Ethan carried Belle's lifeless body out while being masked by the darkness of the night. Regardless of whether it was daytime, he would have still carried him without worry. The apocalypse not only brought superpowers, fast maturity, monsters, and spatial zones but also epidemics. Although the epidemic has been nearly eradicated, it is not surprising to hear of someone claiming their loved one died from it.
Judging by Belle's frail body that resembled that of a ten-year-old, despite being fifteen, it would be highly believable to say he died from an epidemic. Even if some people didn't believe him, as a protector, Ethan wouldn't face any questioning. Protectors, similar to old Earth police, commanded authority.
Once in the backyard, Ethan carefully placed Belle's body down before fetching a shovel from the shed. As he dug, memories flooded back, reminding him of how he met Belle. It began with a distress call, assigning him as a protector and squad captain to rescue as many people as possible in Ethereal County. Their mission included holding back the spatial zone monsters until a special squad arrived.
At the time, they all understood the dangers of spatial zones and had accepted that nobody in the city would likely survive. Despite this, they couldn't resist orders and proceeded, prepared for the toughest fight of their lives. Unlike the mutated beasts caused by the apocalypse, spatial zone monsters varied in appearance and intelligence. Some even possessed abilities resembling that of gods. Opening the county gate served as a shock. Headless bodies lay nearby, evidence of their attempt to flee the spatial zone.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Ethan suggested reevaluating their approach. However, on moving forward they encountered monsters also headless and dead like most humans they have seen, seeing that shocked them, what could have killed both human and spatial zones monsters, what could have just blow off their heads to cause all this gore? They asked themselves as they continued forward, knowing they faced a formidable opponent.
"whatever that did this should be at the Divine rank at least," Ethan has said to the rest of the squad, In this post-apocalyptic world, everyone, including humans with abilities, mutated beasts, and spatial zone monsters, was ranked. The rankings spanned from mortal rank to Eternal sage rank, with intermediate ranks such as Catalyst, Ascendant, Divine, Apex, Transcendent Archon, and more.
"Spread out and check. With how silent this graveyard is and from what we have seen so far, I think everyone is dead. What we should be wary about now is what killed them. If anyone notices anything, they should put up the signal. Whatever killed them shouldn't be something a single person can take on. It should be at more than Divine rank. All the spatial zone monsters we have seen so far seem to be at the master rank. Something that can kill them without giving them a chance to fight back should be at the divine rank," he had instructed the team back then paled with fear.
Ethan after giving out others and watching the team go separate ways covered the central part of the county and discovered Belle in a building, blood on his face, looking horrified. Two people, presumably Belle's parents, and four ape-like monsters lay lifeless. While the parents seemed to have been killed by the monsters, the monsters themselves met the same fate as others—sudden head destruction. Ethan brought Belle back to the team, and for the past three months, he has cared for him since they found no other survivors and the headquarters is not coming to pick him up.
Recalling these events, Ethan finished digging and gently laid Belle's body into the pit. Tears streamed down his face as he forced a smile. He had killed him without any signs of him being a monster, and now he would have to lie to the higher-ups, claiming he had shown signs. Ethan realized he had grown fond of Belle, the young boy he helped recover from trauma, and he had intentionally taken his life without seeing him smile much.
"Humans are really monsters," Ethan whispered, his tears continuing to fall.
After some time crying, Ethan stood up and covered Belle's to be grave before walking into the house.
"Babe am sorry I made you take a hard decision" Lucy seeing Ethan walk in immediately hugged him from the back.
"It is fine, I will get over it," Ethan said not looking back.
"I really did not wish to, you know it is just that I was afraid, so afraid that the day he turn bad or show his true self he will hurt our child, you don't know but I am two months in, I am just afraid and wanting to protect our child, please stop being angry with me," Lucy said as tears slid down her plump cheeks, she knew Ethan was angry with her.
Hearing her say their child, Ethan who was looking away turned to looking into her eyes.
" Please forgive me," Lucy seeing he has totally got his attention said as she tries to kneel but the Ethan stopped her, helping her stand up then embracing her.
"you know you don't have to do all this right, I so much love you and would have still forgiven you with time" Ethan said.
"I know, I just don't want to wait for time, I want your love more now than ever," Lucy said.
"Silly girl," Ethan finally said with a smile as he rub on Lucy's hair.
Meanwhile outside the building, the grave that haven't been long since it was closed opened up as Belle's body slowly rise into the air.
I am really a monster, Belle said in his mind as his body floated before landing beside the shallow pit that was digged for him as a grave, looking back at the shallow pit, he stretched his hand as he summoned his book and pen that Ethan has buried him with, seriously he use to talk, it is just that he can't talk anymore, everything that he wanted to say to someone ever since Ethan picked him was written down on this book then showned to the person.
Bell found a place to sit before carefully tearing out a blank piece of paper from the book to write on it.
Thank you for three months well spent, I hope you and Auntie Lucy finds forever happiness, Auntie Lucy don't have to be afraid of me anymore, you don't have to feel guilty killing me, you didn't, I don't know but I can't just die, I will be leaving now to find a reason why I can't die and a reason to value living, Belle Wrote on the piece of paper before walking forward and putting it in the mail box.
After doing that, Belle took a quick look at the house he has been staying for the past three months for some time before turning, determined to leave even though he has nowhere to go to and no one to call family, he was totally all alone in the cruel world.