I jumped up and clung to Joel's arm, trying to pull his aim away from the hunter.
"No! Joel, stop!" I shouted. He looked at me, confused.
"What?" he asked. I walked over to the the hunter, trying to look threatening like Joel did when he fought hunters.
"Are you-" he started to ask.
"Shut up." I said, and he fell silent. I kicked him back and crouched on the ground next to him. "What's your name and how do you know my mom?"
He looked up in surprise. "It's Mark." He reached out and put and traced the scar over my eyebrow with his thumb. I flinched but I didn't move away, and I heard Joel growl threateningly behind me.
"And you look just like her…" he said, and pulled away, stealing a nervous glance at Joel. In that moment, I realized that his eyes were almost the exact same shade of green mine were. And with that nose, he could almost be…
"Holy shit," I whispered. "Are you my dad?"
Before anyone could say anything, Joel tackled me and gunfire flew over our heads.
"There they are!" I heard someone shout. Fuck, they found us.
The hunter, my dad, looked between us and the other hunters and sighed.
"Alright," he said. "Let's get out of here."
"Sounds good to me," Joel grumbled as he started to aim his revolver but Mark pushed the gun down.
"They might be trying to kill you, but they're still my friends, and I am not about to murder them."
"Great! That's just fucking perfect!" Joel shouted. He stepped closer to Mark and made his voice threateningly low. "And just what are we gonna do when they start shootin' at us, huh? Just let them kill us? Kill her?"
"Guys-" I started.
Mark stepped back, holding his hands up. "Jesus man, calm down-"
"I'll calm down when you can tell me that my ki-" Joel stopped himself. "That she'll be safe." It didn't go unnoticed by Mark.
"Guys!" I shouted.
"Why do you care? And who the hell are you anyways?"
"None of your damn business, that's who!"
"Oh, I think it is my business! That's my daughter!"
"Your daughter? You don't even know her name!
"GUYS!" I shouted. "Have you forgotten that we're being fucking attacked right now?! Get up off your asses and move it, you chickenshits!"
Both men turned to look at me in surprise, but I was already up and and hurling a brick behind another old car, trying to divert attention.
"This way!" Mark pointed to an alleyway. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my left arm and I gasped in pain.
"Joel!"
He crouched down immediately to my side. "You okay?"
I shook my head and pointed to my arm, which was overflowing with blood like a broken faucet.
"Just hold on kiddo, we're almost outta here," he reassured me. I could hear what he wasn't saying. We're in too much danger to patch you up right now.
I nodded. Another round of gunfire flew past our heads.
"Can you please tell your buddies to stop shootin' at us?!" Joel yelled.
"Believe me, I couldn't if I wanted to. Especially not now that they've seen…" his eyes drifted down to me and back up again. "Uhhh… me helping you. They think I'm a traitor."
Joel grunted in annoyance and pulled me faster along the alleyway by my uninjured arm.
"Shoulda never left that fuckin' town," he grumbled.
"Wha- wait, what about him?" I asked.
"We're leavin'."
"What? No! We can't just le-"
"I said we're leaving!" he repeated.
I pulled my arm away from him and stood my ground.
"He's my dad, Joel."
He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. As he turned I caught a glimpse of something in his hazel eyes. They were filled with anger and annoyance. But there was something else too. Was it… hurt?
He opened his mouth to argue but his eyes softened when he saw the look on my face.
"Fine," he said, obviously not fine. "He can come with us."
I couldn't keep my face from lighting up. I could keep my dad! And better yet, I had just won and arguement with Joel! Boo-ya!
Mark heard his cue and walked behind Joel. He gave me an uncertain smile as he passed. I smiled awkwardly back and gave a shrug that I hoped said 'That's just Joel for ya'. He snorted and gave me a real smile. But my own smile turned to a wince when I remembered the pain in my arm.
"Joel?" I ran up to him.
"Hmm?"
"You mind helping me with this hole in my arm?"
He blinked at me. "Sure, kid," he started rummaging through his pack. "Just gimme a sec…"
"Wait," said Mark. "I can do it." He pulled a pair of tweezers from my pocket and walked in front of me. I shot a nervous glance at Joel and backed up a few steps. Joel stepped in front of me.
"Hold on - how do I know you know what you're doin?"
"I sure as hell do. Lived in this hell hole as long as you have, buddy. I've stitched up a few bullet holes in my lifetime."
Joel hesitated and stared Mark down.
"Oh for God's sakes just get this over with already," I whined. I held out my bleeding arm put in front of me. Joel took in a sharp breath but said nothing.