Louis's airy reply caused the slight softening of the atmosphere in the room to instantly freeze over.
The smile on Shane's face stiffened. He looked at the boy's clear blue eyes, which remained bright even in the dim light, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Louis lowered his head, his long golden eyelashes masking the emotions deep within his eyes. His voice held a calmness unbefitting his age, as if he were recounting something that had nothing to do with him.
"I... I just remembered some things. My parents died a long time ago, and I've always lived with my uncle's family."
"After the disaster struck, they said they were going to a safe zone called Atlanta, but the road was too dangerous, and it wasn't convenient to take a Child with them."
He paused, lifted his head, and forced a strained smile: "So, they decided to scout the way to the safe zone first. Worried I might encounter danger, they left me some food and water and told me to wait for them here. Once they're settled, they'll come back for me."
Damn it, this is just... Shane felt as though he couldn't breathe.
He was an adult, a police officer; how could he not hear the cruel truth behind these'sensible' words?
What scouting? What coming back for him? This was clearly a blatant abandonment!
The boy's uncle and his family had treated him like a burden, a piece of luggage slowing down their escape in the apocalypse, and had heartlessly discarded him in this man-eating world!
Images instantly flashed through Shane's mind: how this Child was deceived by his relatives, how he waited with full hope until the food ran out and he was forced to come out alone to find a way to survive... No wonder! No wonder this Child was far calmer than his peers, and could even explode with such ferocity when facing Walkers.
It was because he had long ago been pushed to the brink; he had no choice but to rely on himself.
A mixture of sympathy, anger, and pity welled up in his heart, making Shane, a cop who had seen many tragedies, feel a pang of sorrow.
"I'm so sorry, Child..." he said dryly, feeling that any words of comfort were pale and powerless in the face of such cruel reality.
To shift the heavy topic, his gaze fell on the suitcase Louis had been clutching tightly in his arms.
From the moment they met until now, no matter how dire the situation, the boy had never let go of it.
"You've been treasuring this case," Shane said, trying to make his voice sound softer, "is there something very important inside?"
Hearing this, Louis nodded. Without any hesitation, he unlatched the suitcase in front of Shane.
Shane leaned in curiously, thinking it would contain canned food, water, or other survival supplies. However, the contents of the case left him stunned.
A suitcase full of hardcover books, with gold-embossed titles like 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1' and 'practical magic compendium' printed on the covers.
Though confused, Shane looked at the exquisite covers and strange symbols; they seemed more like props for some make-believe game, crafted quite realistically.
"These are..."
"These were birthday gifts my mom and dad left for me before they passed away." Louis's voice was soft, yet carried a trace of subtle pride.
He carefully took out the gift box and opened it, revealing the exquisite ebony wand inside.
"I've always wanted to go to Hogwarts, but they said it was too far and hoped I could become self-taught first."
Louis stroked the cold body of the wand, a hint of nostalgia appearing in his eyes. "Today just happens to be my eleventh birthday."
Birthday... Hogwarts... wasn't that the fictional plot from Harry Potter?
At this point, what was there that Shane didn't understand?
He instantly filled in the blanks for everything.
Just as many parents tell their children that Santa Claus is real, Louis's parents had obviously woven a beautiful fairy tale about magic and Wizards for him, even going so far as to prepare a full set of 'props.'
But they probably never imagined that Louis's eleventh birthday would have no cake, no family companionship, only death, blood, and endless flight.
Shane opened his mouth, but his throat felt as if it were stuffed with cotton; he couldn't say a single word.
He wanted to comfort this poor Child, to tell him that all of this was fake, that there were no Wizards or magic in this world. But how could he bear to shatter an orphan's last spiritual support?
Just as he was at a loss, Louis perked himself up first.
The boy looked up, his blue eyes shining startlingly bright in the darkness, his face wearing an innocent persistence.
"It's okay, Officer! Although I'm a little sad, I believe all of this is just a test God is giving me before I succeed! Just like Harry Potter!"
He gripped the wand tightly to his chest, as if making a vow.
"Once I've learned all the magic and saved the world, I'll definitely reunite with them in heaven!"
Looking at the unquestionable conviction in the boy's eyes, Shane sighed deeply. He reached out, pulled the Child who was pretending to be strong toward him, and gave him a firm hug.
"That's right..." Shane's voice was a bit raspy as he patted Louis's back. "That's right, kid. God will bless you."
Outside the window, the sound of Walkers slapping against the doors and windows had gradually subsided at some point. Night had completely shrouded the silent city.
But this didn't mean the danger had passed; darkness is often the breeding ground for even more terrifying things.
The two decided to stay in this room for the night and find a way out after daybreak.
"You sleep first, Louis," Shane said, releasing him and pointing to a reasonably clean single sofa in the corner of the room. "I'll take the watch."
"No." Louis shook his head, his attitude firm. "Officer, you're the main force between us. Scouting and fighting during the day depend on you; you must ensure you get enough sleep."
He looked at Shane and said seriously, "I'll take the first half of the night; you rest first. If I get sleepy, I can wake you up anytime."
Shane wanted to say more, but he was amused by Louis's next words.
"Don't worry, I won't get sleepy." The boy raised 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1' in his hand. "I can use this time to start my magic studies!"
Seeing the boy's serious expression, Shane's nerves, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed completely because of these childish words.
He shook his head with a smile, finally feeling that the boy before him—sometimes calm, sometimes fierce—was, after all, just an eleven-year-old Child.
Although Shane really wanted to tell him that in this damn apocalypse, learning how to use a crowbar or how to fire a gun was far more useful than studying these 'fairy tale books.'
But on second thought, this Child had already been through so much and was even stronger than many adults. To be able to retain such a sliver of childhood innocence... perhaps that was also a good thing.
"Alright then, I'll leave it to you, little Wizard." Shane ruffled Louis's golden hair. "But it's a deal: if you feel sleepy or notice anything unusual, you must wake me up immediately."
"Yes, sir!" Louis gave a playful salute.
Once Shane had fallen into a deep sleep on the sofa, the innocence and childishness on Louis's face instantly vanished, replaced by an expression of relief.
Good, he bought it!