GLOWING (Joel Miller)

22 | The Confession

I trailed at the back of the group, as Joel led the way, the screams and gunshots in the background, slowly fading into silence.

"Jenna?"

I looked up from my feet to see Ellie, fall into step beside me.  She looked concerned, despite her own appearance, being nearly as bad as my own. I looked back down at my feet, embarrassed that she clearly pitied me.

"Are you okay?" Ellie continued to watch me as we tried through rubble and dead leaves. I didn't respond. I felt as though my tongue had disappeared and no words came out. I was clearly still in shock. So instead, I just nodded feebly. "I thought you were dead. Joel said—"

"—Ellie!" I looked up at Joel's commanding voice. He hadn't turned around; he continued to stare ahead as we walked towards a rundown building in the distance. "Be quiet."

Ellie immediately shut her mouth, keeping pace with me as we quietly followed behind the smuggler. I watched the other two people cautiously; a young boy, maybe around Ellie's age, and an older boy, the one who had stepped out when Kathleen had threatened me with the gun. They looked to be related.

Joel slowly ascended the front steps of the building. We all followed closely behind, intently listening for signs or sounds of infected. It was silent.

"Alright," Joel said, turning back towards us. "Inside, quickly."

The older of the newcomers opened the door, and we all filed in as quickly as possible. I paused as I passed Joel, glancing up at him briefly, but he wouldn't meet my gaze. With a tired sigh, I brushed past him following Ellie into the next room.

"This is nice," Ellie observed, looking around the small apartment. She skipped into the next room. "Can Sam and I stay in here?" Ellie grabbed the hand of the younger boy—Sam—staring up at his older companion. "Please, Henry?"

Henry looked over at Joel, as if for permission. "I don't see why not." He signed something with his hands to Sam, whose face immediately lit up with the joy only a child could muster. Ellie cheered, dragging the boy into the next room, where laughter could be heard moments later.

I stood awkwardly in the corner, unsure of what to do or say, not only to the infamous Henry, but to Joel as well. What do I say? Do I thank him for calling out to me amidst the infected or do I ignore him for giving up on me? I don't know what I expected, though. I told him to leave.

"Hi." I looked over at Henry, who had approached me, hand extended. "I'm Henry." I reached over, quickly shaking his hand before letting my own fall back to my side. "You must be Jenna."

I eyed him uncertainly. "I know who you are." He seemed surprised. "How do you know me?"

"Ellie told me about you." His eyes raked over my bruised and battered form. "You look like you've been through hell. You run into the Hunters?"

I shrugged. "You could say that." I flicked my gaze over to Joel, whose own was stuck to the floor. I could tell he was listening though; his head tilted slightly towards me. "You come across them before?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah, they were after me and Sam for a while. They're no joke. You're lucky to be alive." 

"You know," I said with a passive-aggressive huff. "They thought I was working with you." Henry raised a questioning brow. "Kathleen didn't believe me when I said I didn't know who the fuck you were."

Henry just chuckled uncomfortably. "Sorry about that." I didn't respond, just hummed in acknowledgement. He glanced over at Joel, then back at me, clearly sensing the obvious tension between us. "I, um." I watched him as he seemed to be experiencing a dilemma. "I'm gonna check out the rest of the building." Without a moment's hesitation, he sped away into the next room.