The will and decision of Sam!

The quiet around them felt heavy, like a blanket that weighed down on everything, including their hearts. Chloe wiped her eyes, trying to hold back any more tears. Her fingers still shook, but the ache in her chest was a little less sharp now. She glanced one last time at the grave, at the small mound of earth that marked where their mom now rested. It was all they had left of her, this tiny patch of land. Chloe's voice was thick and raw, but there was something else in it now—a sort of determination. A will to carry on, even though she felt like she might fall apart if she didn't.

"Alex," she asked, her voice shaking but strong, "What happened after the explosion? Is Carter… is he dead?"

Sam didn't look up from where he stood, staring at the ground, his fists clenched tight at his sides. His nails dug into his palms, and his whole body was tense like a string pulled too tight. His jaw was locked, and his face was pale, but his eyes were full of anger, and it scared Chloe more than she wanted to admit.

"If he's still alive," Sam muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'll kill him. I don't care. I will."

Alex turned toward them, his face tired, like he hadn't slept in days and maybe he hadn't. He looked at Sam, his hand on the boy's shoulder, a simple touch that was meant to comfort him, but at that moment, it almost felt like it was holding Sam together.

"I don't know if Carter's dead," Alex said quietly, his voice rough. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, his eyes searching the horizon like he was hoping for answers that weren't going to come. "The explosion was huge. We kept fighting and he has chosen to jump off and I'm not certain if he is alive or dead, but Carter's different. He doesn't stop. Ever. And after everything I've seen... nothing's ever really certain. If he's alive, then we'll deal with it. If he's not, then it doesn't matter. What matters now is us. We survive. We stick together."

Chloe didn't know what to say. She wanted to shout, to scream at Alex for not giving them the answers they wanted, but deep down, she knew it wasn't going to change anything. If Carter was still alive, there was nothing they could do about it now. What mattered was the here and now.

But Sam—Sam wasn't ready to let go of his anger. She could feel it coming off him in waves. He still hadn't moved, hadn't spoken, just stood there like a statue, fists clenched like they were the only thing stopping him from completely losing it.

They started walking back to camp in silence. The air was thick like the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Chloe kept her eyes straight ahead, trying not to think about how much everything had changed. It felt like they'd lost too much like they couldn't keep going, but they had to. They had no choice.

It was Sam who broke the silence first. His voice was low like he didn't want anyone to hear him, but he still said it, like it was something he needed to get out.

"Alex…" Sam's voice trembled, but it wasn't from fear—it was from something else, something deep down inside him that Chloe couldn't explain. "Will you teach me? Teach me how to fight? How to protect myself... so next time, I won't be useless."

Alex stopped walking, and Chloe could see him hesitate. He turned toward Sam, his eyes soft but tired like he was trying to figure out what Sam needed, what he wanted to hear. For a second, he looked like he was about to say something, but then he just sighed, and his shoulders slumped.

"Sam, I'm not a fighter. I don't have any special skills or training. Everything I've done—everything I know—it's just been me trying to survive. Reacting at the moment," Alex said, his voice steady but unsure. "I can teach you what I know, but it's not going to be enough. Not for what we're up against."

But Sam didn't back down. He stepped closer to Alex, his face determined, even though his eyes were pleading. "That's all I'm asking. Please. I can't just keep standing there, waiting for someone else to save me. I need to know how to do something—anything. I can't just sit by and watch anymore."

Alex's face softened, and he placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, the gesture strong but full of care. "We'll start with the basics," he said, his voice quieter now, but there was a promise in it. "But you need to listen to me, Sam. I know you're angry. I know you want to hurt Carter, but don't let that be all you're about. Don't let the anger take over. It'll eat you alive if you do."

Sam nodded, swallowing hard. His eyes were red from holding back tears, but he didn't want to show it. Not now. "I promise," he whispered.

Chloe stayed quiet, letting the silence fill the space between them. Her mind was spinning, and she wasn't sure what to think about everything Alex had said. She wasn't sure what to think about the girl he'd mentioned—Kaia. She didn't know if she could trust her, or if she even wanted to.

Chloe spoke up after a while, her voice cautious, but full of curiosity. "Do you trust her? Kaia?"

Alex turned to look at her, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Kaia?" he repeated. "Yeah, I trust her. She's been through hell, just like us. Maybe worse."

Chloe's brow furrowed. "How do you know? You don't know her."

"I do," Alex said, his voice firm, but soft, like he wasn't going to let her doubt this. "When I first met her, we were barely getting by. There was this infected mountain lion... and I mean, it wasn't just any lion. This thing was huge. Strong. Fast. It almost killed me."

Chloe's eyes went wide, her breath catching in her throat. She couldn't imagine what that must've been like—facing down something like that. "What about her?" she asked, her voice small.

"She saved my life," Alex said simply. "She didn't even think twice. She fought that lion like she'd been doing it her whole life. And she didn't stop there. She helped me after. She's tough. Smarter than anyone I've met in a long time. That's why I trust her."

Chloe still wasn't sure. There was something in the way Alex spoke about Kaia that made her nervous. But at the same time, she couldn't deny that she didn't want to be alone anymore. She didn't want to have to fight these battles on her own, without someone else to help.

"But you said Carter might still be alive," she said, her voice trembling with unease. "What if he comes after her? What if he comes after us?"

Alex's face darkened. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "She's already met him," he said quietly. "Before we met, Carter found her. Almost killed her, too. Because of the bracelet she wears. Just like mine."

Chloe felt a shiver run down her spine. The thought of Carter finding Kaia, of him hurting her, was almost too much to bear. She didn't want to imagine what it would be like if he came after them if they had to face him again.

"But she survived?" Sam asked, his voice shaky, like he couldn't quite believe it.

"She barely escaped," Alex said. "But she did. And that's why I trust her. She's a survivor, just like us. And we need each other if we're going to make it."

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of everything that had happened, everything that was still to come. Sam was still close to Alex, his anger simmering beneath the surface, but now there was a different kind of determination in his eyes. Chloe stayed quiet, trying to understand what was happening—what the next steps would be.

When they got back to camp, it was the same as always. Nothing had changed on the outside. The camp was still their home, the place where they had found shelter in the chaos. But everything felt different. They couldn't go back to the way things were, couldn't pretend that everything was fine.

Alex placed a hand on each of their shoulders as they reached the entrance, his voice quiet but strong. "This is our home now," he said. "Whatever comes next, we face it together. You're not alone." 

And come with me now, I've kept it long enough with this sad atmosphere.