[A/N: In this chapter we will meet Alex's two fans.
Thanks to everyone who continues to read this story.]
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At kindergarten.
"Of course they would tell wonderful stories about your exploits, don't doubt it. Besides, I don't think they're entirely lies; rather, those anecdotes have a touch of admiration", Leon told me in a playful tone.
"I just hope those children didn't believe them", I said with a resigned tone.
"We'll see", he said with a mysterious tone.
"Speaking of something else. What are those marks on the entrance?", I said as we entered the kindergarten. I carried my bike inside and left it at the entrance of the building.
"Is that it? Just a group of zombies we attracted while rescuing that family I mentioned to you earlier", he said very calmly, as if that were normal. Although these days, it is commonplace.
"Did you have any problems? Were anyone injured?", I asked, my tone thick with concern.
"Nothing serious, just a few scrapes and bruises", he said reassuringly.
"I'm glad nothing happened", I said, a little more relaxed. "You should clean up outside", I said, returning to the topic of the debris left at the entrance to the garden.
"Yes, we will. Don't worry", he said.
After we went inside and continued our routine conversation, he offered me breakfast, which, given his insistence nature, I couldn't refuse. We continued talking while I ate. He asked me about the other groups I had helped with, if I had been in any dangerous situations, among other things.
"30 zombies?", he exclaimed, alarmed, looking at me as if I were something out of a science fiction book. "Did you do it by yourself?"
"It's not that big a deal", I said calmly.
"You say that and then complain that your fans make up incredible stories about you", he said ironically. "On a side note, who is this new follower of yours you mentioned?", he asked.
"She's a girl I found in bad shape near where I'm currently staying. She was a little hurt and hadn't eaten or drunk in a while", I told him a little about Anna.
"You could say you have a new fan, right?", he said in a mischievous tone.
"It's not what you think", I said seriously, trying to dismiss what Leon had implied.
After I finished my breakfast, I accompanied Leon on a routine inspection of the entire garden. We checked the entrances for vulnerabilities, the containment zones they'd set up, and also some traps, both for zombies and for unwanted incursions by people outside this group.
We also checked that everything was in order in the armory and the storage room.
The weapons were arranged neatly, and everything seemed to be in good condition. There were spears similar to the ones I had at home, a wide variety of knives, and even swords. They obviously also had some firearms, sorted by type, with their corresponding ammunition nearby so they could be reloaded when necessary.
The warehouse consisted of two sections with different items. The first had a wide variety of tools and materials: wood, iron, even a welder, among other things. The second section was full of food and medicine, all sorted by type and properly labeled.
"It seemed like he was telling the truth when he talked about having enough supplies for everyone", I thought as I saw how full this section looked.
Then we returned to the kitchen. Leon prepared breakfast rations for everyone, consisting of cereal and milk, along with some fruit they had collected on their foraging trips. This breakfast wasn't very abundant; it didn't seem to fully satisfy an adult, but it contained enough to be considered nutritious. Furthermore, the consumption of perishable foods was always prioritized, and attempts were made to preserve or conserve foods that could be stored for a long time.
We sat in an open area designated as a break area for everyone and continued talking. Or rather, Leon tried to engage me in a fluid conversation, but without much success. I continued to keep my answers as short as possible.
"Leon! I'm hungry. What about breakfast?", someone called out in a sleepy voice as they approached the break room.
"Mary, good morning. There's milk and cereal. Today is also a special day, so I added some fruit. However, remember to brush your teeth before eating", he replied in a kind voice while looking at me out of the corner of his eye with a playful look.
"Ugh... Uncle Leon, I told you I'm not a little girl. You shouldn't remind me of things I already know", he said with a bit of feigned annoyance. "So, what's the special situation today?", he asked as he stood in front of Leon, unaware that I was standing next to him.
"I know. And don't tell me, Uncle", she replied in the same annoyed tone. "Well… We have visitors today", she said, pointing in my direction.
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[A/N: In my country, we call people who are close to you but have a noticeable age difference uncles or aunts, it is used as a sign of respect, and you do not have to be related by blood to these people. Although it is quite common that after reaching the age of majority (18), they are referred to by their name, while maintaining respect, but in any case, it is not unusual to find people who continue to call them uncles or aunts, even after they have turned 18.]
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"Visitors? Who came to visit…?", she asked, looking at me and abruptly stopping. I saw her eyes widen more than I thought possible, then she put on a face of excitement, and finally, she looked a little embarrassed.
"Alex, it's so nice to see you! It feels like years", she said, approaching me, practically clinging to us, and then instantly pulling away. "Leon, I told you to let me know when Leon was coming so I could get dressed and ready", she said to Leon as she walked back to her room without making direct contact with me out of embarrassment.
"Relax, Mary, I'm sure Alex doesn't mind seeing you like this", Leon shouted in the direction of the dorms. "Hahaha… He never changes", he said, smiling broadly.
"Yeah, it seems that way", I replied without much emotion. Only two minutes passed, and Mary returned, well dressed and made up. Anyone could assume she was having a day of shopping or going on a date, which is rare to see in apocalyptic times. Her change of attire seemed to bring calm and normalcy that everyone was missing.
The rest of the people in her group slowly woke up; a few of them were awakened by all the noise Mary had made earlier. Some greeted me, as if I had known them before, with looks of respect; some, I sensed affection. Others only said hello out of courtesy. I didn't seem to be very close to everyone, but somehow, they all knew me. Even when the family Leon had mentioned to me earlier appeared, they greeted me as if we had known each other before. The two children who came with them seemed to be watching a mythical character from those games they used to play before everything went to hell.
"I guess they believed Mary's stories", I thought with resignation.
While I was talking to Mary, a conversation similar to the one I had with Leon earlier, but filled with looks of affection and concern, I kept glancing toward the dorms, hoping someone else would appear.
"Are you looking for Nicol?", Mary suddenly asked, snapping me out of my automatic response state.
"Yes", I replied.
"Hahaha... She's getting ready. She was quite excited when I told her you had arrived", she replied, a smile spreading across her face.
"I see", I said.
"Don't be biased. You should be equally concerned about both of us", she said, pouting at me. She stood up angrily as she walked to the dining room. She obviously didn't seem upset with me, as she bounced along, showing how happy she was.
As I stared into space, a light touch on my shoulder snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked to my side, and a small face was staring right at me. Nicol was looking at me with obvious shyness, but her eyes showed a longing that was difficult to hide beneath that superficial shyness.
"How can two women be so different?", I thought as I tried to compare Mary and Nicol. They are both very beautiful women, but with different personalities.
Mary is a fairly tall young woman, or at least taller than average. Her attitude was very energetic, and she's clearly the type of person who won't let anything stop her. She's the type of person who shows and expresses her thoughts and feelings without hesitation.
On the other hand, Nicol is a young woman of average height. Her attitude is the opposite of Mary's; she's quite introverted. She doesn't seem to be the type to talk much, but even with her shyness, she doesn't shy away from being around the people she loves and trusts.
"How are you, Alex?", she asked me in a soft voice.
"Fine, and you?", I asked her back. "Good… I missed you", she replied, finishing with a slight murmur.
I stared into her eyes. I had clearly heard her; we were close enough to hear even her whispers. Realizing that I heard her clearly, she got nervous and quickly escaped to the dining room.
I got up and walked to the dining room to see them all sharing breakfast. Some were eating and smiling despite the small amount of food each of them touched; they were happy to be able to eat in peace, or perhaps they were happy just to be able to eat.
Some shared anecdotes from before the apocalypse, while others brought up how brave they were when facing zombies, or how skilled they were at finding resources.
On the other hand, there were a couple of people who were listening to the others, but didn't share a single word with anyone else. There was no malice in their eyes, they were just people who were perhaps still adapting to these times, or perhaps they suffered enough in this hell which led them to lock themselves in a cocoon to avoid reality.
The scene seemed a little unrealistic considering the body I saw being devoured on the road earlier. A group of about 20 people were enjoying a morning meal, laughing at the occasional joke. On the other hand, there was a person who, for various reasons, was mercilessly devoured. Perhaps this person was desperately trying to find food, fueled by the desire to survive and avoid dying of starvation. Or perhaps, armed with courage, he set out in search of his loved ones, fueled by his desire to see them alive, unaware that they had likely died long ago.
"How cruel reality is. Especially today, when moral boundaries are at their limit and only the law of the jungle prevails", I thought, overcome with sadness.
I sat back down in the restroom they had so as not to show them my face, which was undoubtedly tinged with anguish and hopelessness.
"Is it true you killed 50 zombies to save the aunts?", two young voices asked in unison, pulling me out of my lethargic state.
"What thing?", I asked in confusion, noticing two little boys around 10 years old. They seemed quite excited just to talk to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mary and Nicol smiling at my incredulous expression and how uncomfortable I was answering the children.
"Do you have super strength?", one of the boys asked.
"Or any other superpower?", the other added.
"No", I said in a serious tone, trying to push them away, but it seemed my refusal didn't dampen the excitement of seeing the character from the fantastic stories those two must have told them.
"Stop looking at me like I'm Superman", I thought, as I saw that both children didn't seem to want to leave without hearing my perspective on the stories.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Character development for some secondary characters.
Both seem to have romantic feelings for Alex, but it could just be gratitude. Who knows?
I'm a little worried about the views. They've suddenly dropped significantly. Does anyone know if this is normal, or is it that the novel is no longer engaging?
Comment, I'll read you.]