sunshine // joel miller

THIRTEEN

Chapter Thirteen
Little Miss Sunshine

They had practically ran as fast as they could to the bank, the daylight not helping them be inconspicuous at they ran. It didn't help that the bank's walls were mostly glass around the outside, the five quickly making it down to the entrance of the tunnels.

"You ready?" Henry asks them when they get to the stairs. Joel has his flashlight out, looking to the two girls.

"Get your guns out," he says to Ellie and Fran. Ellie doing so with a smirk, feeling very very cool at the fact she has a weapon. Fran on the other hand is more worried to do so, very aware of the small hand gripping the edge of her coat.

Joel leads the way, Ellie following next. Fran then goes too, Sam following her quickly as Henry takes up the rear, his eyes on his little brother who had already got attached to the woman he was holding onto.

Sam had not had a female person to look up to, ever. His mother dying before the process of memories was possible in his brain. The entrance of this kind Italian woman with a joyful smile was bound to have an impression on him. The matching trousers now sealing the deal.

Joel opened up the massive metal door that looked more like an entrance to a vault then a tunnel system; putting his flashlight and gun through first.

When deemed safe to do so, the others followed, Fran holding her arm out in front of Sam in case the boy decided to wander ahead.

"You see? It's empty," Henry spoke too loudly. The noise alone making Fran cringe as his voice echoed, "The plan is good."

"Shh." Joel pretty much hissed at him, "The plan is good? We've been down here two seconds. We don't know anything."

"Your dad's kind of a pessimist." Henry joked to Ellie, both mentioned are quick to correct him.

"He's not my dad."

"I'm not her dad."

Henry looked to Fran then in slight confusion at the mixup, the woman just hiding her slight smile at the offence both of them took to the sentence. Her smile didn't go unnoticed by Sam, who smiled right back up at her, unaware of the conversation that had happened.

"Just point your light forward," Joel told the man, "and be ready to run."

They started to head down the tunnel, the smell off putting and the silence deafening. Halfway through Fran had given Sam her flashlight to hold, having only the gun in her hands now.

Sam had started making shadow puppets on the wall, Fran discreetly putting her gun away to join in, both hiding little giggles at the pictures they created

Safe to say Sam was blown away at the fact she could make a shadow of an elephant.

They eventually made it to an ending, the walls covered in drawings of rainbows and flowers, the door having a castle around it.

"Woah;" Ellie spoke out in amazement as Sam stepped away from Fran, loving all the pictures on the walls.

Sam, getting a little too excited, went to the door to open it, only for Joel to stick his hand out to stop him, motioning a 'no' with his head.