Epilogue
13 Years later.
Key West, Florida
Thirteen years had passed, I was 26 by then, I was taller, stronger, and I was still alive. It was one of the best years in my life after the world ended. Our boat was finished. Lily grew up fine. We were still alive. Somehow. We did manage to meet someone out there, but they were all too broken to function. We had to do what we had to do. Cannibals killed, bandits killed, we couldn't find any decent folks. I suppose most of them died off early. For the most part it was just us three. The amount of things we did to survive, I couldn't help but regret some of it. I stood on the deck with a mug of coffee in my hand. "The LFS Aeschylus soars free!" I thought to myself. The sea looked so peaceful. It looks so lively, yet so lonely. I took a sip. I turned my body around and I saw Luna climbing down the bridge ladder.
"Beautiful ain't it?" Luna asked with a smile on her face as we stared into the longing sea horizon. We spent 3 years getting this thing ready, we built an emergency sail for this Marine Protector-class patrol boat, we accomplished so much, and now that our journey here is over, I could only feel a bit sad. It looks like a beast, the seas are.
"Have you ever thought about what's on the other side?" I asked her.
"Not really, we'll find out about it someday," Luna replied as she took her flask out. "Whiskey?" She asked.
"Sure," I gave her my mug, and I took a sip from it. It's going to be a long sail. "You know any sea shanties?" I asked her.
"Sure, Row row row your boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream," She laughed.
"LINCOLN! LUNA! DINNER'S READY!" Lily yelled from the astern. Lily was sitting on the table we placed. Our vegetable garden on board were flourishing. "Linc why the hell are you drinking right now, it's dinnertime,"
"Sorry, sorry," I laughed as I gave Luna her flask back.
"Where do we go first?"
For the most part, our years at sea was the best. We went everywhere. We actually managed to meet people, friendly people. It was good. It was fun while it lasted.
Now here I am. On the same ship, talking to the lifeless body of the person that raided our ship and blowing a large hole into the hull. I survived 20 years of the apocalypse, and now here I am, finally narrating my story to a corpse. I got up, and I saw Lily waving at me, screaming for me to jump off the ship, she's on the emergency escape boat, out of the fire zone, she's safe. Thank God. There should be enough food for her to survive with for at least a month. That should be good. I waved back at her, and I smiled. Is this what it feels like to finally die? The boat is sinking slowly. I still have time, but I don't think I'll survive anyways. I stood there with my right hand holding my guts in, making sure that it doesn't fall out as I bleed. I'm not surviving this. I looked to my side, and I saw Luna, struggling to stand up. She was wheezing.
"It doesn't feel that great huh? Linc?" Luna asked with a struggling smile as she coughed out her own lungs. With my left arm I grabbed her hand and pulled her up. We both stared at Lily, I could see her cry from here. Begging for us to come with her. Luna let go of her wounded chest and waved back. We're not surviving this.
"LINCOLN! LUNA! GET OFF THE BOAT!" Lily cried. The sunset sky was getting darker. It is about to storm.
"WE LOVE YOU LILY!" Luna yelled back. She coughed hard. I could feel my legs giving up.
"Hey, Luna, do you know any sea shanties?" I asked her with a smile.
"Fuck yeah," She coughed. We both sat down on the blood clad deck of our sinking ship, we could hear the fire consuming the ship. Lily screaming and begging for us not to leave without her. We couldn't do anything, we were cowards. I took out my gun, and I took out the magazine. 2 Bullets, just enough for two mortally wounded Loud kids.
"Bye Luna," I said.
"See you on the other side Linc," Luna said as she closed her eyes. See you.
"Bye Lily," I whispered. I could hear her cries. I closed my eyes and I tasted the salt. "We'll meet again,"
BANG!
.
.
.
BANG!