Chapter six: Hunters

The group had continued driving along the empty roads for some time now, very little was said between the two teens after their brief conversation. Eventually, Ellie had fallen asleep in the passenger seat, leaving Jake to look onward onto the never-ending road. The desired path had been blocked off, so after a bit of hesitation from Joel they continued on towards Pittsburgh. Not too long after they had arrived in the city, in shambles of its former self. Shortly upon arrival they were greeted by a man who feigned injury prompting Jake to abruptly stop the car, dragging Ellie out of her thoughts as she gazed out the window.

"Easy," she said in response to the hard break and then looked ahead of her. Joel then realised the situation and re-entered the car in the back seat.

"Please. Help," the man cried in false agony.

"Are we gonna help him?" Ellie asked in genuine concern.

"Seat belt on," Jake said curtly.

"What about the guy?" the red-haired girl asked whilst complying.

"You ready?" Jake asked Joel.

"Yeah," the older man replied simply.

"What about him?" Ellie continued questioning.

"Betcha anything he's not even hurt," Jake replied and stepped on the gas to run the man over. In response the man pulled out a gun and began shooting at the truck whilst others in his group emerged from cover brandishing weapons of all sorts. The man had managed to shot a hole into the window of the car before flying past it, another then threw a brick at the glass further damaging the window. The window on Ellie's door then shattered allowing shards of glass to enter vehicle.

"Oh – not good," Ellie said in fear as a bus came down the hill towards the truck, ramming into and causing Jake to lose control and plough right through into a garage. "I'm ok," Ellie said after a moment once the car had come to a complete halt.

"Then get out, quick," Joel instructed as they all removed their seatbelts. One man then entered the rear door and landed a punch square in Joel's face, allowing him to drag the elder man out of car whilst he was dazed.

"Joel!" Jake exclaimed as he turned towards the man dragging the older smuggler away. Before Jake could help however another pulled Ellie's door open and grabbed her, attempting to pull her out. Jake grabbed her by her leg in his futile attempt to keep her in the truck. Another man then grabbed Jake from behind and pulled him out of the truck onto the floor, he sat on top of him with a hand around Jake's throat. The teen attempted to remove the man's grip but the man was stronger than him. Jake stretched his arm to reach for a nearby bottle which he managed to grab, after doing so he smashed it into the man's head, causing him to release his grip whilst also stunning him. Jake then drew a knife a stabbed he man right centre in his throat causing blood to splatter onto Jake's arm and face. Jake then turned his attention towards Ellie who struggled with the man who grabbed her earlier, he then slapped her to the ground and held her in place there. Jake then ran towards him and kicked square in the jaw, causing him to tumble onto his back where he was left to open so Jake stabbed him in the neck. Jake then returned to Ellie's side who was still crouched on the ground coughing for her breath.

"Motherfucker," she remarked as Jake helped her up and the two went to regroup with Joel "What is wrong with these guys?"

"Catch your breath. We're leaving," Joel said as he passed the teens their backpacks.

"Look out!" Jake yelled as more hunters descended on them, opening fire on them but thankfully only hitting the truck. The three of them then moved to take cover with by Joel and Jake engaging the hunters with return fire.

"Alright, think that's the last of em," Joel announced once the hunters were cleared "You two alright?"

"Yeah, I guess so" Ellie replied simply to which Jake seconded.

"Good, 'cause we need to get the hell outta here. You know the drill look for anything we can use," Joel instructed so they began foraging for supplied. After their search had ended they had left the area in which they had crashed. They then entered a garage door with Joel and Jake holding it up holding it up whilst Ellie held the chain so that they could get through. Once they entered the room, they observed the deeds of the hunters. Corpses lay sprawled across the room near a pile of what the hunters had managed to collect from them. "Fucking hunters. See this coulda been us."

"Man, that is a lot of people who didn't make it," Ellie commented as she stared at a pile of shoes.

"I knew we should've turned the damn truck around," Joel remarked.

"We lived."

"Barely," Joel spat "Come on let's get out of here," Joel ordered and the group made their way through the building.

"How did you know?"

" 'Bout what?"

"The ambush?"

"Been on both sides."

"Oh. So uh, you kill a lot of innocent people?" Ellie questioned but Joel only grunted in response "I'll take that as a yes."

"Take it however you want?"

"Does that include you too?" Ellie asked Jake.

"Got a problem with that?" Jake shot back but Ellie couldn't give an answer. The grouped moved on through the building to find an exit outside which revealed their way out of the city.

"Alright, there's the bridge that's our way outta here," Joel informed as he looked towards their objective, however Ellie continued on with the two smugglers much to Joel's disapproval "Now Ellie, slow down. Wait for me."

"What I'm right here."

"How 'bout you let me go first. And keep your voice down," Joel ordered.

"Ok," Ellie replied with her impression of Joel. After walking only a few steps Ellie then began trying to whistle to which she finally found some success.

"I'm whistling," she exclaimed.

"Oh good, something else you can drive me crazy with," Joel remarked as Ellie continued whistling.

"That's awesome," Ellie commented.

"Wasn't that hard now was it?" Jake asked.

"No thanks to you."

"But would you have felt the same satisfaction had I told you the answer."

"Well, I guess not. But – hey were you just trying humour me this whole time."

"Perhaps," Jake replied simply to which Ellie rolled her eyes. After continuing to walk down the street which they were on they saw a corpse sticking out of car mere metres away from the walls of the former QZ.

"What happened here? Your fellow hunters do this?"

"Cute. And no, my money's on the military."

"Why would they mow down all these people?"

"Can't let everyone in."

"So they killed em?'

"Dead people don't get infected. Sacrifice the few for the sake of the many."

"Kinda shitty."

"Yeah," Joel replied simply ending the conversation.

The three of them continued their way through the city to get away from the hunters quickly. They now entered a derelict hotel, overflowing with water.

"Ever stayed in a place like this?" Ellie asked as they entered "Before it all went to shit, I mean."

"Ah no. No, this too rich for my blood," Joel replied as they scoured the area for supplies and a way onward. Navigating the building was made more difficult due to the fact the stairs and halls were collapsing.

"Ok, we need to lighten the mood. Ready? It doesn't matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationary," Ellie said breaking the silence.

"What is that?"

"It's a joke book. No Pun Intended Volume Too by Will Livingstone,"

"Let's just keep going," Joel said, prompting Ellie to dejectedly close the book and follow along behind Joel.

Whilst clearing through the hunters that occupied the hotel, the group slowly made their way up the building only now to find the stairwell blocked off and their only way forward was through the elevator shaft. Joel pushed the doors open to the elevator and climbed a ladder left inside into the elevator shaft followed by his younger companions. The three of them hugged the wall and shifted across to the adjacent shaft and landed on top of the elevator itself, the exit to the next floor now only a boost away. Joel then helped Ellie up, followed by Jake but once he had made it up the elevator gave way and fell straight to the bottom taking Joel with it.

"God damn it," Jake muttered.

"Joel!" Ellie yelled down to him in distress.

"I'm alright!" he called back "Are you okay?"

"No! You scared the shit outta me!" Ellie replied causing Jake to roll his eyes "We're... We're gonna climb down there, okay?"

"No! Stay up there! I'll make my way up to you! Jake, watch her!" Joel instructed and soon he was out of view.

"So, now what?" Ellie asked her remaining protector.

"We wait. Like we're told."

"How can you just wait and always just do as you're told without questioning it?"

"I presently like living, that's why."

"But this is stupid what if someone ambushes us. We're sitting ducks here."

"Have you ever noticed how Joel can tell where enemies are when they're not in his field of view?"

"Huh?"

"For example, when we're at a corner and he can tell that there's an infected or something just ahead without having to poke his head past the cover."

"Yeah you're right he does do that. But what does that have to do with what I said."

"He has the ability to perceive his surroundings using sounds. I have the same ability, so I'm able to tell if an enemy would approach before they would be able to act. Therefore, at present we're safe. Relatively speaking of course."

"How do you know you'll be able to deal with them though?"

"How does anyone know whether they'll be able to deal with anyone?" Jake asked in response which left Ellie to ponder for a moment.

"I guess you're right."

"Good, now quit worrying," Jake instructed and then sat with his legs hanging over the elevator shaft. Ellie then sat down next him though still uncomfortable with their plan of action or lack thereof.

"So, how you doing?"

"Living," Jake replied expressionlessly.

"You're not much for small talk, are you?"

"I often don't have that luxury. Survival is my priority, entertainment does not make it onto the list of my concerns."

"Well, aren't you boring."

"As I said, entertainment is not a concern of mine."

"Ugh, and just when I thought you were starting to lighten up."

"Lightening up leads to carelessness, which leads to death. So, if you want our chances of death to increase then I'll quite easily lighten up."

"Ugh," Ellie groaned seeing that their conversation was really going nowhere "Do you even smile?"

"Hmm, no, not really," Jake responded causing Ellie to just sigh.

"Why can't you guys give me gun?"

"It's not my choice to make."

"So you would give me a gun?"

"It matters not what I would do."

"Okaay, why does Joel not give me a gun?"

"He thinks you're not good enough for it, that it'll just be a waste of resources."

"He could at least give me a chance."

"It's too risky. Joel and risks don't mix very well."

"So, he doesn't trust me?"

"What was your first clue?" Jake asked rhetorically to which Ellie just sighed in response.

"So what's the deal with you and Bill?"

"I lived in his town since the day I was born up until my parents died," Jake explained as he reached into his shirt and gently grasped the object around his neck, causing the chain to jingle.

"What's that?" she asked to which he pulled the object in question out from under his shirt. A short, sheathed knife attached to chain which hung from the teen's neck. The sheath was black with an ornamental design to it, with copper markings and engravings along it."You sure do have an obsession with knives."

"It's my mother's. Or it was."

"Oh," Ellie replied as she drew her switchblade "This was my mum's but I never knew her," she stated as she put it away.

"I see," Jake replied simply. An awkward silence hung between the two. After a few moments Ellie stood up and paced around the area in impatience.

"Ugh this such bullshit," Ellie complained "Fuck this, I'm gonna go find him," Ellie stated and then ran off.

"Ellie!" Jake called out to her but she was already gone, causing Jake to chase after her "God damn it, she's faster than she looks," Jake thought. Once Ellie had thought she was a good distance away from Jake she then slowed her pace to a walk, allowing Jake to get in closer in to her. Jake then heard another person's presence in the room, he quickly took a glance around whilst still running and saw that a man hid behind cover with Ellie in the crosshairs of his pistol. "Oh shit," Jake cursed as he increased his pace and dived to the ground behind cover, taking Ellie down with him just as the bullet shot past them. A loud splash was then heard somewhat faraway, in response Jake then took a moment to take in the new sound and its source to find that it came from Joel. "You heard that splash?" Jake asked Ellie with urgency in his voice to which she nodded "It's Joel, I'll keep you covered, you go help him. I'll deal with his asshole," Jake instructed to which Ellie nodded in confirmation. Jake then opened fire on the man who had them pinned behind cover, seeing her chance Ellie made a break towards where Joel was. The man attempted to line up a shot aimed at Ellie but was forced to duck down beneath cover by Jake's continued shots, allowing Ellie to get away. The man stayed beneath the cover for a while, longer than expected which sent red flares going off in Jake's mind. He then listened intently as to whether his enemy was still there, which he was, but Jake then identified another approaching him from behind with a machete, likely notified by the gunfire. The second man charged towards Jake and attempted to slash Jake across the throat, in response Jake rolled to the side and kicked the man in the back of the knee causing him to lose balance. He took advantage of fallen hunter and sunk his knife into his chest. The hunter from earlier then began opening fire again, barely missing Jake. Whilst the hunter reloaded Jake landed two bullets right in his skull.

Ellie ran in the direction of the splash and saw a hunter holding Joel down in a pool of water, Joel attempted to reach for his pistol but had no luck. The teen picked up the girl the pistol from the water and shot the hunter in the head.

"Man... I shot the hell outta that guy, huh?" Ellie said with ragged breaths.

"Yeah, you sure did," Joel responded as he got up. Ellie then sat down on a crate and breathed a sigh of relief but also discomfort.

"I feel sick."

"Why didn't you just hang back like I told you to?"

"Well, you're glad I didn't, right?"

"I'm glad I didn't get my head blown off by a goddamn kid."

"You know what? No," Ellie began as she got up from her seat "How about 'hey Ellie, I know it wasn't easy but it was either him or me, thanks for saving my ass.' You got anything like that for me Joel?" Ellie burst out but Joel didn't respond, only letting the silence sink in.

"And where the hell were you?" Joel asked as Jake ran towards the pair.

"Taking care of a few hunters," Jake replied after a moment of taking in the situation.

"Let's just get going," Joel instructed and walked off.

"Lead the way," Ellie said irritably. The three of them then continued on through the hall, the atmosphere between them tense.

"I should probably say something," Jake thought "Are you... okay?" he asked Ellie.

"I guess. Feel kinda like shit about killing that guy."

"You did good."

"Is killing good?"

"I meant you handled the situation well. You handled your first kill well. I vomited after mine."

"Seriously?" Ellie asked in disbelief to which Jake simply nodded "You don't seem to give a fuck now. How have you become so nonchalant about it now?"

"I'm just... used to it I guess," Jake replied well awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, it should've been me who helped him. He wouldn't have screwed at you then."

"It's alright. Don't worry about it."

"You did the right thing."

"Thanks. You can be kinda nice when you want to be," she stated but the other teen didn't respond "That was a compliment by the way."

"I gathered that much," Jake chuckled. Silence then re-joined the group as they made their way through the halls of the hotel into the main dining hall. Joel made his way over to a piano on the stage at the front to push it so that they could climb up to the upper area. Before doing so Joel made an awful attempt to play on the piano much to Jake's irritation, the teen then made his way over to the keys of the piano and played a short arpeggio.

"You know how to play?" Ellie asked out of curiosity.

"Sort of. My mum taught me when I was little, barely remember any of it now," he replied.

"Aw, how come you forgot?"

"I have other things to keep in mind," he responded simply. Joel and Jake then began pushing the heavy instrument, barely moving it at all.

"Hey, how bout a hand?" Joel instructed less so asked.

"You sure you can trust me with that?" Ellie retorted as she moved to help. The three of them then managed to push the piano against the wall after much effort then promptly made their way up. They made their way along the upper area of the dining hall to the outside of the building into some scaffolding, Joel then snatched a rifle from the hands of a corpse. Noticing the hunters just below, Joel then ducked down and instructed his younger companions to do the same upon arrival.

"Alright now, Jake and I are gonna go down there and clear us a path," Joel informed.

"What about me?"

"You stay here," Joel replied firmly.

"This is so stupid, we'd have more of a fucking chance if you'd let me help."

"I am," Joel responded sharply "You seem to know your way around a gun. Reckon you can handle that?" Joel asked as he motioned to his newly retrieved rifle.

"A bit much for a first gun," Jake thought as his eyes widened slightly at Joel's plan.

"Well I sorta shot a rifle before. But it was at rats."

"Rats?"

"With BBs."

"Well it's the same basic concept," Joel replied and then began teaching Ellie how to operate the firearm. "Listen to me, if I get in trouble down there you make every shot count."

"I got this," Ellie assured and then Joel and Jake made their way down but Joel stopped short right at before the jump down.

"Just so we're clear about back there. It was either him or me," Joel said then jumped down. Jake then gave a small reassuring smile and nod before following the older man. In their immediate view there stood a group of men, close together. Jake raised a molotov to Joel, silently suggesting the plan to which Joel nodded and drew his own rifle. The teen then threw the cocktail over the cover, lighting the men on fire. In response to the eruption of flames, reinforcements soon descended on the area. The three of them then opened fire on the approaching hunters before they could even assess the situation. Jake came up over the cover to open fire at a vulnerable hunter only to find that he was beaten to the chase by Ellie as her rifle shot pierced the man's skull.

"Shit, she's good," Jake thought as he ducked back down beneath cover. After several minutes of gunfire between both sides the three of them managed to take out the hunters in the area.

"Alright, come on down," Joel called out to Ellie who made her way towards the other two.

"How'd I do?" she asked as she awkwardly walked over to Joel rifle in hand. Joel simply nodded in response to the question and took the rifle.

"How bout something a little more your size," Joel said as he put his out towards Ellie with a pistol in it, however he moved it away before Ellie could take it "It's for emergencies only."

"Okay," she replied simply as she put the pistol away and the group were moving on once again.

"The safety's on. Do you know how to switch it off?"

"I do."

"Okay, you just... you gotta respect it. This is not-"

"Joel, I'll be careful," Ellie cut off.

"Okay."

"Respect it?" Jake questioned with a chuckle, "Not what you told me when I was learning how to shoot."

"You're different," Joel replied simply.

"That I am, I can't deny."

Moving quickly yet cautiously, the group made their way through the town whilst evading the hunters that occupied it. This was made more difficult by the fact that a military truck was now on the lookout for them. Climbing upwards, they managed to evade the humvee's line of sight. They carefully slide along the walls of old buildings into an open window. Upon entrance, Joel was ambushed, grabbed by a dark-skinned man around the neck. Ellie followed inside to aid Joel, brandishing her switchblade and made a cut on their attacker but she was swatted away by the man. Jake then entered and saw then Joel had managed to reverse his situation and began beating the man, as well as noticing the young boy with pistol trained on Joel.

"A kid?" Jake thought as he drew a throwing knife and hurled it at the boy's arm, as not to fatally injure him, unsure what should be done with these two. The knife grazing his arm meant that the boy dropped the gun. Seeing his chance Jake then ran up and landed a jab in the boy's face, stunning him. He then tripped the child and Jake placed his knee over the child's back, left hand on his neck and held his right arm away from his body.

"Joel!" Ellie shouted at the older man as he continued to pummel their attacker "Stop! Both of you!" she shouted once again. After this Joel had realised that there were two 'attackers' but soon saw that it was a child. This surprise caused Joel to cease his beating but still held the man down.

"Please. Don't hurt him," the older of the two begged as the other futilely struggled.

"Jake, let em go," Joel instructed firmly, causing Jake to release the boy and retrieve his knife that had lodged itself in the wall behind him. Ellie then walked over to the fallen boy and offered him a hand up, to which he took after a moment.

"Thanks," the boy said shyly.

"Man, you hit hard," the older man said as he stood up and examined the slice on his forearm.

"Yeah, well, I was trying to kill you," Joel replied.

"Yeah, I thought you were one of them too. Then I saw you," he said as he pointed at Ellie "If you haven't noticed, they don't keep kids around. Survival of the fittest," the dark-skinned man stated as he went over to his younger companion with his bleeding arm out.

"You're bleeding," the boy said innocently.

"Ah, it's nothing. Come here you got a cut as well," he replied as he took the pistol off the boy and reached into his pack. "I'm Henry. This is Sam. I think I caught your name was Joel?" he queried as he tended to his own and the younger brother's cut.

"Ellie," she introduced "That's Jake," she continued when the dark-haired teen didn't give his name.

"How many are with you?" Joel asked getting to the point.

"They're all dead," Sam replied sharply.

"Hey. We don't know that," Henry scolded.

"Optimism, just what I need," Jake muttered sarcastically.

"There were a bunch of us. Someone had the brilliant idea of entering the city. Look for supplies. Those fuckers – they ambushed us. Scattered us. Now it's all about getting out this shithole."

"We can help each other," Ellie pointed out to Joel's annoyance "Safety in numbers and all that."

"She's right. We could help each other. We got a hideout not too far from here. Be safer if we chat there," Henry offered to which Joel reluctantly obliged.