The Left Series (Book 6): Left On An Island

by Fletcher, Christian

  “I didn’t want to have to do this, Brett,” Wingate said in a softer tone. “But I’m going to have to spell it out for you.” She paused and looked me straight in the eyes. “Batfish is pregnant and it’s your baby.”

  The words hit me like a punch in the gut and a slap around the face at the same time. I couldn’t believe what Wingate had just said.

  “Yes, she is confused, yes she is worried,” Wingate continued. “She needs all the support she can get right now and she really doesn’t know how you’re going to react. Are you going to be mad, are you going to hang yourself, are you going to be happy, sad or are you really going to give a shit?”

  I let out a long breath and rubbed my face. My stomach churned and I needed a cigarette. I took out my pack and lit up, realizing I’d certainly have to give up the habit for good. I felt shocked but elated.

  “Wow!” was all I could muster. I was going to be a father. I wanted to stand on the upper deck of the ship and yell the news out as loud as I could. I, Brett Wilde was going to be a father!

  Doubt crept into my mind. Not crept, more like sprinted. What kind of father would I be? Was the baby really mine? The product of a drunken fumble in the dark in a tower block in Belfast. Wingate was really good at reading facial expressions.

  “She hasn’t been with anybody else, Brett if that’s what you’re thinking. She hasn’t been with anyone since her relationship with Gera and he’s been dead for a while now. She wants to keep it only because it’s yours,” Wingate said softly.

  “I need to talk to her,” I stammered. “I’ve been such a douche bag.”

  “Calm down, Brett,” Wingate soothed, gripping both my hands. “I’m really not sure I should have told you.” She sighed. “But it’s done now. I couldn’t stand by and watch you two drift along any longer. Let it sink in for a while and talk to her sometime tomorrow.”

  I nodded. “Okay, that’s a good idea. I’ll leave it for now.” My mouth hung open and I felt my eyes bulging. It certainly had been a day for shocks.

  “I’ll leave you to it then, Brett,” Wingate said, touching my shoulder. “Get some rest but make sure you get your head together before you talk to Batfish, huh?”

  I nodded again. She smiled and left the room, leaving me alone in the wardroom. That last request was a joke. Get my head together? Ha! Fucking comical. But I had to now. I was going to be somebody’s dad.

  Clarity replaced the fogginess of shock. I had the power to make this work. We had doctors and medical equipment onboard and a fertile land on our doorstep, just waiting to be reclaimed from the undead. I was youngish, fairly fit and healthy and so was Batfish. Why couldn’t we bring up a child? It was going to be hard work and probably a pain in the ass at times but when had life ever been simple?

  I decided I was going to help clear the island of undead after I’d rested and talked things through with Batfish.

  I felt I had a new purpose in life. I was responsible not only for my own miserable life but for my unborn child. Life felt exciting again. A few years from now I could be living the perfect life on an idyllic, zombie free Caribbean Island, with a family of my own to love, treasure and take care of.

  The undead apocalypse had tossed my life in one direction, now I was being thrown another way. This time though, it was something good. This time I welcomed the change in my life.

  For the first time in a long while, I actually felt happy and was looking forward to the future.

  THE END