CYOA Page 137

[lumy12]

Page One Hundred Thirty-Seven

You're not going to fight Joel on this. Sorry, Danny... I hope you don't actually need us! "Okay."

"...Okay? Okay as in okay let's go home?"

"Yep. Let's turn around."

His smile is so... uncharacteristically wide -- for Joel, at least -- that your heart fills up with joy, just at the sight of it. I made him really happy!

He gives you another quick hug -- quick, but fierce. "Thank you, baby girl," he breathes in your hair before letting you go.

You feel a little awkward, being thanked, but you are sort of doing him a favor, aren't you? You've pretty much had your quota of mushy shit for the day, though; time to get practical. Like... what are you going to tell people? "Okay, so... we can just say I got hurt -- like, worse -- and maybe we didn't even make it this far," you suggest. "Yeah -- like we were gone so long cuz you were just letting me recover?"

Joel chuckles. "The truth'll do. I'll own it -- I don't give two shits what anyone thinks. But I do think they'll get it. 'Least, the ones who have kids will. Let someone else chase after Danny if they want to."

"I do feel bad about that," you lament. "Like we failed. ...I mean -- not like we failed: we did fail."

He shakes his head. "Ain't your fault. You wanted to keep goin'."

"But if I hadn't fucked up, you wouldn't be giving up," you point out. "So it is my fault."

"A lot of it really is luck, kiddo."

You give him a look. "Right. We made it aaaaall the way from Boston on luck."

"Partially, yes. We got lucky plenty of times."

You still think survival skills -- particularly Joel's -- played the biggest part in getting you here, but you can acknowledge that luck was a contributing factor. ...Actually, I was lucky the whole time... I just didn't realize it, 'til after. I'm the luckiest girl in the world! You smile. "You're right. We're very lucky."


THE END



If you'd like to start another adventure, return to page 1.

Comments

Carlos

[(Anonymous)]

Nice ending,,, let them go home, beside that guy Danny is probably dead... : )

Re: Carlos

[luminations.livejournal.com]

Hehe -- sometimes he is, sometimes he isn't! For this one it would be nice to think that here, he's dead so they might as well just go home? Ha.

You read two pages in one day! Impressive!