my eyes.

He must be happy, up there...

"He did so much for me during those 3 years. He helped me learn to survive, how to use a weapon, fished for my meals, and even taught me how to speak English." I continued, a sad but soft smile beginning to appear on my lips.

Even though my English wasn't perfect back then, without that I would never have been able to talk or even understand what Leon and Ashley said. 

"That's why you were almost fluent when we met you." He remarked, to which I nodded.

"Well, at the time I wasn't used to talking to anyone other than Luis, but... Yeah. The fact that he asked me to guide you through the castle, on the other hand, put me in a risky situation." I replied, feeling a little guilty when I recalled the first time I saw Leon and Ashley.

Since then, we've both aged a bit... And we've gotten very close.

"Did you have any goals in staying there?" Leon eventually asked as I blinked several times, a bit confused. 

"Well... I was looking for information that could help Luis's research... And I was surviving, which already, at the time, was quite huge..." I replied, not quite sure what else to say as I continued to think about the question.

"With Luis, we had promised each other to try to find a cure for Las Plagas so that we could use it on everyone. In the end, we only found that my blood is immune to the parasite and that the others couldn't be saved." I added as I turned my head towards Leon, who immediately furrowed his eyebrows at my answer.

"There's no point in looking for an explanation, Leon, it was just like that in the Salazar's... It's the only chance I had at the time, to have been swapped at birth with Ramon... it literally saved my life, as it prevented me from being infected multiple times." I added, sighing slightly as I let my head fall against Leon's chest, listening to his heartbeat. 

"How long have you known?" He finally asked as I tensed slightly.

"Since the time I was kidnapped. You know, the boat you sank... It reminds me that we never really talked about it." I hinted as I heard him clear his throat, probably not expecting that answer.

"And afterwards, I met the president, which confirmed a LOT more things than I initially thought..." I continued as I turned my head towards him.

"What are you getting at?" He ended up asking as I softly smiled, turning myself enough to be able to look him in the eyes. 

"Leon, what exactly did you do, for me? Because I feel like there are plenty of things you didn't tell me about." I started to ask him, watching him look away for a second as his jaw clenched.