Innocence ✔

Chapter 14

Joel found us a little cottage far away from the town, Ellie could barely stand as we walked there. I felt so bad. I should have gone back for her when she fell into that huge hole.  I was so panicked though. I had no idea what I was doing, at least Hugo and Joel made it out safely. It randomly brgan to snow outside, we had no warm clothing, Hugo will be so upset. Myabe it will change, but it won't keep the rats away since it is snwoing. The little cottage we found was just like the other houses, moldy. Dark. Huge areas were blocked off with large old objects, but we found a bedroom at least. With just the mattress, Hugo loved it instantly, He wouldn't stop laughing and jumping on the mattress, he eventually fell asleep, which he is doing right now. From all that running...I don't know how he did it. I was sitting on the ground staring at my sling silently, When Joel came out of the kitchen and went into his bag, he stared at me.

''Ellie took a bad fall, Amicia. Said she landed on a rough platform, She remembers just backing out from there. She remembered hearing you scream, you both are goddamn lucky we found You both, Ellie being left there 5 more minutes alone would kill her. I would say so yourself, I don't think you would have survived with all those arrows being hit atcha'.'' He growled to me, I saw he took out a health kit, I looked away. ''Alright, Amicia. Let me make something clear to you. I don't do all that...Screaming and yelling stuff. You have gotta listen to me though. You were fine with Ellie, I was fine with Hugo. I know he is your brother and all that, but you gotta trust me, Amicia. I don't care if you do or not. You have to learn how to be separated. How to fight. How to let your brother go with someone you trust. Take care of people and things than your brother, Amicia. Or also. But you gotta make this clear between you and me. If I hear a scream that doesn't need to be needed, Your brother screaming his shitty head off like it's nobody's business...Ellie and I will leave you two be.'' He hissed, taking out the health kit and holding it tightly. 

''You got it?''

I gulped. 

''G-Got it, Joel.'' I replied, He nodded. ''Good. Get yourself fixed up a little, come help me with Ellie.'' Joel asserted, I nodded and followed him into the kitchen, Ellie was on the table looking down at her shoes. She gasped when She saw me walked in, I did a little as well. The half of her face was covered in bruises still since she was in the sunlight that shined through the window made it show. Her sleeve was up to her shoulders, Scars and a cut was around her wrist, black and blue. The other stayed, I think it was the bite mark she had of some type. She kicked her legs against the table, Blood showed through her jeans. Joel handed me a rag. ''Go to the sink and wet that, Amicia.'' He ordered me, Opening up the kit. I shuddered and turned on the sink, only a little bit of water came through. I wet it enough and gave it to Joel. He put up the pointer finger to me, I watched as he applied a long bandage on Ellie's arm, she winced. 

I saw how much he cared for Ellie. 

Wrapping it gently, asking which parts hurt the most. Even though they weren't family, they looked like it. Joel continued to wrap Ellie's arm, he looked at her. ''You okay?'' He asked, Ellie, blinked quickly. ''Yeah, It just hurts at my wrist, can you not wrap it tight?'' She asked Joel tensing up, He shook his head. ''Kiddo, It's gonna hurt no matter what. I wrap it gently though.'' Joel replied, Ellie, winced as Joel wrapped her wrist next carefully, Inlet the wet rag soaked through my hands, the water sank through the little cracks through my hands, it dripped onto the wooden dusty floor, showing only a little bit of clearness on the floor. Joel tapped my arm, I gasped. ''Can you take care of Ellie for a little bit?-'' Ellie scoffed, Joel rolled his eyes. ''Like I was saying, can you take care of her face? I am gonna go outside and catch some food, a rabbit or something.''

I paused. 

''A-A rabbit? You are going to kill a rabbit?'' I trembled, Joel frowned. ''Amicia, It's not like there's a damn cafe down the street.'' I rolled my eyes. ''That's not what I am talking about! I am not letting you kill a wildlife animal! And when Hugo finds out that he is eating a dead rabbit,...He'll be heartbroken! Hugo loves animals, I can't let him eat a Rabbit!'' I lited, Joel crossed his arms. ''Amicia, You and Hugo have three options here. One, You either both don't eat the rabbit, let yourself's starve and find something else to eat. Two, You let Hugo know it's a rabbit right after we are all done eating it, let the kid get made, and scream his head off, once again another way he almost killed us. Three, You don't tell Hugo it's a rabbit that he ate, we all eat and be fine, and Hugo won't know I killed at Rabbit, and he ate it. Which damn option you wanna use?''