Chapter 16：Is Blood Thicker than Water?

We were well into our fourth year of the apocalypse and had lost another 300 million plus people to the virus. However, all hopes are not lost. Keith and Dr Lamperouge have made rapid progress in developing the vaccine. This helped recruiting talents easier such as that of Keith's former colleague, Aoki Akio. He has experience in developing vaccines for cattle. When the evolved rabies disease started to spread, he theorized that it will kill humans faster than other animals that share their same genomes. He was proven to be correct. He told us that it took scientists around five years to produce a vaccine for the rabies disease. This made us realize the long battle we need to fight to win the war.

While busy helping at the laboratory, Keith somehow managed to come up with an idea to create a simple device to test whether animals are infected with the Z virus or not. It was created with the assistant of both Tatsuya and Riku; one helped to create it while the later gave information like how infected animals tend to have higher body temperature than the normal ones. The three men then sold the idea to the base leader which left him with a good impression on them. We were also given special passes that helped us enter the base anytime we want.

Noticing a decline in the number of soldiers available at the base, the leader recruited men who are 18 years old and above. These new soldiers and their family members were given better lodgings as a reward. With the introduction of the device, they became busy again. Convoys upon convoys were assembled to get animals that produce meat.

We would go to the base every now and then to exchange animals or their produces with the soldiers in charge. They were happy to see us bringing in healthy animals and gave us any information or samples Keith inquired and asked. The base leader was skeptical of his purpose at first but after knowing that he was working on developing a vaccine which was corroborated by Aoki san, he gave his full support.

We were back at the base again but this time it was for me to give birth to my second child. This time, a boy weighing slightly over three kilograms was born. I was lying down on the bed when a familiar woman gasped loudly when she saw my baby. It startled the sleeping Eiji. Instead of apologizing, she babbled how he looked just like her own son. I was busy pacifying the crying Eiji when Tatsuya and Eri showed up.

"Tatsuya kun! It's really you," the woman exclaimed. Come on mother in law. Cannot you see my neighbor glaring at you for practically waking up her baby? "Can you keep your voice down, Saito sama? You're disturbing everyone's rest," said Tatsuya. "Why are you being formal to me when I'm your own mother. These are your children?" she asked, blatantly ignoring his request. "I'll handle this and see you soon," Tatsuya said while passing Eri to me. He then led his mother somewhere far away where her voice would not scare young children.

"I heard your husband died when he tried to escape with his men from the zombie attack two months ago. Please accept my condolence," said Tatsuya sarcastically. "You don't look like you're a soldier. You should volunteer to become one. Your family will need a room to live comfortably in. You know what? I'll help take care of the children while your woman rest," she voiced her opinion while disregarding Tatsuya's earlier statements. "No thanks. My WIFE and I will take care of our own children. If we do need help, we'll ask our friends. We're in no position to ask you, Saito sama," he rejected knowing her intention well enough. "I'm just trying to help you, son. Are you still angry at me? It has been almost 20 years," she cried out. "Stop the act, Saito sama. We both know what you really want. I'm sure your son is old enough to be a soldier and get you both a room. If this calamity didn't happen, I doubt you'd ever see me," Tatsuya stated angrily before leaving his mother who was busy calling him ungrateful and unfilial.

Mother in law would come and visit us whenever Tatsuya was not around. I bet she is trying to use me to persuade my husband to change his mind. I did not want to appear rude so I made it looked like I do not understand much of what she said. I gave up after just two weeks of her constant chattering and nagging. We decided to leave the base and let me recuperate at home instead. My friend Sara had told me the reason why my brother in law did not want to volunteer as a soldier. Apparently, he felt the job to be too tiring. It was to be expected of a spoiled and pampered person.

We returned to our apartment with two extra children. Riku and Keith decided to adopt a lone girl from the base. Both her parents have died from the recent attack and was left to fend for herself. I gave her some of the clothes Eri would not be wearing anytime soon as she was left with only a pair of shirts and shorts each. It took a long time for the new girl to adapt to the farm's life. The first few months were tiring for her adopted parents as she would have nightmares every night. Having other children around helped a lot in her recovery process.

Tatsuya's mother chased after him desperately after knowing we have our own place outside and access to fresh meat. She did this after she saw him and Riku sending some rabbits to the base. Tatsuya became more disappointed in his mother after she started telling people of how unfeeling he was of his mother and brother's plight. I comforted him and said, "Blood isn't necessary thicker than water. Look at Ai chan (Riku and Keith's daughter) and her fathers. They're not even blood related but they treat each other like normal family members would. Let's not have you go there anymore, OK?" I persuaded him.