"What are we doin', Joel?" I asked him as we were out on the makeshift shooting range.

I hadn't hardly called him dad or daddy since what happened two years ago. Uncle Tommy doesn't like it here, I can tell.

"You're ten years old now. It's about time you've learned how to fire a gun." he said as I looked up at him.

"Really?" I asked as he nodded slightly, pulling out a pistol from a holster.

"Now, there are some rules and responsibilities with a weapon like this. It's not like your knife." he said as I nodded.

"Don't ever aim at something you don't mean to shoot and always have the safety on." he instructed as I listened carefully.

"I hope you never have to use this, but you know what's happened to this world. What it's become." he said as I looked down.

"I know, Joel." I said softly as he nodded before holding the end of the pistol out to me.

"Whenever you feel like you're ready." he said as I looked from him to the gun.

"I'm ready." I told him, taking the pistol.

"Okay." he responded as he grabbed my arms.

"First thing is to steady your arms." he told me as he moved my arms up and made them stretch out.

"Now what?" I questioned as he moved my hand.

"Keep your finger off of that trigger guard and keep both hands on the gun." he told me as I did so.

"Now, you gotta get in proper fighting stance." Joel told me as he moved my legs and arms.

He then taught me how to use the sight to aim more accurately.

"See that target over there?" he asked me as I nodded.

"Aim down the sight and try to get it as close to the head as you can." Joel said as I looked at him.

"That far?" I questioned as he chuckled slightly.

"Just try, Lil Bit." he said as I actually gave a little smile back before focusing on the target ahead of me.

"Now, you've got to be ready for that kick from the gun when you fire it. Don't panic and let go of it." he told me as I nodded slightly, holding my breath.

"Don't do that either. Control your breathing, Lillian." Joel said as I took a breath.

"Anything else?" I asked as he thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"I think that's 'bout it." he told me as I got my attention back on the gun and the target.

I took a deep breath and as I exhaled, I pulled the trigger

There was a loud bang as it knocked me back a little but I held my ground.

"Easy there, Lilly." Joel said as he kept me from falling as I looked up at him.

"Did I hit it?" I asked him as he peered out towards the sole target I shot at.

He chuckled before looking at me.

"You got 'em in the shoulder, girlie." he said as I frowned.

"Wasn't a headshot." I mumbled as he patted my shoulder.

"Hey, you did good. What matters is, you could survive." he told me as I looked up at him.

"Then why are we with these people if we could make it on our own with Uncle Tommy?" I asked him as he looked away.

"Lillian, we could do a lot better around these people then we could on our own. It's either us or them. You've got to remember that." he said as I nodded.

"Right. It's either us or them." I recited as he ruffled my hair.

"Atta girl." he told me as I heard footsteps.

"Joel! We got more tourists in sight coming down the highway. It's your girl's turn to be bait." Andrew told us as I looked down.

Of course it was. Joel sighed before nodding

"Sure thing." he said as Andrew walked off and dad bent down to my level.

"Now, you know what to do, right?" he asked as I nodded.

"Yep." I said simply as he looked at me before standing up.

"Let's go, Lilly." he said as he started walking and I followed right behind him.