THE UNEXPECTED

01

I caught my breath, feeling my chest contract harshly with every inhale. Hunters swarmed the city, hounding every tourist and I stupidly found myself in the middle of it all for the second time in my life, may I add. Sighing, I popped the clip of my revolver and reloaded the gun incase of any more run ins. And it seemed that my luck was running out, being low on bullets firstly and secondly, I wasn't alone.

Cursing at myself, I entered slowly into the dilapidated foyer of the hotel. My eyes wandered at the sight, despite the destruction it was fancy as shit but soon my lips grimaced at the stench of it. The wood of the walls and flooring must've began to rot, which wasn't surprising, but it had a foul odour to it.

At the sound of a thud, my eyes widened and ears pricked, my head turned so fast you'd think I'd have whiplash. And before I could really think, I found myself heading toward the sound with a gun clutched between my fingertips. My grip was hardening around it as my heart rate increased rapidly, I could feel the thumping of my chest as I reached the second level of the hotel. It was beginning to get increasingly difficult to stay hidden since a lot of the flooring was falling through and there was no direct route forward. My head was almost spinning at the thought of yet another hunter, I really needed more ammo.

"Fuck!"

"-Shit!"

My body slammed into the torso of another but I'm sure they took the brunt of the fall as I steadied myself upright by clutching at the wall. By now, my heart rate had never been so high and immediately I rose my gun forward only to be met with a little girl. Her hard eyes stared into those of my own and although I was confused I felt somewhat at ease. Everyone knows that the hunters don't travel with children.

"What the fuck?" I blurted aloud before my mind could even catch up. It was incredibly dangerous for a little girl to be out in the city alone. Her eyebrows furrowed when I spoke, I could practically feel the cogs turning within her head. Many were always confused or surprised at my lack of American accent and instead a very strong British one.

"I could say the same! Man, you're like made of steel or somethin'! My ass hurts likes hell." I could feel my eyebrows raise when she spoke, my lips quirked. She had a mouth on her that's for sure.

"And what the hell are you doing out here alone? If you aren't aware there are hunters fuckin' everywhere and I've narrowly avoided them." I breathed, finally gaining some composure which gave me a second to really take her in. The first thing I noticed being a small knife clutched between her fingers coated in dried blood.

"I'm looking for someone, he said he'd get back to me but it's been too long for my liking." Her words snapped me from my trance and I nodded in response.

"I see, you want me to come with you until you find him? I've got a gun, and well, you haven't." The girl looked to be in deep thought for a second but before she could even respond, another thud sounded only this time it seemed much closer. Our eyes met briefly before we both nodded and advanced forward slowly.

Across the room, two men were thrashing amongst a pool of water and one of them seemed to have the clear upper hand as his arm wrapped around the others neck forcing him under the water.

"Fuck, that's Joel! You gotta help him." The young girl hissed, gesturing toward my gun and the hunter's head. I nodded, taking a breath and stepping forward to reveal myself to the hunter. My eyes narrowed as I levelled my gun. But before he could even react, my finger met the trigger and a bullet ripped through the air landing itself between his eyes.

"You shot the hell out of that guy, huh?" The girl exasperated, taking a seat on some of the rubble, "If that was me I'd feel sick, agh!" She rambled whilst shaking her head, not even noticing the two adults beside her.

"Why didn't you just hang back like I told you to?" At that, my eyes widened at the familiarity of his voice, that southern drawl which reminded me all too well of my past. I slowly turned to face him but his eyes were still trained at the auburn haired girl, there was something about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"But you're glad I didn't, right Joel?" My head turned again, my eyes not knowing where to look but as soon as I was reminded of the man's name again, it all clicked. It all slotted into place. Joel. Tommy. Chicago.

"Fuck." I paused, unintentionally interrupting their argument of sorts, "Joel fucking Miller."

For the first time in years, he glanced over towards where I stood. At first his face contorted into what looked like confusion and shock but I knew that as soon as I spoke he'd realise who I was.

"Em? Emily Parker? I ain't imaginin' that accent of yours am I?" His Texan drawl sounded, I could say the same thing to him. And at that, my lips quirked into somewhat of a smile, it had been far too long.