𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐫 | 𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧

10.

Joel Dawson

i walked around the colony and stared at every area they had. it looks a lot nicer than mine and the outside area was beautiful. i saw aimee walking around the sand as she sent out a few orders to her people.

"hey" i said as she looked at me.
"perfect timing. guys, joel, this is dana and rocko"
"sup" rocko said.
"these are the guys from the yacht"
"cool. oh is that a- is that an arm cannon?" i asked.
"yep. homemade" dana said while tapping it.
"which one of you- which one of you's the yacht captain?"
"guilty as charged. captain brooks walkinson. royal australian navy" a man with an australian accent said.
"oh dear god" i mumbled.
"retired of course, my mates call me cap. i see you've met these specimens but this beautiful lady, thats our yacht" he pointed to a broken down yacht as i stared in disbelief.
"a little shelly for my taste but, she gets the job done"
"cap this is joel" aimee said.
"joel ended up traveling 7 days on the surface to get here"
"7 days?"
"7- yeah. 7 days"
"that is one hell of a journey joel"
"it was. yeah"
"ion get it. why'd you leave your colony joel?" rocko asked.
"you get caught stealing food?" dana asked.
"no i ddint get caught stealing food! why is that such a thing? i dont-"
"you came for love. go on then mate, thats beautiful. theres no mission more admirable then love."
"yo cap, we cooking this shit or what? i feel like i got king kongs nuts on my shoulders man"
"thats charming rock, really. joel, you look like a man who knows his way around a barbecue"
"i-"
"come help us get a fire started"
"umm actually im gonna stay and uh- catch up with aimee for a second"
"i apologize- old habits. you show up and here i am tryna give you orders. i'll give you guys some privacy"
"thank you" aimee said.
"yeah namaste. uh- i was gonna just-"
"hey joel!"
"yeah?"
"were throwing a killer going away party tonight! nothing fancy but we'll have a drink together, to welcome you to the colony"
"okay?"
"first drink on me!"
"thanks. he's nice" i said to aimee.
"brews his own beer"
"oh. course he does"

•••

"im sorry theres just so much going on right now. do you mind?" aimee asked as she packed her stuff up.
"yeah" i said while walking over to grab her clothes for her.
"its crazy"
"its pretty nice here you know? why uh- why do you have to leave?"
"its beautiful just not safe"
"right"
"everyones afraid. even your bunk got breached and your all young and strong"
"yeah.. hey aimee? sorry i know yoy got like, a lot going on but uh- you know- i came all the way here to see you and so im just checking in. just wondering how your feeling about that?"
"i think its the most romantic thing anyones ever done"
"you do? okay good cause i-"
"but listen. joel, talking to you on the radio is such a nice escape from running this colony... and um, your probably the only person left from my old life, from fairfield"
"oh. theres a- theres a but coming, isnt there?"
"but i didnt think you'd actually come here joel"
"oh- um"
"and im so happy to see you im just not- im not the same person that i used to be you know? 7 years, its a long time. i- ive lost people. my mom, my friends, last year i lost someone and he meant a lot to me"
"um- woah- ... oh man... i feel like such an idiot"
"no noo dont-"
"i didnt even- i didnt even ask you if i should come. i just got so excited and i- i left. dont know what i thought. well i know what i thought. i'd come and- and sweep you off your feet, and we'd be happy. but you didnt want me here"
"i am so sorry, i should have said something on the radio or-"
"no its okay. its okay um-"
"i know this isnt how you pictured this going but, you'll still come with us right?"
"come with you?- on the yacht?"
"this is our shot at survival. give cap a chance"