lumy12

Page Seventy-Six

You didn't think it was possible to feel any closer to Joel than you already did... but I do! You're not exactly glad that you got hurt, but...

...well, maybe just a little. Maybe you guys had started taking each other for granted. At least a little bit. Maybe you just need a reminder that nothing is certain in this world.

Joel practically doesn't let you move for... oh, maybe an hour. You try to tell him you're fine; he doesn't care. Finally, you get him to let you up by telling him that you have to pee -- and even then, he wants to help you. Gross! NO THANKS.

You don't really need to pee, though. You just go through the motions. Find a spot, squat for a couple minutes, head back. You do feel more steady on your feet now than you did before. Sore, stiff... but not woozy. You find Joel leaning against that same tree (standing now, since he got up when you did). "Can we get outta here? I'm ready," you declare.

Joel looks at you. "Yeah, about that..."

You cross your arms over your chest. "What about it? I'm good. Really."

"You can't turn your head."

"Yes I can!" You demonstrate.

"That's... turnin' your torso."

"Well, my head moves too, doesn't it? And I can turn just my head, but you'll kill me if I bust your beautiful stitches. So." (Plus, it hurts.)

"I'd feel better if you were 100%."

"Pfff. Who is ever 100%? You're not."

"That's me."

"What, so it doesn't count?"

"I'm older than you."

"So?"

"So, I ain't s'posed to be 100%. It's what happens when you get old."

"Well, I'm older too: older than I used to be."

Joel chuckles. "Yeah, you're really gettin' up there."

"Yep! Sixteen."

"Very old," he agrees.

You tug on his hand. "So come on... do you really wanna stay here?"

"No," he admits.

"Okay, then. So let's--"

"I think we should go home."

"You-- what?! Why?"

"You're hurt."

"I'm not that hurt, for fuck's sake! Look, I'm up, walking around--"

"You look like you got hit by a truck."

"Gee, thanks. You're not looking so... dapper yourself." You heard that word in a movie and decided you like it.

" 'Dapper'?" Joel doesn't seem to like it.

You smirk a little. "So, we've both seen better days. We're almost there, we can't turn--"

"Not almost. More like... halfway."

"Okay -- still way too far to turn back now."

"We don't even know he'll be at that hospital, kiddo."

"...So we're not even going to look?"

Joel sighs. "I almost lost you."

"Not really! I'm fine!"

He shakes his head. "It was too close. Way too close."

Oh my God -- he's being such a baby now! "Who's the one who kept going after getting skewered -- with a big huge hole in your stomach, bleeding all over the place--"

"It was my gut, not my stomach."

Like that even matters?! "Bleeding everywhere," you reiterate. "Passing out, falling off your horse..."

"That's got nothin' to do with--"

"And you didn't give up then! Why should we give up after a few scratches?"

"We didn't have a choice then. We do now. ...an' you wouldn't let me give up, as I recall."

"Just like I'm not letting you give up now! Not for this stupid reason!"

Joel sighs again. Runs his hand through his hair. Starts pacing a little; he must be really frustrated with you.

You put your hand on his arm to still him. "Hey. We've done this before, remember? We'll be fine."

He looks at something in the distance. "You don' know that. There's no guarantee."

You lean against him. "I do know that. I promise nothing else is gonna happen to me. Okay?" You scoot around in front of him and wrap your arms around his waist.

He hugs you back... and exhales, rather than sighing. "You don't understand. I'm s'posed to protect you."

"You do!"

"No, I failed this time."

"You saved my life!" you remind him.

"...I shouldn't be riskin' it in the first place."

"You're not! I'm the one who wanted to do this!"

"And for what? Hmm?" Joel steps back and looks at you. "Why should we risk our lives just to find some guy who may not even need to be found?"

"Well... because his family's worried. Because he might need help."

"Might. Might need. There's no evidence of that, either. It seemed like an easy trip, on paper. People have done it plenty of times. But we've already run into infected, multiple times... we didn't expect that. Unexpected shit happens out here. I can't... lose you -- especially when it's in my power not to. Do you understand?"

You understand: Joel is still freaked out about your close call. Even though you're okay. You weren't hurt that bad! But the passing out made him think you were dying, and he can't just shake that off. Or... maybe the "I love you" stuff affected him too much?

You don't want to give up... don't want to go back to Jackson a failure... have to look Layla in the eye and tell her "sorry, but we just didn't feel like helping you after all..."

And yet... Joel does make a good point. Maybe if you'd almost lost him in this fight, you'd feel the same way.

If you agree to go home, turn to page 137.

If you convince Joel to continue the journey, turn to page 141.