Lulubelle Trotter

Dear Daid,

It's been over a week since I last wrote to you. In that time, I've found myself staying longer and longer at the University. I had been entirely uncertain in staying here before. Alexandra had been so keen to leave, and I had wanted to follow her.

I suppose I haven't yet told you about her, but Alexandra is a friend I made on the Zenith. She's part of the chairman advisory board of Bauer Group over in Germany. Doesn't that sound impressive! I'm not all too sure what she does, but she did say that her hobbies has her doing triatholons and ironmans. If you don't know what those are, that's when you do swimming, bicycling, and running! For tons of miles! Noon to dusk!! She also is into swords and said she did historical fights and such? I tried asking what that meant over the competition, but I don't remember getting a answer.

Anywho, we became closer when on the last day of the cruise she, Casey, Samuel, and Bassant and I all talked about life and what we'd been up to. All of them sounded so impressive. Casey and Samuel are so kind and caring, dedicating their lives to helping people. I've heard a lot of people call Casey a jerk cause her face doesn't show a lot of emotion- but she's kind of like Tadhg. You always said that he wasn't intending to be rude to me when he went quiet and left me unanswered, or just stared. And it's the same with her. She's a paramedic. Also served our country. Samuel is currently serving, part of the 256th here stationed in the University. I had been uncertain about all of them after... Captain Giroux was... Well.

Oh! I lost my train of thought. Alexandra. and I talked the last day a lot. And we had a good bit in common. About bein controlled. I told her a bit about Harlan, about... What happened when I was six and had found Ma's dress.

I learned about Alexandra's time being controlled by her Dad. It sounded real tough- having someone like that control your life. She even said that she hated him! Hated! Her Daid! Her Family! I found it dumbfounding, but know that not everyone is as lucky as me when it comes to having a loving family. Some folk, some parents, I know they do deserve that kind of feeling. Hers sounded the case.

She talked to me plenty about not wanting to be controlled. Our first day at the University we find ourselves at now, well, she mentioned leaving. Almost left, too. First thing after what happened to Giroux. She stayed for me.

I'm talkin about her so much right now because I haven't seen her for a week at this point. I'm worried sick, cause she left into the area beyond Brandenburg, the town we're staying in. I've heard all sorts of horror stories about it. How everywhere you go there are the infected walking around.

I miss her, Daid.

I think she... I really want to believe she just ran away. But... I don't know anymore. I want to be optimistic, I so dearly do.

But she also deserves someone to grieve over her, if she is gone.

I can't let her just be forgotten.

If you see her up there, would you please welcome her in? She needs a good Daid, and while I know you got more than enough kids to want another, maybe you can at least show her around.

I love you.

XOOOXOOOOXOOOXOOXOOXOXOOOXOOOO
Lulubelle, Your One and Only Daughter.

Dear Captain Giroux,

I was not able to keep myself from thinking of you all throughout the last night and day. My heart is heavy with what I saw happened to you, and the lack of action I had performed in trying to help. I was naught able to do but scream and cry out whenever I saw that flash of red hold a gun up to you.

I'd thought, hopefuly, that it would simply be a threat. That you would be pulled back. That everything would be okay, and that these people were not so far gone as to kill a woman as kind, open hearted, and righteous as you.

But they did.

We all watched it happen. I ran, after. Tears down my face. My body shaking. My vision blurred for the rest of the night so harshly that I had thought my glasses dirty, and scrubbed them with my thumb so many times that night that I now have a strain in my wrist as I write this very letter to you.

I went to my Bible for guidance, to look through the passages and came across Samuel 3:31, where David is weeping over Abner, commander of the army:

"And the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

The king sang this lament for Abner:

“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
Your hands were not bound,
your feet were not fettered.
You fell as one falls before the wicked.”

And all the people wept over him again."

I am sorry I was not able to attend your funeral. I had not been aware it was happening so soon after your death, and it's going to stick with me for the rest of my days that I could not see your soul to Heaven and wish peace upon you.

I am certain that without your welcoming aboard the Path to Zenith, I would not have survived. Well... You gave me more than that, even. The ship was so comforting and crew so open, that... Well. You let me Live for a few more weeks.

Thank you, Captain Giroux. I know your soul will rest in Heaven.

With all the strength in my heart that I can muster,
Lulubelle Trotter