¹epiphany ─ j. miller

Adiós

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
FALL
ADIÓS

───★───

The hunters began making their way through the upstairs hallway. Joel immediately moved down and took cover behind a fallen desk. Elva hid behind the bathroom door as she reloaded her handgun.

Joel quickly snapped the neck of one of the hunters that had approached him, ducking back down into another bedroom after.

Elva took down another one with her bow, trying to make as little noise as she could as they killed the hunters.

A smoke bomb was thrown at the stairs as Tommy approached, completely destroying their ability to see. Elva waved Ellie backwards, letting the young girl stay behind her for cover.

One of the hunters came up the stairs, only to be met with a few punches from Tommy before his head was smashed into the wall.

They walked into the kitchen, Elva taking down one of the hunters with her handgun as fast as she could. The element of silence and surprise was gone, they had to resort to whatever they could use.

Joel took down the other hunter that had run in with a machete he had picked up, slicing the man's neck straight off.

"House is clear." He yelled.

"Let's get back to the horses." Tommy replied.

Ellie still stayed beside Elva as they left the ranch house. Joel still held his shotgun in his hands, scouting the area for any more bandits. None remained. "It's clear." He spoke.

Tommy exited the house alongside Elva and Ellie. The young girl's face was still solemn and red, disappointed at the conversation that had taken place minutes before.

"You want a hand up?" Tommy asked her as she unhitched her horse.

"I got it." Ellie replied, mounting it.

The others got on their horses, Joel and Elva riding together again. The two trailed behind Tommy and Ellie a bit.

"So, you gonna tell me what happened?" Elva asked, leading her horse down the bush-ridden trail.

Joel shook his head. "Later."

She nodded. "Whatever you say."

───★───

The trees cleared up after a while of riding, showing a beautiful settlement. Jackson.

At the edge of a large cliff, they stopped. Looking at the view as the sun set behind the mountains. The sky had turned into a gorgeous orange color above the town.

"There she is." Tommy exclaimed admirably. "Kids'll be watching movies tonight."

Joel sighed, turning to his brother. "Where is this lab of theirs?"

"It's all the way out- University of Eastern Colorado."

So they did change locations. Elva thought.

"Go Big Horns." Joel chuckled. He turned to Ellie. "Get off your horse, I'll take it." He spoke. "I'm gonna hang on this fella, if that's alright with you."

Tommy nodded. "Take those two." He said, pointing towards the horse that Elva was on and the horse that Joel was on.

Ellie was too stunned to move. "C'mon." Elva spoke.

"What are you doing?" Tommy asked.

"Your wife kinda scares me, I don't want her coming after me." He lied. Well, it was a half-lie. Joel was quite scared of Maria, as was everyone.

The young girl jumped off of her horse, letting Joel dismount Elva's and take ahold of the reins.

Ellie looked towards Tommy. "Sorry for stealing your horse." She apologized.

He nodded, looking back towards Joel and Elva. "Look, come back to town, let's discuss it at least."

"You know me, my mind's all made up." Joel smirked. "University of Eastern Colorado, how do we find this lab?" He asked.

"It's in the science building, looks like a giant mirror." Tommy replied. "You can't miss it."

Elva nodded. "Good."

Joel sighed. "You take care of that wife of yours."

"There's a place for you two here, you know." Tommy nodded.

Elva pulled Ellie up onto the back of her horse, letting her sit where Joel once was.

"You good?" Joel asked Ellie.

She nodded with content. "I'm good."

Elva looked to Tommy. "I'll see you in another twenty years." She smiled sarcastically.

"Don't make it too long, I'm sure Maria's expecting some stories." He grinned.

She pulled the horse away, making her way down the path as Joel and Tommy said their goodbyes.

"Adiós, little brother." Joel smiled.

───★───