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j-eryewrites · 2 years ago

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Infected

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Word Count: 12.7k

Disclosure: I do not own the plot or the characters from The Last of Us. This is a “what if” fic based on the HBO television series and the game The Last of Us.

Warnings: Character deaths, canon typical violence, zombies, detailed descriptions of gore, detailed descriptions of violence, crude language, mental issues, unhinged characters, usage of firearms and weapons, (let me know if I missed any!)

Authors note: finished this at 3.00 am in the morning, but I don’t care! hope y’all enjoy this chapter!

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Piper should have been tired, yet there she sat. Her back was stiff, tall, and defiant. Hell, even Joel could admit to himself he was exhausted and sore from the night before. Not to mention, the throbbing pain in his hand. Joel felt as if he had a million splinters stuck deep within his skin. Each time he moved his hand, the pain would spark a chain reaction. At least the swelling had gone down. That was a good sign. A sign he would have taken notice of if he wasn’t so busy staring down the teenager in front of him.

There was no indication in her stance and glare that she was at all affected by the events of the night before. The only sign of otherwise was the dark circles under her eyes. A biological betrayal. Joel hadn’t noticed it before, but the more he observed Piper the more he began to think that those dark circles may be a permanent feature on her face. Yes, he remembered clearly now. She had those same dark circles when they first met. However, this time, they were a few shades deeper than before. Missing a whole night’s rest would do that to you. Joel was all too familiar with the dark circles that grew under his own brown eyes. It was hard to get a good night's rest when it felt like everything was out to get you. It didn’t help that it was actually the case. One wrong move. One extra second of sleep could mean death.

“If you stare at her any longer you may implode, Joel,” Tess muttered. Her voice filled to the brim with sarcasm.

He didn’t respond to her. Only kept his eyes on the girl in front of them.

Tess sighed and followed his gaze. From her perspective, she saw the falter in Piper’s posture. Her posture was slumped over ever so slightly, though, from Joel’s view, it would be mistaken as perfect. The young girl's body looked about ready to collapse to the floor in a deep sleep, however, Tess knew that in cases like these, the mind won over the body.

It reminded her of her son when he was a toddler. The argument of ‘I’m not tired’ flashed in her mind. Her kid didn’t know any better. He wanted to stay up and not miss a single thing, but as a knowing mother, she knew that rest would allow him to experience the world untainted from the grumpiness that came when one was tired.

So Tess wasn’t surprised when she told Piper the exact same thing she’d tell her son.

“You know, life’s just a bit more pleasant when you get some sleep. Trust me,” Tess said softly. She knew it was best not to push this subject. “Why not get some shut-eye before your sister wakes up? We’ll stand guard.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather not place my life or my sister’s life into the hands of someone who got us caught by FEDRA last night.” Piper kept her gaze on Joel as she replied. Her genuine tone had the same snarkiness that was present in her sister’s voice.

Tess chuckled at the encounter. “Suit yourself.” She sat back in her chair and looked between Joel and Piper once more. The two were more similar than she’d like to admit. They had that same tired yet proud look in their eyes. Their bodies were on guard in front of those they protected. The unwavering stubbornness that Tess had grown all too comfortable with was apparent in both Joel’s and Piper’s demeanour.

Ellie stirred awake from behind her sister, causing Joel to tighten his grip on the gun. Instinctively, Piper moved her body so that it defended more of her sister. Tess sighed. Joel wasn’t making this easier and neither was Piper who sat even more on edge, any sign of weakness in her posture was long gone.

“Morning,” Tess called out. She saw how Ellie wiped the sleep from her eyes only for them to land on Joel’s gun. Great now, both girls were on edge. Way to go Joel.

“Do I look like I'm infected?” Ellie mumbled bringing up the elephant in the room.

Joel grunted, leaving Tess to interpret for the girl. “Show us your arm.”

“Yeah, it's not getting any worse, is it?” Ellie spat as he pulled up her sleeve to display the bite mark on her arm. She wasn’t liking the idea of waking up to the threat of a bullet in her body.

Tess nodded allowing Ellie to return her sleeve to normal.

It was quiet in the building and Ellie didn’t like the quiet. Her eyes darted across the room and widened in remembrance. They were out of the QZ. In the open city.

“If we're out in the open city, why aren't we getting swarmed?” Ellie asked. It was her dying question. After all the rumours she had heard floating around the QZ, you couldn’t blame the girl for being curious.

“Don't worry about that,” Tess replied. It only served as fuel to the flame. Ellie opened her mouth to ask another question when Piper cut her off.

“Well, I'm gonna,” Piper growled. It was then Ellie noticed the tension in the air. A shiver ran up her spine as she saw the glare her sister was sending Joel. Joel’s glare was just as harsh. Man was Ellie glad to not be on the receiving end of either of them.

Tess cocked her brow. It was her turn to be curious. “What was Marlene doing with an infected kid?”

“She’s not infected,” Piper spat. Her voice was seething with anger and only served as an instigator in the battle between Joel and Piper.

“She found me after I was bitten,” Ellie blurted, hoping to diffuse the tension.

Tess moved her attention to Ellie. “And she didn't shoot you.” For a moment Tess could swear there was a new line on Piper’s forehead.

“Clearly not. She locked me up and had her guys test me every day to see if I was getting sick,” Ellie explained.

Now this interested Tess. “Test you how?”

Ellie sighed and rolled her eyes. “I have to pee…”

“Test you... how?” Tess repeated.

“They'd make us count to 10 and hold out our hand and then keep it steady. But, you know, I think what really impressed them was the fact that we didn't turn into fucking monsters. There. Happy?” Piper spat.

There was a momentary pause in the conversation. Joel’s eyes narrowed and Tess’ brow furrowed. Did their ears hear right?

“Wait, both of you?” Tess finally enchanted her confusion.

Without another word, Piper yanked back her jacket, just as Ellie had done before, and presented her arm for the adults to see.

The wound looked different from Ellie’s, at least to Tess it did. No prominent veins were spiralling out from the scabbed-over wound. In all honesty, it just looked like a normal bite mark. The only thing that dismayed Tess was the depth of the wound. It was deep. Something that would only happen if there was a determined force behind it. Something she’d only seen from Infected.

“Now can I please?” Ellie grumbled. She was squeezing her legs tight to her body.

Tess took one more look at Piper’s arm before dismissing Ellie to use the makeshift bathroom. “Fine. Back there. You can find a spot. And here. Tear out a few pages.” She chucked a magazine she had found to Ellie who caught it with ease.

“There's not gonna be anything bad in here?” Ellie asked as she tiptoed over to the room Tess had pointed to earlier.

“Just you,” Piper smirked back at her sister.

“Oh, funny,” Ellie responded.

Tess smiled. That simple action reminded her that they were just kids. Kids who were doing the best they could with the world handed to them. Kids who were bit and infected, but still kids. A grumbling beside her shook Tess out of her nostalgic trance.

“Broken. Maybe a hairline. It'll heal fast,” Joel mumbled just loud enough for Tess to hear. He was cradling his hand. Nasty bruises had formed along his knuckles. The skin was an angry red as Joel’s free hand brushed over the injury.

“She made it through the fuckin' night, Joel. Apparently so did Piper.” Tess said in disbelief. These girls were the fucking future. They were something she hadn’t had in a long time. Hope. They were hope.

“It doesn't matter,” Joel scoffed. “It's gonna happen sooner or later. All right? We're still close to the wall. We sneak them back into the QZ. We find a different way to get the battery.”

“This is our best shot. We take them back to the QZ, someone's gonna notice their arms, they're gonna scan them...then they'll kill them. They kill those girls.” Tess couldn’t help the desperation that slipped into her voice.

“Well, better them than us. You need to stop talkin' about these kids like they’ve got some kinda life in front of them.” Joel said.

Tess ignored him. Joel was never one to believe. It would break his stubborn ass if he ever did believe in anything. Ellie emerged from the back room and sat down next to her sister. She nudged Piper’s shoulder and nodded toward the backpack.

“You two hungry? You can share some of ours.” Tess offered. Joel grimaced as Tess raised the food out to the girls. Fuck, Joel thought Tess. She was going to hope no matter what he said.

“Thanks,” Piper replied, her voice empty of gratitude. “Marlene sent us with our own.” Just then she handed a sandwich to Ellie and retrieved one for herself. The two girls didn’t waste time digging in.

Tess smelt an old scent that hit her nose. Her stomach began to grumble at the thought. “Is that chicken?”

“Yeah,” Ellie replied. Her mouth was full of food. “Marlene said they get it from smugglers.” She paused. “...Guess not you guys.”

Tess was surprised when she heard Joel’s voice speak up. “Hey. Hey! Why...why are you so important to Marlene? And don't lie to me or we'll take you back.”

“You take us back, you don't get your battery.” Piper plainly said.

“You heard that?” Joel asked in disbelief.

Tess butt into the conversation before it could sour again. “Then you must've heard that he wants to shoot you too.” She stood up from her seat despite Joel’s protest and crouched down in front of the girls. “I'm gonna talk to you two like you are adults. Okay?”

Ellie immediately nodded in understanding. Piper just glared at Tess, who glared back until the girl nodded as well. Tess needed them to understand.

“Joel and I aren't good people. We're doin' this for us because, apparently, you're worth something. But we don't know what you're worth if we don't know what we have. So answer my question.”

In a quiet voice, Ellie muttered, “She told me not to tell anybody, and now I'm telling the first people that I…” Ellie was cut off by Piper.

“There's a Firefly base camp somewhere out west…” Piper explained.

“…with doctors. They're working on a cure,” Ellie finished.

“Mm-hm. I've heard this before,” Joel grumbled.

“And whatever happened to me...to us...is the key to finding the vaccine,” Ellie replied. Her voice was unsteady but full of belief.

Joel was taken aback. Did this girl really believe it? “That's what this is? We've heard this a million times. Vaccines, miracle cures. None of it works. Ever.”

“Fuck you, man. I didn't ask for this.” Ellie cried. She was hurt, but so was Joel.

“You and me both. This isn't gonna end well, Tess. We need to go back.” Joel instructed.

Tess turned her efforts back to Joel. “Let's just finish it. It doesn't matter if she is or she isn't what the Fireflies say. If they believe that she is then...we get what we want.”

Joel narrowed his eyes at Ellie. “If she so much as twitches–” Joel warned.

Suddenly there is a loud screech followed by hollow clicking noises.

Immediately Piper, Tess, and Joel all turn to Ellie. “Don't,” they say in unison. The power of their voices makes even Ellie pause for a moment.

“Okay. Okay? Okay.” Ellie receded back behind her sister, but not before catching sight of Joel’s gun.

“Can I have a gun?” Ellie asked.

Once again three voices fill the air. “Absolutely not–No–Ellie, don't even think about it.”

“Okay, Jesus! Fine. I'll have to throw a fuckin' sandwich at them.” Ellie groaned. She didn't like the idea of having three versions of her sister. One Piper was enough.

“Let’s go,” Tess told the two girls.

Without another word, the two of them pack up their bags and in one motion, swing them over their shoulders. Joel grunted as he lifted the makeshift barricade from the door. The shelf was heavy and put an unnecessarily large amount of weight on his injured hand. It didn’t take long for the barricade to be moved and the door to open.

Light from the sun flooded into the room and for a moment it looked as if Joel had disappeared into the light.

“It's clear.” Joel’s gruff voice started before he fully submerged himself in the daylight.

While some light found its way through the cracks back in the building, it could not prepare Piper’s eyes for the vast amount of light outside. Her eyes closed shut before opening once again. Her pupils shrunk as they adjusted to the early morning light.

“Whoa,” Ellie gasped in disbelief.

“Yeah, looks different in the daylight, huh?” Tess said.

Tess was right. Things did look different illuminated by the sun. Piper could clearly see the decaying buildings that were overgrown by vines and weeds. The greens swirled around the greys and browns on the buildings. She could even see some trees that poked their way through the giant holes in the roofs. Underneath her feet was a road cracked and crumbled. There was barely a hint of the yellow and white paint that once outlined the streets. Cars were rusted over and doors were forever glued shut. On top of it all was a layer of dew. The rain storm from last night left its mark as the plants and wildlife try to soak in as much water as they can before the sun's heat dries it up.

Joel let the two girls take in the view. It’s not every day you get to see the ghost that humanity left behind. “We should get movin'.”

The group trudged along the roads. Broken glass from the buildings glittered as the sun reflected off of it in just the right spot. They twinkled almost like stars in the night sky. As they journeyed deeper into the city, more and more buildings made friends with the ground, no longer having the strength to stand as tall as they were designed. In the road ahead, sat a crater. The indented in as the grey shade of the road turned a deep black.

“It's like a fucked-up moon!” Ellie cried out in awe.

“Ellie, be careful,” Piper warned as she saw her sister approach the crater. Her legs pushed up onto the side of the crater to look down into the vast hole.

“Is this where they bombed?” Ellie asked. She picked up a stray rock and dropped it into the crater. Her brown eyes followed as it scraped across the ground finally resting in the center of the circle.

“Yeah. They hit most of the big cities like this,” Tess explained. “They had to slow the spread somehow. Worked here, but it...didn't in most places.” She walked over to Ellie to help nudge her along. Then she stopped and so had Joel. Piper and Ellie shared a puzzled look.

“So, the State House is across there. It's about a 10-minute walk if you could go straight.” Tess noted.

“So?” Piper asked.

“Long way or short way?” Joel replied. His question was directed towards Tess.

“I mean, it's the long way or the "we're fuckin' dead" way,” Tess stated.

“Well, I vote the long way just based on that limited information,” Ellie muttered.

Tess and Joel ignored Ellie’s comment and continued to talk amongst themselves. Piper, just for a moment, noticed the similarity to a book she had read. Something about how parents will converse amongst themselves as if the kids aren’t even there. But to think that, Joel and Tess would have to be parents and Piper and Ellie the kids and together they’d make a family. Once again, an idea that Piper wholeheartedly disagreed with.

“We have to check it from the hotel first,” Joel directed Tess.

“Okay,” Tess replied, she looked back at Ellie and Piper. For what reason Piper wasn’t sure.

Soon after, Joel readjusted his hold on his gun before taking a step forward. Then another and another. There was the crunch of gravel under Piper’s shoes and she found herself and the group walking once more.

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Her feet were sore and the soles of her shoes were worn. The sun beat down on her back and a smooth layer of sweat had formed on her back. It was making her shirt uncomfortably stick to her skin. Her socks rubbed against the back of her heels scraping against the sensitive skin. She imagined it was turning a shade of red from all the friction. Ellie was soon to change the way her weight balanced on her feet. Toe to heel instead of heel to toe. This seemed to ease the friction, however, it produced a dull pain in her feet. One that seemed only to be relieved with a good complaint or two. “Why aren’t we already fucking there?” Ellie groaned. Already she felt a relief just sharing.

“You'll know it when we're close,” Tess replied.

“I didn't know last time,” Ellie muttered.

“How did you get bit?” Tess asked in an attempt to distract the young girl.

“Ellie–” Piper whispered, but Ellie interrupted her.

“You know the old mall in the QZ?” Ellie asked. She didn’t care if her sister was as cautious as a mouse around cats. Ellie liked Tess and her instincts told her that Tess could be trusted. Almost.

“The one that's sealed off and boarded up, and no one's supposed to go in... ever? That one?” Tess clarified. She looked back at the two girls unsure that they would have been stupid enough to go in there.

Piper lowered her gaze to the ground. She stuck a foot out to kick around a small pebble on the highway. She was adamant about not looking at Tess, Joel, or Ellie for that matter. Her shoulders slumped over and Joel took notice of how quiet it had gotten.

“Whatever. I snuck in. Wanted to see what it was like. Didn't think there was gonna be anything in there, and then one just came at me outta nowhere. Thought I got away, but…” Ellie’s voice grew quiet. Maybe she didn’t trust Tess enough with this information. The blood. The pain. The screams were all too fresh. Ellie knew that if she closed her eyes she would see Piper. She would see her sister tear into her skin. She would replay the scene. Ellie felt sick thinking about how the Piper she had grown up with disappeared when she was bitten. Piper was desperate and afraid. But what disturbed Ellie more was the thought that grew in the back of her head. Something in her knew what would have happened to Piper if Ellie had turned.

Tess’s voice broke Ellie out of her thoughts. “So it was just you in there, alone?”

“Yeah–I mean Piper was with me, but yeah. Just us two,” Ellie mumbled.

Tess halted. She turned to Ellie and Piper. There was a curious look on her face. “How old are you?” Tess asked the two girls.

“Fourteen.”

“Seventeen.” Piper and Ellie said at the same time.

In Tess’s eyes there flashed a hidden respect for the girls. “Wow. Well, I mean, you got some balls on you, sister.”

“Thanks,” Ellie muttered to the two of them. She didn’t know about Piper, but Ellie grew to like Tess. The woman wasn’t a complete asshole like Joel was. In fact, she was almost like a mother. Almost.

Piper had told Ellie what she remembered of their mother. Blue eyes. Light-coloured hair. Piper wasn’t sure if it was blonde or light brown, but Ellie was confident it was light brown. After all, Ellie and her sister’s hair was brown. When Ellie was young, she liked to imagine what her mom would look like based on the vague description Piper had. For some reason, the image that came to mind was Piper. An older version of the course, but it was still Piper. Piper had always been there for Ellie. She stepped up when no one else would. But now as Ellie was thinking about it, the image of her mom changed into one that looked like Tess.

At first, Ellie disliked the idea. There were no similarities…except that Tess had light brown hair and blue eyes. Just like Piper had told her. Tess was kind in her own way. She would walk next to Ellie and talk to her. Hell, Tess even stood up to Joel for the girls and offered her some of her food.

Well, shit.

Ellie shook her head to toss the thoughts out. She can’t get attached. She’s just cargo. Tess will leave just like everyone else. But it couldn’t stop Ellie from hoping.

“Nobody's gonna be comin' after you, right? Like, Mom, Dad ...boyfriend?” Tess wondered.

The momentary lap in Piper’s character dissipated. She snickered under her breath as if having anyone out there who would care enough about the two girls was just as possible as pigs flying. “Dead, non-existent, and no. No one gives a shit about anyone other than themselves,” Piper scoffed.

She didn’t notice the flash of sadness in Tess’s eyes as she heard the teen’s response. “Yet you care about your sister,” Tess noted.

Piper’s jaw clenched as she raised her gaze to glare right at Tess. “That’s different,” Piper hissed.

“Right,” Tess replied. She knew when to not bite back.

Ellie, sensing the tension in her sister’s attitude, chose to change the subject. “Everyone said the open city was crazy. Like, swarms of Infected running around everywhere.”

Again Piper scoffed and rolled her eyes. She kicked the pebble she was playing with so hard it cracked a rusted car’s window. “It’s fucking propaganda that’s what it is. Want us to stay inside the QZ. Keep us to be their soldiers and dogs.”

Suddenly Joel spoke up from behind the group. “No…not exactly like that.” He eyed Piper carefully just like Tess did moments before though with a tinge of appreciation. Piper was right after all.

“You know, people like to tell stories,” Tess explained.

“So, there aren't Super-Infected that explode fungus spores on you?” Ellie wondered. She twirled around on her heel. Her hands made what seemed to be an explosion, as she created sound effects. Her eyes went wide as her hands flew apart.

“Shit, I hope not,” Tess laughed.

“Or ones with split-open heads that see in the dark like bats?” Ellie continued acting out what she thought each Infected would look like.

The laughter faded from Tess’s voice. “Uhh…”

Suddenly there was an inhuman screech. It echoed off the decaying buildings. The noise got louder and louder as the sound travelled. The group froze. Ellie’s eyes widened.

Piper clenched her eyes shut and clenched her fists. Her nails dug into the palms of her hands as she slowed her breathing. Her nails pierced her skin and the warm trickling of blood forced Piper to open her eyes once more. She quickly looked around the group. No one was paying attention to her. Piper quickly brushed her hands on her jacket, wiping the blood away.

“What was that?” Ellie asked. There was a tinge of curiosity in her voice.

“Let's keep movin',” Joel instructed. He looked to Tess who nodded in agreement. As the group continued on, Joel couldn’t help how his sight moved down to Piper’s hands. What really drew his attention was the tiny punctures in her skin that were bleeding. Tearing his eyes away from Piper’s hands, Joel fought to keep the thoughts of concern that popped up into his mind.

This kid was cargo. Nothing more. Nothing less.

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When Joel and Tess discussed going to the hotel, Ellie and Piper didn’t think much. However, the two teens couldn’t help the gasp that left their mouths as they took in the building in front of them. Tess chuckled to herself upon seeing the girl’s reactions. While Piper’s reaction was a bit more subtle than Ellie’s, Tess knew that the young girl was still excited.

The hotel was overgrown with nature. Vines snaked up the walls. Surprisingly, most of the glass windows were still intact. The layers of dust that accumulated after twenty years reflected the midday sunlight creating an unearthly glow. It was almost like the hotel had a halo of light surrounding it. Inside was even better. The main floor had flooded and was transformed into what Piper imagined a jungle would look like. Trees shot out from the murky water and their green leaves reached towards the sunlight that trickled through the gaping holes and cracks in the hotel’s ceiling and walls. Piper could hear the sound of trickling water and the croaking of…frogs?

“You've gotta be kidding me! Ya ever stay in a place like this?” Ellie exclaimed. She spun around in a circle as she gazed up at the ceiling and the treetops.

“Uh, no, a little out of our league,” Tess replied.

“How do you even know what this is?” Joel asked.

“Have you heard of books?” Ellie said with as much sass as her small figure could produce. “Wait, are we going in there?” She wondered. Her voice was no longer filled with sass and instead was replaced with fear.

“Yeah, we gotta get to the stairwell on the other side,” Tess explained.

“Well, I…” Ellie eyed the murky water. There was no bottom in sight and it looked deep. There was no way to tell what could be lurking in there. “...I don't know how to swim.” She looked to Piper and Tess for reassurance.

“Seriously?” Joel shot back. His tone was full of disbelief.

“Do you think we have pools in the QZ?” Ellie retorted.

Joel rolled his eyes. “No, smart ass. I mean…” He jumped from the steps and into the water.

Ellie’s eyes widened and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. “I don't know how I was supposed to know that.” She said defensively.

Piper came up beside her sister and placed a hand on Ellie’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Ellie. Do you have your extra pair of socks?”

Ellie grinned and rolled her eyes. There was the Ellie that Piper knew. “Yes, Mom…” Ellie said.

“Good,” Piper nodded before stepping into the water. It rose just below her hips. There was one thing for sure, Piper did not like being wet. She hated how the water sloshed in her boots. She especially didn’t like the feeling of her socks being drenched. To make matters worse. Her pants were sticking to her legs making it even harder to move through the water. What Piper didn’t like most was that she was slow. The water dampened her speed and reflexes. Something that made her vulnerable.

“This is so gross!” Ellie exclaimed. She, unlike her sister, was enjoying the experience. Ellie dropped her hands into the water and splashed around a bit. She even flicked some water at Piper who sent a tidal wave in Ellie’s direction. Ellie was now positively drenched but loved every bit of it. It reminded her of playing with those water guns Riley had found.

There was a box-like shape in the corner of the room. Next to it was a brass suitcase holder. Ellie’s eyes widened with excitement. “Oh, check it out!” She trudged over to the desk, Piper in tow after her. “Ding, ding.” Ellie rang the bell on the desk.

Piper appeared behind the desk. Her arms pushed up to slightly raise her body out of the water. Something she regretted as the cold air hit her soaking-wet clothes. “Good evening, madam. How may I help you?” Piper said in her best impression of what she thought a hotel worker would sound like.

“Yes, sir. I would like your finest suite, please.” Ellie replied. Her voice was just as ridiculous as Piper’s had been.

Piper raised her brows and broke character. “I’m a sir?”

Ellie sighed, breaking character as well. “Well, fuck, you sounded like a man just there. Your voice was deep an’ all.”

Piper waved her sister off. “Okay. Fine.” Then Piper switched back into her “man” voice. “Yes, ma'am. Would you like me to take your luggage?” The words were over-enunciated and Piper’s mouth exaggerated the movements of her mouth. A hint of a smile appeared on her face. She was having fun.

“Of course, sire,” Ellie replied.

“Yes, ma'am. Right away, ma'am…” Piper motioned to the suitcase carrier. “Here get on the thingy,” she instructed Ellie.

Ellie eagerly hopped on and Piper began to push the cart. Ellie squealed with delight even though the cart was moving slower than a snail. A giggle escaped Piper’s mouth just loud enough for the entire group to hear.

Tess smiled fondly at the scene.

“You're a weird kid,” Joel muttered. There was no malice in his voice. In fact, Piper was even sure she heard a hint of amusement.

“You're a weird kid.” Ellie spat back.

Piper smirked at Ellie’s response. Suddenly a dark figure splashed in the water below Piper. It touched her leg and she yelped. “Oh fuck!” She quickly jumped back from whatever it was. Her body was stiff and defensive as she tripped and fell into the water.

Joel moved to the girls without thinking. His gun was ready to fire and protect them. He didn’t notice how his breath grew tight realizing he couldn’t see Piper. At that moment, Piper’s head shot out of the water and she gasped for breath. Adrenaline was pumped into her system.

“Oh, my God,” Ellie said as she saw what scared Piper. It was a skeleton of what she assumed was a hotel worker. “Uh, sorry,” she mumbled to Joel.

He let out a small sigh of relief and lowered his gun. He kicked the skeleton away from the two girls. Then he found himself looking down at Piper with a look in his eyes that he couldn’t place. Joel extended a hand out to the teen.

“You okay?” He asked her.

Piper stared at Joel’s hand. Water droplets trickled down her face and dripped down her brow bone. She wiped her face and for a moment considered taking his hand. Maybe she could let someone care…never. Piper brushed the thought away just as she did with Joel’s hand. She didn’t need his or Tess’s help. Piper and Ellie were just fine on their own.

“Yep. Fucking fabulous,” she growled.

꧁_____________꧂

Piper had been silent the rest of the way through the swamp of the hotel and up the ten flights of stairs the group climbed. She didn’t even let out so much as a breath. Joel was pretty much the same. The two of them shared a strained aura. Their boots sloshed and water continued to drip onto the floor.

“Fuck... Holy shit.” Tess grabbed her lower back and sighed in relief. Her joints ached.

“Come on, it wasn't that bad,” Ellie teased. She and Tess had talked the entire way up. Ellie was positive their conversation kept Piper from losing it.

“You try climbing ten fuckin' floors with our knees. See how ya feel.” Tess’s gaze moved down the hallway and she groaned at the sight. A wall had caved in. Something that wasn’t there the last time she and Joel were at the hotel. “Well, when the fuck did that happen?”

Joel was already down the hall. He was trying to open the doors, but each one seemed stuck.

“Maybe that one,” Tess suggested. It was the last door in the hallway.

Joel tried the door and shook his head. “No.”

Tess sighed. “All right, well, I mean, maybe I could climb up there, work my way around, and open it from the inside?” She suggested. It would be a tight fit.

“Uh, no, well, I'm the smallest, so it'd be easier for me to get through,” Ellie replied.

“No,” Piper stated.

Tess nodded in agreement with Piper. “I’d listen to your sister. If you die then we get nothing. You stay.” She turned to Joel. “Can you give me a hand?”

Joel extended his hand and Tess took it. He lifted underneath her thigh and boosted her up. Tess was able to grasp some rubble and squeeze her way through the debris. “You good up there?” Joel called out.

“Yeah, uh, it's a bit of a mess, so I'm gonna need a few minutes,” explained Tess. Her voice was muffled.

Now that Tess was gone, the group grew silent. Ellie huffed in boredom before leaning against the wall. Piper stood looking at the crack where Tess had disappeared from. She clutched her arms close to her body and shivered. The mix of cold air and soaking wet clothes was a deadly combination. Joel peered down at Piper’s shivering body before he reached into his pack and pulled out his jacket. Without a word, he draped it over Piper’s shoulders. He didn’t give her a chance to refuse as he walked away and sat opposite Ellie.

Piper sighed and drew Joel’s jacket closer to her body. Her shivering calmed down. “I’m going to change into my spare clothes. Ellie?” Piper shot her sister a look.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll change my socks,” Ellie mumbled.

Piper nodded and turned around and walked to the end of the hall before opening the doorway to the staircase. Joel was not worrying about Piper as she walked away from his presence and into the dark stairwell.

Ellie, in the meantime, had peeled over her wet socks and switched them out for dry ones. She leaned against the wall and huffed in boredom.

Joel felt a weight in his pockets and remembered he still had Ellie’s switchblade in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw how Ellie’s expression changed instantly.

“Where did you get that?” She asked, extending her hand out. Joel tossed it to the girl.

“Pulled it out of the FEDRA guy’s back. Thought you might need it.”

“Thanks,” Ellie whispered. Then she flipped out the switchblade and began to play with it. The silver blade turned and twisted in her grasp.

“Nice knife. Where'd you learn to do that?” Joel asked.

“The circus. Where are you from?” Ellie replied.

“Texas.”

“What about Tess?”

“Detroit. It's in Michigan.”

Ellie scoffed. “I go to school. I know where Detroit is. So, uh, you two like a…”

“Pass.”

“How'd you end up in Boston?”

Joel grumbled. These questions were serving as a shitty distraction. “Pass. No more questions about me.”

“How long do Infected live?” Ellie asked. She stopped flipping her knife.

“Oh, I thought you went to school,” Joel leered with a tilt of his head.

“It's a really shitty one.”

“Well, some last about a month or two. But there's others been walkin' around ‘bout 20 years.” Joel explained.

“Ever kill one?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah, I killed lots of 'em.”

“…Was it hard? Like, knowing they were people once?” Ellie’s voice got quiet.

“No,” a voice from beside Joel and Ellie spoke. It was Piper.

“Sometimes,” Joel said at the same time.

Joel turned his head to look at Piper. She was wearing his jacket over a brown, green, white, and blue striped tee shirt underneath along with a dark pair of jeans. She had the sleeves of his jacket rolled back. It was huge on the teen girl.

“What about that guy last night?” Ellie asked Joel, bringing his gaze off of Piper. It was another question Joel did not want to answer.

Suddenly there was a rustling noise from behind one of the doors in the hallway. Joel shot up from his seat on the floor and pushed Ellie and Piper behind him. His gun raised.

“You can put the gun down, Joel,” Tess's voice instructed from the other side of the door. There was a click and the door swung open. There was a look of unease on Tess’s face.

“What now?” Joel stressed.

꧁_____________꧂

Well fuck, was the collective thought as they stared down at the writhing pile of Infected. The sight was nauseating. The bodies of the Infected slithered along the ground. Moans filled the air and merged into one sound of death. Piper couldn’t help the foul thoughts that plagued her mind. Her entire body was on edge as she watched the Infected below. She felt like something was crawling underneath her skin, prickling the hairs on the back of her neck. Something that would shred her skin apart and kill her from the inside with its sharp claws around her heart as it tore her apart.

“There's so many,” Ellie muttered. She was in shock. The image of the Infected on top of her from three weeks ago was still fresh in her mind.

“The last time we were here, they were still deep inside the buildings. Then I guess enough people came through looking for the QZ, they went inside seeking shelter… and that's how they get more and more of the city bit by bit, year after year,” Tess said.

“They're connected,” Ellie whispered, scared her voice would alter the Infected below.

“More than you know. The fungus also grows underground. Long fibres like wires, some of them stretching over a mile. Now, you step on a patch of cordyceps in one place, and you can wake a dozen Infected from somewhere else. Now they know where you are, now they come. You're not immune from being ripped apart. Do you understand?” Tess leaned close to Ellie. Ellie was quick to nod her head.

Piper on the other hand turned away from the ledge. She took in a sharp breath in an attempt to control her shaking. She clenched her eyes tight and felt a cold tear slide down her cheek. The mark from where she bit her arm burned as the screams from that night thundered in her head.

NO. NO. ELLIE! NO. NO. PLEASE…I CAN’T…NO!!

“It's important. I'm tryin' to keep you alive,” Tess told Ellie.

The words twisted in Piper’s mind. You can’t keep Ellie safe. You can’t keep her alive. She got bit because of you. It’s your fault.

No…I’m sorry. I can keep her safe. I CAN!!

It’s when Ellie speaks that Piper was taken out of her dark thoughts.

“So, we're not goin' that way,' ' Ellie noted.

“No,” Tess said.

“What do we do then? Short way?!” Ellie’s eyes flashed with worry. If she remembered correctly, the short way was the “we’re fucking dead way”.

“Museum,” Joel's voice said.

Ellie shivered. She wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the knot that formed in her stomach. The “we’re fucking dead way” it is.

꧁_____________꧂

“You've gotta be fucking kidding me,” Piper snarled.

The museum was overgrown with fungus. Yellow and white tendrils slithered up the withering walls of the museum. Like roots, the fungus spread out from the entryway of the museum. The fungus almost looked painted on. It reminded Piper of the spray paint art found on the walls of the buildings in the QZ. However, this design was deadly.

“Well, there's a way across from the top floor,” Tess told the two girls. She pointed upwards.

“Well, then I guess it's fine,” Ellie shrugged.

“No, Ellie. It’s not fucking fine!” Piper exclaimed. She wasn’t about to let her sister walk in there. Had she not remembered what Tess told her? The Infected were connected by the fungus. One wrong step and hell would descend upon them.

“We used to take it all the time,” Tess reassured Piper. Well, I tried to.

“Okay,” Ellie said.

Piper shook her head. “I’m not fucking going in there. Neither is Ellie.” Piper grabbed the hood of her sister’s jacket and pulled Ellie to her side. “We’re not going in…,” Piper growled.

“Look, it was fine. Piper, you’ve gotta trust me.”

“Trust the person who walked up straight into that FEDRA agent? Hell no.” Piper’s eyes narrowed and her body grew stiff as Tess took a step forward.

“Awesome,” Ellie said sarcastically. She sighed and tried to remove herself from Piper’s grasp, but her grip was too tight. “Jesus Pipes, calm the fuck down. Tess says it's fine, so –”

“It's bone dry. It could mean they're all finally dead in there,” announced Joel. Joel’s deep and calm voice eased some of Piper’s nerves.

“Oh, man. See Piper, we’re fine.” Piper sent Ellie a warning glare. “Mind if you let me go?”

Reluctantly, Piper released Ellie’s hoodie. Ellie shrugged off her sister’s hand and turned to Tess and Joel who were on the ground sifting through their backpacks.

Joel pulled out a large flashlight and waved it in front of the girls. “Marlene pack you one of these or just sandwiches?”

“Yeah,” Ellie nodded. She and Piper pulled off their bags and began to look for the flashlights Marlene had so graciously given them.

Piper groaned. “Where is that fucking thing?” Then she reached into her pack and began to pull out everything in search of the flashlight. First, it was her wet clothes, then a makeshift first aid kit, some rope, and her gun. Joel’s eyes widened as she pulled out the gun from her bag. His hand instinctively hovered over his own.

Something that didn’t go unnoticed by Piper. “What?! I know how to use one of these things.” She waved the gun around. “It’s not like I’m gonna shoot you. Plus it's empty.” She opened the cartridge and indeed it was empty. Joel’s hand left his side. “Just grabbing my fucking flashlight,” Piper grumbled finally finding the damn thing.

Joel’s shoulders didn’t relax until Piper had shoved the gun back into the bag. She made sure to place it at the very bottom of her bag. She didn’t need to give Joel another reason to shoot her.

“Okay, so… more ground rules.” Tess swung her bag back over her shoulder and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. Her eyes switched between Piper's and Ellie’s eyes. “We're gonna go slowly. If we come up against anything, you get behind us and ya stay there, okay?”

“Yes,” Ellie said.

Tess sent a look to Piper as she scoffed. “Yeah. Jesus. I’ll stay behind you.”

Tess pulled back accepting the girl’s acknowledgement and pulled out her gun.

“I have a spare hand…” Ellie suggested. She pointed to the guns in Tess and Joel’s hands.

“Congratulations,” Joel said as he stepped over the dead fungi and into the Museum.

“Yeah... cooked,” Joel noted as the group settled into the building. The only source of light came from behind them and their flashlights. Piper was surprised to find that the roof and walls were intact. Part of her was half expecting half of the building to have collapsed and to be overrun with plants and fauna just like the rest of the city.

“Oh, finally, some fuckin' luck,” said Tess.

“I guess we should've gone this way in the first place,” Joel confessed as he looked around the museum. All was quiet and still. He and Tess quickly check a side room to make sure it was clear. Maybe they were in luck.

Ellie on the other hand did exactly what Joel and Tess told her not to do. She wandered away. Piper followed her sister. Her hand tightly grasped her own switch. Ellie turned a corner and jumped back. “Oh shit! What the fuck did that?” She pointed her flashlight behind the corner and Piper ran to her side, her hand ready to strike. It seemed like Tess and Joel had the same idea.

“Ellie…” Piper muttered. She pulled her sister away from the dead body.

It was a man. His throat ripped open and his shirt torn. Thick blood seeped from the wounds. His eyes were wide open with terror; Frozen in time the moment his life was stolen from his body.

Tess tensed beside Joel.” Maybe… maybe he was attacked outside and crawled through the doors. The door was open. Could've been him. I don't hear anything.” She said hopefully.

“Who would you hear?” Ellie asked curiously before Piper’s hand flew up to cover her mouth. Piper leaned in close and shushed her sister.

Ellie got the message and pulled Piper’s hand away. “Who would you hear?” Ellie whispered. She looked at Tess and Joel. “Are you saying an Infected did that?”

“Shh,” Tess pleaded.

“Because I've been attacked by one and it wasn't like that.” Ellie pointed to the body, her voice growing louder than a whisper.

“You know the bat-like ones?” Piper said. Ellie nodded. “Well–”

Joel’s jaw clenched as Piper spoke up. “Okay, from this point forward, we are silent. Not quiet. Silent.” He brought a finger to his lips.

“What…?” Ellie asked.

“No. No questions. Just do it.” Joel commanded.

Ellie sighed, or she would have if Joel was not giving her a death glare. Tess motioned for Piper and Ellie to walk behind Joel. The girls followed Joel as Tess took the back. Her eyes darted from side to side to look out for any sign that could warn her.

Piper and Ellie stepped over the fungi that spread all across the floor and spanned across the walls and ceiling. Piper didn’t care that Joel stated the fungi were dead as she walked on her tiptoes to avoid even the tiniest fragment of fungi.

As the group moved up the stairs of the museum, Piper could see piles of debris and shattered glass mixed between the large root-like tendrils of the fungi. It seemed like the stairs were the focal point for the fungi. It grew denser making it harder for Piper to find a safe place to step. Ellie resorted to hopping from one place to another.

There was a creaking sound from above before a rumbling CRASH! Suddenly a part of the ceiling collapsed down onto the stairs just a few feet in front of Joel. The group froze: Their breath stilled, the blood in their body stopped pumping, and every muscle in their body refused to move. All were focused on the sound. They listened as the dust stilled and fell to the floor. They waited for what felt like a century as they were reassured nothing was altered.

Joel was the first to take a step. His movement created a chain reaction in the rest of the group. Everyone now continued to make their way up the stairs past the decaying bodies of lifeless infected. Fungi grew out of their cracked skulls and shot out of their eye sockets.

Ellie couldn’t help but be fascinated with the Infected. She could clearly see the hollowness of the human that the monster was created from. She soon became lost in her thoughts as she imagined what these people must have been like before they were turned. Her steps soon grew careless and less calculated.

CRACK!

The group froze again as Ellie winced. The sound pierced the air. The sound came from below Ellie. She cautiously lifted her foot off the ground and glanced down at the crushed hand of the Infected. The hand was reduced to dust and bones. She mouthed a quick sorry to Joel who was staring right where her foot once was and the group trekked up the stairs once more.

Piper felt a wave of relief fall over her as she realized the fungi were getting less dense. The stairs finally reached an end and now she and the others stood on the second floor. Light seeped into the hallway from the windows making it just a fraction easier to see.

Once again, Joel was the first to move. He crept towards the end of the hallway and pushed the door slightly ajar. Just enough space for him and the others to get through. Piper was the next to walk through the door.

The second Piper stepped into the threshold, the building began to groan and croak. The ceiling screeched and a rumbling began. Tess ushered her and Ellie forward. The ceiling cracked open. In desperation, Tess shoved Ellie forward. The two of them came crashing to the ground. The two of them struggle to contain the groan of pain that built in their lungs.

The crashing was much too loud. The sound thundered in Piper’s ears. It was all that she could hear. Then came the silence. It was deafening. All of a sudden, Piper became consciously aware of how ear-splittingly loud everything was: her breathing, the creaking of the building, the roaring of her own heart, the blood sloshing about her body, the dust settling around what used to be a doorway.

Piper preferred the silence to what came next. It was a bone-chilling scream. One that was followed by a screech from the other direction. There were two. The creatures flocked to the sound. Tess pulled Ellie up by the scruff of her neck and backed away from the collapsed debris. Joel placed a hand in front of Piper and backed her away from the scene. The group walked step by step backwards. Their eyes filled with uncertainty as they looked for any sign of the creatures.

Click. Click. Eeraahh! Click.

It was coming from behind them. Piper pulled Ellie close as the Clicker came into view through the glass of one of the display cases. Ellie’s eyes widened in fear as she turned away from the shadow of the Clicker.

“They can't see, but they can hear.” Joel mouthed.

Ellie nodded in understanding. She needed to be silent. Not Quiet. Something was proving difficult to do. The image of the Infected on top of her clawing at her chest appeared in her mind. The creature spat and snarled as it growled into her ear with a twisted animalistic smile on its face. Ellie couldn’t help how her breath quickened in her chest as the clicking grew nearer.

The Clicker has rounded the corner of the display case. Its’ body is only a foot or two away from Joel.

Suddenly, Piper’s hands come to the sides of Ellie’s face. “Look at me. Breathe in and out.” Piper mouthed. Her own hands trembled viscously against Ellie’s skin.

Ellie does what Piper asked. She breathed in and looked at her sister.

Click.

Ellie looked away. She saw the Clicker. Its arms twisted and fingers pointed sharp like claws. She saw the blood seeping from its mouth and the fungi that split apart its’ skull. Ellie breathed out.

A simple breath. That’s all the Clicker needed to whip around towards Ellie. It screeched and reached out its hands. Joel was quick to aim his gun and shoot. The clicker screamed out in pain as bullet after bullet lodged into its stomach.

“Run!” Joel cried as he fought the Clicker.

Tess didn’t hesitate to pull Ellie and Piper away from Joel and run. Another Clicker jumped out from behind the wall and growled at Tess who fired her own gun. She dragged the girls away in the other direction. Her head whipped back to shoot once more. A fatal mistake. Ellie tripped, causing Piper and Tess to come toppling over her. The Clicker charged them. Tess instinctively kicked a nearby stand over. The noise served as a distraction to allow the three of them to crawl away. Tess motioned for Piper to take Ellie and run, just as the Clicker learned of their deception. Tess pulled out her gun once more and shoots the Clicker, effectively leading it away from the girls.

Piper and Ellie do not dare stand up. They crawled under a nearby display case as chaos ensued around them. Shots were fired. Clickers screeched. Ellie’s breath grew heavy and tense as the sounds grew louder and more frequent.

Piper raised her hands to cover Ellie’s ears. “Calm down.” Piper mouthed. A hypocritical statement for Piper’s mind was in turmoil. She was just as helpless as she was that night in the mall.

FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.

YOU’RE GONNA DIE. ELLIE’S GOING TO BE RIPPED APART.

CRASH!

Piper and Ellie jumped out of their skin. They collectively decided to move to another hiding place. The two carefully crawled across the floor. They froze at the sound of glass breaking. A Clicker ran past them roaring as it searched for them.

In the corner of her eye, Piper saw a display case. It was low and could cover her and Ellie’s bodies. She carefully moved towards the case. Ellie followed after her.

Click. Click. Click.

The Clicker was closer than ever. Piper could see the shadow of the creature inch closer and closer near the edge of the display case they were hiding behind. Suddenly Joel tapped on her shoulder. She had to cover her mouth before she yelped. Joel looked at Ellie and Piper and then at the Clicker on the other side of the display case.

“Follow me.” He mouthed and turned around on his heel.

Click. Click. Click.

Joel raised one foot and then another. His body was crouched low as he stepped in the opposite direction of the Clicker. Foot down. Foot up. Foot down.

Crack.

Then he was on the floor. Piper and Ellie were screaming as the Infected jumped on top of them. Their arms thrashed as the Clicker claws at Ellie. Its’ mouth growled as a mix of saliva and drool dripped onto Ellie’s face. Piper cried out as she managed to lodge one of her arms on the Clicker’s neck and face. It began to snap its’ jaw open and closed. The clenching of its’ teeth pinched a chord in Ellie’s ears. Piper’s grip on the Clicker slipped. The creature fell onto Ellie, biting down. Piper cried out in pain as Joel’s gun fired. The Clicker turned its attention to Joel. It lunged at Joel knocking his gun away. Ellie froze as she saw Joel struggle. The Clicker growled and hissed fighting to rip into Joel’s skin.

BANG!

The Clicker fell still. Joel shoved the clicker off of him and looked up. It was Piper. In her hands, she held his gun. It was a perfect shot to the head.

A screeching appeared beside Piper as the other Clicker lunged at her. She jumped back and cried aloud in fear. The gun dropped to the floor in her moment of horror.

“Run, run!” Joel screamed. He shoved Ellie to the side and reached out for Piper. His hands grabbed onto the jacket she was wearing and pulled her out of the Clicker’s charge.

Suddenly, Tess appeared. She raised an axe and swung it at the Clicker. The weapon was now lodged into the Clicker’s neck. It howled in pain and turned to Tess, now preparing to jump at her.

Immediately, Joel retrieved his gun and raised the barrel. Locked. Loaded. Finger on the trigger. Fire!

Silence.

The Clicker dropped dead.

“You all right?” Joel heaved. He had asked everyone in the room but his attention was directed to Tess who was on the floor holding her ankle in pain.

“Twisted ankle, but... yeah. You all right?” Tess asked.

“Well, I didn't shit my pants, so…” Ellie said.

“Piper?” Tess inquired.

The teen was in shock. Her ears were ringing and there was a dull pain in her arm. She felt something warm trickle down her skin.

“Piper?” Tess asked again. Worry filled her voice.

“Fuck–” Piper cried. She was looking at her arm. “I mean if it was gonna happen to one of us.”

The group's eyes fell onto Piper’s arm. Where she had rolled back the sleeves of Joel’s jacket was a bite mark. It was bleeding profusely as Piper clutched the wound. Her whole body was shaking, and she bit her lip. The taste of copper and iron flooded her taste buds. Ellie seemed just as terrified. A fear both Joel and Tess chalked up to being attacked by two Clickers. An experience that a majority of people don’t live to tell the tale of.

“Hey...let's get the fuck outta here,” Tess muttered.

Joel nodded and looked around the room for the window that led to the rooftop. He found it already cracked open. Ellie was the first to step out onto the roof. Then Piper, Tess, and, lastly, Joel.

Tess groaned in pain as her ankle throbbed. Joel instructed her to sit down as he pulled off his backpack. He reached inside and pulled out bandages. He held them out to Piper who was still in shock clutching her bleeding arm.

“Put this around your arm,” He instructed her.

Piper looked at the bandages before taking them. “Thanks.”

Ellie stood near the ledge. “Over there?” She asked and pointed to the boardwalk that connected over the next rooftop.

Joel nodded, “Yeah, I know. It looks scary.”

“That was scary. This is wood.” Without another word, Ellie crossed the wooden plank and jumped onto the next rooftop.

Piper adjusted her backpack and gripped the bandage tightly as she walked across the plank of wood. They were high off the ground. One misstep and she would go tumbling down to the ground. But Ellie was right. The thought of that was nothing compared to the bloody mark on her arm.

“Just wait there. Give us a minute,” Joel called out.

Piper assumed he was gonna help Tess. She walked over to Ellie who stood staring at the view of the city in front of them. Piper silently observed her sister as she began to wrap her arm. Something she struggled with. The bandage never stayed in one place. Piper furrowed her brows in concentration.

“Pipes,” a small voice whimpered. It was Ellie. She was crying as she looked at the bite mark on Piper’s arm.

Piper frowned and her lips trembled. “Look. You’re immune, right? We’re sisters, so I’ve got to be.” Piper’s sight grew blurry. “I just– Just help me, please.” She raised her arm up as Ellie took the bandage from her hand.

Ellie snatched the bandage from Piper’s hand before fishing something out of her pocket. Piper’s face paled as she saw the silver blade fling to position. Ellie raised the knife over the palm of her hand.

“My blood’s the cure, right? I’m immune so if I mix it with yours then–” Ellie winced as the blade sliced into her hand. The silver knife drew across her skin before being closed and placed back into Ellie’s pocket. Then Ellie raised her hand over Piper’s arm, who was quick to draw it away.

“Ellie-” Piper begged.

“Just–fuck! Piper. Please!” Ellie whimpered.

Piper shakingly stuck out her arm again allowing Ellie to squeeze her hand shut over Piper’s arm. It was like juicing a lemon, as Ellie’s blood dripped onto Piper’s wound. Then for extra measures, Ellie took that very bloodied hand and proceeded to mix Piper’s blood with hers.

It had to work. Ellie knew that she was immune. It was in her blood. That’s what Marlene had told her. The cure was in her blood. So, if she put just enough of her blood in Piper’s system then Piper wouldn’t turn. It had to work. It had to. Ellie didn’t know what she would do without Piper. It was always Ellie and Piper until the end. The panic in Ellie grew as she gripped her sister’s arm tighter as if she was afraid that if she let go Piper would disappear.

“Ellie,” the panic as Piper's terror grew. “Ellie that’s enough!”

Ellie yanked her arm back and stood clutching her bleeding hand as her wide and trembling eyes glared at the bite mark on Piper’s arm. Her breaths were short, and tense and they grew quicker and more frequent with each second.

Piper shot her hands out and cupped her sister’s face. “Breath. I’m okay. We’re okay. I’ve got you, Ellie,” Piper whispered to her sister.

Ellie was able to calm down enough to bandage her sister's wound. In turn, Piper tore off some of the fabric to tie it around Ellie’s cut. Ellie giggled as Piper kissed Ellie’s boo-boo. It was just like old times back in the QZ.

“We’re okay. We’re gonna be okay. It’s you and me until the end.” Piper said as she wrapped an arm around Ellie’s shoulder and turned the two of them to face the view of the city. The calming scene was just what the girls needed to pull them out of the water threatening to drown them.

The afternoon sun cascaded down on crumbling Boston. The Capitol building shimmered like a lighthouse in the dark as the gold-tinted dome roof caught the warm light of the sun. The sky was a picturesque blue and there was hardly a cloud in sight. Occasionally the dark outline of a bird would fly into view above the buildings.

“If I had a superpower, then I would be able to fly,” Ellie muttered as her brown eyes flowed the latest bird to grace their view.

“Oh yeah?” Piper said as she pulled her sister in closer.

“Yeah. Then I’d be able to take you and we’d fly someplace safe. Somewhere there is no Infected. No FEDRA. No fireflies. Somewhere where it’s just me and you,” Ellie explained as she snuggled into her sister's side.

Then there was a shuffling behind them, and Joel and Tess appeared, finally catching up with the girls. Joel came to a stop next to Ellie. He crossed his arms over his chest and let out a deep sigh before glancing down at Ellie.

“Is it everything you hoped for?”

Ellie sniffled before answering Joel. “The jury's still out. But, man, you can't deny that view.” Then Ellie smiled.

Joel furrowed his brows as his gaze softened. There was no malice or sassiness in Ellie’s voice as she answered. But then the girl smiled. It was a soft smile and not one that was noticeable. But it was a smile. An honest-to-God sweet smile.

Tess looked at the location of the sun in the sky before limping over to a ladder attached to the building. “C'mon, let's get there before it's dark.”

Tess raised her leg over the edge and began her descent down the ladder. Ellie stepped out from under her sister’s arm before walking over to the ladder and climbing down after Piper.

Joel took a step forward, but something in him made him look back at Piper. There was a dullness in her eyes as she looked at the view. So unlike Ellie’s simple adoration for it. To Piper, the view was just a little greyer and darker too. It was as if her whole world was tinted. Cursed to dull and eventually fade away.

“You good, kid?” Joel asked.

Piper took a moment to respond back. “No.” Then she stepped forward and walked over to the ladder. Her figure descended from view.

Joel just stood there. His brown eyes fixed on the spot Piper once stood. It was only a “no”, yet Joel Miller was frozen in his step. It wasn’t dullness in her eyes. No, it was defeat. It was the glance at a broken soul whose pieces have scattered so far and wide that there is only the hollowness of what once was.

Then Joel found himself glancing down. The broken glass of his watch gleamed in the sun. One thought alone was in Joel’s mind as he looked at the watch. One thought alone was in Joel’s mind as he climbed down the ladder.

꧁_____________꧂

The sun had begun its descent in the sky and the crickets decided to make an early appearance. They chirped as a light breeze danced through the long grass. The leaves rubbed together making a wave-like noise every time a gust of wind flew by. Tess, Joel, Piper, and Ellie stood behind a rusted old car that had spent too much time under the harsh gaze of the sun.

“Where the fuck are they?” Tess harshly whispered to Joel.

Before them stood the Capitol building. The drop-off point. The place Marlene said a bunch from out west were. The Capitol was anything but alive. There was no sign of the Fireflies, except for a gigantic truck. A truck that looked entirely too new compared to the numerous rusted and crumbling cars that were scattered around the grounds.

Joel’s eyes narrowed on the truck as he stepped out from behind the car. “Stay back,” he instructed.

The gravel crunched under Joel’s boots as he stalked towards the truck’s driver-side door. The door was slightly ajar which allowed Joel to pry it open with his gun. The leather seats were drenched with blood. Not a person in sight. Joel’s worry grew as he trekked around to the back of the truck before opening it as well. Empty.

“Joel? What the fuck is going on?” Tess said. She stepped out from behind the car and began to approach Joel. Her face fell upon seeing what Joel had found.

“I don't know,” Joel replied.

Ellie and Piper approached the truck as well. The two girls circled around to the other side looking for clues as to where the Fireflies could have gone.

Ellie gulped as she spotted a trail of blood leading into the Capitol building. “They went inside,” she said. Piper came up next to Ellie. Her eyes followed along the blood trail.

“Come on,” Tess dictated as she grabbed Ellie’s sleeve and pulled her into the Capitol building.

Piper and Joel ran after Tess.

“Tess!” Joel called out.

“Come on!” Tess hissed as she pulled Ellie along.

“Tess!” Joel repeated.

The scene they had found inside the building was a massacre. Ellie was the first to enunciate what they were all thinking. “Holy shit.”

Bodies lay along the marble floor. Some were shot, blood still oozing out of their deadly wounds. Others lay face up with their necks sliced open or knives gouged into their heads.

Ellie turned around taking it all in. She stepped closer to a particular body lying nearby. Joel tensed before pulling Ellie away from the body and into the centre of the lobby.

“Oh, Jesus. Okay.” Joel looked around and caught sight of Tess. She was digging through the numerous crates and boxes that the Fireflies had kept in the building.

“I mean, there's gotta be a, a fuckin' radio or somethin', right?” Tess’s voice quavered.

“Who killed them? FEDRA?” Ellie looked at Piper as she said FEDRA.

Piper shook her head, but it was Joel who answered. “No. One of them got bit. The healthy ones fought the sick ones. Everyone lost.” He stepped towards Tess whose movements got more and more frantic. “Tess? What're you doin'?”

Tess turned on her heel and marched towards Ellie and Piper. On instinct, Piper grabbed Ellie’s sleeve and pulled her sister back behind her.

“Where did Marlene say that she was taking you? Ellie! Piper!” Tess demanded.

Ellie shook her head. “Uh, I don't know. Just west.”

“Just west. Fuck.” Tess ran her hands through her hair. Her fingers gripped tightly around her light brown locks. “Okay. Well, I mean, one of them's gotta have a map on them, right? Joel, can ya help me?” Tess walked over to one of the bodies and began searching the pockets.

“No! Tess... it's over. We are going home,” Joel said. His voice began to fill with worry. The most emotion Piper and Ellie had ever heard from his voice.

“That's not my fucking home!” Tess yelled. She glanced back at Joel. “I'm stayin'. I mean... our luck had to run out sooner or later.” Her voice faltered.

There it was. Defeat was embedded deep within Tess’s eyes. A look–a feeling that Piper knew all too well. “Fuck. She's infected,” Piper stated.

Joel looked back at Piper before returning his gaze to Tess. “Show me.”

“Joel,” Tess stepped towards Joel, but he raised his gun at her. She let out a nervous chuckle. “Oops, right?” Then Tess marched over to Piper pointing at her arm. “Take your bandage off,” Tess commanded.

Piper glanced at Joel before she lifted up her sleeve and removed her bandage.

Tess snatched Piper’s arm pulling it close to Joel. “Look.”

Joel’s jaw clenched as he did as Tess told as did Piper. The bleeding had stopped and a layer of scab was growing over the wound. It was healing. Relief fell over Piper. She was immune. She was healing.

“Joel?” Tess caught Joel’s attention once more. “This is real. Joel, she's fucking real. They’re real…” Tess finally let go of Piper’s arm. “I need you to get her to Bill and Frank's.”

Joel shook his head. “No.”

“They'll take her off your hands,” Tess continued.

“No.” There was desperation growing in Joel’s voice.

“They'll handle it from here,” Tell told Joel.

“No, no, no, I can't. They won't take her. They're not gonna take her,” Joel replied.

“They will. They will 'cause you'll convince them.” Joel shook his head. “Yes, you will. I, I never ask you for anything, not to feel the way I felt.”

Joel’s eyes began to water. His hands gripped his gun tighter as if it was his only lifeline. “No.”

“Shut the fuck up 'cause I don't have time.” She stepped close to Joel. “This is your chance. You get them there… you keep them alive...and you set everything right. All the shit we did. Please say yes, Joel, please,” Tess begged.

Suddenly there was a snarling behind Piper and Ellie. The girls whirled around and cried out in fear. The dead never seemed to stay dead.

“Oh fuck!” Ellie exclaimed.

Instinctively, Joel raised his gun. The trigger was pulled. The Infect collapsed to the floor. Its hand fell to the floor and then time froze.

Why hadn’t he noticed it before? Joel scolded himself.

There’s a howl in the distance and it feels as if hell has descended upon them. Piper clutched Ellie close as the unanimous snarling from the distance filled their ears.

Joel ran over to the entrance of the Capitol building and stuck his head out the door. His face paled at the sight.

“How many?” Tess asked.

“All of them. Maybe a minute.” Joel closed the door and ran back to the group.

Tess ran to a nearby container before dumping its contents out. Yellow gasoline spilt across the pristine marble floor. The smell of petrol swarmed Piper’s sense of smell.

“What are you doing?” Ellie asked as Tess ran around the room dumping out the gasoline.

“Making sure that they don't follow you.” Tess raised up a small lighter before turning to Joel. “Joel… save who you can save.”

Joel’s whole body clenched tightly as his eyes said goodbye to Tess. He couldn’t say it. She knew he couldn’t. Then Joel listened. He did exactly what Tess told him to. He saved who he could save. His large shoot out to grab tightly onto the girls’ arms before dragging them away.

Piper and Ellie look back helplessly at Tess. Ellie grunts and yells as she tries to fit Joel’s grip. She couldn’t leave her mom behind.

“No! We're not leaving her!” Ellie screamed.

Piper smiled sadly at Tess. Her brown eyes said thank you over and over hoping Tess knew. She did. Of course, Tess did. She was a mother after all.

“Get off me, you fucker!” Ellie began to hit Joel with all her might. But Joel was hardened to violence and pain. “Piper!” Ellie began to plead with her sister.

Piper shook her head before using her other arm to loop around Ellie and help Joel drag her out of the building. “Ellie, we have to.”

Ellie cried out in frustration. “I'm not going with you!”

Piper didn’t exactly know when they exited the building. What she did know was about twenty seconds after, as Joel continued to haul Ellie’s thrashing figure into the field of tall grass, the building exploded.

Clouds of fire fumed out of the windows. Glass shattered. The ground trembled and then all was silent.

Ellie’s fight broke down. Joel let her go he watched as she scrambled forward her arms reaching out to the burning building before Piper stepped in her sister’s path.

“Ellie,” Piper soothed. Her hand reached up to wipe away her sister’s tears.

“Fuck you!” Ellie screamed as she shoved Piper to the ground.

“Ellie!” Piper said, trying to stand back up to calm her sister down.

Ellie growled before jumping on top of her sister. This wasn’t like their games where Piper was in control. Ellie was on top. Ellie was going to win. Her finger scrunched up and formed a fist. Then that fist flung through the air finding a place on Piper’s body. After the first punch came another. Then another.

Piper raised her arms up in defence. Her body squirmed under Ellie’s weight as she tried to get the upper hand, but Ellie gave her no such opportunity. Hit after hit Joel stood by and watched. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak, so he just let it happen.

Then there was a sickening crack as Ellie’s fist landed on Piper’s face. Blood trickled down Piper’s now broken nose. Ellie froze. Her knuckle felt warm with her sister’s blood. Then Ellie was on the ground. Piper was on her feet clutching her nose in pain. Joel just looked at the teen as she tried to nurse her wounds.

Tears are falling down Ellie’s cheeks now. She doesn’t feel them. All she can feel is the blood of her sister’s body tainting her skin. She feels sick but there is nothing to puke up.

There was another crack and Piper winced in pain. Her nose adjusted; the blood was no longer spilt from her nose. She could breathe now, but the blood was in her mouth. She hated the coppery taste in her mouth that was becoming more and more frequent. Piper spat out the blood in her mouth. The red liquid mixed with her saliva as it hit the ground. Piper wiped her nose, her eyes on Ellie’s stilled figure.

She felt Joel’s eyes on her. Her dark eyes met him as she shoved her way past him. Piper began walking. She didn’t care if she had no clue where she was supposed to go. All she could think of right now was getting away. Away from the burning building. Away from the terrors that crawled in her mind and scarred her soul. Away from Joel. Away from Ellie.

Joel let out a shaking breath before looking down at Ellie. He lowered his gaze to the ground. The earth beneath his boots rattled as Joel departed after Piper. He too needed to leave. He needed to leave before the sins of his past swarmed to the surface. So, he left.

Ellie was the last to move. Piper’s figure was now small in the distance. Joel’s figure was a couple of inches larger than her sister’s. The blood on her knuckles ran cold. Ellie sniffled and wiped away the blood. Her hands found refuge in her jacket pockets as she took one step forward. One after the other. She was deserting–leaving a shell of herself behind in that burning building. Just like she left a part of herself in that mall with Riley’s body. Just like she would continue to do for the rest of her life. Piper couldn’t protect her anymore. No one could.

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