Joel hated this world.
He really, really hated it. He hated his rotten luck worse. He ran away from the Clickers and Runners with Ellie and Bill right at his heels. Michael? Michael was busy taking another route. The rooftops. The evolved was running amongst them like some type of super soldier.
Then again, Michael kind of was just that. A super soldier.
"God damn it!" Joel swore.
"Obviously someone had the same idea. The truck batteries bust. Any new plans mr. Fatass?" Michael asked from the roof of a nearby building.
"Call me that again and I'm going to-" Bill never finished that sentence, because a Clicker grabbed him and would have bitten him, If it hadn't been for Michael's "Whipfist" cutting it in half.
"Thanks..." Bill grumbled.
"No problem." Michael casually replied. "Now, you guys run toward that house. I'll handle our infected friends here." He instructed.
"what are you going to do?!" Ellie asked.
"Something incredibly stupid but hell, I've always wanted to try it. Run!" He yelled.
Joel and the others were at the house in 10 seconds flat. Joel forced the door open and held it so for just enough time for the other two to get in before slamming it shut. He then looked out the window.
His jaw dropped.
Michael was holding a backpack full of something that was grey and looked like putty, Joel recognized it a split second before Bill or Ellie did: C4.
He grabbed them both and pulled them down so quickly Ellie's head hit the window ledge. But before she could vocalize her pain, there was a sound that Joel could only describe as a thousand sonic booms going off at once a split second before every window in the house shattered and glass went flying. The shockwave came afterwards and nearly blew him over.
By the time the explosion passed, his ears were ringing. They continued to do so for what felt like an eternity. When they finally stopped he looked out the window. There was a Crater in the Concrete nearly 10 feet deep. In the center of it was a steaming black mass that was Michael James Diego.
Joel was certain he was dead.
Just when he was about to look away he saw already black and red tendrils grabbing infected corpses and dragging them into the abyss.
Did this kid never die?
Soon Michael was standing in the middle of the road, the craziest grin on his face, he walked toward the building, entered it (completely ignoring Joel.) and said 3 words.
"That was awesome!"
Joel felt like exploding. "Damn it Michael, you probably attracted half the state to us because of that!" He growled.
Michael looked at him. "People heard that from 5,277 square miles away? I doubt that." He said simply.
"You could have gotten us killed!" Joel continued.
"The building shielded you from the blast, and the swelling around Ellie's eye (which is bleeding by the way) should go down in about 2 hours. Look on the bright side, Joel. No more infected!" Michael said with a grin.
Joel felt like he had just been slapped. "Do you think this is some game, Michael? Do you think we're your goddamn puppets?" He demanded.
"Nope. Just entertainment and company." Michael replied.
"Is that why you're here? To entertain yourself?" Joel demanded.
Michael looked the man right in the eye and replied.
"No, I'm here to ensure you reach the fireflies safely."