Evan Stafford

[democrachi]

--- FIRST CONTACT ---

Evan emerged into Knox County amidst a horde of gnashing teeth and clawing hands. The sound of the countless moans and shrieks drowned out the heavy footfalls and rapidly beating heart that pounded in Evan’s ears. Had he known how treacherous his approach from the eastern border would have been, he would have never set foot in the county. With no way back and danger on all sides, Evan had no choice but to run for his life. Out of options and out of time, Evan found himself cornered. Frantically reaching for his radio, he put out a call in the hopes that someone, anyone, might respond. It was this act of desperation that would change the trajectory of his life forever.

A lightning blue dodge charger came flying down the road, screeching to a halt in front of Evan just as quickly as it appeared. A platinum blonde haired woman stepped out from the driver’s seat and mowed down half a dozen zombies without missing a beat. Evan was stunned at the sight of the woman before him. Her poise as she fired upon the undead left Evan awestruck, her accuracy was devastatingly quick, and all the while, she wore an unfaltering smile. He was almost thankful for having to run for his life, where his struggle to find words could be masked as gasping for air.

“Hi! I’m Cat! Nice to meet you.” The cheer and joy in her voice was a stark contrast to Evan’s disheveled form, clothes drenched in sweat and bent over double trying to catch his breath.

“E-Evan Stafford. Likewise.”



--- THE HOMESTEAD ---

From that moment on, Evan was in the care of The Homestead, a rather eclectic mish-mash of Cat’s nearest family members and friends, very few of which were actually blood related. Albeit a bizarre group, Evan was still happy to have found a trustworthy and reliable settlement.

Abraham, Cat’s adoptive father, was a stubborn and steadfast old man, but his determination and strength would see him through countless hardships.

Katy, Cat’s adoptive mother, was as sweet as she was stern, and decidedly the driving force behind the entirety of the Homestead.

Rick, Cat’s brother, was a quiet and kind boy, but beneath his tranquility was a skill and deftness that could have leveled the entire city of Louisville single handedly.

Mino, Cat’s cousin, was a troubled man with a troubled past who still found a way to live honorably despite the weight that he bore.

Fiona, Cat’s sister, was a shy girl, but beloved by all until her untimely end.

Ryan, a family friend, was a simple man of simple pleasures, yet he fought through thick and thin by everyone’s side.

Laina, another beloved friend, was kind and caring, the least violent of us all and better for it.

Trisha, so closely regarded that she was practically family, had both the baked goods and indomitable spirit that could lift even the most dour of circumstances.

The Homestead itself was a small farmhouse tucked away just outside of Louisville. Though it was away from the city proper, many conflicts and issues found their way to the Homestead as a result of the city's proximity.

Cat herself was a woman of many complexities. She was equally skilled with a rifle in her hands as she was holding a hammer and saw, building the Homestead’s defensive walls. Just as easily as she could fix a car’s engine block, she could fix up a three-course meal. Despite her rough and tumble nature, she was still adorably cute, between cuddling surrounded by plushies, wearing a cat-ear headband, and her proclivity towards short skirts and fuzzy arm warmers. The more facets Evan learned of this woman, the more smitten he became.

It was shortly after Evan’s arrival that he learned of Cat’s circumstances. Plagued with chronic pneumonia, Cat’s health was in a constant state of balancing on a razor’s edge. Her former partner had left her only days before Evan’s arrival, unable to handle the daunting fact that Cat’s lifespan was severely shortened as a result of her illness. All this, while having to endure the collapse of society around them, was no easy feat. Still, Evan couldn’t hide the feelings that had begun to grow in his chest from the very first moment he met Cat, and thus he knew he had to make his feelings known.


--- LOVE BLOSSOMS IN ADVERSITY ---

Evan confessed his feelings for Cat as they sat atop the walls of the Homestead, watching as the sunset began to stain the sky in deepening shades of crimson and violet. Tears met her eyes as she recounted how her former partner had left, not wanting to inflict the weight of caring for her health upon another person only to end in the inevitability of death. It was the exact same reason that Evan was ready to commit himself to Cat, vowing to stay by her side through everything. He loved her, all of her, and not even the apocalypse could stop that feeling. It was on that very same night they shared their first kiss.

The Homestead’s reception of Evan’s confession was perhaps less enthused. Katy and Abe dragged Evan aside, promising to return ten-fold whatever pain he caused Cat. Undeterred, Evan swore that he would only ever care for Cat’s wellbeing, however that manifested. Mino spoke with Evan, expressing plainly that the horrors Evan would be subjected to were nothing unfamiliar to him, should any harm come to Cat. Unfazed, Evan reiterated his dedication to Cat, such that he would move heaven and earth just to make her smile. Even Cat herself apologized for the burdens of her health, knowing well that her death was an inevitability and that she didn’t want to cause any pain for her loved ones. Undaunted, Evan redoubled his pledge to stay by her side forever.


--- BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE KNOX ---

Trouble began erupting throughout the city of Louisville in due time as hostile forces from the UN began invading the county. A large force of UN soldiers declared the entire city a quarantine zone under threat of hostile action, wherein any trespassers would be shot on-site. Many friends began to flee the quarantine zone, and thus, the Homestead decided it was time to move. Through a stroke of luck, the former location that The Homestead was based out of was still uninhabited and relatively safe. With cars packed to the brim, guns loaded, and a final goodbye to the farms, everyone departed.

The new location was far removed from the city of Louisville, but trouble found its way to the Homestead shortly after they resettled. The UN forces took things a step further and destroyed all the bridges in the county, effectively trapping those caught between the quarantine zone and the river that divided the county. With a newfound sense of urgency, The Homestead began organizing and coordinating numerous missions across multiple groups of survivors to overthrow the invading UN forces.

Members from the United Coalition, The Village, Twin Lakes, and various scattered friends all lent their hands towards rebuilding one of the bridges. After months of work, the bridge had been rebuilt, reestablishing connection with those who had survived the onslaught. After some time, the base of the UN forces was discovered, and a large force of survivors gathered to storm the base. Cat and Evan were both wounded in the gunfire that ensued. Cat took the brunt of the assault, thereby saving Evan’s life. Numerous bullet wounds littered Cat’s body, but Evan refused to let her die that day. With all the haste and precision he could manage, Evan cleaned, stitched, and bandaged each wound with the utmost care, even as the battle raged around him.

It was after the second raid on the UN base that their situation grew dire. Within the walls of the base was a chemical agent that somehow enraged the undead, causing them to move faster and strike even more ferociously. In an attempt to destroy this chemical, the base was set to self-destruct, yet this only further unleashed the chemical agent, influencing all the undead for miles around. The severity of this mistake could not be overstated, thus The Homestead determined that it was time to evacuate.



--- THE DEPARTED ---

US military pilots were able to get into contact with survivor groups across Knox county, realizing that survivors would be effectively trapped by the hordes of undead that now gathered at the horizon. An evacuation site was located and the remaining survivors scrambled to fortify the location enough such that everyone could make it out alive. Evan and Cat stood at the vanguard, defending the planes from the swarms of zombies that descended upon the evacuation site. The moment the defensive walls began to crumble, Evan and Cat ran for the plane. Unfortunately, the exhaustion and exertion of fending off wave after wave of the dead began to take its toll on Cat, and she collapsed.

Dragged by friends and family onto the plane, Cat and Evan were able to make it aboard just as the plane began to rev its engines for departure. Now on board, Evan desperately tried to treat Cat’s symptoms, but it was to no avail. When the plane touched down, it was clear that nothing could save Cat. The responsibility she felt for ensuring her family’s safety kept her moving forward, and now that she’d fulfilled that purpose, her body could no longer keep up.

Evan knew what his duty to his beloved was. Cat refused to live a life bedridden and suffering, for what kind of life would that be? Certainly not one worth living, and not one that Cat desired for herself. Rather than that, she wanted to be surrounded by her loved ones, knowing that they were safe, and in that bliss, be sent off with a bang.

There were countless brushes with death in their adventures together, but only now did the gravity of Cat’s end truly sink in. The pit that formed in his stomach would’ve ground his feet to a halt, but he knew he had one last promise to keep. Snow gently drifted down from the sky as Evan carried Cat out of the plane. In the distance, cheers could be heard from the other survivors who were celebrating their escape, cries of joy as families reunited, and friends eagerly making plans to explore their new home. To Evan, all the world fell still.

He would never forget looking into Cat’s azure blue eyes as she told him that she was ready. He would never forget how her hair danced in the gentle breeze, still elegant and gorgeous in the reticle as he aimed. He would never forget how deafeningly loud his own breath felt, shaking in his lungs.

“I love you.” Cat whispered, her voice straining to make a sound.

“I love you too, darling. It’s okay. You can rest now.” Evan struggled to speak, as choking sobs threatened to overtake him.

The time between his words and when he pulled the trigger felt like an eternity. All the memories he shared with Cat flashed before his eyes in that instant. All the laughs they shared, her lips creased and brow furrowed with joy. All the meals they’d shared, each bite packed full with all the care and love Cat could muster. All the times Evan woke in the middle of the night, afraid that the life he’d shared with Cat was just a pleasant dream, only to be reassured by the warmth of her presence beside him. Every fiber of his being wanted not to pull the trigger. Every instinct was screaming at him to stop. It was only when the gunshot rang in his ears that he snapped back to reality, looking upon the crimson stain scattered across the snow.

All the darkness and cold coalesced in Evan’s mind. Nothing else existed but the body of his love, now motionless before him. It was only the strength lent to him by his loved ones that could save him in this moment, emerging from the darkness and pulling him from the abyss that nearly swallowed him whole. Katy’s kindness shone true as she pulled Evan away, promising to give Cat her final rites. Abe’s unspoken nod of acknowledgement spoke volumes. Mino’s encouragement gave Evan strength to carry on. Without Cat, Evan would have been lost to the hordes long ago, and now once more, without the friends and family Cat had made, Evan would have been lost. Though tears spilled from his eyes, Evan knew that he had to carry on living, helping others and shaping the world into a better place.

For Cat.


--- EPILOGUE ---

Shortly thereafter, Evan was approached by a pair of familiar faces. Emilia Hammond and Shirin Amiri offered Evan their condolences for his loss, having known Cat and adored her just as fiercely as her family. In discussing future plans, Shirin mentioned that she intended to find a ship either in working condition or requiring minimal repair. Her intent was to find a mutual friend, Doctor Thornton, who had evacuated prior to the hordes of undead descending upon Knox County. Emilia also intended to find Doctor Thornton, wishing to reunite the Doctor’s estranged family together. Evan, having known the doctor and wishing to repay their assistance with Cat’s illness, offered his own medical expertise in order to ensure everyone’s safety. Happy to have another helping hand, they agreed to bring Evan with them, and thus they set off towards the coast.

Although Evan's heart will forever belong to Cat, he knows that she wanted him to live his life to the fullest. His left hand would always wear the silver ring with a sapphire stone given to him by Cat, unless a different ring would take its place in the future. In honoring Cat's memory, Evan would always look to her perseverance as an inspiration. With bright eyes and an optimistic hope, Evan would seek to carve out a safe haven where any and all could live together.

[Trinity Azure]

Beautiful, Cat will always belong to Evan, may we remember this story for our young lives!