sunshine // joel miller

TWELVE

"That's just the way he sounds. He has an asshоlе voice." Ellie excused the man's weird behaviour; "Right Fran?"

Fran just stayed quiet.

"Joel, tell him he's okay." Ellie demanded, realising Fran was being no help whatsoever.

"Everything is great," Joel responded, his voice the same, to the point Fran weirdly felt like smiling.

"Dude." Ellie sighed out in annoyance.

"Fuck! Okay... listen. I'm gonna trust you," Henry said to Joel then, before quickly signing it to his little friend. At the movement, Fran tilted her head to see what he was doing, the man accidentally shoving the gun into her temple as he signed.

The boy signed something back to him, looking to Fran for a moment after he did it. In the light, Fran could see the orange paint around his eyes. In any other situation, she'd say it was sweet.

"But if either of you guys try anything..." he shoved the gun unnecessarily further into the side of Fran's head; to the point where it was now starting to hurt, "yeah?"

"Okay," Fran mumbled, just wanting the gun away from her.

The man gestured for the boy to move, him doing so quickly, but still having the gun pointed at Joel.

"Can I sit up?" Joel asked the man. There was still a glint in his eye, Fran wouldn't be shocked if the man was dead in the next five minutes.

"Yeah." The man said, before adding; "Slow. Get up slow."

Joel did so; hands up.

"Who are you?" He asked the boy, all too conscious at the uncomfortable look of Fran's face from the gun still there.

"My name's Henry." He answered, "That's my brother, Sam. I'm the most wanted man in Kansas City." That sentence alone set off alarm bells in Fran's head, but it was nice when he finally lowered the gun, continuing on, "Although right now... my guess is you're running a close second."

-

As far as awkward dinners went, this had to be up there as one of the worst. Fran sat in between Joel and Ellie, quietly nibbling at a corner of her jerky as Sam and Henry sat opposite, eating as if it was their last meal.

"Where'd you get these?" Henry asked, trying to make any conversation.

"From Bill. He's dead." Ellie takes it upon herself to answer, the bluntness making Fran close her eyes for a second, rubbing her forehead with her hand.

"How long has it been since you two ate?" Fran asked, changing the tone a little.

"A little while," Henry answered, looking down at his brother who had finished his small amount of food. Fran quickly took it upon herself to offer her own, passing it slowly to the younger boy. His eyes literally gleamed at the idea of more food, taking it and signing a quick 'thank you'

Fran responded with a smile, signing back 'you're welcome.'

"You-" Henry paused seeing the movements, "You can sign?"