Chapter Ten

I didn't think I'd ever seen Joel this relaxed before. His initial trust was what first shocked me; he completely let his guard down to this stranger, who granted was rather old, but could surely handle his way around a gun. Even shared a few personal things about us, not only our names, but the general location of which we were headed. To top it all off, he even sang with this man while plucking away at a guitar and all as though they had been good friends for years.

It was insane, but I loved it.

We sat around the floor that night, and Earle pulled out some blankets and put a few of the candles around us. I don't think a smile ever left Joel's face that night, even when we weren't laughing or talking he still had a content grin on his face. I couldn't help but smile widely myself throughout the entire night, even when my cheeks began to hurt Earle would crack yet another joke which would only make them ache more.

"Okay, I've got another one," I said, pulling out my joke book and readjusting my position so that I was leaning on my side. "I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger, then it hit me."

Earle chuckled and shook his head, "Get a load of this one! You must have something better up your sleeve."

"Joel? That was funny, c'mon!" Joel rolled his eyes, but let out a small laugh, even though I knew it was due to my slight frustration and not the joke.

"Okay, here," I flipped through some pages before landing my finger on a random one. "Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a soda can? Good thing it was a soft drink."

At this one both Joel and Earle laughed, but I just sat there thinking for a moment. "I don't get it."

"It was before your time, darlin, don't fret." Earle fiddled with his glass.

"Say, how old are you, Earle?" Joel asked.

"Old enough." He gave a deep laugh that sounded like he had something constantly in his throat. "Birthday's tomorrow in fact, if I've been countin my days right."

A birthday, something to celebrate. It wasn't often that things like that came up, at least not anymore according to Joel. I was about to insist that we celebrate in some fashion, but Joel started to speak before I could even begin.

"Listen, Earle, what do you say about joining us?" Joel offered. I looked to Earle who just sat there quietly. He didn't say anything for a long time, and neither did I, because Joel's sudden question left us both speechless.

Earle eventually just shook his head. "I couldn't leave this place, been my home for far too long to leave it behind now."

"Aren't you lonely?" I asked.

"'Course I am, but I reckon I won't have to be for much longer."

"Which you won't if you join us!" I pointed out.

"I appreciate the offer, I really do, but I plan on staying in this home until the day I die." The way he talked about death was the saddest I'd ever heard anyone ever speak of it. He didn't say at as if he wanted to give up, but as though it was inevitable that it would soon catch up with him sooner than we'd all like.

He wasn't giving up, far from it, actually. He was just accepting it.

We didn't say anything much for the remainder of the night, or early morning, or whatever time it may have been. I just laid on my back and stared up at the ceiling, admiring the way the spider webs glimmered from the flicker of the candles that surrounded us. It was almost cozy, and the warmth I felt that was not only physical eventually lulled me to a dreamless sleep.

My sleep was cut short, though, and morning dawned upon us faster than expected and along with it was a splitting headache. I knew Joel and I were going to have to leave Earle today if we wanted to make any sort of progress towards Tommy's. I just wanted to pout and sit right where I was until Earle agreed to come with us, but it wouldn't be fair on any of us, especially if coming with us would cause Earle more pain than if he had stayed.

"Good afternoon, Kiddo." Joel greeted as I sat up. I had a strange loss of appetite this morning while usually I was always hungry no matter what time of day it was, but I didn't mind it one bit this morning.

"Morning," I greeted back, Earle was already up, too, eating away at some peaches. "Wait, afternoon? How long did I sleep?"

Joel waved his hand as if he could physically brush off my words. "At least a good eight hours, you were out like a light. Decided you could sleep in for once."

"Oh, uh, thanks." It sure didn't feel like any more than eight hours. In fact, it felt as though I hadn't slept in a week. Some rejuvenating sleep that was.

"Besides, I needed to gather a few things if we're planning on making this great cross country journey." Earle told between bites.

I sat there for a moment as his words settled in. "When did you change your mind?" I asked suddenly. I stood up quickly and rushed over to the bar they were sitting at.

"This one over here convinced me shortly after you dozed off," Earle pointed to Joel. "And I suppose it's finally time to say goodbye to this place." Earle looked around the room fondly.

"We're about ready to leave, so grab what you need, Ellie. Have everything you need, Earle?"

Earle sighed and nodded. I folded up my blanket and stuffed it into my bag, I'd definitely be holding onto it. "Ready when you are."

Joel stood up and stretched, and Earle plopped onto his feet, a sack now in his hand as well. We all headed towards the door, and Earle stopped on the way to grab a crucifix that was hanging on the wall next to it. We were about to shut the door behind us when Earle stopped in the doorway, having one last look at the place. We decided to give him a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Hey, Joel?" I whispered.

"What's up?" He looked down at me, his eyes squinted in the brightness of the sun.

"I think we should do something special for, Earle, y'know, since it's his birthday and all. Just look at him, he's probably heartbroken that he's gotta leave his home behind. I know I would be." I looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Ellie, sweetie, I don't know." I frowned at his words. "There isn't much you can do. We probably have to wait until we get back to Tommy's."

It was true, we probably would, but by then his birthday would be long gone. "I'll think of something, Joel, you watch me." I said determined to make this day special for Earle somehow.

"Well, looks like that's one adventure gone. Here's to another!" Earle was smiling, but I could see tears in his eyes. He was a tough one, but he wasn't heartless.

I smiled as brightly as I could back, even though my head was pounding quite steadily now. I was a bit worried about my shot wound, and I was tempted to check to make sure it wasn't infected, but I had just done so the other night and it was healing as it should be. I almost rolled up my sleeve to check my bite, but Earle was standing right next to me, and if I ever was going to tell him, I didn't want that to be how he found out.

Even though my bite was nearly a year old now and there was no sign of the infection turning me into a monster, I still worried about it all the time. I'd check it every now and again, and Joel would always get frightened that something changed, but it has yet to.

My train of thought was cut off when a pack of runners filled the air with their gruesome screeches. Their shrieks were a broken harmony that was not quite in sync and it sent chills down my spine as they alerted the infected around them to join.

"You know how to shoot, right?" Joel asked Earle. He already had his shotgun out and loaded.

"Did you not see my rifle greetin ya yesterday?" Even in a time like this Earle was quick to crack a joke.

Earle held up his .45 as a runner approached him, its mouth caked with dry blood and scars littered its face. More blood soon accompanied it when Earle pulled the trigger.

"Joel, to your right!" Another came up to Earle's left as he tried to help out Joel, and I was quick to shoot two bullets in its side before it could sink its teeth into any of us.

Two more followed the other infected as their bodies went limp and fell to the concrete. "Not bad, old-timer-" I grunted as rough hands that felt more like claws grabbed me from the back. It all happened so fast, one minute I was being dragged away, another something sharp ripped across my neck before Joel stabbed a shiv into the runners head where I was free almost immediately.

I felt so dazed and I just stood there. Joel was now standing closely in front of me, asking me questions, but I couldn't hear a word he was saying. I saw a flash of white and Earle came into view. My hand was sticky and covered in blood when I pulled it from my neck, and I was shaking like a leaf.

"I've been bit." I didn't understand why I was reacting this way, I'd been bit before and I was still here, yet tears still gathered in the corners of my eyes.

"Hey, now, it's nothing, just a bit of blood." Joel started saying, and it was true. It hurt a lot, and blood was still pouring from it, but I shouldn't turn. "You're fine, you're fine, okay?"

I lost it from there and Joel hugged me close as my sobs were the saddest thing Joel probably had ever heard. I didn't know exactly why I was crying, for the pain was bearable and I shouldn't turn. I assumed it worry and shock, and half part fear for the possibility that my first miracle was a fluke and that this time would be different.

Joel just rubbed my back as I tried to calm down from my hysterics and I felt a cloth being pushed against my wound. He pulled away when I stopped making noises and all that was left were watery eyes and a red nose. Fear greater than any I'd felt before was consuming me. The only fear that came close to this was when Joel nearly lost all of his blood getting from that university.

I looked to Earle, who had a blank expression. He was trying to form words and it occurred to me that he thought I was eventually going to turn. I struggled to quickly ease his mind, but it was hard when I could barely ease my own. Coherent words wouldn't form from my mouth so I just pulled up my sleeve to show him my other bite in hopes of an explanation.

"I've been bit before." Earle's eyebrows creased with confusion as I uttered the words through a cracking voice and tears were still dripping slowly down my face.

Joel's eyes never left me or my bite and I could tell he was worrying just as much. It all felt too overwhelming at this point and the pounding of my head was consuming all of my thoughts until I felt like I couldn't stand any longer. I tried grabbing Joel's arm to keep my balance, but I collapsed to the ground too fast. Joel was standing over me, his hands grabbing my shoulders and trying to get my attention to focus on him.

"Ellie? Ellie! Can you hear me?" His voice was very loud and I could hear him quite clearly, but just in time for me to whisper a word to him before drifting off.

"Immune."

My shivering was what had awoken me to darkness. It was just like the hospital; cold, dark, alone. Wait, maybe I wasn't alone. I heard voices and felt a hand touch mine.

"Joel?" I asked when my eyes peeled open. My vision was cloudy with sleep, but I could still make out his form. Earle sat a few feet behind him.

Joel's hand pressed against my forehead. "You've got a fever." I would've guessed that.

It made me want to cry all over again, because this was how it started, but I remembered that I was feeling awful before I was even bit. "Does Earle know?" I asked, hoping he wasn't worrying anymore than he had to. Too much worry was around us, filling us constantly.

Joel nodded and I looked to Earle. "You're very blessed."

"It doesn't look to be getting any worse," Joel said, his voice hopeful, but I knew deep down he was just as apprehensive. I was sick and I couldn't tell if it was from the bite or just my exhaustion and lack of food lately.

We'd have to wait it out.

"Happy birthday, Earle, I wanted to celebrate today. I'm sorry we couldn't." Joel hushed me and I sat up and leaned against his arm. I just needed one more miracle.

"Don't you worry, child, meeting you was a great gift in itself." Earle reassured me.

"Look in my backpack," I told him, Pointing to the deteriorating bag next to him. He grabbed it and unzipped the biggest zipper. He rummaged through a bit, before pulling out a bottle.

"Whiskey, huh?" He opened the bottle and took a whiff.

"Not just you and your sorrows anymore now." I smiled.

Earle just laughed loudly.

There were so many sorrows, but sharing them with each other made the tragedy just a little less suffocating.

But only by a little.

AN: I was determined to get another chapter out before classes resume and I did it! To be honest, this chapter was going to be another cute one, but I got the idea of Ellie being bit and I was afraid my plot was starting to dwindle.

I'd personally like to thank Metaphorically and Sophia, you both are so encouraging and supportive and I feel so lucky to call you my friends.

Also, LittleSlytherin394, your reviews are so kind and encouraging. I'm so glad that you're enjoying reading this story as much as I love writing it, so thank you. :)

And edgaryg, thank you for your lovely review. I woke up to it the other morning and it made my day and brought a huge smile to my face, so thank you for all of your support. :D

Huge thanks to everyone else who reads and follows my story and has supported me, it means so much to me, you guys are incredible.

Let me know what your thoughts on this one are and stay tuned for chapter eleven.