Hunter slowly backs up and hides in the trees, he watches the chopper before the engine stops and there's silence. Seconds later Mary is behind him, breathing hard. She hands him one of the rifles and holds a shotgun of her own. They crouch down between the thick branches and leafs and wait. Just then the door opens, revealing three men. All look around the same height, tall and slim. The man leading them looks to be the oldest. Pushed back med length brown hair and from this distance, striking blue eyes. He holds a gun as approaches the burning out fire. Behind him are two others. One looks much younger, a teenager almost. He has beautiful red hair and big brown eyes. The other looks older then he should be. He wears aviator sunglasses and has short brown hair. The three men all carry weapons and slowly walk up to Michael's burning grave. They circle around it before Hunter stands up, his rifle raises.

"Freeze!"

Right away all three men spin around, they aim at Hunter as Mary steps out…her tiny arms shaking.

The men look Hunter up and down before the leader with the blue eyes shakes his head.

"It's okay, lower your weapons."

The two men behind him do so, all the while waiting for Hunter or Mary to make any sudden movements. The man steps forward.

"How many are there of you?"

Mary glances at her brother, he still holds his gun out. She steps forward, lowering the shotgun before clearing his throat. These are the first new people she's ever seen in her entire life. She notices the man has the same color eyes as she does.

"Only two…"

Hunter looks at her, ready to snap. He stays silent all the while holding his gun out.

"That's it?"

"There used to be more, but their all dead…"

Mary points to the grave which is almost entirely made of ashes now. Thin smoke drifts out of it.

"It's just me and my brother…his father just died yesterday."

Mary bows her head before Hunter steps forward, he notices the three men are looking at the grave.

"What made everyone die?"

"Sickness mostly…we think the virus is coming back, that's why we burn the bodies."

"It has."

The man's words cut through Hunter, he blinks in disbelief.

"It…has?"

"Their slower now, but their all over…less then before, but there still in most of the bigger cities."

"How do you know?"

"We escaped one, burned to the ground…we had an outbreak."

Hunter swallows hard, he still clutches his gun before eyeing the chopper.

"How long ago?"

"About a week or so, we've been scanning the land."

"From Philly?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I can tell from your voice…I visited a camp back when I was a child."

The man nods before lowering his weapon.

"Names Philip Swann, the red head is Jason Warren, and our pilot is Dallion Foster."

The men simply nod as Hunter looks them over.

"Your welcome to stay here, but supplies is low…and we weren't planning on staying too much longer."

"The other chopper, further down the beach…that yours?"

Hunter nods.

"I don't know how to run it…pretty old though."

"Fuel?"

"I think so."

Just then the clouds began to darken, Swann looked up at the sky before motioning towards the other.

"Refuel, we'll get ready to leave in an hour…do you have a camp?"

Hunter nods, showing them the way.

The three of them walk together as Jason and Dallion go back to the chopper, Swann's sparking blue eyes stay serious as they go down the path. Mary walks ahead.

"How long have you been here?"

"I was born on this island originally…my mother was part of a group when the outbreak first happened…she came here with some others."

"Your father?"

Swann looks over his shoulder, in the direction of the beach. Hunter shakes his head.

"They were separated for awhile…years in fact, by the time he got back here she died giving birth to Mary…"

Hunter lowers his voice in the last half, low enough for only for Swann to hear as Mary walks ahead.

"She your half sister?"

Hunter nods.

"My mother became involved with another man who died before Mary was born, he died somewhere in an army bunker back in Florida."

"How many of you were originally here?"

"Six…not counting me and my sister, we lived here for peacefully until everyone started getting sick again."

"Did any of them come back?"

"Sarah…a scientist, also Mary's stepfather…she saw the entire thing, even when we had to put them down."

"Jesus…"

"My father was never the same after my mother died, he tried hard to protect us, but after he got sick…"

Hunter's word trail off before Swann nods.

"Now it's just you two?"

"Yeah…like I said, we were thinking about finally leaving, this place gives me the creeps now."

"Better that you do that."

Hunter looks at Swann, but his eyes are ahead on Mary. Finally Hunter sighs.

"You got a family?"

Swann shakes his head.

"I have a wife, Dorothea…but we became separated when the city got infected, I would like to think she made it, but you hear stories you know."

"Yeah…"

Finally they reach the clearing where all the huts and cabins are. The place looks lived in and beaten over the years. Mary runs over to the still burning fire pit and lays down her gun.

Swan looks around before Hunter stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"Your welcome to anything we have, we've been growing a lot of our food lately, but we have clothes, guns, and fresh water."

Swann turns towards him, the darkness of the night settling. Only the dim flicker from the fire pit lights up his worn and exausted looking face.

"I think you should come with us?"

"Where?"

"There's supposed to be another city in Florida…I heard about a few of them in the United States…it's still safe."

"Do you know that for sure?"

"Hey, it isn't like it used to be…most of us are dead, there's only a few places left."

"You three headed that way?"

Swann nods.

"I promised my wife I would meet here there."

"And what if it's taken over too?"

"Then we keep traveling…"

"Until?"

"Until we find someplace safe again."

Hunter sighs before looking around.

"I don't know…I mean this place is all Mary has ever known, mostly the same for me."

"Your not safe here, not anymore."

"And why's that?"

Swann takes a deep breath, he watches Mary as she throws firewood into the pit. He leans in closer.

"A couple of nights ago, me and the guys landed on a new docks back East to refuel…that's when we saw it."

"What?"

"Those things…going into the water?"

"WHAT?"

Swann shoots him a look to lower his voice, right away both men begin to whisper.

"Thousands of them, like an army…just walking into the sea."

"Your kidding?"

Swann shakes his head.

"I heard down South, stories of zombies fighting sharks under water…getting people on islands like this."

Hunter shakes his head.

"No…"

"I'm not lying…I saw it with my own fucking eyes, think about your sister."

Hunter glances over at Mary, his heart feeling heavy.

"You have an hour to think about it…meet us at the chopper when you decide, pack too."

Swann turns around and disappears into the darkness. Hunter watches him for a moment before turning towards Mary, she wants up to him…part of her eyes excited, the other half scared.

"These are the first people I've seen…well new people since I've been born."

Hunter tries to smile but can't. He knows the virus came back, and from what Swann said…it's worse. Sighing he looks over at the cabins where he grew up in. Years and memories all taken place here. This was the island he was born on, the same island his mother lived on, the island where all of these people came together as hope and tried to make a future. Thinking back on everything, his heart felt a sudden tug on it. He knows all of those he loved were now gone. Only a few days ago, he sat at his father's bed side and spoke with him. His eyes tired looking, his face old, and his hair gray. As he took his last breaths, he made Hunter promise that no matter what…he would protect his sister.

"She's all you have left in this world."

And then Hunter, at only the age of nineteen watched his father die. He knew this is how he would of wanted it. On the island where his mother lived. Now wherever he was, he was with her and at peace. Looking around, he knew winter was coming. The cabins and trees looked bare and frost covered. There was an creepy feel to the land now. He knew the nightmares he had been having were coming true. It was now just a matter of time. Looking at his sister, he remembered the promise he made to his father and sighed.

It was time to leave.

"Mary…"

He started before trying to think of the right words, finally he looked her straight in the eyes.

"Mary, these men are offering to take us with them…their going to some city, it's supposed to be safe."

"Where?"

"Florida."

Mary's eyes lower, Hunter knows why. He tries to find the right words again.

"I don't think it's safe for us to be here anymore…Swann promised to help us, to find other people…"

"And leave the island."

Hunter took his sister's hand.

"I know this is hard, this is where you've lived your entire life."

"This is where mom lived…"

"I know honey, but there's nothing left for us now…don't you wanna see other things, other people?"

"And more monsters and death?"

Hunter paused, for just a fifteen year old she knew the way of life. He then turned and pointed in the direction that Swann went.

"Do you know what's out there?"

Mary looked at him, her eyes looking beautiful in the light from the fire.

"What?"

"Life…that's what there, life."

Mary looked around at the place where she had grown up, tears forming in her eyes she slowly nodded.

"Okay…"

"Okay what?"

Mary bit her bottom lip, she had became distant ever since Jersey died. For so many years he served as a father for her. Everyone had taken part in helping raise her. Now here she was, forced to face her fears and become an adult and leave everything behind.

"Okay I'll go…if your going I'll go."

Hunter tried to smile.

"Okay…let's get packing."

Nodding, Mary turned and walked towards her cabin. Watching her, Hunter sighed and saw the moon coming out.

He prayed this was the right choice.