After waiting and calling outside Ellie's door for hours, I finally give up. She had not responded except by opening the door for a split second and throwing my gear at me. I decide to go for a walk because there isn't much else for me to do at this point, plus I haven't been able to take a safe walk at night in... forever. The air is brisk, and the stars shine brightly. Soon the street lights go out, and the stars shine brighter. I don't react to the loss of power until I hear gunshots and screams from the other side of town. Blood curdling screams that mean infected must be invading, but Listening closer I hear non-infected human screams as well - this safe haven just got less safe.
I am near the south edge of the fence, the opposite side of town from where the action is, when I hear footsteps, and see hunters starting to inch their way under the now unelectrified barrier. I pull my gun from my backpack and nervously take aim at the first hunter who is almost through when I hear something behind me. Three infected tackle me to the ground and knock my gun away. I'm strong, but not strong enough to handle this many at once. I feel pain shoot through my arms and shoulders when they scrape at me with their dirty fingernails and bite at me with their broken teeth. The stench emanating from them is unbearable. I've almost lost the battle when gunshots suddenly crack through the chilled air, I count four to be exact. Something is off to me though all the shots sound the same except the last one, it was louder, more powerful. Eventually, when the life finally drains from them, the infecteds's bodies slump lifelessly onto my chest, making me struggle for air. In the distance I hear a familiar cry of agony, and I get a sudden boost of energy and power.
I throw the dead bodies off of me and see Ellie slumped forward clutching her arm, those bastards shot her. I turn around in an angry rage, grab my gun from the ground and take aim. I end up shooting off my entire clip, killing at least ten men before I turn around and wrap my arm around Ellie's waist supporting her as we walk towards the stables, which are in the center of town. I know by now that the town is being overrun, and that the only thing left to do is leave. A part of me wants to stay and fight, but Joel's words are fresh in my brain, if I die I leave Ellie to die as well.
After fighting Ellie and I through more infected we finally reach the stables. One side is glowing bright and roaring with fire. I can hear stressed cries from the horses trapped inside. The door is blocked, but I can't help Ellie unless we got to safety, so I put all my weight into the door and finally break through with a loud crash. Most of the horses run out as soon as the door opens, but the chestnut colored horse I rode up on is saddled and ready to go, someone must have been planning to go for a night ride before the invasion started. Unfortunately he's tied up to a post on the other side of the barn.
As I approach the horse a support beam falls and the whole barn starts to cave in, we have to get out, fast. I close the rest of the distance that separates me and the the horse and untie the reins, quickly, after directing it towards Ellie. I push Her into the saddle, and she can barley keep herself upright. I pull myself up behind her and grab the reins, supporting her weight and mine as I direct the horse out of the barn and into the bloody battle that is waging outside.
The long lost firefly in me wants to stay and protect the city, but it's demise is eminent, we have to leave. Fortunately getting out of the city is not as hard as I thought it was going to be. None of the hunters have horses, and the infected can't keep up. I try keep a look out for Joel, but never spot him. I don't like the southern man, but for Ellie's sake I hope he's alive. We ride in the darkness until I see a lone cabin sitting in the forest, Its locked but looks relatively untouched. I usually don't stay in houses because they are targeted by hunters, but I have no choice, Ellie needs shelter and rest that only a house can provide.
After finding an unlocked window and scanning the entire building I find it empty, thankfully. It has two floors, but I'm now too weak to move Ellie's now limp body upstairs so I decide to take care of her on the couch. After I find the wound, which is on her arm, I am relieved to find it doesn't look bad, she has just lost a lot of blood. She is unconscious now, but I think it's for the best, what I have to do will hurt a lot. I pull out a bottle of alcohol and a medical sewing kit, trying my best to keep my hands steady I clean and sew the wound. When I finish I bandage it tightly and put my supplies away.
I don't know how else to help her. I have done the best I can, but without a doctor will it be enough?
...
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...
I wake up the in the morning to a foot in my stomach. Ellie is trying to get out of bed and doesn't realize I'm sleeping on the floor next to her. I grunt in pain but try not to get mad. I sit up and rub my eyes.
"How are you feeling?" I ask.
"Like shit." Her voice is horse.
"You look like shit to." I joke.
She awards me with a small forced giggle then tries to stand up, she wavers and sits back on the couch.
"You lost a lot of blood last night, you should probably take it easy,"
She nods her head in agreement and looks at her arm, "What happened? Where's Joel?"
"Jackson was invaded by hunters and infected at the same time. I was outside on a walk when it started and you saved me, but the hunters shot you. I got us out of the city, but I couldn't find Joel in the chaos. That's all I know." I look down at the ground when I finish, feeling guilty I couldn't help more people. "Thanks... For saving me..."
"Ya well I felt bad about what I said to you, and I was worried you would run away again before I could say sorry." She says it this time with humor in her voice, instead of malice.
"Ellie, you should know by now that I'm not going anywhere, if I wanted to run I would have done it right when I first saw you. I thought you were a ghost before, you have got to get a tan." I smile up at her and she frowns at me.
"Well sorry not all of us are born with a natural chocolate color. And if I stay in the sun too long I burn and freckle. So unless you want me spotted and red I'll do my best to stay covered when I'm in the sun." She is defending herself now.
"Ellie I'm just kidding," I hope she can tell I'm being sincere. "Oh, and I happen to like your freckles." I gently brush my fingers over the few freckles that line her arm. When she blushes I stand up. "How about some breakfast?"
"Sounds good, I'm starved. Can you help me to the kitchen table?"
"Ya, sure." I lean down and wrap an arm around her waist, then one around her legs and haul her into a baby hold.
Ellie laughs and says, "I meant for you to help me walk to the kitchen, not carry me like a baby." Her face turns red again.
"I know, I just like to show off." I had drug a full grown man at least a mile before, so Ellie was light in comparison.
When we reach the kitchen I set her down and once she is sitting she finally notices the fresh scratches and bites that line my arms and shoulders. I received them the past night during my fight and escape from the infected and hunters.
"Riley let me clean you up." She says, worried.
"I'm fine Ellie, I'm just going to have to find a way to lie about how I got all of these... I took care of my first bite at the mall." I hold up my hand and show her the place where I had originally been infected. "But I'm not sure what to do about all these new ones."
"I never noticed that, how did you do it. Conceal the bite I mean, I can't even tell it was there." She seems memorized by my hand.
I flinch in pain as I think about dragging the dull knife through my hand and them sewing it up without pain medication. "Well... I took my knife and drug it through the bite until you couldn't tell what it was, and then I sewed it up."
"Jesus Riley. I could never do that to myself, do you just not feel or something?"
"Oh trust me Ellie, I felt it. Unfortunately I can't do the same this time, there's too many bites to cover up,"
"We'll figure something out, but you should really let me clean the wounds, they could get infected," she sounds determined.
Knowing there is no arguing with her I finally agree. I grab some water and bandages from my pack and find a rag in the kitchen. Even though she has lost a lot of blood, her hands are steady and gentle. When she finishes I feel better, but the knowledge is in my head that if I wasn't immune I would probably be dead by now.
I make breakfast, which consists of a can of beans and some beef jerky that I found stashed under the couch. When we finish eating our scavenged meal Ellie asks, "What should we do now."
"Well, we can explore the house, but I don't think we should leave yet, your still pretty weak."
"Ok, let's go see what's upstairs." I get up and offer her a steady support.
She stays where she is and asks, "What, your not going to carry me?"
"Ha ha very funny Ellie, now get up."
"I'm serious Riley, you said you wanted to show off, and I don't feel like walking." She's trying to hide a smile under a faux serious expression.
"Fine." I walk up to her, but this time I throw her over my shoulder and she squeals when I refuse to put her down. "You wanted me to carry you so I am." I start to laugh when she hits my back with her fists in protest. I more to the stairs and carefully walk up, being mindful not to trip.
I set Ellie down carefully when we reach the top, "I can't believe you actually carried me up the stairs. Your fucking strong, Riley."
"I was in a group of all men, so I kind of had to be in order to keep up... And your also not very heavy."
"What, are you calling me small now. I'll have you know I'm average size, your just tall." She always has an excuse.
"Ok, fine, your right I'm just tall. But your still not that heavy, you got to get some meat on those bones." I say teasing her.
"I would say the same to you except, well, looks to me you could spare some of your meat."
I'm appalled at what she said. She just called me fat. I'm not fat. Then she starts to slowly rise of her toes, when her face approaches mine I can feel her breath, "I was just kidding Riley." Then she pulls away, what a tease.
Wanting to kiss her I say, "What, your just going to leave me hanging. That's not cool."
"Well I would prefer not to kiss you by the stairs, I was thinking in one of these rooms instead." She smiles mischievously and I pick her up again, like a baby this time, and carry her to the nearest room.
I put her on the floor once more and reach me head down to kiss her. My lips are met by her pointer finger. "My legs, remember, help me to the bed." My heart races, the bed makes me more nervous than I already was. Once we are both sitting I look into her eyes and our mouths meet. Finally.
Our lips move in rhythm, and out heart beats match. I love her so much in this moment. Ellie wraps her arms around my neck and I have to put a hand out to stop us from toppling over, I shift the other to the small of her back. The kiss intensifies and I pull Ellie closer to me, soon she shifts so she is sitting on my lap. I feel her hands on my back, tugging at my shirt to untuck it from my pants. When I feel her hands on my bare skin I pull away.
Ellie looks at me questionably, "Did I do something wrong?" She asks obviously feeling that me stopping the kiss was somehow her fault.
"No... I just... I just need to take a break."
I lay back on the dusty bed and take a deep breath, trying to settle my heart. Ellie lays next to me and takes my hand, caressing it with her thumb.
I imagine Ellie's name being called out in the distance, far off. I hear it again, and again increasing in volume. Now it's accompanied by hoof beats. Ellie hears it too and shoots up. Taken aback she says, "Joel?"
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...
"Ellie stay here." Were down stairs in the kitchen now. The boost of adrenaline from the excitement has given Ellie back her strength, for now.
"I'm coming with you, I need to make sure he's alright." She sounds desperate.
"No. If you come then I have to worry about you and Joel. Just let me do this and Joel will be fine. Here," I say handing her my extra pistol. "Just in case." I grab my pack and smile at her.
"You better come back Riley."
"I will. I love you Ellie." I say rushed to get the horse's saddle and bridle from the chair sitting by the door.
"I love you too." She says back.
Once I get the horse ready and seat myself on his back I yell, "lock the doors and be careful, I'll see you soon." With that I was off on my search for Joel.
I ride around the woods for hours calling Joel and I'm about to turn back when I hear gunshots and a cry for help in the distance, it's his voice. I kick my horse and he roars towards the noise. Gun shots keep coming. When I reach the source I find a hoard of infected chasing after Joel. His horse rears up and throws him off, Joel scrambles to his feet but is pinned against a wall, out of ammo and infected closing in. I pull out the rifle that's attached to my backpack and start shooting. I shoot the three infected that are closest to Joel and then reload. Once ready I shoot three more infected down and pull out my hand gun.
I ride full speed towards the remaining beasts and open fire, shooting them down I reach Joel right when more start to pour out of a house near us. Not having time to reload I help pull the large man onto the horse behind me and ride back towards Ellie as fast as possible. Joel I gratefully asks after a few minutes, "Where's Ellie?"
"She's safe at a house I found. And your welcome by the way." I say sarcastically.
"What do you mean?"
"I just saved your fucking life and you didn't even thank me. I don't get why Ellie loves you so much, I think your an ass."
He pauses about to say something, then turns his head to the side, "Oh shit, Riley stop that's my horse." I pull back the reins and slow the heaving animal to a stop. Joel's mount stood by a stream, drinking. I start to turn my horse and approach the river when a gunshot sounds. The horse falls over and Joel and I both look away when we realize what had happened.
Voices sound, growing louder as they near their kill, "Hunters, we have to get back to Ellie."
I ride off, slowly at first, avoiding the hunters. Soon Joel and I are back at the isolated house in the woods. There is just enough light left to see two horses tied to the front porch, and the door hanging open, swaying in breeze.