Ellie sighed loudly, trailing behind Joel as they walked up north. They hadn't had a rest or even spoken a word since they escaped the hospital. Ellie began to pant, slowing down only a little. "Joel, where are we heading?" She asked, bending over a little bit, her hands placed on her thighs. She took large breaths, her lungs growing burnt and dried up.
Joel had stopped too, his body turned away from Ellie and her panting. He refused to say a word to her after their discussion on the hill. He had lied to her to keep her safe. He had put the entire world in danger just to save his little girl. Joel turned his head a little, in the corner of his eyes he saw Ellie, her face drained and tired from walking and the events during the day. They had both been through a lot throughout the time they had been together. "I'm not sure, Ellie." The words escaped from his mouth quickly, but his tone stayed as strong as ever.
"Why don't we go back to Tommy and Maria? They have shelter and food and –." Ellie spoke fast, starting to walk again and meeting up with Joel. She stopped once more to face him, the two of them staring at each other like neither of them knew what to say. Joel could see how tired Ellie grew and by each step they took it dragged her further and further. He ignored what she had said, cringing a little at his little brother's name and without a word he started walking again, following the worn out path through the greenery.
"We can be safe there... there won't be any more running, anymore shooting… anymore killing. For once, we will be safe. Don't you want that?" Ellie called from the distance, still stuck at where they were left standing. She crossed her arms over her skinny chest, annoyed at the fact that Joel was ignoring her. She stomped over to him, edging a few steps behind him, keeping quiet for she knew there was no point in speaking if he wasn't going to listen. Her freckled cheeks grew red and so she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jumper, acting like she hadn't opened her mouth the entire way here.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Joel stared up at the sky and sighed. He called over his shoulder, knowing Ellie would listen. "C'mon… there's a town up ahead. Let's just get some rest and figure it out in the morning, alright?" He hears Ellie grunt and treads a little louder, but it doesn't bother him. A small smile forms on his face. Joel was happy to get his little girl back, no matter how happy or mad Ellie was at him.
They followed the track into a small town, filled with houses upon houses. Mould and grass had filled up the town though, barely leaving any road or footpath to be seen. The houses were run-down and fallen along with everything else in the small town. You couldn't tell the difference between a normal home to a store or a store to a hall. It was as if people had threatened it and ruined it more than the normal course of nature. They hurried to the first house, peering around to see if anyone – or anything – was out in the town to start trouble. It was quiet, peaceful even. Joel helped Ellie over the fence and as he hoped over the other side of the backyard, he saw Ellie staring at him, big eyed and scared. She wrapped her arms around him tight, not wanting to let go. She buried her head into his chest, holding back the tears. And then in a matter of moments of it all happening, she pulled away, her face back to annoyed expression and she playfully punched Joel in the arm. Joel gave her a little smile, but she turned away before she could spot it.
"Now stay behind me," Joel said, pushing Ellie so he could barricade her. They crouched through the yard, peering into the windows and other houses, to make sure they were alone. When they knew it was okay, they entered the back entrance. Joel pushed hard onto the door, pulling it from the rusted hinges and onto the floor. They stepped in, the only sound were the creaking floorboards from their wandering steps. Besides that the house was quiet, quiet enough to know that it was empty. Joel scattered around, keeping a close eye to the windows, his eyes scanning between the boards to see the main street before him. He turned to Ellie, who was fixed onto a framed photo that sat on the counter in the kitchen. Joel watched as she studied it hard, as she brushed away the dust to uncover who it was in the photo.
Joel walked over to the rusted fridge, pushing it against the dusted floorboards. "Hey can you lend me a hand?" He asked, waiting for Ellie to place to photo down and help him push. Together, they moved the fridge into the back entrance, with the door standing up straight and barricaded with the a few boards in case anyone decided to visit. Joel said, clapping his hands together.
"I think you should get some rest," Joel said, clapping his hands together, wiping off all the dust. He stepped into what seemed like once was a lounge, waiting for Ellie to follow. He slumped himself into the old musky-smelling maroon coloured couch, leaning back against it. He let out a sigh of relief, looking up at the filthy ceiling above.
Ellie made her way into an arm chair that leant against the wall, by the window. She sunk into it, sitting vertically across it, her legs dangling off the arms' side. She tucked her hands under her head, closing her eyes, the last thing she saw was Joel's straight face and the musky old bedroom.
Joel stood up and wondered around the room closing the curtains and blocking away the sun. The lounge room was small; wallpaper torn from the yellow-washed walls, along with broken but boarded up windows with curtains that were nothing but thin sheets, holes and tears through them, causing little yellow spots of the grimy floorboards. Joel sat back down, satisfied with the dimming light the room had gotten and the beautiful golden glow the sun had caused trying to break through the sheets and boards in the windows. He looked back at Ellie, making sure she was okay. His head turned back to the ceiling, as he studied the on stain on the roof; a small, moulded circle. He felt the tiredness creep up on him and he closed his eyes, only to force them open again. But deep down he knew he couldn't win the war against his body. Sleep was needed. He closed his eyes and kept them shut, hoping to only doze off for a moment.
Joel's body jolted awake, panicking at the fact that he had fallen asleep for too long. The first thing that struck his mind was Ellie and he had a horrible gut feeling bubbling inside of him. "El – Ellie?" he shouted, standing up as fast as he could. He turned to see the arm chair empty and her backpack gone. His heart raced as he ran through the house, calling her name. He turned to the back door and saw that the fridge had been pushed over, along with the door smashed down completely. Joel swore under his breath. The one time, the one fucking time, he thinks to himself as he grabs his backpack and heads for the door. "Ellie? Ellie, where are you?" He shouts down the main road, blankly forgetting that he might not be alone.
"Joel!" He heard Ellie squeal out into the main street of town. Joel's heart raced at the sound of her voice and he ran further down the street, spotting her red burgundy hair in a field of over-grown weeds. And she wasn't alone.
"Ellie!" He saw her, her clothes torn and covered in blood, her eyes larger than ever before. A tall lanky figure held her close, standing behind Ellie as she was struggling on her knees. The figure covered her mouth and smiled. "So you must be Joel…" The figure said, staring right at Joel with his beady dark eyes. He wore a bandana around his neck and ragged clothes. Slung around his back was a bat with spikes and nails, smothered in dried blood and bone. Joel looked around him for a moment, he was right in the middle of a bandit camp, the group of blood-thirsty men, with ragged clothes and deadly weapons. Ten, eleven, twelve men surrounded him in the middle of the streets of wrecked homes.
The bandit that held Ellie had his fist in her hair, tilting her head back.
"You let her go!" Joel shouted, stepping closer towards the bandit and Ellie. Anger had filled his entire body, along with fear. He looked at Ellie and he had never seen her so distort in his entire life with her.
The bandit laughed and shook his head. "I wouldn't take another step if I were you, old man. Now just hand over your weapons and we will give you you're girl." The man pulled his hand away from Ellie's mouth and held up his palm, wanting to receive Joel's backpack and weapons.
Joel watched as Ellie struggled and grunted. "Let me go you fucks!" She shouted, squirming and thrashing, trying her hardest to break free. The bandit that held her smiled grimly, pulling at her hair, making Ellie's head tilt back further than before. Ellie screamed in pain and swore again, louder than ever.
"I said let her go." Joel said, his tone growing angrier. "Give me the girl and we can settle this out like men." Joel stepped a little closer to Ellie and the bandit, hearing the clicks and clanks of the guns getting ready in the other bandits hands. Joel dropped his bag and at the same time the bandit dropped Ellie, making her land onto her stomach, face in the ground. Joel ran up to her, sitting her up and lifting her face so they're eyes met. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Ellie what the fuck did they do to you?"
"Joel…" Ellie spoke softly, her lips looking blooded and swollen. Dried blood had covered the ridge of her nose and just above her lip. "I'm okay." She said, forcing a weak smile. Joel sighed and closed his eyes more rage filling his body. In one motion he stood up and turned to face the main bandit, who rummaged around Joel's backpack.
"So you want to fight like men, ay? Alright…" laughed the bandit, teething a smile full of false courage. "We'll fight like good ol' men… no guns, no bows, no nothin', just our fists… if I win… I get to keep your bag full of goodies, all your weapons and lastly, you're precious little girl." The bandit looks over at Ellie and gives her a wink.
"And if I win…" Joel says, looking around at the eleven other men staring at him. "I get my girl back… you can keep my bag and my weapons… just let me have her."
"Joel…" Ellie hisses. "Are you crazy?"
Joel ignored her, giving a stern look towards the bandit. The other men begin to grow rowdy, jumping and chanting and banging their guns against the ground to make a loud ruckus. "You ready for this, old man?" The bandit leader says, crocking his head to one side.
Joel cracks his knuckles and lunges closer towards the bandit. "Oh yeah," he says to himself.