After (#3)

Epilogue

The sun beat down on Lizzie's neck as the luscious blades of grass danced across her ankles. The shade of a large oak tree provided respite from the midday heat as JJ and Rodney waited for her arrival. As she approached the two men, not a word was shared, nor a moment wasted, as JJ took her hand softly and walked down the adjacent gravel path towards the cemetery.

Although it had already been two months since Max's passing, Lizzie had been keen to wait for the funeral. Not because she had emotions to process, but because she wanted to wait for the perfect moment. The war-torn bloodbath of the city and the derelict hospital were no place for such an event. In fact, they had decided to vacate the building entirely.

There was little left for them there after Max's sacrifice. They had the cure locked in the mind of Doctor Saunders, who had managed to make a full recovery. Not to mention the fact that the Brotherhood now knew of Novus, allowing them to strike at any time.

It took just days for the remaining council members, Lizzie, JJ, Rodney, GiGi, and a few others to decide on the next course of action. They rounded up the survivors and marched through the city streets as one mobile force, setting sail for the open countryside.

Fields for growing crops, land in which the children could roam, communities of separate houses in which to finally get back to a sense of normality. While their bodies were now free, it was time to unlock the cages to their minds.

By the time Lizzie, JJ, and Rodney arrived at the funeral procession, hundreds of people were already gathered around an open grave. While they had never been able to recover Max's body, a coffin had been filled with messages, flowers, and items of personal significance.

JJ gently pulled Lizzie's hand up towards his mouth and kissed it softly before letting go and offering a loving nod of encouragement. After taking a deep and long breath, Lizzie took a step forwards to make her final goodbyes.

"People often ask me if I believe in God, especially after everything we have seen," Lizzie said. "I don't know whether I believe in religion, or fate, or karma, or whatever else. All I know is that I believe in something. I believe in something out there. You may ask why or how I could believe in such things after the death and destruction around us. My simple answer is mum and dad. My mother raised me single-handedly and carved me into the person I am today, a fighter, a survivor. When she passed away, I have never felt so alone. Yet when everything seemed so bleak, as if I were finally approaching the end, I met Max. It was like my mum had handed the parental baton over and he had turned up to do his part. She brought me into the world and he ensured I remained. She was my teacher and he was my protector. I loved them both. I love them both."

A firm and steady hand rested on Lizzie's shoulder, as she turned and buried her head into their chest, tears finally erupting from her eyes.

"Max was the bravest man I have ever met. From the first moment we crossed paths, he was willing to lay his life on the line to save a group of total strangers. They say that life is just a series of choices, but Max didn't choose to be a hero, it was hardwired into his very being. In those moments of desperation in which our minds race and leave us frozen like a deer in headlights, Max's concentrated firmly on saving as many lives as he could. I know for a fact that no one would be stood here today without him, me more than most. He was my best friend, but more than anything, he was my idol," Dawson smiled.

As JJ nodded towards the vicar, the funeral processions continued, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..."

"Thank you," Lizzie sniffed as she hugged Dawson even tighter.

"You're looking great, Daws. Glad you could make it," Rodney added.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

***

"This place really is beautiful, isn't it?" Dawson breathed as the walked back up towards the farmhouse.

"It really is," Lizzie smiled.

"A real Hildegarden of Eden," JJ smirked, earning a stifled chuckle from both Lizzie and Rodney.

"As soon as I get my strength up, how about me and you have a little chat?" Dawson warned through a grin of her own.

As the large farmhouse came into view, a small figure came darting through the grass towards them, arms wide and face beaming.

"And who let you out, you little munchkin?!" Rodney exclaimed, scooping George up into his arms.

As he and JJ pretended to wrestle George to the ground, Dawson placed a hand on Lizzie's arm and pulled her back away from the group.

"Listen... there's another reason I'm here," she said, looking Lizzie firmly in the eye.

"I'm surprised they checked you out of the hospital so soon, to be honest. Saunders is usually a real stickler for that," Lizzie admitted.

"He's awake..."

"You mean...?"

"Last night, yes. He's looking stable, although they aren't sure whether he'll make a full recovery. If you want my advice, I'd leave now."

Lizzie nodded, "Let's go."

***

The countryside hospital was far from the bulking skyscraper of Novus, but it had a far more homely feel and Saunders had been provided with all the equipment he needed. Apart from treating the everyday cuts and scrapes, it had become one of the hubs for cure administration. Saunders had dedicated every single ounce of his time and energy into treating as many infected as possible. They had even managed to transport the cure into dart guns to administer it on the go, before bringing the clickers back to be monitored.

Unfortunately, they still had a long way to go in terms of rehabilitation, although they were learning every day. While the mind could recover from the disease, the body decay experienced by those who had been under its influence for long periods of time was often too much.

Over the past two months, they had worked tirelessly on various communication lines, as well as scouting networks designed to look for other survivors. They had already located tens of groups just like them, sharing research, experiences, and most importantly, Saunders' cure.

As Lizzie approached the cure ward, she was still unsure of what to say. There was no protocol for a situation such as this. In fact, she would hazard a guess that no other human on Earth had been placed in such a scenario. After pacing up and down behind the curtain for five minutes, Lizzie finally plucked up the courage to pull it back and step over the threshold.

On the other side, it was like looking into Max's kind eyes once again.

"Uncle John, you're a hard man to track down," Lizzie smiled.