𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐓𝐖𝐎 & 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 || ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ᴡɪʟʟɪᴀᴍs

Chapter 3 - An Old Friend

(In reworks)

We had been approaching the small town for a while now, but only now had we reached the gate, which was attached to hundreds of tall wire fences that stretched around the entirety of all the houses.

It looked like a quite peaceful town, the houses were beautiful too.

Nothing like the city.

They all looked very well kept together, nothing seemed to overgrow here. Which means that whoever was running this place had their shit together.

Joel stopped at the gate, scanning his eyes across it as if he were looking for something.

Ellie and I turned to each other, a look of interest filled our eyes. This place was already so cool, and they weren't even inside its walls yet.

We both turned back to the gate as it made a beeping sound, beginning to open.

"Woah" I would wow.

"Woah? You've never seen a gate before?" Joel would question in a blunt but teasing tone.

"Well duh, but not one like this. It's cool, okay?"

Joel nodded, starting to walk through, ushering the girls to follow.

Once all three were through he closed the moving object behind them, blocking out the rest of the world from getting to them.

I stood for a moment, watching it finish closing as the other two went ahead.

I turned and walked after them, gazing around the town in aghast.

If you told me a week ago that this is where I'd be right now, I'd probably laugh in your face.

Not that I was anywhere special.

Moreover, I was far from that shit hole I once called home.

I would never voluntarily leave The Monarch.

And here I was, though I definitely didn't want to leave. I wouldn't change it for the world. The outside was just jaw dropping.

Despite the fact I barely knew Ellie and Joel, I felt at peace with this new world and I hoped that maybe she could get to know them better?

Though it didn't really matter anyways. They were just taking me to the Fireflies, then I was sure Joel would leave, and Ellie would go on to become something much more valuable than just my travel partner.

My thoughts began to fade as I was brought back to reality, looking at the tall white house that we were all now standing in front of. The more I looked at it the more I deeply observed it.

It looked unkempt, and the more I looked around, everything did look pretty clean, but it seemed like it was just starting to crumble apart due to it not being looked after in a while.

But why? Didn't Joel's friend live here?

I looked over at Joel, who seemed to be bothered by the same thing. He touched some of the dying yellow flowers that were planted along the brick wall that were stretching around the house.

He looked worried, growing more so as we continued to approach the house.

He raised his fist and rammed it hard on the door, turning back to the two girls as he waited upon a response.

Ellie opened her mouth to speak, "Maybe they're just out?" She excused the absence of the residence.

My gaze turned from Ellie back to Joel, studying his face as his eyebrows furrowed at the youth's words. In clear disagreement.