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LOOKING BACK, JOCELYN ("JOSIE") ISN'T SURE HOW SHE SURVIVED. At least in the very beginning, she was a mess. In one night she lost her brother, mother, and father. Having no other family, in one night, she became alone. After coming home from a party to discover her home ruined by the outbreak, and barely escaping as she was chased by someone who she now knows was infected, Josie considers it a miracle that she's still alive.
Now, 20 years later, she also isn't quite sure how she ended up where she is today. In the Boston QZ, currently working alongside Joel to burn the bodies of the dead.
Looking into the truck, she realizes that the next body is that of a little boy. For a moment, she's filled with panic. No matter the age, any boy somehow reminds her of Pietro. With this boy in particular, it's his shoes. They're at least a couple of decades old, and she's pretty sure Pietro used to have the same ones.
"I—"
"I got it," a rough voice speaks up from behind her.
Josie steps aside and remains silent as Joel takes her place and grabs the body, tossing it into the fire, seemingly without a second thought.
"Thank you," is all she can manage to whisper in the end.
Joel studies the woman in front of him, though only for a few seconds. They aren't close by any means, but he knows how much she means to Tess, and he wants to make sure she isn't about to collapse. He doesn't even want to imagine the conversation if he had to explain to Tess why her friend was killed. And he knew if a guard saw her collapse, or even simply look sick, there's a good chance that's exactly what would happen.
Making sure no one else is looking, Joel discreetly slips extra ration cards into Josie's hand. Once she shoves them in her pocket, he turns and moves to grab the next body.
"Joel, you don't have to keep—"
"Tess told me you gave her some of yours when she hurt her hand again. Don't worry about it."
As much as she wants to argue and attempt to give Joel the cards back, she knows it's pointless, and settles for thanking him again.
Her friendship with Joel is a strange one, if you could even call a friendship. They met through Tess, who brought Josie in on their smuggling operation. When Tess brought them together for a job, that was their only topic of conversation, making sure the job got done. For a while, that was the only interaction they had.
But over the years, things started to shift. Very slowly, but any progress was considered to be good. Joel stopped questioning whether Tess was sure she could be trusted, and though he'd never admit it, he started looking out for her.
