GLOWING (Joel Miller)

15 | The Drive

Ellie had fallen asleep over an hour ago and Joel and I hadn't uttered a word since.

I concentrated on the view outside the window as Joel's fingers tapped quietly on the steering wheel, mimicking the tune of the music the that was softly playing on the dashboard. The sky was still bright and the scenery was desolate, but I hadn't been out in open country like this in years. It was just as empty as I remembered.

"You should get some sleep."

My gaze flickered to the side mirror, where I could see Joel watching me out of the corner of his eye. I shook my head, leaning back so I could see him properly. "I'm fine."

"Well, it's thirty-something hours, so I'm gonna need you to drive at some point." He nodded at the map, which was resting over the centre console. "You think you can do that?"

"I know how to fuckin' drive, Joel," I grumbled sitting up straight and crossing my arms over my chest. "I went to FEDRA school, for fuck's sake."

Joel nodded. "Right." He glanced back to Ellie, in the rearview, who was fast asleep, sprawled out on the back bench. "I forgot."

We fell back into a comfortable silence. I watched the road ahead of us, my mind wide awake and my eyes refusing to close. After a long while, I decided to fill the silence once more.

"So..." I started, waiting for Joel's eyes to snap over to me momentarily. "What did you do in Texas, before the outbreak... if you don't mind me asking?"

Joel shook his head. "It's fine." I turned to face him as his grip tightened ever-so-slightly on the wheel. "I was a contractor." My mouth twitched as I smiled slightly at the mental image of Joel building houses. "It's nothing special. My brother and I did it together."

"That's nice," I commented, shooting him a small smile. "Your brother: younger or older?"

"Younger." I nodded in acknowledgement, my lips pressing together as the silence ensured, once again. "What about you?" I looked up as Joel redirected my own question back at me. "What did you do before the world went to shit?"

I just shrugged. "Not much. I was only nineteen, in my first semester of college." I could feel my throat tightening as I remembered that awful day.

I sat in my Creative Writing lecture—my favourite class—when the teacher ended the class twenty minutes early. Completely oblivious to what was going on outside, I headed back to my dorm room, not taking any notice of the people crowded in the streets.

When I reached my dorm, my roommate was there. She was sitting at her desk, staring at her hands, without so much as a glance in my direction was I walked in.

"Lia?" I questioned, stopping behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay—"

Suddenly, Lia snapped. She turned and lunged at me, long, pink nails clawing at my face. I let out a terrified scream as I tried to push her away. In the brawl, I almost didn't notice the tendrils, creeping their way from inside her mouth. I screamed again, reaching for something—anything—that I could use to get her off me.

My hands brushed against the spine of one of her textbooks. It had fallen onto the ground in the frenzy. I quickly grabbed it and whacked it over her head as hard as I possibly could. She slumped onto the ground beside me, a steady stream of blood trickling from within her hair.

I backed away from her, my breathing erratic and my head feeling faint. Only then, did I notice the guttural, inhuman sounds coming from the hallway. I didn't need to look to see what—or who—was making them. Instead, I pushed my desk against the door, barricading myself in the room.