"Option two, we fight. Y'know… we can be all poetic, and lose our minds together," Riley said.
Ellie wiped away the last of her tears. Riley stood up.
"C'mon… let's go…" Ellie sat a moment more, then stood up and followed her. They walked in silence for a time. Ellie looked at the bite on her arm. The bleeding had stopped, but it itched. She groaned and scratched at it furiously. Riley watched her.
"Don't do that, you'll make it worse," She said. Ellie looked at her.
"Make it worse? I'm pretty sure it doesn't get any fucking worse…" She muttered.
"Hey…" Riley grabbed her hand. "Remember what I said? We fight. Please, please, don't give up. For me?" Ellie's eyes saw the forced positivity in Riley's.
"Even you're kidding yourself," Ellie let go of her friend's hand. Could Ellie even still call her a friend? Ellie had forgiven her for leaving, but what really made her reconsider the whole thing was the kiss. By now, she was pretty sure her feelings for Riley transcended past friendship. Ellie was pretty sure she loved Riley.
And she hated it.
She hated this feeling, this feeling of affection and love, it made her want, no need to protect Riley from everything large and small that wanted to do her harm, and-
And Ellie had failed. She had let Riley suffer the worst possible fate.
"Riley… I'm so sorry…" Ellie grabbed her and hugged her tightly.
"Ellie, if this is anyone's fault, it was mine. I dragged you out here. It's not your fault. Besides, look on the bright side!" The two sat down, Ellie still hugging Riley.
"There's a bright side?" Ellie asked. Riley smiled.
"Yes. I got to see you again," She said. Even Ellie smiled a bit.
"Do you think I could… y'know… again…? Ellie asked awkwardly.
Riley placed her hand over Ellie's and slowly leaned in. their lips met, and somehow, despite all the hardships they had endured, they were soft. They held it for a few seconds, then broke apart.
"Thank you…" Ellie said, a slight blush rising up her neck.
"Anytime," Riley put her hand on Ellie's shoulder.
"I think," Riley began. "That this would be a good time for some jokes, yeah?" Ellie nodded, then smacked her forehead.
"The book is in my backpack… and we dropped them…" She said.
"Well, let's just go back and get them. The infected have probably cleared out," Riley said.
The two fourteen year olds stood up and set out for their packs. Ellie felt a little better about their impossible situation after Riley's encouraging words. Ellie and Riley held hands as they walked, they drew strength and courage from each other. The two released each other as they neared their backpacks, and hid behind a desk. Ellie held a finger to her lips, signaling for Riley to be quiet. Ellie closed her eyes for a moment, and listened. There was no clicking or screeching. Ellie opened her eyes.
"It's clear… I don't hear anything, they're all gone," Ellie said. Riley came up beside Ellie, and they went and grabbed their backpacks, then hauled out of there. They walked back to the carousel, and sat on the horses. Ellie pulled out her pun book.
"I did a theatrical performance once. It was play on words," She read out.
They both laughed.
After Ellie had exhausted the pun book, and the girls' sides hurt from laughter, Riley yawned.
"Let's sleep?" Riley asked. Her words seemed slightly slurred to Ellie. Worriedly, she jumped off her horse and felt Riley's forehead. It was searing.
"Jeez Riley, you're burning up!" Ellie helped her off her horse, and laid her down.
"I'm gonna look for some fever meds, okay?" Ellie made to stand up, but Riley firmly grasped Ellie's wrist.
"No… stay with me…" Riley said. Ellie hesitated, then laid down next to her.
"I'll be here," Ellie said.
"Ellie… listen… we might not wake up… so I have to tell you… I love you…" Riley said. Ellie's tears threatened to reappear.
"I… I love you too Riley… I do…!" Ellie knew in her heart it was true. They laid on their sides, so they could face each other. Ellie wanted to memorize every line and feature of her lover's face. They held each other tightly, and shut their eyes. Slowly but surely, they began to drift off to sleep.
Ellie awoke to a cloudy dawn. She opened her eyes. The two girls were even more intertwined then they had been last night. Riley's eyes were still closed. Ellie hesitated. Something was missing…
"Riley?" Riley didn't move.
Ellie noticed what was wrong. Riley's chest wasn't rising and falling. She wasn't breathing.
"Riley? Riley! Wake up Riley, wake up!" Riley stirred.
Then she growled.
"… Riley?" Ellie whispered. With a furious scream, what was left of Riley pounced on Ellie.
"No! Riley no it's me!" Ellie threw her off her body. Riley stumbled backwards and fell. She banged her shoulder against a table, and a bunch of boxes tumbled down and pinned her. Riley thrashed and screamed. Ellie was bawling.
"I'm so sorry Riley oh God I'm so sorry…" She cried. She collapsed on her knees next to her love.
"Why… why haven't I turned… yet…" Ellie had burned through her tears while she waited for her time to turn. But it hadn't come yet. Ellie didn't dare consider the possibility, but the word tugged at her mine. Immune.
Everyone turned within eight hours. It had been at least ten. Ellie had to face the possibility. She looked at what remained of Riley. She couldn't let her stay this way.
"R-R-Riley… I… I l-l-love you…" She drew her switchblade. Riley kept shrieking and growling.
Schluck.
Riley stopped moving. Ellie kept crying.
When Ellie thought she had the will to move, she stood up. She walked over to the display case and knelt down. She grabbed Riley's dog tags and put them in her back pack. She stood up and looked around, unsure of what to do. Then it clicked. Fireflies. Marlene. She would go to Marlene. She would know what to do. Ellie got up and left the mall.
Ellie told Marlene everything.
"Dead?" Marlene asked. She put her face in her hands. "You're staying here until we can find someone to take you to the capitol, okay?" Ellie nodded.
"Immunity…" She mused. "Go get some rest Ellie." A Firefly led Ellie to her quarters. Ellie laid down and closed her eyes.
"We fight."