Summer:
July
I didn't see the bite marks on my mothers' neck. I didn't see the difference of color made by the Cordyceps Infection in my dead fathers' eyes. I only saw my sister holding a smoking gun. I took a step toward her as my hands clenched into tight fists.
Matthew snapped awake, his clenched right fist smashing into the already cracked car window beside him. "Dammit!"
"Matthew?"
Ellie stepped into view, pulling a sleeve over her bite. She was still wearing the same clothes she'd found before they got to Texas.
Matthew rubbed his eyes.
They were on a grassy road. It was filled with abandoned, broken-down vehicles. The moonlight reflected off shattered car windows. In the distance, they could see a large bridge.
"I'm fine, Ellie," Matthew said shorty.
"You don't look fine," Ellie said, reaching for Matthew's hand. "Your knuckles are bleeding."
Matthew tugged his hand away. "I'll be fine," he said pulling the dark blue sleeveless shirt he'd found earlier that night over his head. "You should go back to Joel. He's probably wondering—"
"Don't try and change the subject," Ellie snapped. "I've been listening. It's the same fucking nightmare that you've been having for the last month. All I can think is that it's got something to do with whoever you're looking for in Boston."
Matthew stood and raised his voice. "Ellie, I said I'm—"
Both turned as they heard a squealing sound followed by a series of clicking noises.
Ellie tossed Matthew his crossbow and pulled out her knife. "One Clicker," she said.
"Two Runners," Matthew added.
The Clicker ran into view and fell with loud series of clicks as Matthew's arrow was embedded in the Clicker's head.
A Runner hopped over a car a second later. Ellie threw Matthew's backpack, using the bag to stagger the Infected before lunging forward with her knife and burying it in the Runner's skull.
Ellie withdrew the knife and looked around. "I thought you said there were two Runn—watch out! "
Matthew turned in time to put his arm under the second Runner's neck and pushed it away. The Runner fell backward and attempted to rise. A combat knife stabbed through its neck. The Runner twitched a few times as blood came gushing out onto its killer's dark red flannel shirt and ripped jeans.
Joel withdrew his knife. "Get your shit. Let's go."
An hour later, the sun rose.
Joel led the way along the grassy road bordering the Mississippi River.
They could still see the bridge far in the distance.
Matthew and Ellie walked beside each other.
"I'm sorry about this morning," Matthew said, breaking the long silence.
"You're no fun when you wake up," Ellie observed. She shrugged. "It's fine. I was tired too."
"And you're right," Matthew admitted. "It's the same nightmare. Each time, it's in even greater… more realistic detail."
"Well, you know where to find me if you, you know, want to talk," Ellie said placing her hand around his shoulder.
Matthew nodded his thanks and was silent for a moment.
Ellie called ahead. "Joel, are we there yet?"
Joel stopped and grabbed his map, laying it out on the hood of a car. "We should be able reach the bridge tomorrow night," he said. "That's if we don't run into any Infected."
At the end of the day, the bridge seemed a lot closer.
Matthew laid back on the roof of a nearby car. He closed his eyes, listening to Joel and Ellie playing their guitars. The music always soothed him. For the first time that day, he felt relaxed.
…
Joel and Ellie started to test out different combinations of notes.
They had finished practicing their song for the night. Once again, they didn't complete it, but they had progressed seven seconds further than ever.
"You're being quiet again," Joel observed.
"So?" Ellie asked.
Joel strummed another few notes. "When you're quiet, that means there's something on your mind."
Ellie set aside her guitar. "I read something last night in my science book or whatever it's called," she said. The young woman took a deep breath. "It said… well, from what I was able to figure out, it said we have genes in our DNA that determines everything about us."
"Eye color, hair color, and a whole lot of other stuff," Joel confirmed.
Ellie nodded. "Right. I managed to get that figured out. It also said that certain strands of our DNA are passed down. I was thinking…" Ellie put her hands together and leaned forward. "What if whatever is in my DNA helped me be immune? Do you think I could, you know, pass it down? I mean, by having kids?"
"Ellie," Joel said, putting down the guitar. "I don't think that this should be your responsibility. It never should have been."
"Could you please just answer the question?" Ellie asked, staring at the ground.
"Honestly, I don't know," Joel said. "Science was never my strong suit. Tommy was the one who got A's in science and math."
"What are A's?"
"Not important," Joel replied. "The point is that I'm not educated enough to answer that question."
"Okay," Ellie said mischievously. "You go back to Jackson and ask Tommy. And Matthew and I will meet you in Boston."
"Nice try."
"But seriously," Ellie said, fidgeting with her fingers. "Do you think—"
Joel held up a hand. "Ellie, I wish had all the answers, but I don't," he said sadly as he reached over and touched her arm. Ellie looked up as he continued. "I don't want this to hang over you your entire life. You need to learn to let go of the past. I know you hate hearing me say that, but you need to try."
Ellie was silent for a moment.
They stared into the fire.
Ellie looked at Joel and calmly removed the cloth covering her bite. "Look at this. In your world, I'd have to hide. I'd have to hide it every single day. It's never going to leave me."
Joel leaned forward, intertwining his fingers. "That doesn't mean that it needs to control—"
Ellie shook her and placed the cloth on her arm again. "There are very few people in that world who would accept me for what I am."
Joel glanced at Matthew a short distance away.
The young man was laying on the hood of a car, gazing at the stars above.
"Is that why you're so attached to the boy?" Joel asked. He tried to keep his voice even. "Because you think he understands you?"
"He doesn't look at me as if I'm different," Ellie replied just as calmly. "I feel normal when I'm with him."
There was a full ten seconds of silence.
"You're not planning on coming home after all this," Joel said. He started picking at the grass on the ground. "You want to go with him, don't you?"
Ellie sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I just don't think I belong in your world," she said.
Joel remained silent.
Ellie motioned to their surroundings. "This is all I've known."
"I know it would be hard going back," Joel said. "But we can do it together."
Ellie didn't answer.
Joel leaned back. I should let this drop… for now. But I can't let her leave with him. "Do you want to practice anymore tonight?" he asked.
"I think I'll go for a walk," Ellie said, carefully placing her guitar in its case and standing. "Maybe there's some more supplies in the cars around here. I'll let Matthew know that you're ready for your chess game."
…
Ellie walked towards the car Matthew was lying on.
The young man's eyes were closed.
Ellie smiled, licked the end of her index finger, and slowly brought it toward his ear.
"Don't even think about it," Matthew said, his eyes still closed.
"Is there a time when you aren't hearing everything," Ellie asked dramatically.
"Not when I'm awake."
"How's your knuckles?" Ellie asked.
"Healed enough," Matthew replied, opening his eyes.
"Maybe you should stop falling asleep near hard objects," Ellie suggested.
"Maybe," Matthew said. He sat up. "How was practice?"
Ellie shrugged. "It was better. But not good."
"Well, let me know when the big performance is," Matthew said, hopping off the truck. "I look forward to it."
"I'm going to take a look at some of these cars. See if can find some drinks or medicine or something," Ellie said. She started to walk away. "I'll see you in the morning."
…
Matthew sat down as Joel finished setting up the chess pieces.
They played for ten minutes before Joel spoke. "What were you two fighting about this morning?"
"Same reason we usually fight," Matthew said casually as he made another move. "One of us is trying to be helpful, the other overreacts. Check."
Joel moved his king out of danger.
Matthew looked at the board for a moment. "We've had these spats more times than I can count," he continued, moving his knight out of danger. "You know what I've noticed?"
Joel took one of Matthew's knights before answering. "That you can't stand to be mad at each other because you don't want to be alone?"
"Pretty much," Matthew said, once again moving a knight back. "There's no side that's right or wrong. One person wants answers that the other is not willing to give."
They played in silence for another few moves.
"What do you think?" Matthew asked. He cautiously moved a pawn forward. "Should one give the other answers?"
"She doesn't owe you anything, kid," Joel said as he took the pawn with his bishop. Matthew retaliated by taking the bishop. Joel moved his queen again before speaking. "But you're bringing her into harm's way. If these nightmares have anything to do with who you're looking for in Boston, you owe her some answers."
Matthew moved his knight, distracted by Joel's answer.
Joel took the knight with his queen.
"Stupid move on my part," Matthew muttered. He moved his king back a space. "I do owe her answers. I can't exactly argue with that. But what about you? Do I owe you answers?"
Joel didn't hesitate, moving his castle across from Matthew's king, cornering it. "I don't give two shits about your past," he said. "Checkmate."
Matthew nodded and put away the game as Joel doused the fire.
Ellie returned and set a few bottles of alcohol and some rags on the ground. "Found these."
"Nice work," Joel said. "We'll divvy it up in the morning."
Ellie found a soft spot on the side of the road a short distance way. She laid down and placed her backpack under her head.
Matthew clipped the crossbow to his belt and grabbed his own backpack.
"Kid," Joel said before Matthew turned away. The boy looked at him. Joel lowered his voice. "When I want answers, I'll get answers."
