Danny laid on his back on top of Lara’s bed while she peacefully rested her head on his left arm. The heat of the exercise they just finished slowly leaving their bodies.

“You know, you seem to be quite comfortable lying on my arm like that, but …. your hair is prickling me and it’s too hot for us to stay so close together.”

“Oh, you mean close like this?” Lara grinned and snuggled even closer to him, ignoring his half-hearted protest entirely. Her arm wrapped around him and her head now rested on his left shoulder.

He could feel her accelerated breath on his skin and the touch of her delicate but calloused fingers on his ribs which only amounted to his discomfort. Even so, he just smiled and gave a soft chuckle, entertained by her antics.

Having her this close was not so bad after all.

A few moments passed in silence while their bodies grew colder and closer to their natural temperatures. The night that day was chillier than usual, and soon the heat would not be a problem anymore. Instead, it would get too cold for them to stay as they were, without any blankets or clothes. For now, however, they were happy to just enjoy each other’s company while lazily letting the time pass.

Not long after, Lara broke the silence, absent-mindedly speaking what was in her mind.

“…You know… I would never have guessed you for someone who was into tattoos. You always have this serious vibe around you that… I don’t know… I guess I pictured you as a more conservative kind of guy.” Her hand caressed his chest as she carefully went through each drawing and scripture imprinted on his body.

“Not that I am complaining or anything!” She added a couple seconds later in haste after realizing that her words might have sounded rude or judgmental. “I just said what’s on my mind without thinking. I don’t mean anything by it.”

“No worries. I don’t mind.” He calmly said with a smile on his face in order to pacify her, his hand gently caressing her naked back.

“Though I wouldn’t say I am “into tattoos” as you called it.” He added with a giggle. “I don’t particularly like them.”

After hearing him, she furrowed her brows feeling confused. If he didn’t like tattoos then why was his body completely covered in them? Was he trying to play cool or something by denying it?

Then it hit her.

Realization came suddenly and her expression turned conflicted. “…is it because of these then?” she asked while her fingers traced the lines of scarred tissue hidden underneath the black ink.

Though they were pretty well covered by the drawings on his body, how could someone who had intimately spent the night with him fail to notice the many markings of old injuries spread across his skin?

Danny could not see her face due to their close proximity, but he could guess her expression anyway due to the tone of her voice. How should he respond to that? He thought while unfocusedly gazing at the ceiling.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.” She interrupted his thoughts as the silence they shared, which was once calming and peaceful, turned awkward and uncomfortable.

“No. It’s not that.” He added immediately after she said that. “I was just thinking over the best way to say it.”

He didn’t want to estrange himself to her. Even if he was not comfortable saying too much, he could definitely give her an outline of his past, though talking about it was not a pleasant affair.

Moreover, Lara sucked at hiding her emotions. It was one of the things he liked about her. When she spoke, he could feel the sadness and disappointment in her voice. It was obvious that she was discouraged by the idea that he didn’t trust her.

“It’s just that it has been a very long time ever since someone asked about my scars. I don’t even know where to start from.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. I don’t undress myself around just anybody. What do you take me for?” He said with a laugh and Lara blushed remembering their shared intimacy of just moments ago.

“…pervert.” She protested with a low voice while burying her head even further on his shoulder to hide her embarrassment.

“Hey, that’s not a fair accusation. If I remember correctly, it was you that grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me to your den of sin to-”

“Shut up idiot!” She smacked him on the chest with a balled fist, interrupting his words. Her face red as a ripe tomato as she stood up and looked at him with indignation.

“Ouch. What was that for?” Danny smirked while rubbing the spot he was hit as if he had been hurt by her unexpected strike before continuing, “I was just saying that it was you that-”

“Not another word! I will hit you again.” She interrupted him once more, defiantly staring at him as if daring him to cross her.

Danny laughed out loud at the beautiful girl’s attempt to hide her embarrassment and coerce him while looking down on him with a face red as a tomato and narrowed eyes, unaware of the irony of trying to mask her shame while presenting her still completely naked form to his eyes as her upper body towered above him.

“Okay, okay. You won.” He raised his hands in mock defeat, letting her have this small victory. He had his fun already.

Then, Lara harrumphed and claimed her spot on his shoulder once more. The slow beat of Danny’s heart, which she could feel through her hand resting atop his chest, calming her own heartbeat as well.

A few moments later, she asked, “So? Is it because of those scars that you have your whole body tattooed?” She didn’t forget the previous subject, even if they had gotten a bit derailed in the process.

“More or less. Yeah.”

“…I cannot imagine how painful it must have been.” She said while her hand traveled from one old injury to another, trying to figure out what reason could there be for someone about her own age, just at the early twenties, to be so scarred.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“Well… I don’t like going into details about that. Suffice to say that I had a very rough early life.”

“I see.” She nodded in understanding, not pressuring him to come up with more answers. Only pain and suffering could be found there without a doubt.

“And what about your parents?”

“Gone. Dad took off early on and my mother died of cancer.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I am sorry about that.” Lara said and hugged him tighter, trying to convey some sort of comfort to him. She felt as if she touched a subject she should not have.

“Don’t worry about it. It happened quite a long time ago.” He said and hugged her back as if to show he meant what he said and that she should not dwell on it.

“Then, are you from around here? I never got the chance to ask you before.”

“No. Actually I came here for my studies. I wanted to learn more about the human body so I enrolled at Lakeview University, though I guess that ship has sailed now, huh? I know it hasn’t been that long, but it feels like a lifetime ago. How quickly things changed…”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Normal life seems like a distant dream these days. But wow, a doctor huh? Even if that’s not on the cards for any of us anymore, I think you should be proud of yourself for achieving that. It must have been hard to get in, right?”

“I suppose…” Danny agreed with her absent-mindedly in order to drop the matter. After all, how could he explain to her that his life had never been a normal one from pretty much the start? That the fears, dreams, and accomplishments other people his age valued were completely irrelevant to him?

The only reason he had tried to get into medical school was to look for a way out of his predicament. For a way to deal with Tutu by understanding what made his body different from others. Why he alone was haunted by the shadowy creature while those surrounding were unaware of the creature’s existence? For a long time, he cursed his fate, feeling like he had won some kind of cursed lottery. The prize being something no one wished for – unending torment at the hands of a monstrous creature.

And now, almost as if a mockery of his hardships, that very same demonic being was the golden ticket that he was given that maybe could turn things around and keep him alive throughout this damn invasion of Earth. Truly, how ironic are the twists and turns of fortune. It makes fools of all men, and he felt like the butt of a bad joke.

How could he tell her all that in one night and without freaking the hell out of her?

He could not.

Therefore, he kept those matters safely locked inside his heart.

Lara had gotten close to him. Closer than anyone has managed in a long time. Close enough for him to drop his guard and be open with her, but not close enough for him to reveal all details surrounding himself.

After all, he knew he would not be sticking around and he doubted she would come with him and leave her family behind. Why give her even more reasons to worry about him then? There was nothing she could do to help regarding Tutu and the knowledge about the demon would only serve to aggravate her.

There were easier ways to warn her about the perils ahead other than telling her about his own personal circumstances. At least, that was what Danny told himself. Whether he was right or whether he was just thinking that to avoid exposing his inner fears and most dreaded memories to another person… it was anyone’s guess.

In any case, almost as if reading his mind, Lara asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Hey Danny… you won’t be staying, right?” A sad smile which could not be seen by him due to their proximity hung on her lips.

“… I won’t.” He confirmed it while gently rubbing her back, as if to demonstrate that he enjoyed her company despite his decision.

“I thought so. But can I ask you why? You know that you would be welcome to stay here and that we have more than enough for everybody right? Hell, we could feed hundreds of people if we properly take care of the fields and have a few extra helping hands.”

“I know. Thanks Lara, I appreciate it. I really do.” He said, really meaning it, and kissed her on the forehead.

“There’s just other things I need to do.”

“Can’t you just… not do them?” She asked feeling a tiny amount of hope in her chest, but fully expecting a rejection.

“Sadly, no. Even if I wanted to run away from it, I just can’t. Somethings are simply unavoidable.” The certainty and stoicism in his voice made it plenty clear to her the finality of his decision. There was no room for swaying his opinion it looked like.

“I understand. I don’t like it… but I understand.” She bit her lips and caressed his chest, enjoying the feeling while it lasted and repressing her sadness the best way she could to avoid being a burden to him.

She failed spectacularly at concealing her feelings, but Danny didn’t expose the girl or comment on that, respecting her attitude and determination. There was a time for jokes and playfulness and there was a time for silence and seriousness. This occasion demanded the latter.

“You have your family to look after as well, right? They need you here.” He said gently and stroked her hair.

“Hmmm…” She mumbled and nodded her head, not trusting herself not to cry if she said anymore out loud.

Even if she didn’t want to be separated from Danny right now, and would agree to follow him in his adventures out there without a doubt if she was free to make that choice… she was not free.

We are all prisoners of the fetters and chains we put on ourselves. Out of our own free will.

She wanted to go with him, that much was true. However, she also wanted to stay by her family’s side. Sadly, the two things were mutually exclusive. The perilous journey Danny had ahead of him was something her father, uncle and aunt were too old to brave, and her cousin too young. They were ill-equipped to endure the hardships that would certainly follow.

It would most likely be a death sentence to them, and she would never forgive herself if her selfishness got them killed. If by searching for her own happiness she caused the deaths of her loved ones.

Life was filled with moments like these. Moments that demanded that you make a choice even if you yourself don’t want to choose. Without knowing what the outcome of said choice will be, you have to take one the paths presented to you.

Danny chose to leave. Lara chose to stay.

The passion they shared was real. Their fondness for each other was also real. Ultimately, their separation was real as well.

“You will always be welcome here. Don’t forget that.” She blinked her tears away and said with a weight in her voice.

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to remember that.” He smiled and patted her head.

“You better. Come visit me when you are around.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Good.” Her lips curved up after she heard the solemnity in his voice. A good person would keep their promises. And she felt that Danny was one of the best people she had ever known.

Not wanting to waste their only night together, she then asked meekly, “…want to go again?”

Danny smiled.

----------------------------------------

The following day, she woke up feeling tired after the intense workout of the previous night.

Stretching her arms, she suddenly stopped as she became sadly aware of the emptiness on the other side of the bed. Only the remaining warmth on the mattress and pillow revealed that another person had spent the night there.

She knew that he would be leaving early today. They had already said their goodbyes the night before. Even so, the realization that he was well and truly gone still stung her heart.

She remembered the conversation they had the night before and all the revelations that came with it. Danny seemed to firmly believe that this Apocalypse was just starting and it had come by no cosmic accident. He told her that, soon enough, zombies would not be their only problems and that she and her family should plan accordingly.

Something even more fearsome was coming.

He didn’t straight up used the word aliens as he described what he thought they would have to deal with – probably because it sounded too far-fetched and he didn’t want her to discredit his warnings and associate it with conspiracy theories about little green men – but she had no reason to doubt his words of advice.

Though he didn’t elaborate too much on why he thought things would turn out the way he thought they would, she believed that he sincerely trusted his own words and wanted to help them by saying all that.

And that was enough to convince her. She wholeheartedly believed in him and would make sure her family believed as well. Even if she needed to knock some heads to do so. No matter how far-fetched his story sounded, her family had only gained by placing their trust in him so far and there was no reason to change that.

Putting on a t-shirt she left lying on the floor, Lara headed to the window in hopes of catching one last glance of her family’s benefactor and her own personal companion, even if it had only been for one night.

She opened the windows and looked down to the single road that led away from her home. There, she spotted a lone silhouette calmly heading further and further into the vast distance.

At that moment, without any prompt from her and almost as if by magic, he turned around and looked straight at her. Even though he had said last night that there was no need to accompany him on his way out and that she should rest - since she was still spent from spending many nights without sleep as she waited her family’s return and worried about their well-being -, unexpectedly, she got one last chance to see him before he left for good.

She waved at him with a smile and saw him return the gesture. Then, the moment came to an end and the spell broke as he disappeared in the distance, chasing his goals and heading off to the next stop on his journey.

Slapping her cheeks with both hands to chase away the melancholy and pump herself up, Lara finished dressing herself and went for the door. She could not sit still as well. Her family had much to prepare for in the coming days, and she was determined pay heed to the cautionary words she had been given.

Maybe the next time they saw one another she could show him how much they had done while hearing the tales of his adventures on the outside world.

Wouldn’t that be nice?