sunshine // joel miller

FIVE

Chapter Five
Just in case

The silence that had radiated over the group of five upon leaving the hotel was deafening. Tess and Joel sharing a silent conversation with looks that Fran was half convinced would lead to her death. She didn't feel bad about slapping Joel around the face - to go from offering sympathy to being an asshole was slap worthy in her opinion.

Ellie was only silent because Fran, in her expert opinion, was being weird. Too bubbly for normal Fran, the whole 'everything is fine! Sunshine and rainbows!' approach not really getting the best reaction. She knew Joel had to have said something to make her act that way, she wasn't too sure what.

It was also painfully obvious that she didn't mean it, because she'd snap on a smile, say a happy line, and her face would instantly go back to brooding. She was a terrible actor.

When they arrived to the front of the museum, a gorgeous building surrounded by rubble reclaimed by nature, Ellie wasn't too excited by what she was seeing. The bottom windows were boarded up with breaking wood. The whole thing didn't look too stable.

"You've gotta be fսck¡ng kidding me." Ellie voiced her distaste, staring at the door that was covered in blue and orange fungus. It was a death trap.

"Well, there's a way across from the top floor," Tess reasoned with the girl, staring at it with just as much distaste, but knowing they were running out of options.

"It will be absolutely fine," Fran said with a smile that was clearly only there to spite the only remaining silent member of the group - said member rolled his eyes at her tone. "We will be fine!"

"We used to take it all the time," Tess said, sending a look over to Fran that showed she didn't exactly appreciate the spitefulness. This was not a time to joke, especially when Fran was the weakest link out of the four.

"Okay," Ellie breathed, not believing either Tess or Fran.

"Look, it was fine," Tess tried to reason as Joel walked ahead, reaching down to the fungus to see if it was still alive. Upon it not moving, he jabbed his gun into it, a crunching noise being heard as the girls stayed silent.

"It's bone dry," Joel said, looking back at Tess, "It could mean they're all finally dead in there."

They shared another silent conversation; before Tess nodded her head and they both began to look in their bags for a torch.

"Oh, man," Ellie shook her head as Fran watched the two silently. She wasn't about to voice any concern she had, not when she was apparent dead weight and needed to step up. Truth was, her legs were already shaking, and the idea of seeing one of those things up close was enough to make her spiral.

"It will be fine," Fran mumbled as she reached into her own back so kindly packed by Tess. She assumed whatever they were looking for would also be in hers.

"Marlene pack you one of these or just sandwiches?" She heard Joel ask Ellie, making her look up and see the torch in his hand. She looked in her own bag then, grabbing the dark object; only to pull out a gun.

She gulped, staring at the thing as if it was going to bite her, before laying it carefully on the ground. She'd never held a gun, let alone used one.