It had already happened. No going back. As the boy watched the bullet rip through the air, he could only watch in terror. Heart pounding, he didn't even notice the shouts that escaped his mouth; all he knew was that a bullet was coming for his dad.

Following the click of the gun, it would be only mere seconds more before the bullet was to reach its target. The man being at first confused with his son's pleading, cried out in pain only moments later when the merciless object pierced through his skin.

Blood spilling out, the red liquid seeped through his fingers and drizzled down his leg. He collapsed to the ground and, teeth gritted, rocked back and forth in agony.

Forest thanked God for his poor aim that day because it saved his father's life. The boy had only trimmed his upper leg with the bullet. He inwardly sighed with relief, knowing that this could have been drastically different; rather than receiving a fatal shot, he would live.

"Are you quite all right?" an unfamiliar voice asked, their words gentle yet concerned, and Forest jumped. Finger instinctively moving upon the trigger, his hard eyes met the strangers'.

"Who are you?" Forest demanded.

"Wait, wait, wait," his father said, attention briefly off of his leg. "If anyone's dangerous, it's you. Boy, you already shot me in the leg. Don't make another mistake. Put the gun down."

He looked over the stranger. Wearing a white undershirt, an all-purple top hung loosely from her thin body. The clothing was filthy, with dirt and grime marking its entirety, and her black pants were no exception. Around her neck was a necklace with a cross attached to its worn string. When his eyes met hers, he saw fear in them and she dropped her gun.

Forest's face softened, and finally, he lowered his gun.

"You fired at your dad, and it's attracting the infected. I suggest you get him someplace safe, and quickly. Not only to get away but to treat his wound. You don't want it to get an infection, right?"

"Forest, get me inside, and you should come too."

The woman smiled thankfully at his father before crouching beside him and helping him to his feet. Forest tossed his own weapon aside as to pry the vault of the underground bunker open. He hurried to his father's other side and shrugged his arm over his shoulder. The two led the man carefully down the stairs and he hissed out in pain after every step. Forest cringed each time with guilt.

"Hey, one of you, please get the guns. They are just outside. But a few walkers are lingering nearby, so please hurry," the boy told his twin sisters as he helped his father down the last remaining steps. Winter left without a word, only to return seconds later. She shut the door noisily behind her.

"What happened? Why is Dad bleeding?" Autumn questioned, eyeing the stranger. If she hadn't put her weapon down on a nearby table, her twin having done likewise, Forest imagined that she'd be ready to use it.

The pair helping the man down on the closest chair, he was slowly lowered. All the while, painful groans managed past his gritted teeth. The scene that was unfolding had an edginess to it and, still, it continued as the twins left in search of medical supplies.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

It would be an hour more before the injured man's leg was to be stitched and bandaged, and another hour until the shock had been replaced by a shared feeling of frustration. Blame was thrown at the boy when the long-awaited question was finally answered. He could only listen to their disappointment, a deep frown of remorse soon covering his face. However, there was one person that didn't say anything. And that was the woman.

"You? Of all people, brother," Winter said, interrupting the short-lived pause. Her eyes, holding pure anger, locked on his hurt ones'.

"Can't I explain?" Forest demanded suddenly, quieting the room. It was only then that he lifted his eyes from the ground. Taking in the faces, the boy noticed something that they all had in common: uneasiness. Shifting his weight, he felt small under the stares of judgment and the fact that everyone stood somehow made it worse. He finally resumed, but not before swallowing down his uncertainty. "Was I not the only one brave enough to go outside? I wanted to protect Dad, remember? When you two were too scared to leave the safety of our bunker, I was the one to investigate. Was I not?"

The boy was thankful that his father was asleep in his room when he said this. Forest knew that he was not to leave the bunker, but he had anyway; it was because of Forest that they were in this unfortunate situation. Not only had his dad been shot, but it was now up to his kids to keep an eye on the stranger.

"Hey, we don't even know your name," Autumn said, turning toward the woman. She was standing beside the stairway and had been for the last hour. "You haven't said a word."

Forest was relieved the focus had shifted off himself and onto somebody else. Turning to face her, she appeared hesitant at the new attention.

"Holly. My name's Holly."

"I couldn't help but notice that cross around your neck, Holly. That's interesting. The only difference between Holly and holy is an extra 'l.'" Winter spoke mockingly, her words laced with unmistakable rudeness. But when her brother cleared his throat noisily, she took a breath. "Forgive me. We aren't exactly the religious type and I'm still upset that a bullet was lodged into my father. We may have gotten it out, but that doesn't make this okay."

Hearing her apology, Forest could tell that it was ill-given and not sincere. However, the woman that was now known by Holly nodded with understanding. Whether she made out its phoniness, the boy wasn't sure; but it was clear she had forgiven the blunt comment.

"I wear this because it is my belief that despite what's happened to the world, there is a God out there. Before the apocalypse, I was a Christian and I still am. This is why I wear this cross and I plan on doing so until the string eventually breaks," Holly explained with a friendly grin, and when there was a pause, she laughed.

"What? What is it?" Autumn asked, confused.

"I'm just so thankful I got to meet you, people. All this time, I thought my group might be the last on earth. Thank God I was wrong."

"Your group?" Forest couldn't help but say.

"Yes. There are others," she replied, her smile not wearing off in the slightest. "We are an hour away on foot."

"How many?" Autumn said, her own face now holding a smile. The first one in a long time. The girl was eager and so were Forest and Winter. Holly taking a breath, the brief silence it took for her to continue was a hard one because the siblings were impatient. They needed an answer.

"Seven. The fact that you five are family is a miracle. As far as I know, mine is no longer living and I hope in heaven. None of my group are related, and yet we're as close as family. If something were to happen to any of them, I'd be nothing short of devastated." As she said this, Holly's smile faded and she fidgeted with her necklace. "I really need to go."

"Wait," Autumn tried when the woman grabbed her gun from the wooden table and began in the direction of the stairs. "Wait."

Taking a moment to meet the girl's face, she shook her head. "I have to. What wouldn't you do for your family?"

Forest, at a loss for words, watched Holly ascend the stairs and, still, didn't do anything when she pushed the vault open. He wouldn't make that same mistake again; he couldn't. There was no room for mistakes when in an apocalypse. His twins pleading for her to return, he only stood there. Motionless. He ignored his strong urge to go after her. Instead, he took a seat on a nearby chair and thought.

There are others.

His previous smile came back, those very words whirling around in his head on an endless loop.

Swiping his neglected apple from the ground, he took a bite. There are others.