Returning back to the cafeteria after a long chat between themselves, Doctor Hansel and his friend, Danny, spot everyone eating together, feeling grateful for the little community they've built for one another despite the circumstances.
The atmosphere is relaxed, albeit noisy, with loud conversations and the clinking of utensils filling the air. It is a great joy to see people trying to make themselves feel at home when they have lost everything through the global catastrophe that has changed the entire world as they know it.
Although it has been decades since the remaining survivors of this ruined planet tried to rebuild and adapt to this new world, there are still remnants of memories from the past that linger in their hearts and minds.
Reminders of loved ones that are now dead, painful losses, and countless sufferings leave deep scars that will take lifetimes to heal.
Alas, all they could do was move forward as best they could, or at least they were forever stuck in the dreadful past.
"This is where everyone is." Danny commented at the sight around him, noticing dozens of people sitting at the long tables scattered across the open space. "It almost reminds me of something," judging from how everything here is presented in front of his eyes.
The sight of others doing mundane things hits him like a ton of bricks, unlocking memories of the ancient times where food, friends, and laughter were abundant. "I guess we really are living in a post-apocalyptic world," he half jokingly announced from his own mouth.
Taking wind of this, Hansel nodded in response to his friend's inquiry, "Indeed, it's surreal, isn't it?" observing the communal setting around them before continuing with his statement, "sometimes, in the midst of all this chaos and destruction, finding moments of normalcy can be a lifesaver," a wide smile graced on his lips while voicing it out in acknowledgment.
"It's reminders like these that help us remember that there's still memories to be found, even in times that we believed they were gone," he added, his gaze drifting over the diners before landing back on Danny, "and for a brief moment, the world might just seem right again, until reality sets in."
The two young men remained standing in their individual spots, their eyes wandering the room, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling community. It was a stark contrast to the desolate wasteland outside, filled with ruins, decay, and the constant threat of danger lurking in the shadows.
It is rather nice to see that the only remaining living organisms in this landscape are humans, showing just how resilient man is to survive under the direst of conditions, regardless of how impossible they are.
Man always finds ways to thrive and survive against all odds, proving once again that the human spirit is resilient, resourceful, and indomitable. Even with their civilization crumbling to dust and with no guarantees of tomorrow, humans refuse to give up, clinging onto any semblance of hope and dignity left to them.
Very impressive indeed, as witnessing the very beauty of the raw, primal will to live amidst unimaginable hardship is the testament that most people hold dearly in their hearts.
As they continued standing while deep in their thoughts, one of them, the head doctor himself, finally landed on where Unity is. "There she is," beam of smile were plastered on his face, almost having forgotten about her whereabouts.
"Oh!"
Sitting beside her was none other than Toby himself, the boy he had forgotten about. "Why is he here?" Question he himself still didn't know the answer to unless they confronted them with it, which he knows he would have to ask eventually anyway.
Having heard the doctor's sentences, Danny switched over to where Unity was sitting, noticing a pile of messy displays, from half-eaten meals to utensils and bowls or plates altogether.
"Unity!" A sigh of relief escaped Danny's lips as he approached the disabled girl while studying the sight in front of him with great curiosity, wondering what the story was behind all this mess on the table. But just when he got closer by the minute, he had almost forgotten about the presence of a child sitting next to her.
Seeing a complete stranger approaching their table, Toby instinctively became concerned about this person's intentions. His face sweated profusely while nervously not having the courage to speak up due to his inner fear, and his heart pounded in his chest as if a drum were playing relentlessly inside his ears.
He wanted to open his mouth and say something but couldn't, feeling the social anxiety washing over him in waves of panic, making him want to clutch tightly to his knees, rocking gently on his chair while staring wide-eyed at the unknown man who was rapidly advancing towards their location.
Under any circumstances, the boy himself would secretly flee from confrontation, all the while enduring whatever punishments they had in store for him if it were impossible to run away.
This is how he always handled the situation whenever he encountered people who meant harm to him, just as his own bullies continued to torment him all the time without stopping.
Throughout this constant harassment from his own tormentors, one thing that he felt was different now was the head doctor's compassionate actions in helping him ease his pain.
The thought of someone showing this form of kindness to him is a miracle to behold, for he had forgotten since no one would comfort him when he was out in the wilderness.
Nearly in his entire life, it is always about the survival of the fittest, where the strong, cleaver, or wealthy is what makes might right.
So this peculiar sense of acceptance he received from the head doctor is unbelievable; hence, he has been consistently wondering if he should stand up not just for himself but for others who are just as unfortunate as him.
When the stranger begins to come closer than ever, Toby decides to do something about it. "What do you want with us?!" With a loud voice, he spoke in a demanding tone while some of the people around them glanced in their direction, wondering what the commotion was all about.
Toby grabbed the nearest utensil and lifted it up, acting as if he were ready to defend Unity and himself against this unknown threat. His tiny body trembled with adrenaline as he tried to act brave, even though deep down he's terrified.
Stopping just a few meters away from them, Danny was astonished by the sight of this boy sitting next to her. "Who are you?" Brows raised high, he asked curiously, examining the youngster closely and figuring out the context of why he's sitting there with Unity of all places.
Having never seen or known that she has people in her life other than the head doctor and himself, he wonders if maybe there's more to this woman than just being a disabled dude who wears and dresses like a female.
Hearing his voice, Unity immediately stopped her eating, turning to stare blankly at the stranger for a brief moment before excitement voiced out from within her soul, "Danny!"
The mere sound of his name sent joy radiating through her entire body as she shot up from her seat as some of the utensils clattered to the floor. Her face lit up with a bright smile, one that no one hadn't seen in ages. Rushing towards him, she lunged and embraced her caretaker in the most affectionate manner.
Surprised and confused, Toby became uncertain about the unexpected turn of events, as he never expected this approaching individual to know Unity so well.
This leads to conflicting emotions, growing suspicion, and apprehension flooding through his innocent heart and mind as the revelation slowly dawns upon him that the man whom Danny just greeted with such warmth and familiarity may be the same individual as the head doctor who had comforted him about his problems in regards to the world around him.
Meanwhile, Danny was both relieved and disgusted at the sight of her. The woman's entire hands, including her mouth, were covered with tomato sauce, yellow cheese, and chunky bits of minced meat stuck to the corner of her lips, making her appear more like an animal than a human, which grossed the hell out of him for not caring about her own personal hygiene.
Regardless, he feels glad to see her again, safe and sound within the confines of their little community. Just as he brought his newly bandaged hands to her back,
He feels the need to rip her to shreds for causing him such immense distress. Anger roiled within him, bubbling up like lava, threatening to erupt from the depths of his troubled soul. "Where the fuck were you?" Hissed through gritted teeth, every word laced with barely restrained fury and contempt.
The mere sentence had completely made Unity depart her embrace from him before taking a few cautious steps backwards, her eyes widening from what she was hearing in the tone of his voice.
Before he could continue to scold her, he saw them: her terrified eyes, innocent and helpless, pleading silently with him to forgive her for whatever wrongdoing she had committed.
At the sight of her pitiful state, some of the anger seeped from his veins, replaced by the overwhelming remorse of allowing himself to lose his own temper.
"Wait, Unity, what I was trying to say is—" Just as he was about to do a workaround for his harsh words, the head doctor suddenly cut in, stepping beside his friend.
"The whole gang is here!" The thrilled doctor exclaimed loudly, breaking the tension momentarily and garning their attention. "Danny," he said, patting his partner's back. "I'm glad you believed me," he said with a wry grin.
"Speaking of which," he said, nodding in the confused boy's direction before looking at the caretaker, a playful glint in his eyes. "I would like to introduce you to your adopted child." Hansel's statement had caused both Danny and Toby to glance at one another with pure horror before turning to face him.
"What the hell are you saying?"
Danny and Toby exclaimed in unison, simultaneously recoiling in shock and disbelief. Their jaws dropped as the implication of the head doctor's words sank in. Neither can prepare themselves for what is to come from that confession.
Despite their horrified reactions, the realization that he had just uttered those four terrifying words echoed relentlessly in their minds, 'adopted child', repeating over and over again until it became imprinted permanently in their brains, which can bring two possibilities to light: either this is a sick joke or an absurd truth about what is to come.
"Tell me. Tell me this isn't what I am thinking it is."
Their voices merged into one desperate plea as the duo stared wide-eyed at the doctor. On one hand, Danny is never the type of caretaker who takes care of not just one but two individuals, especially when he is not a parent dealing with kids.
On the other hand, Toby was freaking out at how he was suddenly being adopted by a complete stranger he had never met in his life, as, for all he knows, the man standing before him could be some serial killer or creep. Either way, both had conflicting emotions and fears that threatened to tear apart the fragile peace they've worked so hard to build for their individual selves.
"I know it's a lot to process," the head doctor nodded in understanding, "but yes, Toby will be your adopted child."
"WHAT?!"
The two screamed simultaneously, their vocal cords strained with sheer panic and incredulity as the magnitude of the head doctor's confession finally hit them like a freight train.
Neither expected this bombshell revelation. In Danny's case, the idea of adopting a child was unimaginable, given his own troubled past of not finding proper information that tells him who he is.
Both stared at one another back and forth, in disbelief of what they had just heard, as they themselves couldn't believe this was actually becoming reality.
"Your joking, right?" Danny said, smiling nervously from hearing such bold statement.
