Author's note
Hi everyone!
English is not my mother tongue, so I hope I haven't made so many mistakes.
If you have suggestions or corrections I will be happy to read them!
Many thanks :)
Katniss Anne
FOR JOEL
Crawling backwards on the ground I had scratched all the palms of my hands. I was short of breathe and I could not control any muscle of my body; I was trembling showily.
Blood poured down my face, down my cheek, my nose, my mouth.. but that blood wasn't mine.
- Joel.. - I looked at the man with pleading eyes, but I didn't even know what I begged.
- Ellie, are you ok? - he asked me back, approaching and taking me by the shoulders.
I looked into his eyes for a few seconds, then I glanced down to the lifeless body of Sam. He was lying on the ground on my right, immersed in a pool of blood.
H-how.. how.. - I stammered. I could not believe what had happened. It could not had happened.. why?
- Ellie, we have to go away. Someone might have heard the shots. - said Joel gently to me, although I could hear a little impatience in his voice.
I stared at the motionless body of Sam, incapable to look away from it. How could it had happened? Why he didn't tell me he had been bitten?
- Ellie! - this time Joel shrugged my shoulders - We have to go, now!
I glanced up to Joel, stared at his eyes. - Joel.. - I whispered. Then tears started to stream down my cheek, stained with Sam's blood.
Joel hugged me tenderly. - Baby girl, we have to go. - whispered in my ear - I'm so sorry.
I was barely able to hold back my sobs, but I didn't prevent my tears to wet my face.
- Let's go. - I replied, barely nodding. Then I wrapped my arms around Joel's neck and he lifted me from the ground, hugging me tenderly.
- Don't worry, everything will be fine. Ok? - he said.
I didn't answer. I didn't believe anymore that things could be fine. Sam was dead and with him is brother Henry too. It was not fair. Oh no, it was not.
I started to sob, before quietly and then louder and louder. Joel said nothing, but when I sobbed louder he hugged me harder.
I was losing everything: calm, self-control, hope, the little happiness that remained to me.. and the people I loved. For the first time of my whole life I thought that I would be not able to survive in that hostile world.
Joel started to run at great speed.
Escape, always escape. We didn't live, we survived, with nails and teeth.. with all the strength that every human being had inside.
I hugged Joel harder, the only person who still fight to survive.. the only person that, despite the cruelty of that hostile world, he still could find an hold to not to drown.. the only person that was near to me and taught me to fight for my own life.
Yes, I would be able to survive. I would survive for my dreams, for my hopes, for my future.. and for him.. for Joel.