MOJAVE RAIN | Joel Miller

{3}

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ʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴄʜ 2038

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"Let's go get Leah" Ellie declared, hauling her backpack over her shoulder. We had ventured far into the city that was reclaimed by nature while surviving our encounters with the infected and soldiers we'd discovered operating under the title of 'Wolves'.

After a short but successful confrontation with a few members of the wolf pack, we ended up with a lead. The TV station was the last known location of one of the names on our list. If Tommy was smart, and he was, he'd also be there. It was never safe to operate alone so the sooner we found him the better.

"Could you tell me another story about you and Joel?" Dina asked in innocent curiosity. She was beyond fascinated with our old lives as she'd never got to experience the way things were. Telling her how we first met filled me with nostalgia but my dad once told me nostalgia meant 'the pain from an old wound'. I'd grown a lot quieter after telling them that memory and Ellie seemed to understand why.

"I think one story's enough" Ellie mumbled in an attempt to discourage Dina.

"-no, it's okay. I don't mind" I dismissed. We still had a long way to go and I didn't know if it was the masochist or the reminiscent lover that made me want to resurface the old memories of him.

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ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ 2009

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A month had passed since I had fallen madly in love with the man who's love for my dad's music rivalled my own. I had the opportunity to move to Austin, Texas and record an album there, meaning I wouldn't have to drive out of state every time I wanted to spend time with Joel.

His daughter didn't believe him when he told her that he was going on dates with a famous singer, she thought he was teasing her like usual. But when I met her for the first time her jaw dropped- not at me but at her dad who was stood with a smug look on his face. From that moment on, Sarah was dying for me to go to one of her soccer games so she could show off to her friends. I'd already missed two opportunities but this time around I promised I'd make it.

The southern heat blared down on the workers at the construction site I'd come to pick Joel up from. I parked out front, re-applied my red lipstick in the mirror and climbed out of the car. The heels on my ankle boots crunched through the gravel as I wandered into the break yard, the sound drawing the attention of the rugged heart-throb sat on top of stacked slabs with co-workers.

"Well, hello angel," he grinned with his charming smile. He jumped down from his perch, slid his hand round to rest on my back and dipped down to press an affectionate kiss onto my lips.

Various whistles of amazement could be heard, causing Joel to pull away with a childish grin on his face. He tucked me under his arm, squinting up at the gawking men who were clearly jealous. He was the kid with the shiny new toy at school and he knew it.

"You never told us you had a-"

"How on earth did you get her?"

"Wait isn't that-?"