Chapter 4 - That day

Few hours had passed in a blur, and the sun was already halfway down to the west. Ben realized they still had some time left before night sets in Seattle. With a shortage of time, they had to make sure they find Ellie and Dina soon. If he was to believe his own estimation when he tried to guess their location, they were somewhere in Capitol Hill. To be able to pinpoint their location, he tried to learn the name of the street they were in, but he couldn't find any signs in the ruined part of the city they found themselves in. Jesse and Ben allowed themselves to take a five-minute break to eat something and rest their legs, after all, the pace was driving them to their limit. After the break, they encountered a pack of infected in the apartments they used to cross to the street on the opposite side of the building. It was nothing significant, just a couple of runners they took down together. Ben was wondering how Khan did not get infected. Is the virus targeting only humans or is he immune?

It was difficult to decide the next move. Ben knew Ellie set on her quest in order to avenge Joel's death, but he didn't know the people who killed him. He didn't know their names or their faces. He didn't know their whereabouts. He didn't even know if they were a part of the Washington Liberation Front, it was just a guess. The idea was to encounter a smaller WLF patrol, capture them if possible and get the needed information from them. What were the chances for that, though? What information could they get? That plan would succeed only if chances were in their favor. The question was, were the chances in their favor?

"Why do I have a feeling we aren't making any progress?" Ben asked as they entered another apartment building. He was in a bad mood, annoyed by the fact that they lost the trace of Ellie and Dina.

"Because we aren't." Jesse simply answered, immediately starting to check the apartment rooms. Ben did the same, just on the opposite side of the corridor. All he was able to salvage were few farewell notes or dirty useless clothes. There was no food, no ammo. He looked around himself at the small apartment he walked in, thinking about how people used to live here. It must've been a peaceful life before the virus. Pushing the thoughts back, he resumed the looting.

"Hey," Jesse called out from the neighboring apartment, appearing at the doorstep with something in his hand. "Look what I've found."

"What is it?"

Asian examined the book in his hand "It's one of those horror books you like. Ones written by that King guy you read so much."

"If it's Stephen King's book, I've already read it." Ben answered, scouring through the drawers and wardrobes. He had a whole collection of those back at Jackson, smiling at the memory of binge-reading nearly three hundred pages in one go. He had to stay awake a whole night to complete that endeavor.

"You sure you read all of them?" said Jesse behind him, outstretching the book in his hand. "Pet Sematary seems good."

Ben smirked, "Trust me. Unless the man published another book in the apocalypse, I've read all of 'em."

Jesse sighed and put the books down. Apartments turned out to be a waste of time. All they were able to find was a revolver bullet, and they didn't even have a revolver. Ben regretted not picking up the revolver from a dead WLF soldier. It could've proven useful, "Let's get to the other side of the building." Jesse said, and Ben followed. Wolf was always by his side, keeping him safe. Although he'd wander off sometimes, he would always come back. They walked through the hallway that stretched through the whole length of the building. Exit was visible just a few yards away. Jesse walked on the parquet when the wood squeaked, although he didn't seem fazed by it. Following right behind Ben walked over it as well, only to have it squeak even more prominently. Stopping right there, he looked down on it and felt as if something was pulling him down. Then the floor went down with him at it, the noise of collapsing and destruction filling the room, raising a cloud of dust all around them.

"Shii..?!" Ben wasn't able to finish as the floor below him collapsed, and he along with it. Gravity pulled him downwards as his legs hit the concrete of the basement, and Ben fell on his knees, hitting the hard surface.

"You okay?" Jesse said leaning over the edge from above, trying to see him through the cloud of dust. "Ben!"

Ben got up on his feet with a bit of trouble, still dazed by the fall, and looked up after the dust settled a bit, "I am. My knees hurt a bit, b-but it's all good. Stay there, I'll try to find the way u…" He was stopped mid sentence when the concrete floor below him cracked open, pulling him down into the darkness.

x

He could feel the light breeze in his hair, now long enough to be easily carried by the wind. It was a clear, bright spring day, a Sunday. It wasn't too hot or too cold, rather something between cool and warmish. Forests were blooming with fresh leaves. From a certain point of view, it looked like heaven. Everything seemed so much better in spring, the whole world felt alive... and right. Animals were seen in abundance, the sound of a river was pleasing to the ear. Ben enjoyed all of it, lying on the grass. He didn't even listen to his walkman because he allowed himself to be swallowed by the beauty of nature.

It took him only so much time to realize that Tom was not by his side. His thoughts were interrupted when he jumped on his feet and looked around for any sign of his little brother. He was there just a moment ago, where could he disappear?

"Tom!" Ben called out, walking around the forest, some of the leaves were still stuck on his clothes. They didn't go far into the forest, he could even see the Jackson settlement downhill from there. The three of them arrived there only a few days ago. Local mayor, a woman named Maria, accepted them as a part of their community. It was a nice little town, a total difference to the outside world. And yet there was something about the outside world which lured Ben into it. "Tom!" he called out again.

"I'm here!" answered a shrill voice of a seven-year-old from a distance, echoing between the trees. Rolling his eyes, Ben began to jog to his brother who ran off and pissed Ben off.

"Why'd you r..?" Ben prepared to start a lecture when he saw Tom on his knees in the grass, alongside a girl. Tom heard him and turned his head to greet him with a wide grin. The kid was a mirror image of his older brother with blonde hair that grew over his eyes and ears. Ben didn't recognize the girl sitting next to Tom. She turned her face and locked her eyes on Ben's. Her head was decorated with auburn hair tied in a ponytail and freckles that covered half of her face. Ben approached them carefully and stopped behind Tom. He tried to avoid looking her in the eyes.

"I'm Ellie." she said all of sudden.

"Ben." he mumbled, giving her a brief uncomfortable look, and turned his eyes back to his younger brother. "You shouldn't have ran off like that, idiot."

Tom frowned and rolled his eyes after being berated by his older brother.

"We just played with the rabbit." she said in a protective tone and looked down at the animal below her, a gray rabbit that surprisingly didn't run off when she stroked it. Tom grinned again and returned to her to continue playing with the rabbit. "Your brother's fine. See?"

"Whatever." Ben shrugged and sat at the stump nearby, few yards away from the pair, pulling out his walkman from front pocket of his jacket. He plugged two earbuds in his ears and turned on the music, indulging himself in the song. Unaware of how long he's been sitting there, Ben didn't notice someone standing next to him until that person's shadow covered the sunlight that warmed his face.

Ellie stood right there, looking at him from above. Part of him wished she'd just leave him alone, it was already too much of a drag he had to go out with Tom. Emily couldn't take him out because she was apparently learning patrol routes and such. Ben pulled out his earbuds and looked at her, expecting her to say something.

"What're you listening to?" she asked at last. She appeared taller than him, but only because he was sitting. Tom was still playing with the rabbit, chasing it around the trees. What a strange rabbit, it seemed pretty tame.

"Techno." he answered. She raised an eyebrow, implying she didn't understand "It's um.. atmospheric music with a.. bass."

He wanted to die. The explanation was so bad he felt blood rushing to his cheeks. Ellie didn't seem any closer to understanding. If nothing, she was even more confused. "Do you want to listen to it?" he asked her, surprising himself he actually offered ."I mean.. you have to listen to it to know.

Ellie nodded, adding a weak smile, "Sure.. okay."

She sat next to him, and he gave her a wired black earbud that was connected to his walkman. She plugged it in her right ear while Ben plugged another one in his left. Unpausing the song on his walkman, the magic began. Ben always felt the urge to smile when he listened to techno, always feeling his batteries being recharged. Tempo and speed of the music always made him excited, he'd feel the adrenaline rush and think he could take over the world. Urging to see her reaction, he turned his head towards her while she did the same, and their eyes locked on each other. It was almost impossible to stand the look of her big, bright green eyes. Ben could almost see his own reflection in them. Her lips curled upwards, and her smile slowly began resembling a grin. Ellie moved her head back and forward, dancing in the rhythm of music. Not able to stand that look of her, Ben looked away trying to hide his red face. Why am I blushing? A boy and a girl visibly enjoyed the song, grinning and moving their heads in dance-like motions. The song took them away from this world of death and violence.

"This is good!" Ellie exclaimed when the song was over, "This.. bass or whatever you called it.. beat? Whack, dude."

Ben grinned at her and wrapped earbuds around the walkman, putting it away "I know, right?"

"Your sister is that tall blonde girl, right?" Ellie asked him. "Emily?"

"Yep, Emily's my sister."

"Emily's cool, she gave me some cassettes a night ago." she explained. Ben suddenly realized why some of his cassettes were missing last night. "Joel says she has a steady arm."

Joel was the man Emily, Tom and Ben met before arriving in Jackson. He's the one that led them to the community, and presented them to the mayor. "She's good with a rifle, yeah." Ben said. For some reason, he felt bad for making his replies so short. Ellie seemed as a cool girl, she even liked techno. "He's your dad?"

Ellie smiled insecurely and looked away, towards the sun. He couldn't see her face "No. Well… he's a family."

Ben nodded, trying to understand. Joel's her uncle, cousin? I don't know.

"I haven't seen you before... I mean, I met Emily and Tom."

Ben looked at something in the distance absently, many thoughts crossing his mind. "I wasn't really.. I don't know, I kinda kept to myself." he explained to her. He didn't want to explain, but the way she looked at him assured him that she understood "Um.. do you want to go back? It's getting quite late, and.. Emily will kill me if she learns I was out late with Tom." Ben said and sighed, standing up.

"Oh, yeah. Totally.." replied Ellie, scribbling something unrecognizable on the dirt using her right foot. It felt kind of awkward, and he hated it. Suddenly, Tom appeared out of nowhere, starting to sing and dance around Ellie. This brat.. Ben thought and smiled at his silly brother. Ellie was smiling too, but not for long because her smile turned into laughter. Ben watched the two of them, and for a moment, he forgot about everything that happened, all horrors he survived, everything he did for his little brother just so he could see him laugh like this again. What do you find so interesting in her?

His brother really liked Ellie, it was obvious as day. If it were not the case, that brat wouldn't be this silly around her. "Hey, you two." Ben called out to them, stealing their attention. "Let's go to the top of the hill."

Ellie raised an eyebrow, "But you said you had to go home. Emily.."

Ben shook it off "Who cares about Emily, anyway? Right, Tommy?"

Tom exclaimed, and the three of them began hiking to the top of the hill. It wasn't an easy hike, the ground was very steep near the top. In some instances, Ben had to use the tree roots to lift himself up. Tom was visibly struggling, but the little one wasn't showing any signs of giving up. After a few minutes of hiking, Ben was in the first place while Ellie followed closely behind. Tommy lagged behind more and more with each passing second. Two older kids decided to wait for the youngest one, to help him up before going through the last obstacle. A simple path they could walk on that stretched all the way to the top, where a single tree stood alone above all others.

"We're almost there. Look, Tom." Ben told his younger brother, pointing towards the tall tree on the top.

"Let's race to the top!" Tom said excitedly. Ben waved off the idea, but Ellie seemed determined judging by the look she gave Ben. "Why not? Afraid you're gonna lose to a girl?"

Ben gave her a poker face "You wish."

Girl grinned and got in a position to start sprinting. Ben did the same, as well as little Tom who knew he was going to be left in the dust by older kids, but he wanted to race nevertheless.

"On my mark.." Ben said, concentrating on the goal before him. A tall, round tree, all he had to do was to touch it before the other two. "Three.. two.. o-"

Ellie was already sprinting before Ben even had a chance to say one. Annoyed, he began running towards the top only a mere second after Ellie, but that one second gave her a significant advantage. Racing uphill was never an easy feat. Steep ground and tired legs exhausted Ben quickly, and in a few seconds he was already breathing heavily. He felt as if hot air steamed out of his mouth. Ellie was fast, but Ben was faster, making quicker and longer steps than her, slowly closing in on her. They almost reached the top, and Ben was about to overtake her. He noticed her looking at him with her eyes widened, she wasn't about to give up, though. A futile effort, proven by the fact that he was in the first place, smirking at her proudly. With his eyes turned back to the top, all it required was a.. his face hit the ground after his left foot got entangled in the roots sticking out of the dirt. Ben remained lying in that position for good ten or twenty seconds, his face buried in dirt.

Ellie was laughing from the top when he got up on his knees. The moment she saw his face, her laughter only got louder. Ben spat, feeling the taste of dirt on his tongue. Tom ran past him and touched the tree, claiming the second place.

"You shoulda seen your face, with all the dirt and.. your expression and everything. Man.." she described, still laughing while wiping the tears off, when Ben made it to the top, unwillingly tapping the tree, ending the race in the last place. His face was a face of defeat, and humiliation.

"You cheated." he accused, defeated.

"World was never a fair place, dude." Ellie said proudly and looked at the distance. Ben joined her, looking at the scenery below him. Ben's heart skipped a beat when he realized where he was. He could hear a murmur of water from down below, see the landscape of orange and red, and a settlement in the middle. On top of that, mountains that reached all the way to the clouds made the scenery only so much better.

"That's one hell of a view, huh?" Ellie said, leaning on a tree.

Ben enjoyed the view with a wide smile on his face, he couldn't get enough of it "..wish I brought my camera, damn.."

Even if he brought his camera, it would've been useless. The batteries were dead, he needed to find new ones. On his way to Jackson, he used to take a picture of every landmark he'd come across upon. The cherry on top was the setting sun which was merging with the horizon. Orange sky made for a simple but beautiful color scheme on the world in spring.

Ben sat in front of the tree, leaning back on in, and hugged his knees, enjoying the view. Tom sat on one side while Ellie took the other side. The best part was that it wasn't even all of it. Rays of the setting sun found their way through the leaves of the trees around them, making for interesting, and beautiful patterns of light. Ben didn't ever want to leave this place.

"Let's stay here a while longer." he said, his voice almost silent. Ellie gave him a look which he didn't notice and smiled ''Okay."

x