𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐓𝐖𝐎 & 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 || ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ᴡɪʟʟɪᴀᴍs

Chapter 12 - On The Road Again

Ellie and I had stayed up together most the night before both crashing on the bed.

My eyes slowly creeped open, groaning slightly as I rolled over in the soft bed. The bed here were so much better than any bed I'd ever slept on.

Ellie wasn't beside me anymore. I sat up in the bed, yawning as I stretched out my arms.

The red haired girl was sitting on the couch again, her backpack over her shoulders, dressed and ready to go.

"Planning to leave without me?"

"I'm still here aren't I?" Ellie wittily replied with a small sly smile spread across her face.

I rolled my eyes, throwing the cover off from over my legs as they planted firmly on the ground beside the bed.

As I quickly gathered my stuff from my bag I dressed myself into warmer wear, consisting of a blue jumper, my normal blue jeans and a thick white and green patterned jacket.

I turned back to Ellie, throwing my backpack over my shoulder. Maria had given her a beanie to wear. It was cute, but I was a little salty I didn't get one.

"I like the beanie."

"I like the jacket."

The door creaked open, I quickly turned around.

As I watched it open I had that small glimpse of hope that we'd be greeted by the face of Joel. That maybe he'd changed his mind and realised we were right.

But the chance faded when Tommy fully opened the door. He had his backpack on, and a gun holstered over his shoulder.

Something in me finally clicked. Joel wasn't going to come back, definitely not after last night. I had so much respect for that man yet he decided he could just dump us on his brother and cower behind the walls of Jackson. Whatever. Maybe it was for the best?

The walk to the barn wasn't far, but before we arrived it felt like it had stretched on forever and ever. The early birds hid in between each others feathers, silent this early morning as nothing but the wind whistled.

My body shuddered a little as me and Ellie walked side by side behind Tommy. He didn't give the impression he was to happy about this either. Good. It would give us all something to bound over, because at the moment, none of us were very happy with Joel.

Shuffling came from one of the horses stalls, Tommy had told us he'd already tacked both horses up and was ready to go. It had been decided after a bit of arguing that I'd be allowed to ride by myself, since I had more experience than Ellie. Though this sound didn't sound like a horse.

We walked up the corridor, horses making a racket to our left as our feet clunked on the wooden floors. Tommy stopped, my eyes having been on the ground caused me to thump into his side.

I recoiled, looking up at him as he stared into the open horse stall, adjusting the shotgun slung over his shoulder. I looked in the sight line he was gazed by, widening as I spotted Joel. Beside the horse. Wearing a backpack.

"Come to wish us goodbye?" Ellie spoke up, a sly hint of attitude mixed with sass was evident as she spoke. But it was clear that for some reason, Joel had changed his mind about adopting us out.

"Actually, I'm coming with you." He replied, adjusting his bag strap as his hands found the reins of the horses, beginning to lead it out of the stall. All three of us stepped out of the way. Tommy walked towards the other horse stall, which I assumed was the horse I'd be riding. I was right.

We were all standing outside in the cold weather again. Ellie had her arms crossed, not very pleased about the sudden change of mind. Neither was I. "So you're coming with us now?" My voice perked, hands on my hips as I waited upon a response.

"If you'll have me." The man with a husky voice replied. Both Ellie and I made eye contact, in thought about our decision before she made the first move, stepping forward and throwing her bag into Joel's hands. "Help me up" She said, motioning towards the larger horse of the two.

That's just what he did, and once he was done hoisting her up, he gave me a leg up onto my horse. I shifted my weight in the hard leather saddle, my feet slipping into the stirrups as I found comfortable ground. My tongue clicked, bringing my horse up beside Ellie's before I halted beside them. "He changed his mind?" I whispered, so Joel wouldn't hear of course, but he was talking to Tommy, completely distracted.

"He changed his fucking mind" She replied, in her normal voice. I shook my head. Take the hint Ellie, small voices. "Are you glad?" I looked at her, shrugging my shoulders as I muttered up a reply. "I guess, it hurts to know he even considered it though."

Our conversation was cut short when Joel interrupted, placing Tommy's shotgun safely on to his and Ellie's horse as he threw himself into the saddle, Ellie nestling behind him.

With a quick goodbye to Tommy they were off, Joel moving his horse slowly as I moved behind, the horses hooves chattering along the pavement during the silent morning.

Before I could even blink my eyes we were far gone. Everything had seen quiet for hours, and my butt was starting to get sore from the horses movements. My eyes flicked down to my horses mane, giving him a quick pat on the side of the neck. My horse. No name. "What do we call them?" I finally broke the silence.

"Who?" Ellie questioned, her head snapping to face her. "The horses. What do we call them?" I said.

"Surely they already have names." Joel spoke up. "Not that we know of.. and we can't go all this way with them without even having a name to call them" I replied.

"I think... our one should be called — Callus" Ellie stammered for her words, pulling the name out of complete thin air.

"That's a stupid name" I snorted. "You think of a better one then, dick face" Ellie snapped back. I shrugged my shoulders, letting go of my reins and holding up my hands to show mercy.

"Okay! Okay!" I laughed before feeling the leather back between my hands again "I'm going to call my horse.. Larkin"

"Larkin?" Joel questioned. "It was my dad's name" I said softly, looking down at my hands as I steered the horse. "Now that's a stupid name to call your baby, good name for a pet though" Joel chuckled to himself.

"If you were born in the Monarchy then how did you know your father?" Ellie pondered. My nose scrunched, sighing slightly.

"They knew my parents, how else would they of gotten their hands on me when I was just a baby?" That was all the detail I was going to put of offer. It was vague. Sometimes vague is good when you don't particularly want to talk about something.

It was about time to rest for the night. It was getting dark, and even colder. And we were all growing even more tired by the minute.

As soon as the horses were hitched, the campfire was set up and the sleeping bags were laid out I was dreaming already. Having fallen asleep so fast I have no idea what happened with Ellie and Joel. Maybe they had spoken, which hadn't really happened on the trip, because Ellie holds grudges hard. I know Joel had stayed up to keep watch.

In the morning I'd ask him why'd he had changed his mind. Or perhaps maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I'd rather be left in the dust. Or maybe it's bad and I don't want to know. What if he just wanted the glory of getting the saviour, our cure, the the doctors. No. He's not like that. Is he? I don't know. I hadn't gather where I stand with him. If he wants to regain my trust he has to earn it.

So let him earn it.