Losing you ; Joel Miller

ii. The end of the world

[ September 26, 2003 ]
EDEN

     " Everyone claims that university is supposed to be the most memorable time of your life" Eden let out a groan, head dramatically falling onto the table as her roommate Inaya chuckled. " That doesn't apply if you're a STEM major." This made the blonde whine, her tired eyes looking at the mountains of books in front of her.

     " Did you hear about the news in Jakarta? Apparently people are getting attacked randomly by other people." Phoebe walked into the living room with a cup of tea, blue eyes darting over her roommates with worry. " Maxwell mentioned something like that actually." Inaya mumbled out, her dark brows knitted together as she readjusted her hijab. " He said something about a student attacking a teacher totally unprovoked, it's weird."

     Eden chewed on her pen, watching her friends talk about how strange things had been today. " I saw like five ambulances on my way home, what is even going on." Phoebe mumbled to herself, fear growing in her voice as she played with her fingers.

     As Inaya opened her mouth to respond with something reassuring, a scream broke out from the corridor. The girls jumped, all three moving closer to each other. " Something is wrong." Eden whispered out, turning to look out of their window. Hoards of people were running on the streets, some attacking others. Her eyes widened as she saw the local bar in flames.

     Eden turned on the television, fear paralysing her as the emergency broadcast system warned them to stay indoors. " What are we going to do? What's happening!?" Phoebe cried out, her hands shaking. " I gotta call my mom." Inaya's voice broke, moving to rummage through her purse.

     Eden stayed absolutely still, staring at the tv screen even after the power shut down and they were left in darkness.

     What was going on?

     " Are we going to die?"

[2009]

     Eden jerked up with a gasp, mouth dry and nose stuffed. Fucking hell. She winced at how her whole body ached. " You're awake" a gruff voice stated. The man sat across from her, holding a shotgun, dark curls and even darker eyes made her shift under his gaze. " Why are you here?" He demanded her answer, but Eden couldn't give it to him.

     " I'm asking you a question." He growled, looking intimidating as he stood up and pointed the gun at her. Jesus Christ as if her day couldn't get any worse. She held her hands up, chewing down on her cheek.

     The man grew frustrated, eyes closing as he let out a groan. " Why don't you just fucking answer?!" He snapped out, moving the gun closer to her forehead. " I don't want to shoot, y'know. Just tell me why you're here."

     Eden almost scoffed, he's got to be joking. What was she supposed to do? Sing her fucking answer? " Do you know ASL? I'm mute." She signed, not having much hope, but trying anyways. The man's eyebrows furrowed together, eyes squinting as he muttered out " you're fucking deaf?"

     Idiot. Eden actually scoffed this time, eyes rolling as she shook her head. " Fuck... uhh hold on I should have something for you to write on." The guy mumbled out, searching through his bag before tossing a small notebook at her. Taking the pen that had been pressed between the pages, she scribbled out ' mute' and showing it to him. His brows furrowed only slightly as she quickly added ' sorta'.

     " Sorta?" He grunted out quietly, eyes still filled with suspicion. She shrugged in response, gaze moving toward the weapon still pointed at her. Can he calm the fuck down? Footsteps caught his attention, he raised his gun before seeming to calm down when he heard someone say " no need to shoot, Joel, just us."

     The two new people stopped in their tracks to stare at Eden. " Who is this?" The new man questioned, gaze moving back and forth from Joel to Eden. " She stumbled in here an hour ago, she's hurt."

     " Ok back off, you're just scaring her." Eden watched as another woman crouched down in front of her. " What's your name?" The blond was quick to write ' Eden' on the notebook before showing it to the woman. " Can't she speak or-?" The man that wasn't Joel quizzed
" she's mute... sorta." Joel answered with a grunt.

     " I'm Tess, this is Tommy, and that airhead over there is Joel." Tess said, shooting Joel a look. " You're not infected right?" Right as Eden shook her head, Joel responded with " no." His answer made everyone shift their attention to him. Trying to play it cool, Joel shrugged and mumbled out " I checked." He what?

     This made Tess roll her eyes before looking back at the wounded woman. " Well, you're probably not gonna survive out here on your own. So if you want to you could join us, we live in the Boston QZ, we could smuggle you in... for a price." Joel was quick to protest but Tess was quicker at shutting him up. Eden chewed down on her lip before writing ' Thank you, but I don't have anything to pay you with.'

     " See it as a favour, you'll pay us back someday."