Louis's light, almost casual reply caused the faint warmth in the room to freeze instantly.
The smile on Shane's face stiffened. He looked into the boy's clear blue eyes, eyes that still seemed unnaturally bright even in the dim light, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Louis lowered his head. His long golden eyelashes cast shadows that concealed the emotions deep within his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was calm, far too calm for someone his age, as though he were recounting something that had nothing to do with him.
"I… I just remembered some things," he said softly. "My parents died a long time ago. I've always lived with my uncle's family."
Shane's chest tightened.
"When the disaster happened," Louis continued, "they said they were going to a safe zone called Atlanta. But the roads were dangerous, and it wasn't convenient to take a kid with them."
He paused, then lifted his head and forced a strained smile.
"So they decided to scout the route first. They said they'd come back for me once things were safe. They left me some food and water and told me to wait here."
'Damn it…'
Shane felt like he couldn't breathe.
He was an adult. A police officer. How could he not hear the cruel truth hidden beneath those "reasonable" words?
Scouting the way? Coming back for him?
It was abandonment. Plain and simple.
To them, this child had been nothing more than excess baggage, dead weight that slowed their escape. So they had discarded him in a world where people were eaten alive.
Images flooded Shane's mind without mercy: the boy being coaxed into obedience, waiting with hope as the hours passed, rationing his food until it ran out… then finally being forced to step outside alone just to survive.
So that's why…
No wonder this kid was so composed.
No wonder he could explode with such ferocity when facing Walkers.
He had been pushed to the edge long ago. He had learned, whether he wanted to or not, that the only person he could rely on was himself.
Sympathy, anger, and deep pity surged together in Shane's chest, making even a hardened cop who had seen countless tragedies feel a sharp ache.
"I'm… I'm sorry, kid," he said hoarsely.
The words felt weak. Useless.
Trying to steer the conversation away from the suffocating weight in the room, Shane's gaze fell on the suitcase Louis was still clutching tightly.
From the moment they met, no matter how dangerous the situation became, the boy had never let go of it.
"You've been holding onto that case the whole time," Shane said gently. "Is there something important inside?"
Louis nodded.
Without hesitation, he unlatched the suitcase and opened it in front of Shane.
Shane leaned in, expecting to see food, water, or other survival supplies.
Instead, he froze.
Inside were neatly packed hardcover books. Gold-embossed titles gleamed faintly under the light:
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, A Practical Magic Compendium
The symbols and designs on the covers were intricate, almost too realistic, like high-quality props from some elaborate game.
"These are…" Shane began, confused.
"They were birthday gifts my mom and dad left for me before they passed away," Louis said softly, a trace of pride slipping into his voice.
He carefully took out a velvet box and opened it, revealing an exquisite ebony wand resting inside.
"I've always wanted to go to Hogwarts," Louis continued. "But they said it was too far away. They hoped I could learn by myself first."
His fingers gently traced the wand's smooth surface. A hint of nostalgia flickered through his eyes.
"Today… just happens to be my eleventh birthday."
Birthday. Hogwarts.
Shane understood instantly.
What else was there to misunderstand?
Like parents who tell their children that Santa Claus is real, Louis's parents had clearly woven a beautiful fairy tale for him, about magic, Wizards, and a school far away. They had even gone so far as to prepare an entire set of "props" to make the dream feel real.
They probably never imagined that his eleventh birthday would arrive without cake, without family, only blood, death, and endless running.
Shane opened his mouth, but his throat felt stuffed with cotton.
He wanted to tell the boy the truth. That magic didn't exist.
That there were no Wizards in this world.
But how could he bring himself to shatter the last thing keeping an orphan standing?
Just as Shane stood there, lost and helpless, Louis straightened up first.
He looked up.
In the darkness, his blue eyes shone with startling clarity, filled with a stubborn, almost innocent determination.
His small face carried an expression of quiet persistence, as if clinging to something fragile, yet absolutely unwilling to let it go.
"It's okay, Officer!" Louis said brightly. "Even though I'm a little sad, I believe this is just a test God is giving me before I succeed, just like Harry Potter!"
He hugged the wand tightly to his chest, as if swearing an oath.
"Once I learn all my magic and save the world, I'll definitely reunite with them in heaven!"
The unwavering conviction in the boy's eyes made Shane sigh deeply.
He reached out, pulled the child, who was clearly forcing himself to be strong, into his arms, and gave him a firm hug.
"That's right…" Shane's voice came out hoarse as he gently patted Louis's back.
"That's right, kid. God will bless you."
Outside the window, the sounds of Walkers pounding against doors and glass had faded at some point. Night had fully enveloped the silent city.
But darkness never meant safety.
If anything, it was the breeding ground for even greater danger.
After a brief discussion, they decided to stay in the office for the night and look for a way out after daybreak.
"You sleep first, Louis," Shane said as he released him, pointing to a reasonably clean single sofa in the corner. "I'll keep watch."
"No." Louis shook his head firmly. "Officer, you're the main force between us. Scouting and fighting tomorrow will depend on you, you need proper rest."
He met Shane's gaze, his tone serious.
"I'll take the first half of the night. You sleep first. If I get tired, I'll wake you immediately."
Shane was about to object when Louis added earnestly.
"Don't worry. I won't get sleepy."
He raised The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 in his hands.
"I can use this time to start my magic studies!"
The seriousness on the boy's face finally loosened the tension Shane had been carrying all day.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
At that moment, Shane truly felt it.
No matter how calm or fierce this kid could be at times, he was still, in the end, just an eleven-year-old boy.
Shane wanted to tell him that in this godforsaken apocalypse, knowing how to swing a crowbar or fire a gun mattered far more than reading fairy-tale books.
But then he reconsidered.
This child had already endured more than most adults ever would.
If he could still cling to a shred of innocence… maybe that, too, was a kind of strength.
"Alright," Shane said at last. "I'll leave it to you, little Wizard."
He ruffled Louis's golden hair gently.
"But it's a deal, if you get sleepy or notice anything unusual, you wake me up immediately."
"Yes, sir!" Louis gave a crisp, playful salute.
Shane lay down and soon fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
The moment his breathing evened out, the childish innocence on Louis's face vanished completely.
Relief flickered across his features.
'Good. He bought it.'