Survivors of the Z’s- Teddy Baker, Outside Wales, UK 

Night time was here and everything we had taken from that place had been put away. Lianne rested on my lap and soon she was asleep. I Looked down at her and smiled. Kissed her on the forehead and looked over at Jack who was still awake. Elijah sat next to me on the other side of the sofa. 

   “Aren’t you tired, son?” I asked

   “No, I keep thinking about earlier,” he told

   “What about it?” 

   “That man, do you think he’ll know where we’re?” He asked

   “Of course not,” I assured, “and it did say, all are welcome, remember?”

   “Yeah, ok,” he said 

   “It’s getting late, Jack, let’s get you both to bed shall we”

   “You know I’m nearly twelve right,” he said

   “Yeah I know, get back to me when you’re eighteen”

   “Thats if I live that long”

   “Hey,” I said, “you will live that long,” I got up with Lianne in my arms, “She’s getting heavy,” I looked over at Jack, “come on, let’s go”

   “But I’m not tired,” he told, “What’s the point in going to bed when I’m not even tired? I mean, it’s not like I’ve got school tomorrow or anything”

   “Ok, alright, you can stay up”

   “Thanks for the privilege”

   “Ok smart ass,” I said

I continued to carry my sleeping star up the stairs and to her room. Luckily the door was already open. I reached the bed. 

Looked at her innocent face

and laid her down and continued to gaze at her. I sighed and stayed standing.

   “It’s crazy that if the world hadn’t turn to shit, I wouldn’t have been able to feel at my best… and that’s with you guys,” I kissed my hand and placed it gently on her forehead, “good night my star”

I smiled a small smile

A tired smile

And made my way out to let her rest. 

I walked back down the stairs.

Sat back down next to Elijah

and looked over at my son.

   “Getting tired yet?” I asked

   “No, are you?” He asked

   “Nope,” I answered

   “Elijah?” He asked

   “Not me little man,” he told, “you’re fighting a losing battle”

   “I have too much on my mind to fall asleep,” Jack told

   “I told you Jack, who ever they were, they won’t find us and like it said, all are welcome, meaning we can take what the hell we want, hell, maybe we’ll go back there tomorrow and see what else we can find”

   “I’ll go next time,” Elijah told, “I wanna start doing something around here, I’m a big guy, I need to start pulling my weight other than being a baby sitter”

   I smiled at him, looked into his eyes, he meant it, he meant business, “you don’t know where it is”

   “I’ll find something, something else that you haven’t come across yet, I can see why you want me to stay here, I get it, I do, but I’m just… I just feel like I’m not doing enough, so… let me do enough, let me do what I need to”

He felt strong about it. He wanted this I could tell. I searched for the answer and I searched high and low. I wasn’t sure what to do with him. He was the protector of my children because I wanted to feel like the man of the house. I wanted to feel like the dad and dads do what a dad is supposed to do. 

Build things

Provide things

That’s how I felt.

BUT…

Maybe I had been doing the wrong things. Maybe… I needed him to go out there for a change and find new things.

New things 

A new place for all of us

BUT…

Another thing 

Maybe I was worried that I’d lose him, because he was family now. He was like the younger brother I never had

And…

I wouldn’t be able to live with that.

   “I know, you’re right… you’re right, maybe I’m just slow at realising it, maybe I’m just… maybe I’m… scared you know, terrified of losing you… and losing you will mean losing a part of myself, because we’re family, we’re in this together and yes, you’re a big guy, so… having you with my kids I guess, I guess I feel like they’re safer with you”

   “They’ll also be safe with you Teddy, they’ll always be safe with you and you will have to let me go one day, I just wanna go out there and see what I can do, you know, bring back for all of us”

   “I think he’s right,” Jack spoke, “I hated you before, I must admit, but I like you now, you’ve helped me gain confidence in myself, before I didn’t really talk much, but you related to me because you was the same, maybe I could go with you and we’ll do it together”

   “I dunno about that,” Elijah told

   “We’ll talk about it soon, until then, you need to get some sleep Jack,” I told

   “I’m not tired,” he told

   “I’m not asking, I’m telling”

He sighed heavily 

Got up

And walked toward the stairs

   “Good night, son”

   “Good night dad, good night Elijah”

Time passed

I looked at Elijah

I opened my mouth to speak

Then it all changed

In a swift shift of mood

Darkness took over light

And the door of our home was forced open with a bang and there they stood 

ABBEY’S BROTHERS 

The sledge hammer with one brother with a gun and the other brother held the metal bat that I saw before, he also held a gun. Their eyes fixated on us. 

   “This is for our brother,” they told

   

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