Chapter 145: 145
A asked that but looking at them, they seem to be well-stocked.
“Oh, we could survive a week or two from our stocks but I’m afraid we might need to go outside if that ever happens. That’s why I’m so happy that you guys came. We even started to slowly ration our supplies and I’m slowly starting to lose a bit of weight.” He replied.
“Six people, still manageable… but their grandmother. I need to tell them the situation back home.” I thought to myself.
“Earnest, I need to tell you all something first. Your grandma, how old is she?” I said.
Kaley looked at me but she has a bitter expression. She never said anything but her expression made Earnest and his family look at me with worry.
“S-she’s 89 years old. W-why are you asking? Is there something wrong? If it’s work to be done around your place I’ll do extra! Just let us take her! I’m used to doing extra work! I always do overtime at the hospital! Even if it’s something I don’t know how to do, I’ll learn it!” Earnest pleaded but Earl has a more serious look.
“I think it’s something different Earnest.” Earl said.
“Earlier this day, we have an elderly we have on the compound who turned in the middle of the night.” I said.
“W-what?!” Earnest was shocked.
“What happened next?” Earl said.
“What increased the problem was the she was bunking with two other people. Another elderly and her grandson. They fell victim to her and we almost lost another when one of my own checked them in the morning.” I said.
The group listening to me have solemn expressions while Earnest has his eyes watery. Shayne also came with her daughter Carla while we’re talking and when she heard what I said, she held her daughter very tight while Jeremy looked down on the ground.
“But what do you want us to do? Leave her here?! We can’t do that!” he replied but Earl seems to be mulling on something.
“I’m not suggesting that. I’m just saying that just in case another incident happens. It might sound cruel but at least have her in a separate room from all of you. That is what I plan to say in my compound in the meetings we have every night. That is a mistake on my part that I don’t want to have a repeat of. I hope you understand what I meant since you have a kid here. We would be implementing a few rules every night to be safe. I know your grandmother would understand that as well.” I replied.
They are all looking at the ground and Earl gives a long sigh.
Carla started to cry since she was still a baby so Shayne excused herself to take care of her daughter and Jeremy went with her to offer assistance. The four of us are now alone on the 1st floor and a deafening silence encompasses us. No one is making a sound and no one is making any movements. I was just looking at the two’s expressions while Kaley is also doing the same. The silence lasted for a few more moments but Earl spoke.
“Gran is really old bro.” Earl said to Earnest.
“What are you implying?!” Earnest’s tone has a hint of anger now.
“Do you really think that gran can still survive this? I’ve been mulling it over since it started and when the broadcast said that people dying of natural causes could still come back. Your friend coming here actually confirmed that report and that’s why I moved to the other house at the left. It’s too dangerous bro.” Earl said.
“But that’s gran we’re talking about! She’s the one who took care of us when mom and dad passed!” Earnest shouted.
“I know! That’s why I think that it’s time for us to take care of her this way!” Earl rebutted.
“BY DOING WHAT?! F.U.C.K.I.N.G TELL ME!!!” Earnest bellowed with tears in his eyes.
“You know what I’m talking about.” Earl replied solemnly.
“BUT THIS IS GRAN THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT!!!” Earnest got more upset at their topic.
“This is making it easier for her! Do you even know where we could get more oxygen for her?! The tanks we have here could last us for a month! Don’t you think that letting her rest peacefully is the best course of action now?! She’s suffering now for f.u.c.k’s sake! We’ve been trying really hard to keep her alive when this thing didn’t even hit us before. But you want to continue doing that while this thing is happening?! This is too much bro! We should let her rest peacefully.” Earl replied with a look of helplessness.
“What are you gonna do? Let her overdose? If what Sky and the reports say is true, she’ll immediately turn after! We need to kill the brain, right?! Can you even do that?! Can you even stab a knife or something on gran’s head?!” Earnest retorted.
“…” Earl was silent but he’s trembling.
“ANSWER ME DAMMIT!!!” tears fell on Earnest’s face.
I was silently watching them and Kaley’s breathing is starting to hasten.
“We need to bro, we f.u.c.k.i.n.g need to. Think about your wife and daughter bro. Gran wouldn’t want them to be in danger because of her. We’re just waiting for her to die and turn to one of them. Understand that bro, please.” tears fell on Earl’s face as well.
“F.U.C.K!” Earnest shouted.
Earl looked at me and said, “Sky, has this thing ever happened at your place yet? What did you even do?”
I remembered Clara and her child that I didn’t even get the chance to get his name and the other instances where I’ve lost and killed people.
“It was a different case. We went to a house once where a mother was waiting for her husband for their baby’s medicine. The father never came back but the mother kept on nursing the child even though it already turned. I had to take care of the both of them myself even if the mother is still human because she’s already infected. There was a case in one of the houses when the older husband fell in the stairs and broke his neck. He ate his wife in the middle of the night and attacked her daughter when she came to visit. When her husband checked up on her, she was already bitten and they both… opted out. The last case that happened in my place was the story I told you earlier.” I replied then I also told them about the case in Arca Yard.
“But what would you do in this situation?” Earl asked.
Earnest looked at me but he never said anything.
“Are you sure you want to ask me? I think the decision of this case needs to be discussed by family.” I replied.
Earnest’s head drooped down.
“We clearly need a second opinion on this.” Earl said.
“You’re talking about taking a life for mercy but you forgot something important in this case.” I said.
The three with me looked at me with mixed expressions.
“You forgot to ask the person you’re trying to do it to on what she feels about it.” I said.
Both of the brother’s heads drooped down and they started to sob while Kaley did the same.
“What you’re doing is not cold-blooded murder. It’s as you said, mercy. People could argue about it but it is depending on the context. What I could say is that you need to have an honest talk with her first and decide from there. If she wants to continue on, we let her. But in my compound, we follow our protocol to have her stay in a separate room but not like a prisoner. I could always place listening devices inside her room or a camera to check if something happens and we even have an apparatus to check her pulse to be sure. But…” I trailed as they looked at me.
“If she wants to rest now, I think it’s best to respect that as well. It’s her life. You already said that she’s suffering even before this thing started. I think the best person to decide on whether they wanted to continue on or rest is the person who holds it. It’s hard for you guys to do it since she is family so I could do it for you. I promise I would make it as painless as possible and as quick as I could. We can let her die as a human peacefully or you know… one of those outside. I think it would be harder for all of you seeing her walking outside looking like one of them.” I said.
“But I don’t want her to die like this… I… I don’t feel ready to let go of gran like this. This is all too sudden. Gran… gran can’t… she can’t…” Earnest trailed and he stopped pacing around.
“You could decide between yourselves but also remember to discuss it with each family member present, they’re family too, right?” I said.
They looked at each other and asked to be excused while Kaley and I were alone for the moment at their place. I took a quick look at their house and I found something interesting.