No nightmares tonight, because I didn't sleep. At all. Not only was there too much on my mind, there was also the throbbing pain in my right upper leg where I got shot. The painkillers seemed to be on break every 15 minutes or so. They must have belonged to a union. Unfortunately, the medication one of the nurses gave me to get some sleep didn't even bother to show up for work.
I spent all morning in Theresa's office at the police station filing the report. I recounted in every detail what happened in that hangar - every detail sans Thaddeus shooting me and me shooting back. I wrote about my bullet wound being a result of friendly fire as one of the men went down. She thanked me for everything I did for Rhinelander, but I expressed my concern that gargoyles may be growing in other places. They would need to keep a huge stock of those tracer rounds and maybe see if they can acquire a mounted machine gun the next time they trade for weapons. She noted my suggestion.
Anthony disappeared. I went to his house after I was done with Theresa, knocking on it several times. I broke the window in his door to unlock it but found no sign of him. He could have simply just been out and I caught him not at home, but the look he gave me last night when I told him I killed Thaddeus was enough for me to know he wouldn't be around anymore. In a way, I'm glad I didn't see him, because I have no idea what I would have done.
We held a memorial service for Thaddeus later that evening, along with the 17 others that gave their lives in defense of our town, and so many people showed up, we had to hold it outside. Funerals are funny things, though. You end up learning a lot more about people's lives than you did while they were alive. Granted, I only knew Thaddeus for a few days. Still, I learned a lot. His wife Tabitha delivered his eulogy among a great many tears and sobs and sniffles. He was one of six siblings and a father of five children, all who were lost to the undead. Even through the pains of losing everyone closest to him, he reached out to everyone in Rhinelander as his next family. He was so profoundly loved by the people here, and he considered himself blessed when "Saint" Anthony discovered the much needed cure to quite everyone's worries so his new family could stay together.
What surprised me was that I was offered to speak. I don't know why I didn't decline. I guess I didn't want to be rude, so I took the podium. I started by just saying his name, "Thaddeus..." trailing off. I thought of Chloe, and how she got bit by Michael, how the result of that bite had both her and Calista kicked out. I thought of the possibility of Michael biting someone again. These people were living a lie, and I almost said "... was a liar." Instead, I told them only the truth they really needed to know. "... fought valiantly" He did. Regardless of his attempt on my life, he shot and killed so many zombies last night and risked his life to the save the lives of his men. "He will be missed." "But not by me," I said in my head. I looked at Kat sitting off in the back expecting to see a look of disapproval. Instead, her face was just forlorn. I walked off the podium and headed back to my seat. Kat looked at me, and I thought she was going to ask me why I didn't tell them the truth about the cure, but she knew. Instead, she rested her head on my shoulder and grabbed my hand.
A part of me still felt like they needed to know. They needed to take precautions so that another Chloe incident wouldn't happen. But honestly, what good would that do? It would only cause another panic among the townspeople That had the potential to ruin a lot more lives than just another person being bit every blue moon. I thought for a second that by withholding the truth from them, I'm no better than Thaddeus and Anthony, but they were the ones who lied to them. Not me. I merely wasn't saying anything. If I am to be judged for that, let it be then. The sad thing is, Thaddeus had to die for nothing now along with Anthony running off, because I ended up not saying anything in the end.
After the service was over, I talked with Theresa about the deal I had with Thaddeus, where he was going to give me a car and allow me to pick up my friends in Terre Haute. Of course, I left the part of the leverage out. Theresa said it would be fine. She also said she was going to ask the people to elect her as the next mayor. I don't know much about her, either, but I did get the feeling she was well liked by everyone, so there's no doubt about her being elected.
To spite my leg, I felt like doing a bit of DJing at the radio station. Music helps to wash away all our problems, even the physical ones. During one of my breaks, I recounted the events of what happened at Stephen's Point to my listeners and soon, the switchboard lit up. I had so many people congratulating and thanking me and it was an immeasurable feeling. I have never felt so appreciated in my life. This only made it harder for me to ever want to tell them the truth now. I made a final decision right then and there to keep it hidden.
When I came home, I found Kat holding my tablet. She had a blank expression on her face and it almost seemed like she was somehow upset at me for some reason. I was getting ready to ask if something was the matter when she flipped over the tablet and a handwritten message said "YES!!!" She threw the tablet on the couch and ran to me and I swept her up in my arms hugging her and then lifting her in the air, forgetting about the pain in my leg. It quickly punished me for my neglect and buckled on me causing me to fall to the ground taking her with me. We laughed and kissed and kissed some more, eventually making love right there on that very spot. WE'RE ENGAGED! As soon as I get our friends back, we can get all settled in and then we can get married and have our child and start our family! This is it! This is the place! This is everything I've wanted in life since the outbreak first happened!
I paid Charles and Glenda a visit shorty after and gave them the good news, both Thaddeus allowing me to leave to get my friends and the engagement to Kat. They were so happy for me and offered congratulations. I asked them if I could still use their car, because the one I managed to run in was all bloodied up. They said of course I could use it, and they couldn't wait to meet Hector, Temperance and Wallace. They gave me the keys, showed me to the garage and I got in and started it up. I drove back home with it, parking it in the driveway of our house ready to leave in the morning.
I asked Kat if she wanted to come along, but she said that Margaret's going to need a lot of help tomorrow. A few of the kids' fathers were among the 18 killed last night, and they need people to help with grief counseling. I understood, and told her with a car, there shouldn't be any problems. It's a long drive, though, eight hours each way, so we loaded up the car with food and other supplies along with a rifle and a few clips of the remaining tracer ammunition. Personally, I would much rather just stick to the machete, but I'm no good fighting on this leg. I just really hope they're still OK. Going to call it a night. Got a long, long drive ahead of me in the morning.
I'M ENGAGED!!!
Until tomorrow.
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