Ends With You: Joel Miller

CHAPTER 19

I feel the small tap on my shoulder before the grogginess vanishes from my eyes and I open them to see Ellie crouching down before me with a small smile on her mouth. I notice it's now dark as I look around my surroundings and see Joel still in a heavy slumber, my legs still draped over his lap.

I look back to Ellie as my own smile appears on my mouth as she nods towards Henry by the window, "He says it's time to go." She whispers and looks to Joel, "I figure you can wake him up?" She looks at Joel with uneasiness, like she's afraid he'll chop off her head if she'll wake him.

I try to swallow past the dryness in my mouth as I nod, "Okay." I whisper, my voice still laced with sleep. Ellie looks back to me and nods before getting up from her spot on the floor and making her way over to Sam.

I yawn and roll my neck, feeling the cracks pop through leaving me at ease before I rub at my eyes and slowly sit up being careful not to remove my legs from Joel's grasp. I look down at his hands to see them clutched on tight to them like he's afraid they'll disappear. My eyes wander to his relaxed face, and I realize he's just as relaxed as I feel and that's when I noticed that I wasn't plagued by any nightmares as I slept.

I smile and bring my hand up to his shoulder and lightly clamp down before giving it a small tug. His closed eyelids flutter open so slowly before his eyes find mine in the dimly lit room. I give him a smile and nod to Henry, "Time to go." I whisper.

He takes a moment to look at his surroundings and down at his hands before he slowly lets my legs go. I remove them from his lap and swing off the sofa to stand up, my arms going above my head to stretch, my whole body awakening at the feeling. I yawn one more time as I bend over to pick up my bag and quickly secure it on my shoulders.

I feel Joel stand up beside me before one of his hand's glides across my lower back as if to let me know that he's there. I look back at him confused because I'm not even sure he realized what he did, and it confirms it when I just move to his side and he bends down to pick up his own bag and walks off in Henry's direction. I stare after him shocked by the incident and I'm not complaining one bit, but it just seems like something has definitely changed with his attitude or at least I hope so.

I shake my head and walk over to Henry as he gives Sam a talk, catching the end of it, "Stick to me like glue." He points down at him.

"Like glue." Sam repeats.

"Good." Henry pats him on the back before turning to face us, "Alright, y'all ready?" He asks as his hand rubs together in a nervous manner.

"Yeah." Joel whispers and looks down at me to check I'm there.

"Okay." Henry says in a high voice like he's trying to hype himself up, but I do suppose this will be one hell of a night.

I watch as Henry walks off and out the door, "Alright, y'all stay close." He says to no one in particular and we all file out of the room to follow him.

Joel comes up behind him and looks at one of the windows, "You try this before?"

"Uh, yeah." Henry says his voice filled with unease.

"That's comforting." Joel says and I can't help but smile at his mood. Definitely changed from being salty.

"Relax, old man." Henry says with amusement in his voice.

I watch as Joel shakes his head, "I just hope you know the way." He says annoyed and we continue to follow Henry as he leads us through the back of the building.

"This way." Henry says and enters a flight of stairs and begins to descend. I make sure Ellie stays in front of me with Sam not wanting to lose sight of her as we all make our way down four flights of stairs.