lost & found || Joel Miller

When You're Lost In The Darkness

August and Joel were looking for food while Ellie stayed back with a truck they found a few feet ahead. She's been a bit distant lately, which Joel and August understood exactly why and decided to just give her the space she needed right now.

But they still found themselves trying to cheer her up at every single opportunity they found.

They were now inside a trailer home that was parked in the middle of the road, it was hot and August had taken off her plaid jacket to be in her red lace tank top.

"We've been here so long I forgot what we were looking for." August grumbled, looking over her shoulder at Joel as he too searched around the trailer.

He chuckled at her words, "Food, darlin'. Food." The nickname caused August the worst yet amazing stomach ache ever.

She smiled as she turned back around and continued to search in the stupid drawer she'd been picking at the entire time.

Then she spots something, a cabinet they haven't opened yet. So, she makes her way over and tries to open it.

For some reason, it was jammed.

Okay...

She tried again, using two hands instead of one.

Was this cabinet glued or something?

Joel had heard her cursing at the cabinet under her breath and made his way over.

"Need some help?"

August shook her head, "It's just—stuck. Can you hand me my pocket knife?" And then, nodded my head towards her backpack which was strapped onto her back.

"Yes, Ma'am." He sighed and unzipped her backpack before grabbing her pocket knife and handing it to her.

She smiled at him and stuck the knife in between the slit and tried to open it with the knife, before with a sharp crack, the door swung open.

August laughed and then when she looked in the inside and found a chef Boyardee beefaronie can. She screamed and turned to look at Joel, who was grinning down at her as he lifted up a hand to high five her.

She looked at him, eyes sparkling with happiness at the fact he was going to high five her and when she did, Joel felt the need to high five her forever.

"Chef boyardee ravioli!" She announced before turning around and grabbing it.

"It's beefaronie, actually." Joel corrected

August groaned, "I don't care anymore. I'd eat pooparonie."

"That's disgustin'." August snorted and shrugged before they both left the trailer.

"Hold on, did you find anything?" She asked him as they walked towards the door.

"Yeah. Just some game." August's eyes widened and she looked over her shoulder.

"A game?"

He pulled it out of his bag, "Boggle. You heard of
it?"

August shook her head before running towards the  truck Ellie was sitting at the back of.

"Ellie! Ellie!" Ellie didn't turn around, "Ellie!"

On the fifteenth 'Ellie', the little girl finally turned around, "Do you?—Did you hear me?"

Ellie, whose hair was flowing in the wind, shook her head, "No. What?"

August's smile faltered as she couldn't help but notice the distant way things were now, Ellie wasn't smiling or saying any of her witty responses...It hurt, quite a lot.