The Last of Us: Fallen
I woke up to a strange pressure on my body. When I looked up my vision was filled with wild strawberry blonde hair. Anna had somehow managed to roll completely on top of me, and was currently passed out. I loved these peaceful moments with Anna. It's funny, because I thought leaving the Quarantine Zone would be the end of these moments, but somehow it feels like they're happening more often.
I'm still so scared for us, for Anna mostly. She doesn't remember much about the outside, but I do. I remember more than I want to. I remember being nearly on the edge of starvation all the time. Every time we found food I'd give it all to Anna, but Anna being Anna would always leave me at least half. I can't count how many times we almost died from infected. I'm so scared I won't be able to protect her, and now I have Olaf to worry about.
"You're thinking too loud." Anna mumbled as she nuzzled her face into my neck.
"Oh, is that so?" I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the younger girl on top of me.
"Yeshhh, now hush, sleepy time."
"No…."
"What do you mean no?" Oh Anna if only you knew what was about to happen.
"I mean….IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!" I yelled as I grabbed Anna's sides and tickled her relentlessly. She let out of shriek of surprise as I straddled her waist and continued my assault on her freckled skin.
"Elsa! Elsa! Stop, stop it!" She giggled out kicking her feet and flailing her arms around trying to push me off.
"You wish!" Olaf started barking, and bouncing on his paws. "That's it Olaf! Get her, get her boy!" Olaf yelped and attacked Anna with his tongue; licking her in the face continuously.
"Elsa, I'm, I'm gonna pee!" She squealed out through fits of laughter. I picked up Olaf, and decided to give my flushed sister a break. "I-I hate you." She breathed out as she tried to catch her breath.
"Awwhhh, you don't mean that!" Anna just turned her head to the side, moving her body completely away from mine. "Fine then, I guess Olaf and I will just have to leave you!" I sang out, holding Olaf with me.
"What!? Why do you get to take Olaf?" Anna jumped of the bed in mock shock. The pout on her face was just too adorable.
"Because I'm the one who brought him in, DUH!"
"Yeah, well….I'm his mom!" Anna said sternly as she plucked the pup out of my hand. "And you brought him home for me anyways. Don't be an Indian giver Elsa, no one like those kinda people."
"Did you really just stick your tongue out at me? How old are you Anna, five?" Teasing her is just too much fun.
"Eighteen actually!"
Anna and I bickered for a little while longer before we went and ate breakfast. We had less than an hour to grab whatever would fit in our backpacks, and leave the base. Anna and I walked around grabbing medicine, dental supplies, ammo, and food.
"Ya ready?" I asked Anna before I opened the door that led back to the outside world.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Anna said as she grabbed the leather straps of her backpack.
I walked out, gun at the ready with my hunting knife underneath the butt of my gun. Olaf was walking right beside me, more like guarding. After a minute or two of silence I decided it was safe for us to talk again. "Ok, we're good. Now, the only thing we have to do is decide where in the Hell we're going."
"How about we go home?"
"Home?"
"Yeah, like back to Michigan. I mean I miss it, you miss it, and maybe there's someone we know still alive out there."
"Anna, no one is alive out there." Anna was always too hopeful; I couldn't go back there, it would remind me too much of mom and dad.
"We're alive! Come on Elsa, it's not like you have a better idea."
I guess Anna was right, and how could I deny her this chance to go home. I know she doesn't remember much about it, and that's not really fair to her. "Fine, we'll go-"
"Yes!" Anna exclaimed as she did a fist pump in the air.
"BUT! If we get into any trouble there, or anything bad happens, we leave. We pack up, no questions asked."
"Yeah, well nothing bad is gonna happen! Come on, let's go!" She yelled as she jogged left.
"Anna, this way!" This girl is just too adorable for her own good.
"I knew that…..I was just testing your...DIRECTION SKILLS!"
"Oh, yeah, ok. Just follow me from now on." I giggled out as I took Anna's hand, and led her the opposite way. If it weren't for me she'd already be lost.
"Anna get down!" I whispered as I pulled her back down behind me. The obnoxious clicking was getting closer. Every click sent a chill straight to my spine.
"Rawhhhw *Click* Rawhhha *Click-click*" The Clicker was turning its head sharply from corner to corner listening for something, for us.
It was getting closer. I could feel my heart racing faster; this would be the first time I faced one without a whole team with me. "Anna, I need you to stay here."
*Click-click*
"What? No, let me help-" I clasped my hand over her mouth before the Clicker could hear her. Anna was never good at whispering.
"Rawhrraraa *Click* Rawhraaha *Click-click*"
"Anna, just let me take care of it!" I pleaded with the stubborn girl.
She didn't say anything, but I could tell she wasn't happy about me doing this on my own. I walked out with my knife raised, "Only one Clicker, shouldn't be hard, right?" I mumbled to myself.
The Clicker was walking slowly over towards the fire escape, this was my chance. I sprinted towards it shoving my knife in its mushroom cone head. It shrieked, and tried to grab me, but I swiftly kicked it down the stairs. I could hear a couple of crashes, and then it went silent. No other infected came running out, no shrieking, or moaning. It was clear. "Ok, Anna! You can come out!"
"That would've been way easier if you would just let me help."
"Yeah, yeah, because you're just so graceful."
"Low blow Elsa, low blow, and at least I wouldn't have been all dramatic about. I mean seriously? Did you have to kick it down the stairs?"
"You love when I'm dramatic." We giggled as I stuck my tongue out at her, but then she grew serious.
"No…" She paused for a moment. "I love you, and it-, I'm just glad you didn't get hurt." She said as she hugged me tightly.
"Anna, no need to get all sentimental on me, it was just one Clicker…."
"Yeah, and all it takes is just one bite."
"I'm careful, and plus if I don't make it you always got Olaf!" Olaf looked up at us, and wagged his tail at the mention of his name.
"Yeah, I guess I do." She giggled and patted him on the head.
"Ok, now that you got that out of your system, let's leave this creepy place."
"Yeah, this was a bad idea!"
"Anna…."
"Yeah?"
"This was your idea."
"Springfield, Massachusetts." I read off the giant rusted green highway sign. "Ok, guess we're going through the city." I really didn't want to, but we had no choice. It was crawling with Infected, but it was the fastest way to get to Michigan.
"Can we stop at Dippin' Dots!?" Anna blurted
"Dippin' Dots?" I asked with a raised eyebrow
"Yeah! Ya know, like the ice cream place?" She elaborated as we kept walking in the city.
"Anna, I know what it is, and don't you think the ice cream would have melted by now?"
Anna's face turned as red as a tomato, and it was priceless.
"I knew that….."
"Yeah, ok."
"I did Elsa!" She shouted as she pushed me.
Anna and I kept bickering as we continued to walk in this God awful city. The city was covered in trash, and nature had taken over the streets.
"Wow this city is beautiful!" Anna exclaimed as she spun around soaking in the scenery.
"Of course you think that." I can't say that I'm surprised, she thinks everything is beautiful.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Anna it's covered in weeds, and everything is crumbling." I pointed to the crumbling sidewalk for emphasis.
"Yeah, like I said….beautiful." She sighed out in awe.
"You're so weird."
"What!? Not as weird as you! You're like the weirdest of weird!" She said as she stuck her tongue out at me.
"Really again with the tongue thing?" Sometimes I wonder if she's actually eighteen.
"Problem Elsa?" She said as she stuck her tongue out at me again.
"No, it's not a problem, in fact-" A loud gunshot rung out cutting me off. I grabbed Anna, and pulled her behind an abandoned taxi cab; with Olaf hot on our heels.
A man came limping towards the spot where we previously stood. "Please, I need help. Can anyone hear me." He shouted in a gruff voice. His green button up shirt was soaked in blood on the left side. What's funny is that he was clutching his right side. If he was hurt on his left why would he…..no, he can't be.
I could hear Olaf let out a small growl beside me. The hair on his back was standing straight up, and in that moment I was one hundred percent sure what he was. Too bad Anna didn't pick it up.
It all happened too fast. I couldn't stop Anna from running out to help the man, and I couldn't stop the bullet from ripping through her flesh. I couldn't catch her as she fell to the ground. All I could do was yell for her.
The.
Last.
Of.
Us.