The Boy

Sam(8) and Pa(40) have been living in a small secluded cabin in the mountains Sam's entire life. Reaching the age where he wants to become more independent from his father, Sam begins to question their way of life and the truth about the guarded past of his mother who died shortly after he was born. Teaching his son important lessons of survival, Pa goes to great lengths to keep Sam in the dark about the truth of the world beyond their mountain. But as Sam continues to push back against him it becomes a struggle to keep the boy safe. When a stray dog appears in the woods by the cabin, Pa reluctantly agrees that they can keep the animal but remains fearful that the dogs owners may be close by. Signs of a bear in the area have also put the two on guard but when a pair of hikers appears on the horizon, Pa takes care of it in his own way. Sam is horrified as he secretly watches his father bury the two hikers out back in their garden late that night and plans on running away. Unable to contain himself anymore, Sam erupts at his father, demanding the hard truth about his mother and the people his father killed. Their late night argument in the cabin attracts some unwanted attention as Sam believes the bear is attacking their cabin. While Pa uses the rifle to defend their home, Sam runs out the front door and into the night. As dawn breaks the next morning, Pa sits on the porch with his gun. Tears in his eyes as he sees his only child staggering his way home, a fresh victim of the zombie apocalypse he's been sheltering the boy from.