take on me, e.williams

twelve

—don't
start —

———three months had gone by since the death of henry and sam. the trio had crossed into the border of wyoming now, shivering as they trudged through snow. a few weeks prior, they had found some old tattered clothing that would be warm enough for the cold weather.

now joel, ellie, and odessa were in a small log cabin by a river. an older couple lived inside and they were hoping to get some food and directions from them, so they waited for the man to return home. ellie and odessa were told to wait up stairs until joel said they could come down.

"and the gun." joel spoke, surprising the older man who set his hunting bow down.

"who the hell are you?" the man narrowed his eyes, flicking them from joel to his wife.

"someone who's just passing through. take your gun out, two fingers only. put it outta reach." joel instructed, the man doing as he was told.

"why didn't you shoot him?" the man asked the woman, she was sitting calmly in a rocking chair.

"the gun is all the way over there." the woman pointed out lazily. "he didn't hurt me, by the way." a faint smile passing over her lips, not at all intimidated by Joel.

"yeah, i've got eyes." the man remarked, scoffing. "you made him soup?" he asked her incredulously, shuffling over.

"yeah, i did. it's cold out." the woman defended her actions as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"i'm looking for my brother." joel told the man. ellie watched odessa roll her eyes as they watched from above.

"well, i ain't seen him." the man told joel.

"i haven't told you what he looks like." joel sighed in frustration, his own eyes flickering up to the loft. he swore he could hear ellie and odessa whispering.

"he look anything like you?" the older man asked, joel shrugged.

"kind of." joel rolled his eyes.

"then i ain't seen him." the man replied once more.

"he's got two girls with him." the woman added in.

"can we come down?" odessa called out, losing her patience.

"no." joel said back up to her, but both girls ignored him and began to climb down the stairs with their guns in hand. "god damnit." joel muttered to himself. "what did i just say?" joel turned to the girls who appeared at his side.

"joel, come on. they're, like, a thousand years old." ellie told the miller man who sighed.

"who are these little psychos?" the older man joked.

"never mind them." joel brushed them off. "now, can you tell us where we are?" joel asked once more.

"if you've got a map, why you lost?" the man questioned.