His hands on my neck - Joel Miller.

32.

The night fell on Jackson, letting the moon shine over the city. The full moon was watching the people as if she was more interested in their business than they were. The stick broke under the heavy footsteps of the men walking away from the city. Joel and Tommy were both at the patrol that night. Hopes of having a quiet night were always at the back of their heads, but caution played the main role in both men's minds.

-    You're living in Jackson for quite a while, Tommy, - Joel turned to his brother, noticing how they were in the middle of the woods, slowing down his pace as the surrounding became quieter.

-    Yeah, seem like it became sort of home I guess, - Tommy was happy that he and Maria could settle somewhere in safety. Not running all the time from one hide spot to another, but to pretend that they lived.

-    Can you tell me if you know about any connection between Hope's parents and the vaccine? – The man turned to his brother, asking the question that was on his mind ever since he heard from a girl about her parent. An old feeling that something was wrong came back into his head and was pressing on him like a rock.

-    Nothing that I am aware of, - A younger brother shrugs his shoulders, not really caring about what people who were longtime dead did. After all, the background of our parents tells little about us.

-    Just, you know, she told me they were working in the lab, and the only reasonable thing to do in the lab after the outbreak was the vaccine research, - Joel took a deep breath, having a hard moment admitting that his personal thoughts had rational reasoning. Reasoning to never trust words she says.

-    Are you telling me that someone in the city might be linked to the fireflies, and that is the person you're fucking? – Tommy stood in the middle of the pathway, going through the phrase he just heard one more time in his own mind, understanding how the situation fucked up would be.

-    I don't have any evidence of that, but everything could be possible, - The elder man looked into his brother's eyes. If his feelings were right, in case anything happens, at least there was one more person who knew about her past, and the possible connection with the fireflies.

Their attention was taken away from the conversation by the noise in the short distance. The two turned at the right moment to find the group of infected coming closer to them, just to get killed moments later. It was one of the nights when the two could repay the town, and keep the people safe at least til the first rays of sunshine.