Plot: After a series of tragic loss Joel Miller travels far and wide surviving on his wits and experience. Always moving forward despite the unforgiving environment he encounters because a quest keeps him going in his journey.
Note: From the game The Last of Us and the live action TV series.
Music: THE LAST OF US Part II Ambient Music 🎵 Road To Jackson (LoU 2 OST | Soundtrack) by z3n Pnk
CHAPTER 7
You are not accidental. The world needs you. Without you, something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace it.
~Osho~
"Slow down kid." Patty took up her mother's translating duties but the girl is struggling to keep up with all the arguing. "I kinda get the idea."
"This is embarrassing!" Patty gave the people with raised voices a face full of disappointment then buried her face in her hands. "And it makes me angry!"
"That's people for 'ya." Joel's sigh was quieter.
"I don't want you and mom to go there."
Patty gave another mighty heave when Joel gestures his helplessness with open hands. "Nothing I can do about it."
"No, didn't you hear what they said? You're one of us now. You can speak out!"
"I'm fine with it, kid. I just wanna observe for now. Hold up." Joel pats the air. "No need to knock yourself out translating, okay? I guess I need to learn your language now, huh?" After a moment he snorts. "So where is this university?
Patty points her mom and to the board. She leans to her right to see the writing. "It's about uhmm…wait. Oh, someone's doing the math."
Joel waits while Patty does calculations on her own. "Those areas on the side are what? Doors?"
"They're gates. The university campus is huge, it's like a mini-city and there are gates from all areas." Joel leans with Patty as she points. "Okay, the one that's near us is probably four and a half miles away."
"Yep, that place is sure large." Joel rubs his chin as he studies the board.
"Fred said the side gate here is nearer his uncle's location."
"Where is this Fred?" Joel glances up to where Patty jabs the air. "Ah, on duty."
"All adults go on patrol so we all get the experience and pull our weight for the village." Joel jerks in surprise when she slams both hands on the table. "What?!"
The assembly looks at Maya in disbelief and shock. Albert pats the air to stop the explosion of shock and surprise from the councilmen and women and from everyone present in the meeting. "Calm down, guys!"
"What now?" Joel sits straighter, feeling a little concerned.
The young woman gestures strongly at Maya. "She went out to the blindspot!"
"What's wrong with that?" Joel smirks when Patty jaw drops at him.
"She went there alone. Many times! She can't! I can't believe it!" Patty does what Joel remembers a gesture called a 'face palm'. He was again hit with a strong bout of nostalgia; Sarah does that to him too whenever he says something corny or absurd followed by an expression 'Really dad?'. "And she's not telling anyone how she gets out."
"She knows the area, right?"
"Yeah, she does."
Joel snorts his amazement. "She can handle herself. You should be proud, kid!"
"You're as bad as my husband. Kai adores mom."
"Oh yeah, your mom mentioned him. Is he on patrol too?"
"No, he's taking care of Jerry, the guy you shot? Kai's the nurse at our infirmary."
"Cool. Hey, I wanna visit Jerry, is that okay?"
Patty shrugs, "Sure, just let me ask Kai when."
They turn their attention back to the discussion in the room. Joel was surprised that people were very much involved in the meeting. "So why did Maya go out?"
"She's scouting? Is that the word? Yeah, she's looking if there are still supplies around. She said it's easier if one or two go out. Less attention from the infected…."
"She's right."
"She also wants us, all of us, to take back the area so we have a larger space."
"She has a point." Joel looks up when he heard his name.
"Maya, you and Joel can't cross there. Please don't!"
"It's a better alternative than the university, Vangie." Maya shrugs to the short-haired council woman.
"Maya, how far is this university?" Joel looks on as Maya drew another area. It's located more on the left side of the village. Maya points it to him on her immediate left.
"Roughly 7… 8 miles?" Maya taps at the calculation on the board with a knuckle. He could easily see her as a trainer for that call center though she's almost loaded for bear with weapons. One thing Joel noticed about Maya was that she likes bladed weapons better than guns.
"Mom, you don't have to enter the main gate. Just use the side one at…" Patty said a street name Joel couldn't follow.
Joel gravitates toward the discussion. "So, if we go outside to this blindspot how far do we go?"
"Joel the council needs to deliberate this first." Albert scratches his head.
"Oh, I respect that of course. Just look at it and compare it so you can decide."
"He's got a point." The man holds out his tattooed arm. The man smiles when Joel returns the shake. "I'm Rolly, by the way."
"Nice tats."
"Thanks. I'm a hairstylist or used to be. Just ask for me if you need some hair service." The man whispers quickly,
"You can barter services as payment." Patty butts in when Joel seemed unsure of something to say.
"Sweet! In that case I'll make sure to find you." They focus again to the meeting. Maya is discussing something to Albert and the others.
"Okay, so there are ten blocks or so then we enter the village and to her house." Maya goes to the blackboard and roughly drew the area at the blindspot. "Then there's another block beyond the gate to Sylvia's house."
"Who is this Sylvia?" Asks Rina who is as charming as ever while Lee keeps on muttering under his breath glaring at the woman he replaced for his wife.
"She was the guidance counselor there." Points councilwoman 1, the one whose hair was in braids, to the four story building where the children study.
Rina shrugs. "Okay, so she has the qualifications. Get her."
"Rina! What the fuck!" Rolly slams his fist on the table.
"You don't order people around like that!" Vangie blurts out.
"Well, she knows that Sylvia so she and that new guy can…"
"Do you hear what you're saying? That area is full of infected!" That came from Manny.
"They're very capable, aren't they?" People gasp when Rina looks back at them haughtily.
"What? That's not the point! What the fuck…"
"That's Jose', he has a crush on mom." Patty leans back with a slight mischievous smile. The girl wanted to see his reaction.
"Kid, you're impossible!" His chuckles warm him up as the girl winks at him. "Yeah, fine. I saw that earlier at the parking area. I just saw it. That's all." His chuckles continue.
"Oh….you like my mom…" Patty stares as Joel in realization until the man is almost squirming. Joel looks away when the girl giggles at him. Suddenly he gets punched on the arm. "Hey…I give my blessings."
"Hey kid…hold on now…" But all he and Patty did was just chuckle with each other.
"Excuse me, Rina. The council decides on these matters not you." A man with a deep voice sliced through the angry voices.
"Oh! That's Raymond. Ex-military." Patty excitedly whispers to Joel. Raymond still look like one; his hair is still short cropped and he has the bearing too. "He's the oldest of the councilmen."
"Rina, you and your troublemaking people are one move away from being expelled from this community." An old woman grumbles in her seat.
"Well, if we expel her and her lazy people then we wouldn't have to bother to cross the blindspot! Problem solved!" People nod to what another older woman said.
"Better expel them. They complain all the time but they're so lazy. Can you believe that?"
One of the boys Rina has with her stands up looking angry at the old ladies. The men, including Joel stands up too not liking the boy's intent.
"Hey you watch it boy. Your elders are right." Raymond points to the young man, eyes hard. "You better listen. No one forced you to come here. You know what's expected of you in the community but you all have failed our expectations."
"They're not used to manual labor!" Rina almost yells.
"Stop making excuses. You know where the gate is. No one's forcing you to stay."
Maya and the woman in braids stands near the old ladies. The young man backed away and went back to his place by Rina after he was stared down. Lee pushed the young man in a chair and pointed a finger at the kid as a warning.
"I can't believe he's gonna try that. Those kids…they're bad news." Joel murmurs.
"I know right? The ladies live together in one house near the school. They cook for the children." Patty whispers about the group of older women who sits at the front of the meeting. "Those old ladies lost their husbands either from the virus or the infection."
"That's sad."
"Some of them came down with the cordyceps."
"What? So how did they get eliminated….Patty?" Joel frowns as the girl tears up. "Who took care of that?" The girl couldn't speak instead she points to Maya. "Shit."
"They trust her. They said she would be kind about it so they want her to do it."
Maya came over, wondering why Joel's staring at her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Sob stories, is all."
"I was telling him about them." Patty nods to the women.
"Oh, about Atty. Mar? Egg, that was a long time ago." Maya gathers Patty in her arms and runs her hand over her daughter's head. "Hey, congratulations, Joel. You're one of us now."
Joel smiles as he takes Maya's hand. "Thank you. I still couldn't believe it."
"Unfortunately, you also are included in the shit we have."
"Lee said that too. Do you really wanna go to the blind spot?"
"Look, you don't need to go with me. I can go there by…"
"No way. You don't go without me. Okay?"
"Okay." Their smooth words were a contrast to their awkward nods. "Sorry, Vangie calls." And with a peck on Patty's head Maya left them again.
"Hey Joel," Manny came over to the two of them. "I've a question; on your way here have you heard about a small gang of cannibals roaming around the city…"
"What?!"
"We've been hearing some news. Someone dropped by here before and told the story about them. They came from the north."
"I was dropped by boat from the Polilo island, that's the northeastern side but I barely saw people on the road. I just followed what the boat captain told me 'stay on the highway.'"
"What does it look out there?"
"Oh man, if that road wasn't there there'll be just jungle and the occasional small hut here and there. Barely seen people. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing."
"Maybe the people starved to death?" Joel shrugs at Patty's question.
"Infected? See any?" Manny sure looks worried.
"Yeah, there were but not as many as in my country. I tried to avoid them as much as possible. There were more when I got near the big cities." They all turn to another outburst from someone at the meeting.
"They think they're some sort of entitled. Fuck that! Turn them out! Let's see how their entitlement makes them immune to the infected!" One man spat to the side.
It got Joel and his small group's attention and of course Rina's the center of attention. The whole room erupted again. The voices of the people went loud again.
"This doesn't sound good." Joel sighs after glancing at Manny.
"People don't like them. You saw." Manny nods his irritation at Rina.
"Hey…where's Maya?"
"She's….uhh…mom? I don't know…" Patty leans forward and back hoping to spot her mother among the people. "I think she left…Joel!" Patty eagerly points to the back, to the street. Maya. Walking away.
"Shit. I better…" With a last worried glance at Patty Joel slid down from the table.
"Joel! Here!" Patty tossed him something from her pocket. "Keys! To the gate!"
"Thanks kid." Joel left Patty a hurried wave while he had to squeeze through the crowd who were pressing forward. The room has gotten warm even though it has wide open windows brought about by the intense emotion one woman brings. He eyed Lee meaningfully before he followed after Maya.
Maya doesn't seem to hear Joel's call having the advantage of distance and quick strides. Joel didn't call her anymore maybe the walk would help calm her down. Joel's not worried of losing her either; her footsteps take her to the direction of Armory 5 anyway.
"Maya!" Thank goodness she stops. Well, she has to; she's right at the gate of the house. "Hey! I was…hey!" Joel steps back as Maya punches the gate of another house. "Whoa! Calm down!"
"I wanna do that to her face!" she slams a gloved fist to the gate again. It rang like a bad bell. "Fuck!" Maya starts to pace to and fro; face stormy, feet heavy on the asphalt.
"Let's get inside." Without waiting for Maya Joel unlocks the gate. "Maya." He calls again after the deadbolt opens the solid door.
No answer. He waits at the gate as Maya strides angrily across the street. Woodchips went flying at a deadwood at the vacant lot across the Armory. No way she's gonna soil her beautiful katana on that rotting wood, Joel sighs as he admires the woman and her movements. Joel begins paying attention with each angry swing. She uses a long machete with a square end. She would stand back, machete held before her like a katana then sprint forward to either swing it up or down or use a stabbing move. Then she would leave the blade on the tree turn and viciously jerk the blade away. The top of the dead wood fell. It was quite a thick tree too. She did a few more attack styles to Joel's delight.
With a clang Maya drops the long machete to the side. She returns to where she would usually begin. Joel assumes it's the reset of her exercise. The woman stands quiet focused on the wood in front of her like an enemy would.
Her shout rang for a moment; it was sharp and it came from deep in her chest. Maya charges…her feet a blur along the grass…there's a flash of silver.
She held the pose for a few seconds breathing deep. Joel felt as if time froze too. No wind stirs, the occasional gunshot from the wall stops, the tall grass along the wall ceased swaying in the breeze.
Then Maya straightens, cleaned the blade by sliding the length of it in the crook of her arm and twirled the katana.
Joel didn't know he was holding his breath until half of the dead wood slowly slid off after Maya sheathed the blade. "God almighty…" he breathes while goosebumps crazily races along his arms.
Joel slowly walks towards Maya still somewhat incredulous at what he witnessed. "Hey…" he whispers softly; he didn't want to break the bubble but he stops as Maya raises her head. She looked like she was contemplating, still breathing deeply. Her gloved hand shakes now and again and Joel hopes she got all that anger out of her system.
"I'm going." She whispers but her voice trembles from expending all her energy.
"What?"
"Tonight. I'm crossing the blindspot tonight."
xXXXx
A/N:
Chiburi- [Chiburui,] also called chiburi, is the process by which one symbolically removes blood from a sword blade. The term chiburui can thus be translated as "shaking off the blood". In the Japanese martial art of iaidĹŤ, this is done before nĹŤtĹŤ or placing the blade back into the scabbard. Wikipedia