Dark Paradise - Joel Miller x OC

Danger

Warning: a lot in this chapter => she's affronting her past trauma + physical/psychological violence + abusive talk + everything hurt and I'm sorry.

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

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Perched on his horse, Joel only half listens to the story his brother tells him. She is there, just a few feet from him, and yet so far away. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches her, her words from the day before still anchored in him. Her sad smile, the soft kiss on his cheek before she walked away, refusing to even stay to have dinner with him.

They started seeing each other again, still in secret. In the month since Eugene had left them his hideout, they had only seen each other four times, maybe five. The place was full of odds and ends, and the sofa bed wasn't in its prime anymore. But lovers don't need much to hold each other.

However, not everything is back to the way it was before. A certain embarrassment remains between them. He continues to want to keep their relationship out of sight. She can't understand people. They all survived an apocalypse, why are they so focused on what two survivors can do to get over it? The burden of secrecy seems to weigh too heavily on the young woman's shoulders.

She winced that morning, seeing that he too was going on that group patrol. She still doesn't like doing this. She only goes out because Maria has asked her to, to relieve the teams from time to time. After all, she knows how to use weapons, and she often watches over the wall. Patrolling is just the next logical step.

They have been on the paths surrounding the city for hours now. He would like to talk to her, but they are surrounded by all the others. He would never be able to approach her to try and work things out. He will have to wait patiently and hope that the young woman will listen to him.

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"This was a stupid move Anthony.

-Calm down Joel, it's not like he made it on purpose."

The two brothers are bickering at each other. One of the patrollers fell from his horse, injuring his arm. Now they're near an old warehouse to decide what to do next. The injured was taken to the old guardian house to be laid down. He's fine, but he can't continue the patrol. Tommy decides.

"It's ok. He's gonna rest a little while we continue the patrol, we will pick him up on the way back.

-We can't leave him alone.

-Chloe, can you stay with him?"

The young woman nods and walks into the house. Joel quietly closes his fist. He isn't comfortable letting her alone there, but he can't really object. And then, he knows, if anyone's able to stand up for themselves and protect Anthony, it's her.

After the patrol leaves, Chloe goes up to see the injured, reassuring him. It's not his fault that his horse swerves, it can happen to anyone. She keeps him company until he falls asleep, tired of his emotions and his wounds. She comes back downstairs to make a fire and cook something to welcome the others on their return.

As she stirs the stew, she hears an engine outside. Immediately, her body goes on alert. People don't use cars in Jackson.

"Damn it, it's a dead end. We should have stayed on the fucking highway. Let's go inside and see if we can find stuff at least."

Her whole body tenses. Because they are intruders, of course. But much more than that. This voice. She could bet her life on it. She grabs her gun and goes to hide in another room. Anthony is upstairs, probably asleep. They can't find him, but she can't join him yet.