Chapter 8.
The University.
(Scott POV)
We finally made it to the university campus.
"So, let me see if I get it straight. If you mess up your 4th down. Then you give the ball to the other team," Ellie said.
"Right, It's call turnover," I said.
"And if you clear the 10 yards then you're back at first down," Ellie said.
"First down. That's right," Chloe said.
"Man, It's confusing," Ellie said.
"You just gotta play it a couple of times. It'll make sense," I said.
Then we ride through a parking lot.
"Okay none of these building look like a mirror to me," Ellie said.
"Well, we'll head to central grounds. Should be able to see most of the campus from there," I said. Stay Callus. What kind of name is Callus anyway?"
"Not my fault you forgot to ask Stiles his name," Ellie said.
"Callus," Chloe said.
"So these places people would live here and just study? Even though they were all grown up," Ellie said.
"Yeah, Study, party and find themselves. Figure out what they wanted to do with their lives," Chloe said.
"What they wanted to do with their lives," Ellie said.
"There was a lookout here," I said. Finding a spot on the roof top.
"That's a good sign," Ellie said. Then I got back down and saw Ellie looking at the campus old mascot banner. "That's a giant ram. You guys were like some idol worshippers,"
"When it came to sports? Hell yeah," I said.
"Ooh, It's getting chilly," Ellie said.
"It's that time of year," Chloe said.
Then we see a shiny building in the distance.
"Hey over there, Is that it?" Ellie said.
"Hmm. It does look like a giant mirror," I said.
"Good one Uncle Stiles," Chloe said.
"He is for sure back in your good books," I said.
"For now," Chloe said.
"How many people you think are there? Fireflies. I mean," Ellie said.
"It will take quite a crew to run that operation," I said.
"You think there'll be other people my age?" Ellie said.
"Not sure," I said.
Then we went through this building but it was block at the other side and then there horse got spooked.
"Whoa, What is it Boy?" I said.
"Sound like Runner, Dad," Chloe said.
"You 2 stay with him. I'll go check it out," I said.
"Dad," Chloe said.
"Are you sure?" Ellie said.
"Yes, I don't want him running off. I'll be back," I said
Then I go up and find a generator powered gate. "Huh look like someone Jerry-rigged this thing. No juice. I'll see if I can get the power back," After trying to use it.
Then I find the generation room with infected. I got rid of all of the infected and then Fired it up. "And that's that," I said then headed back down.
"Hey, I was thinking I would've wanted to be an astronaut," Ellie said.
"That a fact?" I said.
"Yeah, Can you imagine being up there by yourself? Would've be cool I'm just saying what about you? What'd you want to be," Ellie said.
"When I was a kid I want to be a Veterinarian," I said.
Ellie laughed. "Shut up," She said.
"I'm serious," I said.
"Come on," Ellie said.
"Nope back home. I was training to be one," I said.
They we get through and reach the university's center. Monkeys were scampering around.
"Are those Monkeys?" Ellie said.
"Yeah, A whole mess of them," I said.
"That was kind of awesome," Ellie said.
"First time seeing a monkey," Chloe said.
"First time seeing a monkey," Ellie said.
"Lets not mess with them," I said.
Then we ride farther in.
"Should we have seen someone by now?" Ellie said.
"Maybe these guys like to keep a low profile," I said.
"Yeah, Maybe," Then Ellie spots a Firefly symbol on a wall. "Hey look Fireflies Scott, Look," She said.
"I see it," I said.
"This is good, First sign of Fireflies," Ellie said.
Then we come to a large locked gate.
"Alright let's try that gate," I said.
Then Ellie pushed it. "There it is, This won't budge,"
"Fuck, Chloe," I said.
"Stay with Ellie and the horse got it," Chloe said.
"Back before you know it," I said then headed in and then saw Spores. "Bloody Spores," Then I put my gas mask on and jump down which was the only way and it was full of bloody clickers. "Shit," I whispered. But I managed to escape. "Holy crap," I said then I make it back outside.
"DAD!" Chloe said.
"Scott, Are you okay," Ellie said.
"What happened in there?" Chloe said.
"Infected, I'm fine," I said.
"Here come open the gate," Ellie said.
Then I plug in the generator and get it working. "Try the gate," I said.
And It opens," Yes," Ellie said.
"Yeah come one through," I said getting Ellie to move back and got into the middle of them.
"Those Clickers you think they were fireflies," Ellie said.
"No idea," I said.
"Why would they have infected so close to the lab?" Ellie said.
"Bill used them as a defense they maybe are doing the same," Chloe said.
"Yeah. I could see that," Ellie said.
Then we make it to the science building grounds.
"No Guards. No nothing," Chloe said.
"Yeah. I'd expect to see someone by now. Let's get inside," I said.
"Have you ever been to one of these?" Ellie said.
"What, A university?" I said.
"Yeah," Ellie said.
"No never," I said.
"Why not?" Ellie said.
"Was Brought into the Air Force when My uncle got himself kidnapped. Guess who had to go save him. After that I was given a spot there with the same Rank as he was. Then brought my friends and family who had what was needed at the time," I said.
"What happened? How come you left," Ellie said.
"My Wife And I wanted to settle down have kids got Chloe and Sarah," I said.
"What happened then," Ellie said.
"Okay," I said.
"Too much?" Ellie said.
"Too much," I said.
"Are we ever gonna find a living fireflies?" Ellie said.
"We better," Chloe said.
Then Ellie Spots something. "Hey what about over there?" She said.
"Yeah that look like a way in," I said seeing a hole in the building. Then I got over and try a gate.
"Shit. It rusted shut. We'll have to find another way," I said.
"What about that?" Chloe said going over and grabbing a dumpster which once next to the hill was pulled away from her which slides down the slop and crashing through opening the gate.
"Alright. Not what I had in mind. But it'll do," I said.
Then we go and climb up and I go in first and check around and find nothing then moved back over for Chloe and Ellie.
"Alright. We're in. C'mon kiddos gimme your hand there you go," I said getting them up.
"Thanks," Ellie said.
"Let's look around," Chloe said.
"Hey. That's my line," I said.
"Should of said it faster then Dad," Chloe said.
Then we start searching the area.
"How will they do it?" Ellie said.
"Do what?" I said.
"Get the cure from me? You think it'll hurt?" Ellie said.
"No. They'll may draw some blood. It don't hurt," I said.
"I've gotten shots before. They vaccinated us at school. It sucked," Ellie said.
"No doubt from here on that," Chloe said.
Then we start scavenging. "Hello," Ellie said. But nothing. "Where are they?" Then we continue searching. "YooHoo! Fireflies? Cure for mankind over here, Anyone?"
"Let's keep it down until we figure out what's going on," I said Then we find some Firefly equipment near a stairwell.
"Nothing useful," Ellie said.
"Nothing here but some Medical mumbo jumbo," I said.
Then I noise came from upstairs.
"Maybe not all of them," Ellie said.
"Stay close," I said.
Then we head up to the 3rd Floor.
"There are no bodies. That's good, Right?" Ellie said.
"If we find out where they went," Ellie said.
Then another Noise occurs. "Shit," I said. Then we find the source of the noise which was bloody monkeys. "Jesus. Well at least it ain't Clickers,"
"Yeah. No fireflies either. Well maybe in all that research they turned into fucking monkey," Ellie said.
"Just keep searching, We'll find something," I said.
"Dad over here," Chloe said. Then I go over to see a scan of a human brain.
"What is that?" Ellie said.
"Our brain but these things here shouldn't be there," I said.
"How'd you know," Ellie said.
"I seen hundreds of these back in the air force. That could be the fungus," I said.
"Which could be in me," Ellie said. "Can you find out,"
"No. But If I got a piece of equipment. Chloe you got a map," I said.
"Yeah, Here," Chloe said putting it down on the table.
"Okay, We are here. Colorado. What we need is here," I said putting to an area which was a good 3 days travel.
"Dad you don't mean that there is a med kit thing there," Chloe said.
"Yes and Maybe which we need to know for sure," I said.
"Okay. But there is an office over there," Ellie said.
Then we go over and bust into a lab office with a suicide victim. I found a recorder.
"If you're looking for the Fireflies, They've all left," It said.
"Yeah. No shit," Ellie said.
"I'm dead or I will be soon. Got me some time to reflect," It said then I skip it then got.
"If you are looking for the others, they've all returned to Saint Mary's Hospital In Slat Lake City. You'll find them there, Still trying to save the world. Good luck with that," It said.
"Do you know where that is?" Ellie said.
"I know the city," I said.
"Is it far?" Ellie said.
"It's ain't close I mean on horseback," Then I saw a light.
"What. Fireflies?" Ellie said.
"Get down," I said as we all narrowly missed being shot.
"Who the fuck are these guys," Ellie said.
"It don't matter," I said.
"We know where to go. Let's get the hell outta here," Chloe said.
Then we descend. I opens a balcony door only for someone to fling it open.
"Got you asshole," He said.
"Yeah fuck you too," I said then the balcony. Comes apart. The bastard dies but something impaled me. "AH FUCK!" I shouted.
"DAD!" Chloe said jumping down as Ellie rappels down a Generator Cable.
"What do you want me to do?" Ellie said
"Move, Chlo," I said.
"What," Ellie said.
"Move," I said then 2 comes through and I shot one as Chloe got the other.
"Oh man, Scott," Ellie said.
"Chloe, Pull me out," I said.
"Dad we got nothing to stop it," Chloe said.
"Just do it," I said.
"Okay. 1,2,3," Chloe said as they pull me free.
Then I can get up but barely.
"Dad," Chloe said. Grabbing onto me.
"Scott," Ellie said.
"Let's just get to the Gorram horse," I said.
Then Ellie goes and checks it out. Then Chloe went with her.
"Okay, I don't see anyone. Let's go. Scott. How are we doing?" Ellie said.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," I said.
"Can you handle the window?" Ellie said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Okay," Ellie said.
Then I go over and fall over it no thanks to the injury.
"Jesus Come on move," Ellie said.
Then Another one hunter shows up.
"Alright stay here I'm flank this fuck," Ellie said.
"Ellie," Chloe said.
He got close then Ellie shot him dead. But I was starting to black out.
"Shit," I said.
"Dad, Hey, Stay with me," Chloe said.
"Shit, We gotta get you out of here," Ellie said.
"I'm okay," I said.
"Your not okay, Dad! Now Come the Fuck on," Chloe said.
Then She holdings onto me.
Then we found an exit and there was another 2.
"Ellie, Look out," Chloe said. Then Her and Ellie shot them.
Then they came over and got me back up. "Scott, Here, Stand up. I swear to god. We get you out of this," Ellie said.
"Ellie Door," Chloe said "Come on Dad," Then we head out but only 1 at a time. and I roll down the steps near a hunter trying to take Callus.
"What the fuck? Ah shit," He said.
Then gunshots hit him which turned out to be Ellie.
"Come on," Ellie said.
"Just get the horse," I said.
"Alright," Ellie said.
"Can you get on?" Chloe said getting me up.
Then she got me on and then Ellie.
"Go," I said.
Then we ride a ways out of town.
"I think we're safe Dad," Chloe said.
"Scott, Scott," Ellie said. Then I lose conscious.
(Chloe POV)
"Ah shit, Dad, Here" I said.
"Get up, Get up," Ellie said.
"Ellie," I said.
"We gotta get him up," Ellie said.
"Dad, Come on," I said.
We managed to get him up and then onto Callus and get the hell out of there.
That's all for this chapter.
More to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!