Tough and Weak 𖣘 Joel Dawson x Reader

013 ||A Distant Scream||

[Y/n's POV]

Flashback

My mom and I were hurriedly driving in our car, tears and fear laced on our faces.

"Mom, stop!" I exclaimed. I saw Tom getting out of his truck running towards a giant monster.

"Tom!" I yelled, racing out of the car in attempt to stop him. His head snapped in my direction.

"Y/n! What are you doing here? You have to leave." He ran over to me. His face had blood trickling down the side.

"No, you have to come with us! I'm not leaving you!" I cried. He couldn't leave. He couldn't. He couldn't die.

He connected our foreheads, cupping my cheeks.

"I'll catch up with you, I promise. Okay? I promise." He cried. He pulled me into a passionate kiss. The feeling of his lips leaving mine was more painful than when they connected. He must have seen something coming behind me because I saw his eyes widen. Fear.

He started running toward the mysterious thing behind me. "Tom!"

I spun around. He was running toward a mother and baby that a monster was towering over, ready to eat its next meal. I don't know what he was thinking of doing, but he ran toward it. I froze, it felt like I was underwater, everything was moving slowly around me as I watched the love of my life run towards his death.

I was pulled away by my mum, her tears were coating her face, yet I didn't notice. My eyes were still on the beetle eating my boyfriend. I kept resisting my mother's pull as I continued to watch the monster rip Tom apart limb from limb. It was like everything was in slow motion, even pleading cries of my mother. Tears were streaming down my face like a waterfall. I wanted to collapse, stay there and let the monsters take me, too. But I had to stay strong for my mom. For Tom.

End of Flashback

Minnow was shaking my arm rapidly.

"Y/n?" I snapped out of the memory. Of the final goodbye. "Are you alright? You've been staring at the ground for the last 20 minutes." Minnow said.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I'm fine." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in.

"You sure?" She asked.

"Yeah." I didn't sound very convincing, though. I couldn't even convince myself. I didn't know why I kept thinking of Tom. I knew I liked Joel, but Tom was still a part of me that I couldn't let go of.

You never forget be first person you love.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a sheer, distant scream. I snapped my head around immediately.

"What was that?" Minnow asked. I knew what it was. I knew who it was. Joel. I turned back to Clyde and Minnow, my voice speaking almost too fast to understand.

"I'm sorry, but I think I just let the boy I care most about go and now I have to go save him,"

"I knew you would," Clyde smiled. "Now go!" He yelled. "Save your man." I smiled before running off towards the screams.

I was gonna do it. I was gonna stay with the boy I'm in love with. Joel Dawson.

I kept running through the dense forests. I wanted to scream with joy as I felt my throat get dry and coarse from running, but I was sensible and didn't fancy being eaten at this moment.

I kept running towards the terrified screams and howls, but what I saw frightened me. A large centipede was surrounding Boy. Joel was on the ground with a crossbow, he was getting ready to shoot. I should have stayed quiet and I shouldn't have screamed, but I did.

"Hey, Ugly!" I yelled at the monster. It snapped its hideous head in my direction. "Shit,"

I grabbed my bow from my backpack and pointed it at the monster.

But I didn't shoot. I don't know why I didn't, I just froze. It didn't come close to me though. I'm frozen.

Frozen.

Frozen.

I was picked up from behind. I guess it knew how to use its tail, I didn't scream. I was still frozen.

Frozen.

Frozen.

"Y/n!" Joel yelled. Boy ran over to him as he got to his feet. "Just hang on, okay?!"

"No shit!" Last time I said this, I screamed. Now, I whispered.

Joel shakily brought up his crossbow and pointed it at the beast from behind, however, the monster had all its focus on me. It brought its long antenna towards me and started opening its toothy mouth. I was expecting death, I saw my life flash before my eyes.

Joel.

Tom.

Mom.

Bunker.

Kissing.

Dea-

A large pain came over me, starting at my back and working its way up to my neck. I groaned.

I felt the air escape my lungs. I was winded.

Joel ran over to me in a hurry.

"Y/n, are you okay? What are you doing here? Did you see that!?" He rambled.

"I'm fine," I groaned again while struggling to get up.

"Here, let me help."

Joel grabbed my arm and pulled me up, I put my arm around his shoulder for support.

"What are...what are you doing here?" He breathed.

"You scream like a girl," I panted. He laughed lightly. I wasn't ready to tell him how I felt. But I could do one thing. I pulled him into a tight hug. He hugged back, he put his head in the crook of my neck. "Thanks for saving me," I whispered.

"I owed you one," He muttered into my neck.

But of course, I couldn't forget about Boy. The dog started sniffing me up and down. I let go of Joel and started smiling and petting Boy happily.

"Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?"

I was never, ever leaving Joel again.

[Joel's POV]

I was never letting Y/n leave me again.