Chapter 7
I walk to the barn. Its just outside the hydropower plant and town but its safe big fences built around it. "Hello Paula" I say greeting the women as she walks to me. Shes about maybe in her 50 looks like she ran a farm before all this happened. "You'll be feeding the horses today" I walk over to where the horses are. I grab some food and put it in the horses food trays. Pretty heavy bag but i managed to do it. Stevie then walks over. "Damn it girl i wake up late and you did all the work" "Your complainng?" She laughs. "No". Paula comes over. "All done?" "Yep, no thanks to Stevie" i say sticking my tongue out at her. "Why don't you girls take two for a ride" "Really?"
"Yes". We saddled up our horses. She opens up the gate to the horse trail. "Be careful girls" We follow the trail with our horses. The sounds of nature and the horses feet. "This is the best feeling in the world" I say. We continued to ride our horses along the trail. I think of Callus. He was an amazing horse. I smile when i think of how much Joel hated that name. Its his fault he forgot to ask Tommy his name. " i think Kevin likes you" Stevie says. "What?No way!" "When i talked to Mikey this morning on the way to the barn he said how Kevin kept saying how pretty and funny you are" "Ohh so thats the real reason why you were late" "shut up" I laugh. All of a sudden Stevies horse goes out of control. reeling up on two feet. "Woahh stop" She calls. The horse continues going crazy causing Stevie to let go of the reins she falls off the horses and tumbles down a hill landing hard. She crys out in pain. oh my god. I get off my horse quick tie it to a tree and slide down the hill to Stevies side."Are you alright?" "No my ankle". I look at her ankle. I think its broken. "Shit!". "can you try to stand up?'. She trys but lets out a cry of pain and falls down to the ground. "Shit shit shit". I look and see a runner in the distance running towards us."Fuck!" i look around not sure what to do. "Okay listen to me i know it hurts but you have to get up" i look and see the runner getting closer. "I can't"she crys trying to stand up. "Try to pull yourself up the hill". She crawls. I see the runner getting closer its gonna be here any minute. I wish Joel was here. Tears start rolling down my face. I look at Stevie whos trying with all her might to crawl up the hill. I don't think she knows of the runner yet. No im not dying here im not letting her die. I pull my knife out of my pocket. The runners now here it comes charging for me i kick it and it stumbles back then comes charging at me again. I push it and it stumbles tripping over a branch and falls to the ground. Im on it in seconds stabbing it over and over in the head. I stop and look at what ive done. Sure as hell ain't getting up now. its dead. I roll off of it. I wipe the blood off on my pants. I look over at Stevie. Shes on top of the hill. Looking at me horrified expression. "Get on your horse". I look and see another runner in the distance. It starts running when it notices . I run up on the managed to get on her horse. Pain written all over her face. I untie my horse and get on. i turn it around and Stevie does the same thing. "Go!" i tell the horse and it starts running. I look behind the runner running faster. We make it to the gate 10 minutes later but Paula isnt there. "Paula" Stevie screams. I turn and see the runner almost here. I hear the gate open and Stevie goes in. She turns towards me as i jump off the horse. "What are you doing?" She crys. My horse follows Stevies horses through the gate. "Taking care of this fucker" "Your crazy" "Close the gate" She hesitates before closing it. The runner comes charging towards me. I move out of the way and it runs into the gate. I jump on it from behind and stab it in the head. It falls to the ground dead. I grab the runners feet and drag it into the woods. Better tell someone about it don't want it giving off spores infecting people. I walk to the gate. "Open the gate" The gate opens. I go to hug Stevie but she moves the hell? She limps back to the barn leaning on the horse. My horse stayed by my side. I pet its face then guide it back to the barn. I put it in the stall and go to find Stevie. I see her sitting on the ground crying Paula looking at her ankle."Its clearly broken". I walk over to them. "Im done here for today can you lock up the barn while i take Stevie to see dr. Goodwin" I nodd. I watch them walk away then i cheak on all the animals before i lock up i head home.
I walk into the house. Joel has a tool belt on. Must now be heading to work. "Whats wrong?" He asks as i stand in the door."I killed two runners today" "And that upsets you?" "No. Stevie is hurt and i think shes afraid of me after seeing me kill that one runner" "Well if you didn't kill it then you'd both be dead" "I know" I say sighing."Its gonna be okay" "Someone should do something about the bodys before they start leaking out spores". "I'll tell Tommy, go change you got blood all over you". "Okay" i say. He walks out the door. I head to my bedroom and get new clothes. I go to the bathroom so i can shower. Wish i could wash what just happened away.
I walk into Ellie's room shes laying on the bed in the dark the moon light lights up her face she doesnt look at me as i walk in. "Ellie".She doesn't say anything."I just thought of something you might like to do". She still doesn't say anything. I go to her and pick her up."What the fuck are you doing" She says anger in her voice. I walk still carrying her out of the room down the hall into the livingroom and out the door. i carry her to the side of the house and sit her down. "What hell Joel you can't just do that" "Climb" i say motioning to the ladder. "Stay" I walk back into the house. And almost run into Isabella on my way to her room."Hey come outside" She follows me outside to the ladder. "A ladder?" She says confused. I look up and see Ellie looking down at us her arms folded. "What the hell Joel" She says. Isabella looks up seeing Ellie up there.I climb up onto the roof and Isabella follows. "Care to explain Joel" "Look up". Isabella and Ellie look up. The nightsky full of stars. "Wow its beautiful" Ellie says sitting down looking up at the stars. Isabella does the same. I sit down with them. I look over to Ellie her eyes had lit up from the stars."You know wht would make this better" "Huh?" "If you sang". I don't say anything for a while. I then remeber the Guitar Isabella brought home saying this is for one you cave in and sing for Ellie. "Be back" I stand up and head to the ladder. "swear to god if you don't come back". I climb down the ladder and go into the house. I walk to Isabellas room and get the guitar she hide in the closet. Guess Isabella right i would give in. I look at the accoustic guitar. Good condition. I walk outside and get to the ladder.I hesitate. Should i sing. What if she hates it? Screw it. I climb up the ladder. They look at me. Ellie's eye light up as she sees the guitar in my hand. "Holy shit Joel your actually gonna sing" "I guess.." Isabella looks at me smiling."Told you you would cave" I don't reply to what she says and sit down. I play some practice strings. "Well here goes nothing don't laugh". I start playing a song on the guitar. The music filling the air as we sit under the stars. I then start singing by the look on Ellie's face must not be to bad. I continue to sing and play the guitar.I finish the song and look at Ellie tryin to register her face expression. "Joel that was..AMAZING!" She pulls me into a unexpected hug. I hug her back."Glad you liked it" She pulled away from the hug. "Get Joel to sing for me now cheaked off my bucket list" I laugh. I play the guitar as we lay there and watch the stars. The air filled with music. "Best night ever" Ellie says. I smile and look at her glad to see a smile on her face.
I listen to Joel play the guitar as i look up at the the beautifuliest thing i ever seen. If we weren't here i would have never gotten to see them. We'd be in some house sleeping till morning so we could get moving. Walking. God i hate walking. I start feeling tired. Its a nice night not to hot not to cold. Just perfect. "Joel" I say. 'huh?" "Can we sleep up here tonight". He doesn't say anything for a bit."If you really want to then yes". He gets up. "Where you going?" "To go find blankets". I stand up. "Ill go get those i wanna change into pjs".I don't give him time to disagree and head to the ladder.
I look up at the stars. There so beautiful. I remeber back before the outbreak when i was 16 id sit on my roof outside my room and just look at the stars. Im the type of person that could sit there for hours just thinking and looking at stars. "You fine with sleeping up here" "uh-huh". I remeber those times id accidently fall asleep looking at stars."hope it doesn't rain" "We all would get sick then" "I never really did get sick" "lucky" "If you girls get sick looks like ill be the one taking care of you guys" "Feed me chicken noodle soup, god i miss that stuff"' "I really miss coffee". "I was only 16 so i never really drank that". "You missed out" "If the world ever gets back to normal and theres coffee you'll be the first to see me drink it". "if i havent drank it all". I laugh. I smile and look at him and he looks at me smiles back. Hes different from when i first met him. "So i found blankets in your closet Isabella hope you don't mind i went in your room". Ellie's voice makes us jump and we turn to look at her shes walking towards us. "Oh no thats fine. Joel goes in there all the time so don't mind if you do" "woah so thats what you guys do when im gone" "No..theres mens clothes in there..." Ellie laughs "I know i was just fucking with you guys..oh poor choice of words" She starts laughing her ass off. "Your something else kiddo" Joel says. Ellie lays a blanket down and lays down."Don't do something while im sleeping" Ellie says laughs then closes her eyes."Whats up with everyone making sexual jokes about us" Joel says. "Maybe thats there way of saying were sexy" I start laughing."Oh yes i want a 14 year old and my brother telling me im sexy" I laugh. "Its the beard". "I knew it". Ellie all of a sudden starts laughing her ass off startling me. She keeps doing that."Hey what happened to sleeping" Joel said. "How could i sleep when im hearing this" "Just get some rest".Joel picks up a blanket and lays it down and lays down. I pick up the remaining blanket and lay down. "wait your brother?" I say remebering what he said a couple minutes ago."Yeah i told him the other day he doesnt have to knock he can just come right in since he is my brother and he said don't wanna walk in on something he don't wanna see"."oh" i close my eyes. Sex with Joel?that thought never came in my mind. Theres nothing wrong with him hes an attractive strong man only 5 years older then me seemed like he was asshole at first but now he doesn't. "Night ladies" Joel says."night"we say. I close my eyes again and try to go to sleep. Oddly comfty. I eventually drift off to sleep.
Joel and Isabella romance soon maybeeee! that man needs some romanceee! XD! Reminder Joel is 35 in my story! So he looks like he did in the beginning of the game! Don't know if peole are actually reading my story but if you do hope you enjoy and i shall update soon! :)