"Dina," said a hushed voice. "Run, please...Run back to camp. Tell the others that they have Joel."
Ellie turned away and quickly began gathering her things. She had enough food to last her a day or two. Her ammunition situation could be better, but she would make do.
Dina looked at Ellie. "But what about you, El?" She grabbed Ellie's arm, tattooed to cover the bite. Ellie stopped for a moment.
"I've gotta go back." Ellie's green eyes met Dina's brown. "I can't leave Joel out there with those religious freaks," her voice slightly raising in tone.
"But what about you?" Ellie closed her eyes, looking away. "I can't lose you," Dina spoke with tear filled eyes.
Ellie turned, pulling Dina into a hug. "Remember the first time we kissed?" she whispered into Dina's ear. "You said that they should be terrified of me," she squeezed Dina tighter.
Dina gave into the hug. She took a deep breathe, holding in her girlfriend's scent. Lavender mixed with sweat and hint of fresh dirt, maybe. She sighed.
Ellie placed a kiss on the side of Dina's head and whispered, "I'll come back. Promise."
Ellie pulled away and grabbed her bag. She headed toward the door.
"Don't think you're getting away with that poor excuse of a kiss, Miller." Dina's shaky voice called from behind.
Ellie stopped dead in her tracks, dropping her bag.
Before she knew what was happening, Dina was on her. Ellie stumbled back as the full weight of her girlfriend crashed into her. The pair fell against the wall of ramshackle shed they had been hiding in. Dina grabbed Ellie's face, kissing her full on the lips. Ellie reciprocated the action, deepening their kiss. Both girls with tears in their eyes.
It was Ellie who finally broke the kiss. She had to leave. She needed to find Joel. Ellie picked up her bag, resting the straps on her shoulders. She looked at Dina one last time.
"I love you, Bug." Dina croaked.
"Bye, Sweets." Ellie walked out the door before she could change her mind.
"Feelings can get you killed," she thought.
It was raining again. It had been raining for days before Mother Nature decided to offer Jackson County a respite from the weather. Ellie had been itching to get out into the wild. She hated being cooped up for too long. The feral part of the young woman kept drawing her out from the safety of the walls.
And now look at her...broken and bruised, being dragged through the cold, wet mud by two muscle bound zealots. Her heart aching more than her body. For home...Dina...Joel.
"Joel," she thought. The idea of crying hurt too much.
Ellie was ripped from her thoughts as one of her captors yanked on her shoulder.
"It won't be long now," sneered one of the men.
He was right; she didn't have time to waste with these assholes. Ellie didn't have time to feel sorry for herself yet.
"Get your shit together," she mentally slapped herself.
Ellie kicked into survival mode. Two men. One woman. She had dealt with worse. Arms bound. Legs free. Weapons gone. Ellie knew they had been walking for awhile, but was unsure of how long. Deep in the forest. No structures. Thick foliage. She would have to catch them off guard.
The woman spoke, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Her words pointed at Ellie.
Ellie was never the religious type. The brunette never had much use for the good book, but she knew of some old-timers from Jackson who still clung to the holy word. She had never known those individuals to use those teachings for hate though. Not like this. Not as justification to kill.
Ellie could feel the anger boiling inside of her. Joel always told her she had a temper. He has warned her against feeding into it.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent," she continued.
Ellie snapped. The brunette dug her feet into the mud, kicking off the ground. Her sudden movement surprising her captors.
She sprang forward toward the woman. There was a crack. She saw stars as the hot splash of blood hit her face. Ellie shook her head in an attempt to clear it.
"Mercy," shouted one of the men as he ran toward the pair.
Ellie had temporarily stunned the woman by breaking her nose. There would be no time to waste. She ducked as one of the men tried to grab her. With her wrists still bound behind her back, she retaliated with a kick to his knee. There was a sickening pop. He let out a pained scream and hit the mud with a thud.
"Don't let the Wolf get away," screamed Mercy. Her face and hands covered in blood. The second man taking after Ellie.
Ellie decided to take the opportunity to run.
"He won't have time to catch me," she judged from the situation.
As she turned to break for the woods, there was a thunk. She stumbled, slipping in the mud. A sharp pain exploding at the back of her head.
She hit the ground, wincing with pain. Her eyes met those of another woman. She flashed her Glasgow smile with a club in hand.
"Fuck!" Ellie said aloud.
Ellie had miscalculated the number of people. Her anger had been her downfall. She watched as the club came down with force.
Thunk.
The world went black.