Save each other // Joel Miller

One good reason

"Ugh, those two grown ass men really piss me off!" Ellie grounds out as she slams her fists onto the table. Sophie doesn't move, a slight flinch in her face being the only thing keeping everyone sure she is even still breathing. Ellie's breath is huffed and her two friends stand on either side of her.

"Calm down Ellie, we are all worried but who knows if there isn't an actual reason they are still out or that they were in the tree house." Jesse tries to remedy the situation with his reasoning. Ellie scoffs and sits back hard on her chair. Dina takes a hand and gently messages Ellie's shoulder as she leans closer.

A scout had come across the tree house, disheveled and horse tracks leading up. When they reported back to Jackson, it was apparent that Tommy and Joel had done it and there was no sign of the men's intentions, just a log book splayed out on the table. Maria sent Jesse and Dina to talk with Sophie and Ellie to get a story and make a plan.

"Now, it's getting dark and it's too dangerous to go out looking for them now. I'll request a few horses for the morning and we will all head out first thing." Jesse says while making his way to a map laid out on the table. He looks it over and ignores the deathly stare from Ellie.

"Hell with that Jesse! I am not waiting. I can tell you that these situations end up being life or death most of the time!" Ellie shouts and stands up quickly. Sophie flinches again at her words, knowing exactly the situations she is referring to. The air between the four is thick and tense. They had been debating for what seemed like hours before this point in time and Sophie was exhausted, or at least that is what she would be feeling if she could feel anything at all.

"Ellie, we are not going on a suicide mission!" Jesse shouts. "You guys barley made it back alive the first time and Sophie didn't even come back in her head the last time!" His words flow out with fueling rage and no thought. Sophie's jaw clenched hard as he spoke to Ellie.

Ellie stood motionless and quiet, staring at Jesse with wide eyes. Her mouth ready to aim and unload, but before a sound could come out, Sophie stood. All eyes were on her at that moment and she took a shaky breath in.

"Ellie, he's right. Let's regroup in the morning. This is a lot of stress on you guys and it may be above all of our heads anyway. Maria will figure something out, I'm sure." Sophie's words hit the group like a brick wall. Jesse moved first, firmly nodding and taking heavy steps towards the door. He motioned for Dina to join, and she reluctantly agreed, giving Ellie an apologetic look before disappearing from Ellie and Sophie's view. Ellie and Sophie stood, silently, staring at each other.

"That is a load of..." Ellie began to speak but stopped as she noticed Sophie's eyes.

"We gather what we can carry and leave in 20. Meet me by the side gate, without horses this will be a long journey, so prepare yourself." Sophie said, tearing her stare away to shuffle around the room. She gathered up her bag and walked into the living room without another word. Ellie shook her head but didn't say anything. She left the house and it was silent.

Sophie took a minute to breath, but nothing more. She didn't want to convince herself that this was a bad idea. It was so empty in the house as she collected and shoved things in the backpack. Too empty. And that was enough to keep this entire plan going. The motivation of her heart over turning the logic in her head.

She stopped to look at the picture of Joel and Ellie, drawn by a neighbor as a gift. She hissed out the tense feeling building in her stomach and turned away from the frame, fighting back the tears for a situation that her imagination was running wild with. A situation that could possibly never happen. And she would do everything in her power to make sure he was safe.

The jog outside was brisk and the noise from her feet crunching branches and rocks was only slight. Being caught out here meant she would have a lot of explaining to do. She could see her breath in the cold midnight air, puffing out. Her head started to spin and she faltered in her jog, tripping and landing on a knee. Visions spun behind her closed eyes as she grabbed her head.