Chapter 6 (Dysfunctional Family of Broken Trust)

Chapter 6: Dysfunctional Family of Broken Trust

Valentine Evans

September 2022

About 4 months after outbreak

Ohio

Season 1

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Arwen Swanter was a soldier; they were built for this kind of world, even if they tried to hide it. They cared about people, not just because they had to, but because they just did. They could kill the dead, but not the living. They had a habit of letting their anger get the best of them, and usually that only happened when someone they hated hurt someone they loved. That's why they defended me. Despite the chaos that surrounded them, Arwen remained determined to create a safer world for everyone, even if it meant sacrificing their own well-being.

Aspen Bancroft's father owned a power washer manufacturing company. He didn't always have to be at the warehouse, but he was only there because he didn't want to deal with his own child's mental state. Aspen's mother died a few years ago during childbirth. His sister didn't make it either. No one really knew why Aspen was depressed; some could argue it was the state of his family, but if you looked hard enough, you could tell it wasn't. The only reason he survived the rope incident was because Nickolas Whells found him before the oxygen ran out or his bones broke. Aspen's dad didn't even visit him in the hospital; most of the theater kids did, though. We brought him cards and flowers and even organized a small gathering to lift his spirits. Despite the support from us, Aspen couldn't help but feel a deep sense of abandonment from his own father. The absence of paternal love and support only added to the weight of his already burdened mental state.

Abby Schwatzer was my best friend for a long time. We met in middle school, when everyone I knew from elementary school went away. For a long time, I tried to deny my friendship with her. I didn't want to replace anyone from before. Finally, I gave in, but it might have been too late. I think she believes my side of the story, but I don't know. I didn't get the chance to ask her; besides, we kind of got into a disagreement during freshman year, and I haven't really had the courage to talk to her since. I often wonder if we will ever have the opportunity to reconcile and rebuild what we once had.

Nickolas Whells is kind of like Aspen in a way. He's quiet. He keeps to himself. His parents sent him to a mental hospital twice and then resorted to any sort of summer camp with the word 'Jesus' in it because 'being trans is a sin'. Let's just say he was kind of screwed up, but Aspen decided he was worth living for.

I'm only going to talk about one more, Maverick, which we can save for later. I'd rather not talk about Skylar, but it's probably going to end up being important at some point. She was the stereotypical rich girl with Daddy's money, but she didn't flaunt it; sometimes you'd even forget she was rich. I didn't have a problem with the money. The only problem I had with her was that she wanted to destroy me from the minute she opened her eyes. Normally I wouldn't give a shit about this, but the only reason I do is because I haven't done anything to Skylar. She's just a gullible bitch, and I always wondered why Arwen settled for her.

---

"We took a vote."

"I already know what you're gonna say, Arwen."

"No, you don't. They voted you out; to be honest, only three of us wanted you here. Nickolas didn't take a side. It's not that these people hate you; it's just that they don't think you care, so I said forget the vote."

"What do you mean?"

"Whether they want you here or not, you're one of us again if you want to be."

"They're not going to be happy about that."

"I don't care. They made it clear from the start that I'm the one who makes the decisions. God knows why they chose me, but that doesn't matter. If you want it, you can have it."

---

Staying might have been the stupidest decision I've made in my entire life. Sometimes I think about what might have happened if I hadn't. I wouldn't have had to watch so many people die, and I wouldn't have caused so much death either. Arwen was going to regret their decision; they just didn't know it yet. Or maybe they did; they were just so good at hiding it.