A few hours earlier...
The kitchen was filled with the sweet smell of baking bread and the warm steam rising from the pot where Patricia stirred a stew of vegetables and dried meat. The late afternoon light streamed through the windows in golden beams, illuminating the worn wooden table and the pots hanging on the wall.
Maggie stood by the sink, drying dishes with a cloth that was already damp. Her movements were mechanical, almost automatic, as if her mind were elsewhere. From time to time, she glanced toward the window, fixing her gaze on the dirt road that led to the main gate, as if expecting to see a silhouette appear at any moment—and in fact, she was waiting!
When she woke up that morning, after the wonderful night she had spent beside Jason, she expected to find him still there, by her side. However, she was met only with the emptiness of the unmade bed. The disappointment was inevitable, but she quickly suppressed it. After getting dressed, she went down to the kitchen as usual and asked about him; Patricia then explained that Jason had left early, heading toward the town.
Although concern arose naturally, her trust in him was just as strong. During the time they had explored the town together, she had witnessed his survival skills firsthand. He knew how to handle difficult situations—of that she had no doubt, since he had saved her life more than once....
Even so, trust was not enough to completely silence her heart. As the hours passed and his absence stretched beyond what was expected, a growing discomfort began to settle in. It was not irrational fear, but a persistent unease, like a subtle premonition that something might not be right....
She had already lost too many people throughout her life. The pain of those losses still remained, silent but deeply rooted in her heart. Because of that, the mere idea of losing Jason was something she could hardly bear.
In such a short time, he had become more than just someone important. In just one week, Jason had managed to give her a happiness she had never experienced in her entire life. It was intense, unexpected… and precisely because of that, frightening.
She didn't want to lose that. She didn't want to lose him.
Patricia noticed that she wasn't very focused. She set the wooden spoon on the edge of the pot and wiped her hands on her apron before approaching her.
"You've been staring at that road since the sun started to set..." Patricia said, her voice low, but with that motherly tone that didn't accept evasive answers. "I bet you're thinking about Jason, right? He's fine, Maggie, don't worry...."
Maggie stopped scrubbing the plate. She sighed and set the cloth down in the sink.
"I know," she replied, but the tone didn't convince even herself. "It's just... he left early and it's been a while. I'm afraid something might have happened...."
Patricia remained silent for a second, watching her face. Then she pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing to the seat beside her.
"Sit here for a minute...."
Maggie hesitated, but eventually sat down. She crossed her arms on the table and rested her chin on her hands.
At that moment, Hershel approached slowly and sat at the table, adjusting his glasses on the tip of his nose. In his hands, he carried a months-old newspaper, already worn by time and by the number of times it had been read. As soon as he settled in, he cast a brief glance toward Maggie before unfolding the paper calmly, as if there were no rush in the world.
"I heard your conversation. You're worried about the boy…" he said, his deep, calm voice breaking the silence of the kitchen. His eyes remained fixed on the newspaper as he spoke, as if the matter were just another ordinary detail of the day. "It's understandable. He went out alone and headed to a town infested with sick people."
He paused briefly, turning the page with a slow, methodical movement before continuing.
"But don't forget that he's strong. Frankly, I wouldn't worry so much. He knows how to handle himself out there." His lips curved into a faint trace of almost imperceptible humor. "If he's taking a while… he probably found some interesting books and lost track of time...."
Maggie looked at her father and let out a sigh.
"I think so.... Jason is very optimistic about using his genius for the good of the world... I believe he'll succeed, because he's an incredible person, and I also know that he's strong and knows how to take care of himself. But it's hard not to worry...."
Hershel lifted his eyes over the newspaper, observing Maggie more closely this time. The faint trace of humor on his face didn't disappear, but there was something else there—curiosity, perhaps… or simply the instinct of an experienced father.
"Let me ask you something…" he said, folding the newspaper calmly and setting it on the table. His fingers intertwined in front of him as he tilted his head slightly. "Is there something going on between you and that boy?"
Maggie hesitated for a brief moment. Her eyes drifted to the surface of the table, as if organizing her own thoughts, before she let out a small sigh.
"Yes, Dad..." she replied at last, lifting her gaze again. "Jason and I are together. It started not long ago… but it's serious."
Patricia raised her eyebrows slightly, surprised, but said nothing immediately, since it wasn't her place to judge...
Hershel remained silent for a few seconds, watching his daughter with the same measured calm as always. His gaze wasn't harsh, but attentive—like someone who had already reached a conclusion and was simply waiting for confirmation.
"I see…" he murmured, resting his elbow on the table and interlacing his fingers in front of his face. "That explains a lot. To be honest, I had already suspected it. The way the two of you looked at each other these past few days… the closeness… even the way you smiled when he was around."
He paused briefly, choosing his words carefully.
"It's not hard to tell when two people are on the same wavelength. There was something there—that much was clear. But I needed to hear it from you."
Maggie crossed her arms, adopting a slightly defensive posture, though she avoided looking directly at her father.
"I didn't want to hide it," she replied after a moment. "I just… didn't know how to say it. Everything happened too fast."
Her voice carried a mix of hesitation and sincerity, as if she were still trying to organize her own feelings as she spoke.
Hershel remained silent for a few moments after his daughter's answer. His gaze stayed fixed on her—firm, but not harsh—as if he were weighing every detail before reaching a conclusion.
"Is he good for you?" he finally asked, directly, without beating around the bush.
The question made Maggie lift her face slightly. There was no hesitation this time. She nodded and answered firmly, "Yes, he is. He respects me… protects me… and never treats me as if I were weak. He trusts me. And I trust him..."
Hershel held her gaze for a few more seconds, as if searching for any sign of doubt. He found none. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"Alright…"
Patricia cast him a quick look, surprised by the lack of resistance, but remained silent.
"If that's the case...." Hershel continued, placing his hands on the table, "then you have my approval."
He was not an impulsive man, nor someone who made decisions based solely on superficial impressions. Even so, despite having known Jason for only a week, what he had seen was enough to form a solid judgment. The young man showed character, discipline, and above all, a genuine sense of responsibility. More than that, he understood that Maggie was no longer a child—she was an adult, capable of making her own decisions and bearing their consequences. To interfere directly in something that clearly made her happy would go against the very principles he had always tried to teach.
Furthermore, the world they lived in no longer allowed luxuries such as idealizations or excessive protection. Safety had become a relative concept, and within this new reality, being beside someone strong, competent, and capable of surviving made all the difference. Jason was not only an exceptional doctor, but also someone with practical skills that significantly increased the chances of survival for those at his side. To him, that carried real weight. Still, above any logic or pragmatism, there was one simple and decisive factor that made him support them: he had never seen his daughter so happy. And that alone was reason enough not to oppose it.....
For a brief second, Maggie simply stared at him, as if she wasn't sure she had heard correctly.
"I do…?" she asked, almost incredulous.
"You do," he confirmed, with the same calm as always. "But that doesn't mean I won't have a talk with that boy. When he gets back, he and I are going to talk. Man to man...."
Maggie let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. A smile—small, but genuine—appeared on her lips. She knew her father, and he wasn't an easy man to convince, much less someone who approved of this kind of thing without thinking. The fact that he had accepted… and so quickly… was something she never would have imagined. For a moment, the concern gave way to a light, almost comforting relief.
But still… her eyes drifted back to the window.
Because, above all, she just wanted Jason to walk down that road and come back home.
The hurried sound of footsteps echoing across the floor broke the silence that had settled in the kitchen, completely interrupting Maggie's train of thought. Before she could react or regain control of the conversation, two figures appeared in the doorway—Jimmy and Beth. The two entered almost at the same time, breaking the silence.
"Mrs. Patricia...." Jimmy began, removing his hat respectfully as he cast a quick glance around, "do you know where Otis is?"
Patricia turned slightly, resuming her usual calm posture.
"He left earlier," she replied. "Said he was going hunting. He probably won't take too long to come back."
Beth, on the other hand, was already approaching the counter, with that gentle and helpful demeanor that was characteristic of her.
"Do you need help with anything?" she asked, looking at the pots and the bread still baking.
Patricia gave a small smile.
"If you want to check on the stew, I'd appreciate it."
Beth nodded, rolling up her sleeves slightly as she approached the stove.
Suddenly, a sound reached everyone's ears—someone shouting.
Maggie was the first to notice. Her eyes moved instantly to the window, her body tensing almost at the same moment.
"Dad… there are people coming," she said, her voice tense as she stood up abruptly. Her eyes were fixed beyond the window. "They're running… coming across the field."
That was enough.
Chairs scraped against the floor almost at the same time. Hershel was already on his feet before any question was asked, while Patricia quickly moved toward the door. Jimmy and Beth exchanged a brief look before following behind.
Maggie was the first to go outside.
Outside, a man was running toward the farm, crossing the open field with heavy, desperate steps. He wore a police uniform already stained, his cowboy hat firmly on his head despite the rush, and he carried an unconscious child in his arms. The blood on his clothes left no doubt: it was not a minor injury....
"Dad…" Maggie murmured, her heart racing.
Hershel did not respond immediately. His eyes were already focused on the approaching man.
Even from a distance, it was possible to see the effort in each step, the way he held the boy with extreme care, as if any sudden movement could make things worse. His breathing was heavy, almost irregular.
A little further behind, the scene was even more chaotic. Another man was coming right behind, alongside Otis—or rather, trying to keep up with him. The two were arguing, exchanging harsh words as they moved forward, but there was something more there. It wasn't just a conversation. It was tension. Urgency. Guilt, perhaps.....
Otis gestured forcefully, clearly agitated, while the other man kept pace, visibly irritated but focused on catching up to the police officer.
And in that moment, any trace of normalcy that still existed on the farm… simply disappeared.
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(A/N: Advanced chapters have been posted on my Patreon, and releases there will be more regular.
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