𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 ⚠︎︎ 𝐉. 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑

chapter fourteen

The woman stared at them, slightly judgmental, eyes trained on the two girls who were eating their food like ravenous animals, they couldn't possibly scoop the soup into their mouths any faster. Joel was also a bit concerned, slurping up the liquid deliciousness with the same curious stare.

Thalia and Ellie ate it like it was their last meal. Hell who knew? It could be. The spices this elderly woman used added just the right amount of flavor, it'd been months since they'd had decent food that didn't taste bland.

The girl hummed before swallowing the spoonful and looking out the window, "Oh. I think that guys coming back." He nearly knocked the table over with how quickly he jumped up, though it wasn't too fast, he was getting old after all.

Joel peered through the window and immediately turned around, pointing a finger, "Ellie, go upstairs." She scoffed, "Why do I have to go upstairs? Why can't I just stay down here?"

"Listen to him, Ellie. Don't need a fucking repeat of last week." The teen chuckled at the memory, sighing wistfully as she stood up, "Fuck, that was funny." Joel shook his head and stepped back from the window, "To you."

"Thalia thought it was funny." As she climbed up the stairs she looked back for some sign of the woman being on her side, "No. Now go." Her tone was harsh which made Ellie smirk, "You fuckin' laughed! Liar!" The brunette shook her head, standing up and pulling her gun from the holster.

"My ass... I laughed? I didn't laugh- it wasn't... it wasn't funny." The memory was fond. Who knew how often a teenage girl could specifically ignore what an old man was telling her? Thalia and Joel actually, they had plenty of experience with parenting teenage girls.

Thalia cleared her throat before stealing one last mouthful of soup, standing up straight with her gun at her hip. Joel grabbed the back of her jacket and gently pulled her behind a wall, she whined at the thought of leaving her soup.

They waited for the woman's husband to enter the cabin, listening for the sound of weapons and he set it down. Joel emerged with his wife trailing not far behind him, "And the gun."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Just someone passin' through. Take the gun out, two fingers only, put it outta reach." She was surprised when he did just that, setting the pistol down on a small table before he turned to his own wife, "Why didn't you shoot him?"

"The gun's all the way over there. They didn't hurt me, by the way."

"Yeah, I got eyes... you made them soup?" She nodded which made Thalia smile, "Yeah, I did. It's cold out." The brunette lowered her gun, keeping it in her hand but no longer as threatened when the man sat down. "I'm lookin' for my brother."

The guy scoffed, "Well I ain't seen him."

"I haven't told you what he looks like."

"He look anything like you?"

"A bit." Thalia giggled, shaking her head, "No. He doesn't."

"They've got their daughter with 'em."

"She's not our daughter." In unison they spoke and it only took a second before that said girl was poking her head over the upstairs balcony, "Can I come down now?"

"No. Ellie!" Like many things with Joel, she just didn't listen, stomping down the stairs as the couple chuckled, clearly the kid in their possession didn't listen too well. "What did I just say?"

"Come on, Joel. They're, like, a thousand." Thalia dipped her head down, staring at the floorboards, "Who's this little psycho?"

"Never mind her. I need you to tell us where we are."