I still look back at it a month later. There must've been something I could've done. Instead, I stood there like an idiot, letting my mother suffer.
Maybe we could've saved her if I helped Keon.
Maybe if I evacuated both of them that day before that monster appeared.
Maybe if I had just—'
"Kadyn?" My brother waved his hands in front of my face.
"Ah… Sorry."
He still held that smile on his face— Keon. That man never let it down for his younger brother. Ever since that day they had ran and barely escaped, Kadyn never saw his older brother mourn for their mother.
"Keon…"
"Hm?"
The campfire flickered before them. Now, a month later they tried their best to survive in the forests—drinking spring water, hunting for food, and sleeping in a cave. Above the campfire, there were two ducks roasting. Roasting away at the scorching, unforgiving flame that burned both to a crisp at their backs.
'We found them in the spring. One was a bit smaller than the other… Following the bigger one.
The bigger one couldn't stop quacking—Couldn't stop talking as they both tried to reach land to escape into the thicket, and the smaller one kept following—silently.'
"Do you… Miss mom?"
Kadyn held his hands together, gripping them tightly. His elbows rested on his thighs as he leaned over. He looked at his brother before his eyes ran away to the forest floor.
"Everyday."
Kadyn caught of glimpse of him as Keon lifted his head towards the night sky.
Once he uttered that word, the fire grew bigger on his side, roasting the duck almost to the point where it would burn.
The corners of Keon's mouth formed into a smile once more.
"Looks like mine's done! You should eat your's soon too!"
'I didn't bring up what he said. I think we both agreed without saying that we shouldn't talk about it… Or that we didn't want to. A reminder of what had happened would only lower our already sinking morale.
After a month, we realized that we couldn't stay here forever in the forests and eventually, we would have to find civilization—wherever that would be.'
Kadyn took his roasted duck, staring at the skinned blob of meat impaled through a stick.
'Duck used to be one of my favorite meals, but now, I don't even want to eat it.'
After witnessing so much death that day, it was hard for Kadyn to eat the animals Keon caught even if it meant his survival. He wondered whether or not he deserved to eat those animals or rather, if they deserved to die.
For the first week, Kadyn relied on the forest's vegetation for food. He became sick at the sight of any prey Keon had caught. Overtime, Keon had to force him to eat some protein, but most of the time, Kadyn would secretly cough up any meat later in the night.
'Who deserves to live or die?
Who deserves to eat who?'
Shortly after Kadyn looked back to his mother, he witnessed her body be torn apart by the monster they were running from. Her flesh stretched and then broke against its razor sharp teeth. The blood that flooded from its mouth was licked away by its long, pointy tongue. It started with her torso and then her legs. It took ahold of her head by the neck and shook her corpse around violently, trying to rip it from the rest of the body.
'Those people including my mother all died cruel deaths only to be eaten…
Why was it them? Why was it them and not my brother and me?'
"Eat the duck, Kadyn. You need strength."
Kadyn brought the duck to his mouth. Remembering what that monster had done to his mother, he jerked it away. The boy placed it down in his lap as he waited for Keon to head for bed.
Once Keon was asleep, Kadyn dug a hole near the cave and removed the stick from the duck's carcass. He placed the roasted duck inside the hole and said a few prayers before covering it with dirt.
"That seems pretty stupid what you're doing." A voice called out.
A boy stepped forward— Somewhere around Kadyn's age. He had brash highlights in his hair. In fact, he didn't even seem human.
"Who are you?"
"Name's Ezra."
"How did… You even find me?"
Ezra crossed his arms, leaning on his right leg. He looked intimidated by Kadyn or at least… weirded out.
"The smoke from your fire."
"Ahh…"
'Well this is awkward.'
"What's your name?" The boy asked.
"It's Kadyn."
Kadyn realized Ezra hadn't noticed Keon sleeping near the put out fire yet. He decided to take advantage of that fact.
"Why are you out here?" He'd tilt his head, wondering.
"Same reason as you probably. The city's destroyed and nothing there's safe anymore."
"Are there people with you?"
The boy was anxious for his answer. As much as he loved Keon, he was dying for another source of communication—more reassurance that they weren't alone in this situation—that there were other people suffering—as heartless as it sounded.
"There's a little group we made from my neighborhood, but I'm not really sure about inviting outsiders…"
Kadyn's mouth widened as he nodded.
"I promise I can be of use to you."
"In what way?"
Ezra began tapping his foot expectantly, scanning Kadyn up and down.
"Are you sure you won't just be another mouth to feed?" The boy asked, frowning.
"I promise I'll do what I can to help everyone."
Kadyn desperately needed to feel secure with the presence of other people. Perhaps… There was a chance his life could feel normal again surrounded by the voices of others.
Just the two of them, Kadyn and Keon, in this huge forest…Seemed too lonely.
Besides, what would they gain if they didn't join hands with others?