Glowing (Joel Miller)

7 | The Hotel

Ellie continued. "Or ones with split-open heads that see in the dark, like bats?"

I bit my lip as Tess turned around to glance at Joel and I. I shook my head. Ellie didn't need to worry about stuff like that right now.

Suddenly, there was a loud screech, and I immediately removed my gun from its holster. We halted, looking around for the source of the noise.

"What was that?" Ellie whispered to me, her voice trembling slightly. I shrugged, my finger on the trigger as I glanced around for any sign of danger.

From beside me, Joel took a step forward, ushering us on. "Let's keep moving."

***

We kept walking until we reached a building Tess called The Hotel. Joel pushed the door open, revealing a flooded lobby; green water, crawling with ducks, frogs and overgrown plants.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Ellie exclaimed, walking to the edge of the stairs, where the water lapped against the ground.  She turned back to Joel, Tess and I. "You ever stayed in a place like this?"

"Uh, no," Tess responded with a chuckle. "A little out of our league."

Ellie looked at me. "What about you, Jenna?"

I looked around the decrepit lobby, thinking about what it must of looked like pre-outbreak. It seemed like it used to be a fancy establishment, the waterlogged piano and high windows suggested it appealed to the upper class.

"Once," I answered, my gaze washing over the slimy walls. "My dad went to New York for work once and I went with him." I glanced back down at Ellie, who was watching me with interest. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Joel listening as well. "I was eight—I think. We stayed on the thirtieth floor and I could see the whole city." I smiled fondly at the bittersweet memory. Funny how life existed before the outbreak. It felt like I had lived in the quarantine zone my whole life.

"Jenna?" I looked up at Ellie, my eyes slightly glazed over. "Where is your dad now?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I could feel my cheeks burning as Tess turned to look at me as well. "Um..." I glanced over at Joel, whose eyes were dark, as if he already knew the answer. I sighed, taking a deep breath. "I don't know."

"What?" Ellie looked at me in utter confusion and I shook my head, reaching up to dab at one of my eyes, which was threatening to spill a tear.

"He was on a business trip to Kanas City on Outbreak Day." Ellie's eyes widened in shock. "He didn't come back and he didn't radio or anything." My gaze dropped to my shoes. "He's probably dead, but I have no way of knowing when or where."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Tess, standing beside me. She shot me a sympathetic look and I reciprocated with a weak smile. "I'm sorry," she said, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know how hard it is to not know."

I nodded as Tess let go of me. I was about to thank her for her empathy, when two arms wrapped tightly around my neck. I stumbled back as Ellie threw her arms around me, her feet hanging in the air as she buried her face into my neck. I reached forward, patting her gently on the back, until she dropped to the floor.

"You know," Ellie started, looking up at me. "He might still be alive."

I chuckled humourlessly. "I doubt it, but a nice sentiment." Patting Ellie on the shoulder, I shot her a small smile. "Don't worry about me."

Ellie shot me a final smile, before she walked over to Tess, by the edge of the water. I watched them talk, until I felt a presence beside me. I side-eyed Joel as he stood wordlessly beside me. I didn't know what to say, but luckily, he spoke up first.