Step. Step. Sit.
The sound of footsteps echoed softly on the dirt floor before Steve eased himself down with a grunt, settling cross-legged within the circle of firelight. He didn't say anything at first—just walked up and sat, right there beside Lemon.
Lemon was already there, back straight, surrounded by Jane, Fiona, Sarah, and Tonya. The five of them had entered the open side of the camp just moments ago, the canvas flaps swaying gently in the breeze behind them. Through that gap, the outside world was still visible—a sliver of wilderness, shadows shifting beyond firelight. And beyond that… people.
The realization was strangely comforting.
They weren't the last ones. They weren't alone.
The boy's mind wandered, numbed by exhaustion and the long road behind them. But Lemon's voice cut through the haze, startling him back to the present.
