"Family," he corrects softly. None of them are biologically related, but this is where Nageki grew up. It's the only family he ever knew. "Hitori hadn't gotten home yet so he survived, but everyone else is gone."

If the humans had only come one day sooner or one day later, more would have survived. But this day everyone had come home to spend time together as a family, just as they did every other week.

Nageki glances anxiously at the door. It's not quite within his reach yet.