Daryl carried Cindy to the giant’s inn that had been relatively unharmed in the battle. The city near where the attack had taken place was in shambles. Even more buildings had been destroyed in motes of light. Dozens of people had quests already asking for help in rebuilding various homes and shops.

Cindy felt smaller and heavier than usual as the mental exhaustion of such a long battle clawed at Daryl’s mind. Still he kept his eyes forward and stepped inside the room he rented and set Cindy down on the huge bed that seemed to swallow her up with its size. He sat next to her and put his head in his hands. The golden cracks that covered his body were healing slowly with its natural regeneration but he had hundred of hit points to refill.

This world had seemed soft with how there was no blood or guts. There was no harvesting of actual materials from monsters. But watching people disappear forever shook Daryl to his core. He had been lucky on earth. Never having to serve in the military or be deployed overseas in war. Gutting fish and animals was nothing compared to seeing someone be snuffed out of existence.

Cindy started to shake and weep in her sleep. Tears ran down his daughters face as she laid there passed out. Daryl scooped her up and laid her on his chest covering her with one hand just as she had come to like since he came here is this new body. It didn’t help the tears she was shedding in her sleep.

Daryl’s heart clenched at the pain of his daughter and the images of those twisted monsters filled his mind. The black smoke and cracks spoke that they had finally found what was threatening this world. Something was twisting these monsters and causing them to be hyper aggressive. All of them seemed bound to one another and if it wasn’t for the sheer amount of damage a group could focus on a single target the battle would have been so different.

Most of the casualties had been the melee groups and those that were snatched off the wall. Daryl wanted to scold Cindy for coming off the wall but Orin had been helpful and friendly towards her. A friend in this strange land. Daryl didn’t think he would have been forgiven if he hadn’t come to Orin’s rescue. A hollowness filled Daryl’s mind. Exhaustion crept up on him pulling him into a fitful sleep.

…

Marilyn placed her hands on Daryl’s shoulder and slowly turned his face away from the letter. It was terminal, the chemo hadn’t helped and she had months left to live as the cancer ate away at her brain. “Expect changes in behavior, emotional outbursts, seizures, difficulty speaking, bodily weakness…” The list went on and on. A thousand things to expect and look out for.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Daryl swallowed back the tears, promising himself that he would be strong for the women in his life. He stood and wrapped his wife in his arms as she curled against him. Her body was feverishly warm to the touch like the cancer was burning away at her like a fire. “We need to tell Cindy,” Daryl said.

“Can’t we let her just be a little girl?” Marilyn asked. “I don’t want her to just sit around waiting for things to end.”

“You may have to spend some of your last days in the hospital. If the pain and seizures get bad enough I want you to be comfortable.” Daryl rubbed his wife’s back gently, it was so tense and wound tight. “She’ll know something is very wrong then and be afraid. We need to arm her for it. Make sure she understands everything.”

Now Marilyn wept, she shuddered and quietly choked back the sobs. “It’s not fair Daryl,” She whispered into his chest.

“No, it isn’t.” Daryl kissed the top of Marilyn’s head and squeezed her in his arms. “I’ll be here for you. And we will be here for Cindy. She won’t understand, not really. We can only make the best of the time we have left.”

“I just want to be there for her, watch her get married, have kids. She needs me, and I won’t be there. I’d give anything to be with her until she is grown.” Marilyn weakly thumped her fists against Daryl’s chest in her anger and frustration. The sobs got worse as she grew weak with exhaustion.

Daryl scooped Marilyn into his arms like a princess and carried her to the couch. They’d had it since they met. A dusty, beat up and ratty thing. It creaked under their weight as Daryl sat. Marilyn was soon exhausted in his arms. Her cheeks still wet with tears. “Honey, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to tell her. What are we going to do?”

“You’re stronger than you think. Stronger than anyone I know. I know that if you could change the world to be there longer you would.” Daryl rocked his wife lightly. She was so thin, so small, years of rough medical treatments making her wither away.

“I would, I would even tear everything down if it meant more time with her. Even if I had to miss time at her side to do it.” Marilyn sounded different. “I need to protect her Daryl,” She placed an ear on his chest and tightened her body into a ball.

“If you want to protect her we need to tell her what she has to expect. Tonight, after dinner. Then we will all sit together and plan the coming months. We can do whatever you and Cindy want to do. We can travel, your hair will regrow, do everything we’ve ever wanted to do as a family. Work will understand.” Daryl felt his wife slip into sleep from the exhaustion.

…

Daryl opened his eyes and stared at the strange ceiling. Forgetting where he was for a moment with the vivid memory of sitting with his wife. Cindy wasn’t on his chest, he couldn’t feel her weight there. The cracks on his skin faded as his hit points were topped up. Daryl looked around, panic rising in his chest with his missing daughter. Then he spotted her, laying on her own, her back to him.

“Badger?” Daryl asked.

“I have to tell you something dad,” Cindy sounded so weak, so downtrodden and exhausted. “Don’t be mad.”