Joel kicked the door open taking two of them down with his rifle. Tommy followed him and Makayla too as they were about go walk downstairs one of them was walking up.
Makayla's reflexes kicked in, kicking him hard, making him fly down the stairs and Tommy managed to put a bullet in his brain just before he hit the ground.
They heard more stomps seeing another two of them and Joel shot one and Makayla the other, clearing the way out.
Joel was in the lead, stepping outside, aiming with his gun still to take a look around.
"We're clear." He called out and Makayla and Tommy stepped outside too.
"That was a small group." Tommy said and noticed Makayla walk up to her horse with her head low as she walked past Joel.
"Want a hand up?" Tommy asked her, being a gentleman as always but Makayla just shrugged, "I got it."
"C'mon." Tommy said as soon as he got on top of his horse and started walking away. Makayla was right after him and Joel was just behind her.
...
They've been going for almost an hour by now. The wind was cold and none of them said a single word.
But she could feel Joel's gaze burning into her back.
Makayla was right in between them, wishing she could go last just so she could let her emotions out in peace and secrecy.
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They get to the edge of the hill, looking down at the small village.
Jackson.
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It looked big, cozy and protected. Makayla couldn't help but stare. Imagining the happy lives of those poeple that got to live there.
"There it is. Kids'll be watching movies tonight." Tommy smiled while looking at Jackson. A village covered in lights.
"Where is this lab of theirs?" Joel asked casually, looking to the side at Tommy.
"It's all the way out- University Eastern Colorado."
Joel smiled, "Go big horns." He mumbled under his breath making Tommy grin.
And suddenly Makayla gazing at the village was interrupted by one line,
"Makayla get off your horse, give it on back to Tommy." Joel ordered making her look at him, confused.
"I'm gonna hang on to this fella if that's alright with you." Joel added while looking at Tommy and patting the horse he was sitting on.
Both Tommy and Makayla were looking at him with questioning faces.
Joel looked at Makayla again,
"Go on. Don't make me repeat myself." He demanded and she did as he said, getting down.
"What are you doing?" Tommy frowned, looking at Joel.
Joel just shrugged with a grin, "Your wife kinda scares me. I don't want her coming after me."
"Sorry for stealing your horse." Makayla handed the bridle to Tommy before walking over to Joel.
He looked down at her and helped her get up on his horse and sit right behind him.
"Yeah that's definitely the reason." Tommy grinned when he saw Makayla wrap her hands around Joel's torso but his face became quickly serious again, "Come back to town. Let's discuss it at least."
"Eh you know me. My mind's all made up. How do I find this lab?"
"It's in the science building. Looks like a giant mirror you can't miss it."
Joel nodded, "Take care of that wife of yours."
Tommy nodded back, "You take care of that girl of yours." He shot her a gentle smirk making Makayla slightly furrow her eyebrows in confusion.
Does Tommy know..?
"There's a place for you, you know?" Tommy then asked and Joel nodded in response. Of course Tommy would be more than glad to have his big brother close.
"You good?" Joel looked back at Makayla.
"I'm good." She said with an unnoticeable sigh. She was still angry with him but glad he changed his mind.
"Adios little brother." Joel said before making a clicking sound to make the horse move while Tommy watched them disappear behind the trees.
... 2 hours later
"Ok let me see if I get it straight. If you mess up your fourth down, then you give your ball to the other team?"
"Right. It's called turnover." Joel nodded.
"And if you clear the ten yards you're back at..firstdown?"
"Firstdown. That's right." Joel's voice was deep and comforting.
Makayla sighed, "Man it's confusing."
Joel snorted, "You just gotta play it a couple of times it'll all make sense."
They were walking through the streets of an abandoned city, still on the horse.
"None of these buildings look like a mirror to me." Makayla stated, looking around.
"We'll head to central ground. Should be able to see most of the campus from there."
And they got through some kind of open gate.
Makayla noticed a giant painting of a goat on the wall as a symbol of a sport team with the sign 'GO BIG HORNS'
"That's a giant ram. You guys were like some idol worshipers."
Joel chuckled lightly, "When it came to sports, hell yeah."
They continued making their way down the street.
"It's getting chilly." Makayla hissed, scooping closer to Joel making him a little uneasy.
"It's that time of year." Joel said, sounding neutral.
Suddenly Joel spotted something, getting of the horse.
There was a big flamethrower on the ground as he picked it up.
"Well that's gonna be helpful." Makayla grinned a little and he made his way back to her. "Scoop back." He told her and she sat back to let him get in the saddle.
"Wait look-" she pointed at a tall building in the distance, "Could it be it?"
"It does look like a giant mirror." Joel admitted and noticed the way was barricaded so he they made their way through a wrecked building.
There was a gate at the end of the hallway as Joel got off his horse,
"Sounds like runners." Joel said and pushed the gate open, "Stay with the horse I'll go check it out."
"You sure?" Makayla asked.
"Yes I don't want him runnin' off. I'll be right back."
