Chapter 5: Departure
"Ugh, I'm tired of waiting for him," Ellie complained after waiting for a good fifteen or so minutes.
"For once, I agree with the brat," Bill began "We need to fucking move," Bill stated with urgency in his voice. Jake's eyes then slowly began to open and saw Ellie sat down next to him.
"What happened?" Jake asked in confusion. Ellie's head then snapped down to look down at him and she then punched him in the face "Ah! what the fuck was that for?" Jake complained but Ellie didn't respond and got up from her spot and walked away.
"I hate to interrupt your lover's spat but can we please get a fucking move on," Bill yelled.
"Fuck off Bill," Ellie responded. Joel then extended a hand to Jake and helped him up.
"Let's get on top of these bleachers. Gimme a boost Joel," Bill order and Joel boosted Bill up, followed by Ellie. "Behind ya!" Bill yelled as three runners poured in from a hole in the wall.
"Damn it," Jake said as he drew his pistol and a knife. He then ran towards the closest infected to him and ducked below the its swiping claws and stabbed it in the throat but before he could pull out the knife the second came at him so he kicked it square in the pelvis knocking it onto it's back. He then shot the remaining two in the head and then pulled his knife out the first infected and made his way back. "Didn't feel like helping did ya?" Jake asked sarcastically as Bill pulled him up.
"Would've been nice if he pulled some of that shit earlier," Ellie thought. They all then ran out through a window in the gym and ran through the streets followed by infected. They managed to make it into a house which the infected couldn't and then they all took a moment to catch their breath. "So, that worked out well," Ellie commented but got a glare from Joel "Okay, ah, I'll go check out this side of the house."
"Bill?"
"Somebody had the same idea. They stole my shit."
"Well then what the hell is plan B."
"You ought to be thankful you're still drawing breath. That was plan A, B, C all the way to fucking Z. And furthermore, tell Tess that she can take this-
"Don't you bring Tess into this," Joel yelled back and the two were now shouting at each other. They were then interrupted as Bill stopped yelling when he noticed a hanging body. "Jesus. What? You know this guy or something?"
"Frank," Jake replied simply.
"Who the hell's Frank?"
"He was my partner," Bill answered. Jake closed his eyes for a moment then left the room to where Ellie was.
"Hey," Jake greeted "You doing alright?"
"Better than you did," Ellie replied with annoyance in her voice.
"Sorry about that," he replied awkwardly.
"You wanna explain what your deal is?"
"Uh it's... um personal. I'd rather not talk about it," he replied awkwardly. "Damn it of all times to come across a bloater," Jake thought to himself.
"So, who's Mary?"
"Where did you hear that?"
"You mentioned it to Bill earlier and you mumbled it when you were out."
"She's none of your business. Don't bring it up again."
"Alright geez," Ellie said and made her way into the garage. Upon entering she saw a truck that seemed like it hadn't gone all to shit so tried to start it. To her surprise the vehicle made sounds that indicated it had some life in it. The rest of the group was then drawn to the garage by noise and noticed the truck. "Look what I found. It's got some juice in it."
"That's my battery," Bill observed as he went and looked into the open hood of the truck "That fuckin asshole," he cursed and then slammed the hood shut. "Get out," he ordered to which Ellie eventually complied. Bill then took her place in the driver's seat and attempted to start the car. "Battery's drained but cells are alive," he concluded.
"Meaning," Joel asked impatiently.
"Meaning we push, get her started and the alternator will recharge the battery."
"Is that your guess?"
"Look you wanted a plan B. This is as good as it's gonna get," Bill shot back and left Joel to weigh the options.
"What're you thinking?" Ellie asked.
"I'm thinkin you drive and we push," Joel answered so Ellie then sat herself down in the driver's seat. Joel and Jake then went to look around the house to see if Frank had taken anything else of use. Jake then stumbled across the suicide note left by Frank and then read the sheet of paper.
"God damn. Rest in peace Frank," Jake thought then went to find Bill to give the note. "Bill, you should take a look at this."
"So that's how you feel? Well fuck you too Frank." Bill mumbled after reading "And you? How do you feel?"
"No need to feign concern. If you were really worried about me you would've asked Tess about me all those years I was gone," Jake replied coldly then walked off.
"You guys ready to go?" Bill asked. Joel then had a brief conversation with Ellie to encourage her. The three then began pushing the truck out of the garage and down the slope but the car hadn't started. After three waves of infected and rolling the car down a hill it had finally started.
"You hear that sound, Bill?" Joel asked jokingly.
"Yeah, well that means the infected hear it to. Let's get in the fucking truck," Bill ordered with urgency. The three of them then ran into the back off the truck and Ellie proceeded to drive past the chasing horde of infected.
"Alright, this'll do! Stop!" Bill yelled after a good few minutes whilst hitting the side of the truck. The group where now nearing the outskirts of the town and the sun was starting to set, Bill, Joel and Jake then jumped out the side of the truck whilst Ellie stayed inside and left the engine running. "You two kids almost got us killed," Bill complained.
"For once I can't argue. Stupid bloater," Jake thought.
"Yeah but. You gotta admit – they did hold their own," Joel replied to which Bill only laughed.
"You guys ain't gonna make it," Bill commented as he set his bag down and reached into it "Oh, oh, ah here," Bill said as he threw a tube to Joel.
"What's this?"
"You'd be amazed at how many cars still got gas in em."
"Appreciate it. See ya around Bill," Joel said then made his back to the truck
"Bill, about Frank. That's a hard pill," Jake started.
"Yeah," Bill sighed "Sorry about your parents kid"
"You don't have to be, we're even now. I'll catch ya later Bill," Jake said and walked towards the truck and then entered in the back seat.
They had been driving for about an hour and a half and rain had started to come down around them. Fatigue was starting to get to Joel and even the usually sleepless Jake began dozing off in back seat.
"Oh, man," Ellie suddenly let out causing both Joel and Jake to shift in their seat.
"Hey, what happened to sleeping?" Joel inquired.
"Okay, I know it doesn't look like it, but this here is not a bad read," Ellie began as she got up from leaning on the window with her legs over Jake's knees "Only one problem. Right there. 'To be continued'. I hate cliff-hangers."
"The ending sucks," Jake stated drowsily.
"You mean you know what happens?"
"The series is pretty boring, but better than nothing I guess."
"No way these are amazing."
"Where did you get that?" Joel asked.
"Uhh back at Bill's. I mean all this stuff was just lying there," she replied causing to Jake smiled from to end to end.
"What else did you get?" Joel sighed as he shook his head to which Ellie grinned.
"Well... Here. This make you all nostalgic?" Ellie said teased as she pulled out a DVD case for music.
"Now that is a winner," Joel commented as he took it and inserted it into the truck's DVD player, after a moment the truck started playing country music "Oh man."
"Well, better than nothing," Ellie remarked "Oh, I'm sure your friend will be missing this tonight," Ellie said as she pulled out a magazine from her bag.
"Um-hum," Joel replied uninterested, not realising what it was she was referring to but Jake had and merely looked out the window and pinched the bridge of his nose whilst blushing ever so slightly.
"Light on the reading but it's got some interesting photos."
"Now Ellie, that ain't for kids," Joel said as he turned around now noticing what the contents of the magazine were.
"Whoa. How... how the hell would he even walk around with that thing?" Ellie joked.
"Get rid of that."
"Hold your horses. I want to see what all the fuss is about. Oh. Why are these all stuck together?"
"Uh..." was all Joel could say.
"Hey, Jake," Ellie said she slide across the car seat to his side "Seriously though how would he walk around with that?" Ellie asked teasingly practically shoving the magazine in his face.
"Get that out of my face," Jake almost yelled as he pushed her hands away.
"What you're not into any of that?"
"Does it look like I am? Get that fucking out of here," Jake repeated now very red.
"I'm just fucking with you," Ellie giggled and then rolled down the window "Bye-bye dude," she said as she threw the material out the car. "Soo, what are you into then?" Ellie continued to tease.
"I'm about to sew your fucking lips to together if you keep at it," Jake said with a laugh though without it you might not think he was joking.
"Alright that's enough," Joel said saving Jake from any further humiliation.
"Aw you're no fun," Ellie commented. She was silent for a moment but then blew a raspberry a few seconds later "You know what? This isn't that bad." she said and got up to turn up the volume of song.
"Why don't you try and get some sleep?"
"Pft - I'm not even tired," she replied then turned up the song and put her feet back over Jake and leaned on the window. After a minute everyone in the car had gotten behind the music playing since it was much better than silence, Jake even began humming along to the song. "Do you like to sing?" Ellie asked to which Jake just shrugged "Why don't you do some actual singing then?"
"Think I'll pass."
"Oh come on. We won't laugh."
"Not happening."
"What are you too embarrassed?" Ellie asked trying to trick him into singing but Jake stopped responding "The silent treatment again, eh?"
They continued driving for a few hours, in this time Jake had switched to driving and Ellie moved to the front passenger seat, whilst Joel sat in the outside of the truck in the rear to get some fresh air. "Did Joel have any family?" Ellie asked out of the blue.
"Huh?" Jake asked in confusion at the sudden question.
"Did he have family or kids or something?"
"Dunno," Jake lied, knowing that it wasn't his place to say.
"You've spent so long with him and you don't know."
"The topic doesn't really come up when you're busy running for your life," Jake replied.
"I guess," Ellie said dropping the topic. "Hey, can you sing something?"
"What?" Jake asked in surprise.
"Come on, please. I won't laugh," Ellie requested to which Jake just sighed.
"We call it even for saving my ass earlier. And don't bring it up."
"Deal."
"What's on this disc?" Jake asked mostly to himself as he scanned the back of the cover for songs. After a few reading in silence for a moment he changed the song to the one he wanted. The House of The Rising Sun began to play and after the opening bars Jake began to sing along.
An awkward silence lingered after Jake had finished "Happy?" He asked breaking the silence.
"That was good. You should sing more often. It's nice, a lot better than your silent treatment."
"Pft – who's singing have you heard to think mine's good," Jake replied but she didn't respond, content with Jake's singing "Still it felt good to do," Jake thought.
