He stood up, finally, after what had to be a minute of listening. It didn't come for a second time, but once was enough because it wasn't his imagination. The twins were on edge as well, their eyes wide as they looked around the room. Only, it came from outside.

Gun, gun, gun. That same word sounded throughout his head as he scrambled for the rifle in his room. Although it came from aboveground, he could identify that noise anywhere. It was a gunshot. But if it wasn't any of his family members, did that mean others had survived this long?

Whether to be thrilled or fearful, he did not know. But he did know this: if they had a gun then he best have one too.

Eyes searching the room, they detected the rifle in a matter of seconds and he wasted no time before gaining hold of it.

Now that he had the weapon, Forest hurried back into the living room to find that his father had done likewise. Carrying a pistol, the man stood beside his unarmed twin sisters. He was telling them to get weapons for themselves, the girls nervous. But they managed to snap out of their frozen-state immediately after the order, Autumn and Winter scurrying out of sight.

"Dad, you heard it too?" Forest knew that his question was nothing short of silly, but it slipped from his mouth anyway. Receiving a single nod, he asked another, but this time it was one he didn't have the answer to. "Are we going to go outside?"

"I am."

The reply caught the boy off-guard and his eyes widened with concern. "No, I'm coming with you. You can't investigate alone." The words held stubbornness, but still, a hint of fear came as well. It was subtle, but there.

"When your sisters come back, I am leaving briefly. I must know if it's true. If there are more humans out there, we have the right to know," his father stated with a forced smile. Taking a breath, he said, "I'll be back, but in case they aren't friendly, take care of your siblings. You aren't ever going to get any more."

"You need backup, Dad. Let us-" Forest protested but was cut off by a noise just outside. Heart pounding, he identified another gunshot.

"I'm armed," his father said, interrupting the silence. As if Forest hadn't already noticed the pistol, he held it up for his son to see.

It was then that the sisters returned, but he could care less. Eyes on his father, Forest stared at him as he explained the plan. Although he was hurt at the order, still the boy only watched as his dad headed for the outside world. The man ascended the steps leading to the door, the structure being the only exit of the bunker.

"Wait," Autumn pleaded suddenly, eyes desperate, "let me come with. Two are better than one, right?"

"Not this time. We haven't seen another living person in countless years and, for all I know, they aren't like they used to be." Opening the vault, he said, "I love you all," and left. The bang of the door spent shivers down their spines, and the silence that followed was an eerie one.

As he stood there, he felt utterly helpless and couldn't help but ask himself if this was the right time to be stubborn. If I hear a single gunshot, I'm going after him. There was no doubt about it; he couldn't lose his father.

"Let's hope they mean no harm," Winter muttered, worry underlining every syllable.

Forest's heart dropped at this; she was known for being unemotional and having not a care in the world, but not now. Now, she was afraid and that somehow made it that much scarier.

It was the boy that said anything next, but not without a long pause. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Dad can't die, Winter. That's impossible." Saying this, he tried to reassure himself that those words held truth. But they didn't. Death was able to sneak up on anyone in a blink of an eye; he should know this by now.

That same uncomfortable silence came back and it mocked their ears with a deafening quiet. And on it dragged. The siblings impatiently watched the door from the bottom of the steps, eyes expectant, until they weren't. The hopefulness left their faces and now only fear was left.

"I'm going," Forest announced abruptly, his previous vow leaving him entirely. Gunfire shouldn't be needed for them to know that something was terribly wrong, he decided. Running up the steps two at a time, he ignored the voices of the twins as they called for him to come back.

The coolness of the air rushed to his body with an indescribable feeling of delight upon opening the vault; the fresh breeze felt great on his sweaty self, and yet he barely noticed. Rather than admiring the wind, he instead took in the new sight. Amongst the trees, Forest looked for his father. Frantic.

He crept out from the bunker, hesitant, and closed the door quietly.

Where is he?

"D-Dad?..." he stuttered, finger ready on the trigger. "Dad?" Searching the scene, eyes wide, he nearly called out again when he stopped himself. Forest was to be as mute as possible, or he'd give himself away.

As he looked around, he made sure to be on the watch for walkers just as much as for his father. One bite and he'd be as good as dead. Catching sight of a few of the infected, the boy dismissed them because of the distance.

"Hey!" The unexpected word made the boy jump and, his gun held up, he turned around in the direction of the voice. He'd recognize his father's voice anywhere and that wasn't it. Finger attentively on the trigger, he was ready to press down. And he did. However, rather than a satisfying feeling washing over him, his mouth dropped open with horror.