Consequence

Chapter Ten

Adaline was speechless. She knew that look. She'd seen it enough times. That darkness that Joel always aimed at infected, hunters...the Fireflies. It was that darkness in his eyes that warned you he wasn't fucking around. But she never thought she'd ever have that same look aimed at her.

"You wanna explain this?" He snarled and Ada couldn't stop herself flinching at the booming harshness of his voice as he held up a screwed up photograph with bloodied fingers. It was their wedding picture. Clearly broken from the frame it once sat in. The older woman didn't want to know if it had been smashed on purpose.

"Where did you find that?" She asked weakly. Her voice, meek and small compared to her husband's.

He didn't answer straight away. His jaw tight and grinding as he inhaled through flared nostrils; his eyes narrowed in anger and accusation. The man considered for a second before giving up his brother; only uttering his name lowly.

"Tommy?!" She scoffed in disbelief, her own hackles beginning to rise with anger. "What did he say?"

"It don't matter what Tommy said. I asked you!" He forced, his voice beginning to rise with the thinning of his patience. "You gonna explain this? Or are you just planning on lying again?"

"I didn't lie!"

"The hell you didn't!" He yelled; this time echoing out into the street. Some of the neighbours stopped in their tracks to stare in concern and some just downright being nosy. Ada was quick to roughly pull Joel inside by the scruff of his jacket front; away from prying eyes but he didn't waste any time in slipping out of her grasp and away from her reach. His annoyance only more aggravated. Ada moved away, closing the front door. Her hands rested on the wood for a moment. He watched her cautiously; hazel eyes burning into her back. She inhaled deeply, blinking away her welling tears.

"Please Joel..." she pleaded towards the door before turning to face him. Once again greeted with that unwanted hatred in his stare. "I know you're upset but you don't understand."

"Then by all means enlighten me...I ain't going anywhere." Those three words he spat cut like a knife. Those same words that he'd said so many times before as a comfort to her. Once said with love and promise; now were only uttered as a threat laced with anger and spite. Taking a step back, she sighed. She'd always been the strong one, always sure of who she was and what she stood for. But now...looking at the person she'd turned into, she didn't have the answers anymore. She was just so tired. Drained. Looking back, her knees went weak, threatening to give way. She knew deep down this was her fault, leaving him for so long to the point where he came here to find her. She sat down on the living room couch, her bloodshot eyes never leaving her feet. And with a choked sob; she gave all she could offer.

"I'm sorry."

Joel scoffed bitterly storming into the room and staring her down.

"Seriously?! That's all you got?!"

"I don't know what else you want me to say!" She yelled. Her mind continued to spin as the overwhelming thoughts all screamed at once. She felt suffocated. Only feeling the guilt that weighed heavily on her chest. Joel paced, his hands running through his hair in frustration. Her eyes followed him; her words continuously failed her no matter how hard she tried. He stopped mid step casting his glare back towards her; his hands clenching that much harder.

"How about the truth for a damn start! You stood there and lied to my face. You said you lost your husband!" He uttered coldly. That feeling of abandonment rearing its ugly head again. He felt lost.

"I did!" She felt her breath catch in her throat as the darkness tightened its grip on her heart. As it tried to pull her down, she managed to stay above the surface. At least for now. The memories flashing through her head like a kaleidoscope. She heard her screams and the pain in his voice. Pulling away in a feeble attempt to shake them, she paused. Reliving the words she spoke, as if she were there all over again. The sting from her tears and ache in her heart, feeling as real as it did the first time.