Another living soul in the vicinity is generally plenty of reason to be relieved - assuming that living soul is a friendly one. The guy approaching him is unfamiliar in just about every way, but he sounds earnest enough.

Not that Tim's prepared to simply trust something like that right off the bat. The flip-knife might be small and insignificant, but it's about all he's got, and at least he has it.

"I'm alive," says Tim, which, while accurate, is probably not the most potent vote of confidence. "You?"