Resolutions

It's been a week, and everything was back to how it was except for more people guarding the farm and others being trained to defend themselves. The fences were reinforced after the incident and not only that, but there were also multiple lairs of fencing making it even harder for someone to cross it easily. Nathan was planning to put some solar panels in the farm and pass electricity from the fences 24x7.

Nathan had asked Matt to help him in the farm saying, he needs to know how to run it in case something happened to him. His health had been deteriorating for some reason. Damian joined the patrolling team under Mills, who was a former Sargeant and was dealing with PTSD before all this happened. The apocalypse made him toughen up and get back to be there for his family, aghast, they died before he could get to them. All things done, he came back to the farm with a few others and had been a valuable member of the group since then. 

Another member of the patrol team was Christian Dunst, who came in the farm with his sister. He had been helping Mills in the farm with repair works until Mills stepped up for patrolling duty and he followed behind him. Then there are Sunny and Mord who were friends of Matt before the apocalypse. They knew each and every corner of that place.

"Hey, I heard you were an officer in the army. That's cool man. I mean given the world we're living in now, it's like you were given bonus skills. Although I do have my own share of skillsets", Christian said. "Oh, by the way, name's Christian. I lived in Macon with my parents and sister before we came here", he said as he admired the rifle he was given.

Damian just nodded and looked at Mills who was sitting in the front seat with Sunny, who was driving. 

"You must also have some amazing stories about the missions you were in. Just like Mills had. He told me about when he was posted in Sudan and their group went AWOL for 3 days because they took a wrong turn in the middle of the forest and got lost. They reached their destination when the war was over. But actual story is what happened with them in those three days. You know, how the-", he was talking when Mills, seemingly looking pissed at Christian, turned back and glared at him, "Keep your mouth shut and eyes on the road", he said.

Christian looked at Damian and said, "He got pissed because he wants to tell that himself", before snickering.

Back at the farm, Kayla walked towards the infirmary. Dr. Cleveland had advised her to rest some more but she was getting bored by just sitting and sleeping in her room. As she entered inside, she heard someone talking inside one of the rooms.

"You know what to do right? You will meet your son soon, Mrs. Myers", a man said. Listening closely, it was Dr. Cleveland.

"Yes. It's my son's birthday soon", the woman said. 

"Oh, what a joyous occasion. Make me some of that cake like last time. It's been a while since I ate any", the Dr. said.

"Oh yes of cour-", the woman stopped as she saw Dr. Cleveland looking behind her. She turned her head swiftly and saw Kayla looking at her happily.

"Good morning, Mrs Myers. It's your son's birthday? When?", Kayla asked with a smile.

Mrs. Myers was surprised for a moment and looked at Cleveland before replying with a smile, "Oh, it's next week. On Tuesday".

"Really, that's good", she said.

"Oh, Kyla. I thought I will not see you here for a while. I was gonna come by your house in the evening", Dr. Cleveland said. 

"Ugh... I feel fine. I was getting bored at my room", Kayla replied and then saw Cleveland looking at her sharply. "I am not gonna do any tedious work", she said averting her eyes.

Mrs. Myers stood up from her chair and looked at Cleveland, saying, "So, I'll take my leave now, doctor. See you around Kayla", she said smiling at Kayla and walked out with some medicines in her hand.

"She has a son? I haven't seen him", Kayla said.

"It's because he didn't make it here. She still believes that he is alive though. Can't blame her. The world has changed but she still can't face reality", Clevelend said making a sad face then looked at Kayla whose smile had disappeared from her face. "But who knows? Maybe her son is still alive. What's there to keep holding on to hope. Right?", the doctor said.

"Right", Kayla nodded remembering something similar Damian had told her.

Suddenly someone came in and said, "Dr. I brought my grandma".

"Oh, Milo, good job. I'll come out in a moment. Take her to the bed and tell her to rest on it for a bit", Dr. said as he looked back at Kayla and smiled. "duty calls.", he said.

Kayla smiled back and nodded as Cleveland walked out. 

The day passed and the people who went on patrol came back. Damian accompanied Mills to Nathan's house to brief him and give him the gathered supplies. After it was done, Damian was about to open the door to exit but Elizabeth who was coming in opened it instead. For a bit, she looked at Damian like she had something to say, but in the end, she just walked past him. Damian also wanted to say something to her, but couldn't voice out the words. They hadn't talked since he broke up with her. He told her that although she was a kind person, he didn't have any feelings for her and wasn't looking for a relationship. After that, he saw her two days later, but she outright ignored him. 

Lowering his head, Damian walked out. Outside, Christian put his hand on Damian's shoulder and said, "Is she his daughter? She is cute. You know her name?", he asked curiously.

Damian answered, "Elizabeth. Everyone calls her Libbi". 

"Libbi. How cute. Do you think she'd talk to me?", he asked. 

Damian raised his head and stared at Christian. He dumbfoundedly shook his head and walked away towards his house. 

"Was that a no? Hey, Damian...", Christian kept calling from the back but Damian just ignored him and kept walking.

Walking in, he saw Kayla sitting on the sofa in the living room. Damian remembered how he's been avoiding her as well lately, but now he had figured himself out. 

He walked to her and said, "Hey". 

Kayla who was taken by surprise blurted out even before thinking, "Hi".

Damian also said, "Hi". He paused for a bit before continuing, "Um... I need to talk to you", and then he looked around to see if there was anyone else.

"Do you want to talk in my room?", Kayla offered. Damian thought for a moment and nodded. Kayla slowly stood up preventing any strain on her wound and started walking towards her room followed by Damian.

Once they were inside her room, she closed the doors and then looked at Damian.

Damian took a breath before he started. "My mom died when I was twelve. I stayed with my grandpa for a while before my father took me with him. He was in Afghanistan at the time. I wanted to be with him so bad. I thought we could take care of each other there. But one da-", Damian suddenly got interrupted by Kayla.

"I know", she said.

"What?", Damian asked, confused.

"I heard it when you were telling it to Beth. I'm sorry", she said.

Damian shook his head. "So, you heard. But I didn't tell her something. Something that I haven't told anyone except my granddad", Damian said. "I killed him. I killed my father", Damian paused and took a breath. 

"The people, they gave me a choice. They said either I shoot my father or they kill me first before they kill him. I don't remember much now but I know this. I was afraid. I was afraid to die. Maybe that's why I shot him", Damian said and looked at Kayla, "But do you know, my father, even when I pointed my gun at him, he smiled. He knew he was going to die either way but he was still smiling. He was brave. I was a coward then, but I am braver now. And I know that I can die in attempt to save those who I care for. And you are someone I care for", he said. 

"You didn't open the gate for Amy then, but it doesn't matter anymore because she is gone. But you are still here. You are the one who will have to live with that. But if it were the present you in that situation, will you repeat it again or you'd do something different, it's for you to decide", Damian said looking at her. "And you don't need to ask for my forgiveness. It's not my forgiveness you need", he added.

Kayla who listened to him silently sat on her bed, sobbing. She pondered over what Damian had said to her and lowered her head. Damian was right. It was not forgiveness she needed. What she needed was to tell herself to come to an understanding and live with what happened at the Greene farm that night. 

Having nothing more to say, Damian walked out without saying goodnight, leaving Kayla lost in her own thoughts.

Going back inside his room, he entered the bath and turned on the shower. He took off his clothes and looked himself in the mirror. Opening the drawer, he took out a scissor. The next moment, he stabbed it on his arm. 

"Ugh...", he hissed in pain and pulled the scissor out. Then looked at the wound.

"I was right. It heals faster", he said out loud to himself.

Then he pulled out a knife from the holder attached to his belt. And next instant, he stabbed his leg and pushed the knife further down making a large cut on his leg. He looked at the artpiece he had created. He could see the flesh and bones from outside. Blood oozing out from the wound and some of the muscles bulging out, but next instant, although painful, the muscles started healing and going back to their original place like time was going in reverse. Damian sat on the floor due to pain but kept looking at his leg. In a few minutes, his muscles were back in their original positions and only flesh wound could be seen now. Then his eyes fell on his arm. No one could say that it was stabbed a few minutes earlier. His leg as well, no one could tell how severe his injury was if they looked at his leg now. 

As he looked at his rapidly healing leg, he wondered, 'what the hell am I? Am I like a mutant, what was his name again? I'll have to ask Christian tomorrow. He knows more about this than me'. Then he remembered him saying, 'I have my own share of skillsets'.