Puzzled, Forest watched the man walk away. "Hey!"

Fox paused, turned around, then locked eyes with the boy. "What?"

"Say that again. What's your name?"

He gave Holly a baffled look before turning back to Forest. "I told you. It's Jett."

The boy stood up, glaring. "No, it's not. It can't be. Jett's not your name."

Fox let out an uneasy breath. "Last time I checked, that's my name. But just call me Fox. It's less triggering for you." A light smirk slipped over his face.

"What's going on?" Winter questioned. She stood beside her sister, each hesitant.

"This man says that his name's Jett," Forest said, eyes narrowed.

Stepping forward, Autumn shook her head. "You know, maybe it's just a coincidence. Maybe there are plenty of Jett's."

It was Forest's turn to shake his head. "No, Bambi. You're wrong. How many people do you think would name their child Jett?"

"Guys, hey. What are you talking about?" Fox asked, crossing his arms.

"That's our uncle's name." Autumn's words were heavy.

There was a pause. Watching him, Forest's eyes were hard. "You said you left your brother, yeah? You wanted to travel, but he didn't. That's what you said. So what was his name?"

"Hale."

"Liar."

"No, I promise. My name is Jett, and my brother's name is Hale, wherever that rascal is nowadays. I haven't seen him in years." Fox lowered his gaze. "Oh, well. It doesn't matter."

"That would make you our uncle," Autumn said, tilting her head at the man. "But that doesn't make any sense. All these years, and now we find you. We thought you were dead; sure of it."

Fox huffed. "I'm not your uncle." He waved them off as he left the scene. "That's just dumb."

"Where are you going?" Holly asked, concerned. She nearly went after him when Winter put a hand on her shoulder. "What?"

"He needs to think, so don't go follow him," Winter said.

"Is he really your uncle?"

"I don't know."

Forest met Autumn's look, frustrated. "He's not him. He can't be our Jett. Maybe you're right. Maybe... it's a coincidence that he and his brother have those names. Right?" When she continued to stare, he took a breath. "Say something."

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, but I do know this: if he's really our uncle, that would be the best news we've had in a long time." Her brother set his jaw. "What? You wouldn't be happy?"

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Believe it or not, no. Don't you remember how much Dad wanted to see him? After my medicine, we were gonna look for Jett, but now he's dead. Dad died, Bambi, so he'll never get to see his brother, alright? So if you'd be happy, I call that sick." With this, Forest walked off.

"Come back!" Autumn demanded. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Anywhere but here."

His steps heavy, Forest scowled at the earth ahead. "Why does life have to be so hard?" He kicked at a stray twig. "So... complicated." His stomach rumbling, he ignored its persistence; his throat dry, he ignored its desire for water.

When a sudden breeze blew past him, he closed his eyes, thinking. Would it really be bad if I died? Surely death can't be any worse than living. He took his knife from its holster and stared down at it. Old blood stained the blade with a dark red. His breath began to quicken. His hands began to shake. Would it really be that bad?

Everything was quiet until it wasn't. A low groan interrupting his thoughts, its owner stumbled his way. Forest tightened his grip around the knife, a tear trailing down his face. Would it really be that bad? The infected stared at him with soulless eyes while the boy stared back with hatred. Watching it pursue forward, he finally made his decision. And he threw his knife.

When the body dropped, the boy just stood there, motionless.

"Hey, what's taking you so long?" a voice asked. Turning around, he saw his sister and avoided her questioning face.

"I'm coming, Autumn." Forest retrieved his knife from the walker's head and followed after her, head down.

"Your eyes are red," she observed.

"Yeah, something just got in my eye."

"Both of them?"

Glancing at her, the boy didn't say anything.

Upon returning, the scene was still a tense one. Jett had yet to come back, he soon realized but decided it was best not to say anything. Finding a spot beside a tree, he sighed when Autumn sat next to him.

"What do you want?" Forest asked, subconsciously eyeing his bandaged arm. "Why can't you leave me alone?"

"He kinda looks like you. I can see it now. That man has the same color of hair as you, Forest. Black. And your face - it looks similar to his."

"Please just leave."

"Winter and I - we look like Dad, but you look more like Jett." Her brother gave a sarcastic laugh. "No, I'm serious. I think that man may be our uncle, so I need to find him."

"What don't you understand about having some space?" The boy watched as his sister hurried off. "At least she has her knife." His eyes drifting back to the blade, he let out an unsteady breath. Would it really be that bad? But he shook his head. He'd get past his father's death eventually. He had to. He didn't really want to die. Right?

"It's gonna be okay, kids," a sudden voice spoke up and identified it to be Holly. "I'm not saying that I had a clue what's going on at the moment, but don't you worry. When we get to our group, things will get better."

"Maybe," Winter mumbled, standing to her feet.

"No, it will. That's how life works; it's a rollercoaster."

"Well, then why do bad things keep happening? When was the last time something went right?"

"This is the way I see it: if Fox is your guys' uncle, then that's a real blessing. God gives and takes. It looks to me like He's giving you three someone to look up to," Holly said, giving a kind smile.

"You're still Christian, huh?" Winter said, glaring at her cross necklace. "There's no God."

"But there is," the woman insisted. "I admit, if I had no proof I wouldn't believe, but I can put my entire trust in the Bible because I was given proof. I have received visions, and they came true."

"What did you see?"

"I'll have to tell you someday."

Forest lifted his eyes to the sky, the darkness mocking the remaining light. If there was a God, he did not know. But he did know this: it sure looked beautiful. Despite the infected roaming the earth, life still had some moments that made it worth living. "Holly?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Dad's in heaven?"

"I sure hope so, dear. I sure hope so."

Just as a tear managed from his eye, Autumn came back with a reluctant Fox following after her.

"We're ready to walk again," Autumn stated, glancing at the man. "Let's get to your people."

Struggling to his legs, Forest jogged up to Fox. "I'm sorry for starting something, Jett."

"It's alright, but I think you, kids, are confused. I'm not your uncle." When the boy lowered his gaze, the man shook his head. "Who was your mother?"

"Chloe."

And the man stopped walking.