Save each other // Joel Miller

You cant save anyone

It felt like it had been an eternity before Sophie decided to peak out of the cupboard. With a cautiousness she scans the empty room. Taking a better look around she can see a few doors. Against her better judgement she steps out into the open. Still crouching behind the kitchen island in-front of her, she slowly makes here way around, looking for a way out. She goes to the nearest door and slowly pushes it open. Noticing it's still empty she straightens out and makes her way in. It's dangerous to let her guard down, and she knows it, but she is so sore and sick of bending that she can't help but just walk right it.

There are two other doors in the room, and judging by the tracks and water, one of them leads to the attached garage she had seen outside. There is a large two panel window, covered in ice and snow, illuminating the room in a blue glow. The other door is painted white and seems to be leading maybe further into the house. As she walks towards the door, presumably, leading out to the garage she hears muffled voices and horse clatter. In a panic, she shuffled back quickly and let herself into the white door, opening it with her hand behind her back so she didn't turn away from the potential danger. She moves to close the door as she hears the other knob creak. Her door closes without a click, and she lets go of the handle like defusing a bomb.

As she takes a small step back she mentally kicks herself. This door doesn't lead anywhere, and she doesn't have to even look to know. It's dark, no window, and smells of un-flushed feces. She've trapped herself into a actively used bathroom and she is doomed. The heavy footsteps outside the door indicate there is definitely only one of her and many of them.

She debates what to do. She could crawl into the bathtub and pray they move on without needing to use the restroom, or she could listen in and see if they move to a different room. She doesn't love the idea of crouching anymore and decides to listen. She may regret it but for now her aching, screaming side seems to agree with her. Quietly leaning against the door, she closes her eyes and strains her ears to hear any of the conversation. If they say anything about leaving or someone needing to use the bathroom, she'll be able to act fast.

She can't hear much, they all seem to be talking at a low, quiet octaves. She can make out some introductions of names before she recognizes the man's voice, who she almost killed, and a few others from before, in the cupboard. The movement seems to slow as they talk until she makes out one word, "Joel" says the single man on the horse. And almost in unison she hears standing and stillness.

She strains harder as she notices a sudden shift in the room. The chatter has stopped and the noise is nonexistent.

"Y'all act like you've heard of us or somethin'"

Nothing.

"That's cause they have." A female voice says before Sophie shutters at the loud sound of a gun shot. She quickly cover her mouth to stifle any noise and stumbles back, catching herself and tries to stand as still as possible, as if it will freeze the moment. But it doesn't. She can hear shouting and struggling. A loud crack of a fist on flesh and a familiar sound of a body hitting hard wood floor. More struggling and then a familiar voice.

"GET OFF OF ME!" shouts the voice. It's the man on the other horse, she'd remember that shouting for the rest of her life. She can hear him struggle and dragging boots across the ground. Then silence again.

Her heart is racing and she has too much adrenaline to think straight. She moves forward again towards the door and leans down to look underneath. She can't see much but she can hear better. She sees what looks like the back of the young lady with the horses, crouching over someone. "Joel Miller." The lady said in a cold, angry voice.

Whatever is going on here is not coincidental and she is stuck right in the fucking middle of it. It's not fair, but here she is. Sophie put her forehead to the ground and closed her eyes, briefly blocking out the murder scene that's about to happen. 'You can't save anyone anymore' she repeats in her head over and over again. Her brother once told her it was the only way to survive. The only way he survived as long as he did. By saving her and everyone he came across. Until he was fucking murdered.

He was everything to her. Strong, brave, smart. A light in this horrible darkness. He thought, maybe, by being stern and kind, he could make sure people stayed... people. He never lead anyone, never wanted to. But he kept her by his side and told her on their travels that people are always worth saving. He was a doctor before all this became a shit hole and he loved it. Saving people then and saving people now. Until he died. And left her alone. Her thoughts ran over her dead brother and her memories with him until she was shot back to reality when a rough, loud shout called out.

"Clear out!" It was the previously crouched women. She had backed up a bit and grabbed a club of some sort. Sophie could barley make out the scene from underneath the door no matter how hard she looked.

"Stupid old man, you don't get to rush this." She said coldly and swung a hard hit into the man sitting against the window.