Later that day, Jake was begging for hunting lessons. He gave the same old excuses like "I can be more helpful" or "winter will be here soon". This might have worked on any other person, but not me. I was hard to convince when I had my mind set on something, then again, so was Jake.

As much as I would love Jake to hunt with me, he was just to young and impatient, I told him when he was 14 is when we would start. That's when me and Sophie had started when our father was the teacher. Jake had rolled his eyes and I said it was only one more year.

"See it is only one more year! Why not start early?!" He had reasoned but I still shook my head.

"Please Emily!" Jake pleaded and followed me around the cabin.

"I said no Jake! And that is my final answer", I insisted and gathered some towels in a bag.

"What are those for", Sophie nodded to the towels.

"Let's go fishing at the lake," I suggested, "since I don't want the fish to get sandy, we can put them on the towels."

"Ok", Sophie shrugged and stood up.

"Come on Sarah!" Jake shouted from outside.

"Coming!" Sarah replied.

She put down her book and ran out the door. We walked along the path we had made all those years ago. Ferns leaned in from the edges and i kicked some stones and twigs out of my way. I had kept the path in pretty good shape, considering we lived in the woods and had no real equipment. I could feel a slight breeze coming off the lake's water, i looked ahead and there it was. It shimmered in the light and small waves lapped at its shores. The sand was soft and cool and the water clear. Sophie and I had built a small dock from pine wood about a year ago, before we would fish in the summer while the water wasn't freezing cold, now we fish all year long, as long as the water hasn't frozen over.

I laid the towels on the dock. I leaned down and grabbed the fishing rods (made by me) from under it. That was wear we kept them last time because there was a huge storm and we couldn't run that fast with them. I dried them off with the towels and put a worm on the hook. We had collected worms once when Sarah was digging up roots for this reason specifically. I cast out the line and sat down. Sophie was sitting next to me, and Sarah was on my other side. Jake was on the end by himself.

"I'm going to catch the biggest fish!" He declared as he cast out his line.

"As if!" Sophie snorted, "I will!"

If these two never argued again, it would be to soon.

I just sighed and rolled my eyes. Sarah giggled and looked out over the water. It was peaceful here, the breeze disturbed my hair slightly and tugged at my sweatshirt. My flip-flops were sitting in the sand and my feet dangled above the water. If you were wondering how I came to possess flip-flops, after the bombing, we went to some stores that were in a some what stable condition and took some vital things, clothing, shoes, food, water, and some medical supplies.

I felt a tug on the fishing rod and sat up straight. I pulled back and reeled in my catch. It was a stubborn fish! I finally got it and pulled it out and onto the dock.

"A bass", Sarah smiled and nodded, "Nice catch."

"Thanks!" I replied and laid the fish on the towel.

"I got one!" Jake yelled and I looked over to see a look of shock and surprise on his face.

I walked over and knelt down beside him. He pulled a large bass out of the water with a smile.

"Oh come on!" Sophie said with a hint of anger.

Sarah was pulling out a sunfish and Sophie scowled at her, "Even a sunfish is better than nothing!"

I rested my hand on Sophie's shoulder, "A catch is never guaranteed."

"Whatever", Sophie crossed her arms and stood up.

What was i going to do with her. I heard rumbling in the sky and looked up. There were a few clouds but it was mostly sunny out and showed no signs of thunderstorms. It kept getting louder until i saw a dark speck in the sky with a smoke trail behind it.

"Emily, what's that", Sophie said, worried.

"Run for the tree line!" I shouted and stood up.

Everyone ran off the dock. I scooped up the fish on the way and ran to the woods.

"Jake! Leave the fishing pole and run!" Sophie yelled.

Jake threw it on the sand and bolted to the trees. One, two, three. Everyone accounted for.

"What is it?" Sophie said with concern and looked up at the sky.

"Plane", Sarah said under her breath and ducked down.

"Come in more", is aid to Jake and ushered him back.

Why would a plane be here!? I hadn't seen another person in years, it made me curious and scared at the same time. What if it was an enemy plane that had been shot down? I hoped not. We'd be dead for sure. The engine kept roaring and the smoke had covered so much of the plane it looked like a black cloud.

Jake was hiding in a bush and Sophie was watching from behind a tall pine. Sarah was at my side.

"It's going to crash into the lake!" Sophie gasped.

"The water", Sarah cried, "The fuel from the plane! If it gets in the water".

I knew what she was saying, she didn't have to finish and my heart skipped a beat. We didn't just use the lake for fish, but for drinking water, it was the only one we found.

"Lets hope it misses", i said and tried to anticipate where the plane would crash.

"It might land on the beach", Sophie shouted over the loud noise from the plane, "Get back just in case!"

I grabbed Jake from the bush and pushed Sarah forward. Sophie pushed off the tree and landed in a patch of ferns.

I ducked my head and heard a loud crash. The roaring stopped and I could hear the quiet hum as the propeller slowed to a dead stop.

I lifted my head slowly and peered through the thick growth of the woods. I could smell smoke and i could see the gray and black column ascending into the sky.

"The pilot! There must be a pilot!" Sarah mentioned and stood up.

Sarah helped up her sister and brother and we went to the very edge of the beach. The plane had thankfully crashed on the beach and not in the water, that saved us at least a little trouble. I'm not saying it was good that the plane crashed, of course, I was just glad that it didn't take a turn for the worse.

I edged closer carefully, I still didn't know if it was an enemy plane. I could see a dull silver and blue paint, it was hard to tell because, well obviously, it had just crashed so the paint wasn't in the best shape. Sheets of metal were littered around and behind the wreckage. I coughed as I got closer and the smoke went into my lungs. I covered my nose and mouth with the sleeves of my sweatshirt and peered into the pilots seat. I gasped as i saw there was a person there!

"Sarah!" I called to the beach's edge, "They need help!"

Sarah shouted, "I'm coming!"

She ran over and looked at me, "Where are they."

I pointed to them. My throat felt dry and hoarse, I didn't know why. I didn't even know who this person was, yet I still felt sympathy. I guess they didn't deserve to die like this, if they were in fact dead. It was hard to tell.

"Are you going to help me get them out or just stand there?" Sarah snapped.

I was a little shocked at her tone, she was only like this if something was serious or when she was concentrated.

"Yes, of course", I rasped and helped her pick away some debris.

I heard coughing from the person. They were alive! Miraculously alive!

"Hurry! Get them out If we don't hurry they won't be alive for much longer!" i shouted and Sarah rushed forward.

We dragged them out and further down the beach. I heard a groan.

"Sorry", I said quickly, "Sophie! Grab the towel!"

"We're actually going to help them?" Sophie said with confusion, "We don't even know who they are."

"Do you want them to die?" I snapped and Sophie's eyes stretched.

"My gosh! OK i'm going!" She said with an annoyed tone and went back to the woods.

"Hurry!" I shouted to her and turned the person over onto their back.

He must be a solider. His skin was burned in several places and he was covered in dust and cinders.

"He might have inhaled to much smoke," Sarah chimed in, "I need my medical supplies".

I stood up and met her eyes, "I'll be right back, and when Sophie finally gets over here, put him on the towel."

Sarah nodded, "Be quick, i'm not sure how much time he has."

I nodded and ran frantically to the woods. I rushed through the forest, dodging trees and low hanging branches. I jumped over a log and almost tripped over a root. I pushed through some more branches and then i saw the cabin. I flung the door open and grabbed Sarah's medical supplies from the desk.

I slammed the door behind me and rushed back through the woods. This time, I was less graceful and tripped on a large root that was sticking out from the trail. I'd have to pull that out later. I pushed myself off the ground and brushed off a few pieces of dirt that still clung to my face. I saw the beach ahead and the sharp smell of smoke filled my nose once more. Sarah was kneeling beside the soldier, Sophie and Jake were by the dock, keeping more of a distance from him.

"Got it!" I yelled and tossed Sarah the supplies.

I noticed he was lying on the towel, good, Sarah remembered. I didn't think she would forget in the first place but I felt a little more relaxed, not completely but just a little more.

"Jake! Fill up this bucket with water from the lake!" Sarah shouted and threw a large metal bucket to him.

Jake caught it and rushed to the water's edge.

"I will heal him enough so we can bring him to the cabin," Sarah said and started to fold a white cloth.

"Are you serious!?" Sophie said with despair, "We are bringing him back to our secret cabin!? We don't know what side he is on!"

I pointed to a star symbol on the side of the almost completely wrecked plane, "That's the sign of the Alliance, he's on our side."

"Didn't know we were on a side", Jake said with the bucket in his hand.

It was filled to the rim and some splashed out onto the sand. He jogged closer and put the bucket down securely on the sand.

Sarah soaked the cloth in the bucket and gave it to me. I took it from her soft and gentle hands and met her gaze.

"Put it on a burn", she instructed and pulled out another cloth.

I was never good with medical stuff, that's why I let Sarah do it. I was a hunter, not a healer. I killed animals for food and to protect myself and my family, i certainly didn't heal anyone. My hand was shaking, scared I was going to mess up and make things worse. It was at times like these where I tended to loose focus most.

I moved out my trembling hand to a bad burn on a his upper arm, almost shoulder. The jacket had ripped and little fragments of metal were sticking out of the wound.

"Wait", Sarah said calmly and leaned over with a pair of tweezers.

She pulled out the sharp pieces of metal and put them on a piece of cloth. I honestly didn't understand how she could stay calm and keep a cool mind, she really was like my mother, every part of her, yet she was still Sarah at the same time. My mother used to be a doctor and the only one to follow in her footsteps was Sarah, and she always had.

The soldier groaned a bit then his head tilted to the left a bit. Sarah inspected the wound and nodded to me. I shakily pressed the cloth on his arm and looked over my shoulder at Sarah. She was preparing another cloth and handed it to Sophie.

"No way", Sophie said with disgust, "I can't do this."

"Yes you can," Sarah encouraged, "If Emily can do it, you can too."

I decided not to be offended, if it was at any other time I would have lightly nudged her with my elbow and laughed it off.

Sophie looked intently at the cloth and sighed. I saw her shudder as she took the cloth in her hands. She took in a deep breath and knelt down. She placed it on a burn on the soldier's leg.

I saw him flinch, good, we hadn't killed him yet.

I looked at the cloth under my hand, it was turning red. I pulled it off and threw it on the sand. Sarah handed me another and I placed it back on. I looked at his face, it was cut and there was a burn on the side.

"Can I help?" Jake asked.

I exchanged a look with Sarah. What could Jake do? He couldn't do any medical stuff. I thought for a moment then i had an idea.

"We are going to need to bring him back to the cabin at some point," I began, "Go put on some gloves and go threw the plane wreckage, see if you can find a intact metal sheet, big enough so we could put him on it. Also, make sure it is pretty level, can you do that?"

Jake's gaze brightened, "Of course".

Jake always loved helping, it was one of his great traits as a brother.

About 20 minutes later, after we had soaked the burns with a cloth, Sarah told us to stop.

"I have some burn cream that should help", Sarah said, "Once that is on, lets bring him back".

"Ok", I responded and stepped aside to let Sarah apply it.

I walked over to the wreckage to see if Jake was close to finding anything.

"How's your first hunt Jake", i said, trying to lighten up the serious mood a bit.

"Ha", he said with his head down looking through the rubble, "Nothing yet, but i feel like i am close."

"Cool", I responded and started to look around the wreckage myself. Metal scraps were everywhere, they could be useful one day, why not use it to our advantage.

"Yes!" I heard Jake say with relief.

I heard the clambering of metal falling and saw Jake dragging a large sheet from under the plane.

"You got it?" I asked and walked over.

"Yup", Jake said in a strained voice and stopped to catch his breath before he started tugging at it again.

He pulled it out and dragged it to a clear area. I walked over to see it. I was definitely large enough and it seemed pretty level and flat. I ran my hand over it to make sure no sharp pieces were poking out. I nodded to Jake and looked up.

"This looks great! Lets bring it over to Sophie and Sarah", I said and took the back end while a Jake took the front.

"How's it going Sarah?" Jake asked as he put his end on the sand.

"Almost done", Sarah said so softly i almost didn't hear her.

Then, she took off her medical gloves, ran down to the water, washed off her hands (for some reason) and ran back.

"Done", she sighed with relief, "Lets get him back to the cabin for further treatment.

We all pushed him onto the metal sheet and carried him back.