《Surviving the Dead》Chapter 25: Grey Skies Ahead
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He was hallucinating; he had to be. Those girls - they weren't really there. He blinked hard and nearly lost his balance when he was spotted. While they smiled and hurried forward, the boy stumbled back. Was this real? Were his sisters finally coming home?
Wasting no more time, he rushed out the door and didn't bother shutting it. He had to see for himself. Until he gave them a hug and felt that they were genuine, he couldn't let himself believe it. His heart would hurt too much.
When he rounded the farmhouse and reached the backyard, he stopped in his tracks. "Winter? Autumn?" His voice was small and broken.
The two immediately looked at the boy and closed the brief gap between them. Without warning, they gave him a tight embrace and he hugged them right back.
"I thought..." he said, sniffling, "I thought you guys were dead!"
"Forest, look at me." Autumn tipped his chin up and they locked eyes. "We're here and it's gonna be okay."
Winter stepped back and took a shaky breath. "We thought you were dead too."
"It's been weeks!" Forest cried, throwing his hands in the air. "What else were we supposed to think?"
"Hey-" Autumn tried.
"-what took you so long?"
"We better get inside, brother. We have a lot to talk about." Winter stared at the seven graves and sighed heavily. "Did you guys stop looking for us?"
Autumn gave her a pointed look and collected herself. "It's alright. Let's... let's just get inside, okay?"
The boy nodded and gestured for them to follow. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment. It's lonely here; really lonely." He wiped at his eyes and paused. "Often, I'm just in the attic...by myself. And I watch what is left of the world go by."
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"Well, we're here now," Autumn reassured him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Our days weren't good either. A lot of things have happened, Forest. You really need to brace yourself."
"Wait."
Confused, the boy turned to face Winter and frowned. "What's going on?"
"Where are the others?"
"They're gone," he said and had to stifle a smirk when her mouth dropped open.
"What does that mean? Are they... are they dead?" Her words were low and reluctant.
The boy studied her for a moment and shook his head. "No, they'll be back anytime, really. They're hunting." When his sisters both sighed with relief, he smiled to himself. "Guys?"
They exchanged a glance, both hesitant.
"I may have a surprise for you."
"What are you talking about?" Autumn asked, tilting her head. "I don't understand."
"Come inside. I want to show you something and I think you'll like it." Without another word, the boy continued forward until he had arrived at the front door. And gasped. It was wide open.
"Hey-" Winter roughly shook his shoulder- "did you leave that door open?"
After a long and delicate moment, Forest let out his uneasy breath and chuckled dryly. "I...I never closed it."
As they came inside, one by one, the boy couldn't help but wonder if the puppies had escaped. That question was soon answered, however, when he was greeted with two pairs of eyes from the kitchen floor. Tails wagging with excitement, they were on their feet at once.
"Forest..." Winter said, her gaze flickering between the puppies, "where did you find them?"
The boy stood aside and observed, a genuine smile over his face. "I heard scratching at the door. They came by themselves and, honestly, I don't understand how they found this place."
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Autumn flashed a glance at her brother, her expression unreadable. Moments later, she set her belongings onto the counter and kneeled down. When her twin followed suit, they shared a laugh that reached their eyes.
"They're friendly, don't worry." Forest watched as the puppies wandered over to his sisters and sniffed their hands. This was something he never thought he'd see. After everything he had gone through, the boy wasn't sure if he even remembered how to laugh or smile; yet, he was somehow doing both.
"What are their names?" Autumn asked, her eyes never leaving the puppies. While Winter let the cream-colored one continue to sniff her hand, her sister was already stroking the dog with dark golden fur.
Forest let the pause drag on before he crossed his arms. "That hasn't been decided." He rubbed his chin in thought. "I should really wait for the others to come back first. That way they can help decide."
"Wait," Winter said, trapping the boy in her gaze, "the others don't know?"
Forest shook his head when his sisters looked at him, confused. "They came here just today. I was about to go upstairs, and that's when I heard them pawing at the door. They were confident little things from the start." He paused and let out a sigh. "I just hope that the others will accept them. These puppies - they are the only rays of sunlight I've had in weeks. I'm sure you two feel the same."
Winter gave him a lingering look. "You're telling me that we came on the day these puppies were found?" Her face was clouded with disbelief. "Wow, what a coincidence."
"What, is that a bad thing?" the boy asked, tilting his head.
"No... it's just a weird coincidence."
The sudden edginess to the air did not go unnoticed. Steps heavy, Forest crept over to a stool and took a seat. He gestured for them to do likewise and gave a half-hearted smile when they obeyed. "What's going on?"
"Forest, you need to brace yourself," Autumn said with a frown. She tapped her fingers over the table, clearly more than uneasy.
"Yeah, you keep saying that, but just tell me. What's going on?" He scoffed when the twins shared yet another glance. "Don't sugar-coat anything, please. Just say it as it is." His tone was flat, but his eyes held reluctance.
"It's about Holly." Winter studied the boy, her stare critical. "Remember she had a vision that came true?"
He nodded stiffly.
"Well, she had another."
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