THE LAST

OF US

PART III

-Playlist to go with certain scenes-

Disclaimer: The Last of Us is owned by Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog, and Sony Entertainment. All music in this story is owned by Gustavo Santaolalla and other artists I put in.

Chapter 2: Making Up for Lost Time

14th May 2046

It was a very dark and moonless night over the thick woods just two miles outside of the tiny town of Moose. Neon green and yellow lights hued into existence before disappearing into the darkness outside of their campsite. Bright orange light glowed from a roaring fire between Ellie and Blue. Both sat across from one another in the woods outside of Moose. Their mission, to guard the waters of Lake Jackson against the infected. Instead, Ellie boredly stared up at the vast canopy of subalpine, limber pine, various other trees, shrubs, and viny ivies the immune girl couldn't make out in the darkness. She turned her head to the silent cowboy sitting across from her. Tommy and Maria often assigned them together, the rare moments Ellie ever had patrol duty outside of Jackson. Blue was the worst worker in all of Jackson, yet whenever he left the walls of the city. Blue became in Ellie's eyes a more mysterious and fascinating individual. Blue's tanned and gruff light brown beard looked unkept; his brown Stetson hat was lying at the top of his tent fifteen feet away. Allowing his wild honeyed brown hair and sad eyes to stare at a book.

"So…" Ellie began with a knotted throat. Blue raised his eyes curiously away from his book, "Whatcha reading?"

"Blood Meridian." Replied the cowboy, while turning a page, his sapphire eyes not leaving the pages.

"Blood Meridian, huh, never heard of it. What's it about?"

"…," With a nearly quiet sigh, the cowboy closed his book and gazed into Ellie's emerald eyes with just as much curiosity, "I wouldn't reckon you have the stomach to handle it."

"I'm not a delicate flower silly boy!" Spoke Ellie, she placed her eight fingers over the warm fire, "My library of books is always in need of an update."

"It's about a kid growing up in northern Mexico and south Texas. He's forced to take up arms with a gang of vicious outlaws and murderers. He ends up being a witness and taking part in massacre after horrible massacre of Comanche and other natives… and the kid continues believing and listening to his leader The Judge. Scalpin, shootin', murderin', burnin', and he continues to follow The Judge until the very end." Explained Blue before dropping the book onto his poncho-draped lap. Ellie's heart sank as she heard the synopsis, more curious than ever.

Ellie's neck turned cold as she noticed the mysterious cowboy's eyes turn cold and distant. Her curiosity intensified as she picked up on Blue's southern drawl, "Are you from the south?"

"Yes." Replied Blue while taking a banjo lying at the opening of his tent. Strumming a few notes made his cold artic eyes warm up into a calm ocean.

"Don't do much talking do you?" Asked Ellie her eyes focusing in on the mysterious man who had caught Jackson's interest just two years ago. Blue simply strummed another note from the banjo and chuckled.

"Only when I need to." Began Blue, plucking his banjo with his fingers to the tune of Cripple Creek. Impressed, Ellie broke a bewildered smile. Ellie took out a flask of liquor and took a few long swigs, summoning up the courage to ask a question that always plagued her in regard to the mysterious newcomer.

"We have all night. The least you could do is tell me your real name. Blue is such a lame alias. I would have gone with something like Michael, Derek, or Drake. You know what suits you the most, ha-ha-ha, lazy ass." Explained Ellie causing the cowboy to emit a light chuckle.

"My name's always been Blue, Eighty." Chuckled Blue.

"Eighty?" Ellie answered back, her hands raised still above the fire only to notice Blue's eyes intently focusing on her fingers, "Bastard!"

A small gust of late spring wind blew their fire towards the east. Blue stopped his strumming of the banjo and held his left hand over his mouth, causing Ellie to listen to the darkness around them. A loud "WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!" from Blue's Labrador Retriever and loud thundering gunfire in the distance jolted Ellie to grab her Glock-17. Another wave of thundering gunshots emanated from Lake Jackson before she heard the gnarling screaming and soft eerie crying of runners. Runners were the very embodiment of the sickening depravity of the cordyceps brain infection. They had increased strength and speed. With absolutely no control of their actions, yet still possessing full consciousness.

Blue disappeared into the dark forest at breakneck speed. Ellie didn't think as she bolted after him, trying her best to catch up only for the woods to erupt in a crescendo of noise. Branches crackled and burst all around her. She ducked behind a larger timber pine with no thought or intention besides remaining still and incredibly quiet. Ellie placed her hands high, her gun held tight in her grip, the safety off. Ellie waited until numerous black shadows plowed through the woods past her position towards the lake. The gunfight was only fifty meters toward the shore.

Ellie slowly moved ten meters through the thick, overgrown, Wyoming forest. She quickly rolled five meters behind another large timber pine. She peered her head from behind the tree trying her best to make sense of how many infected were between her and the screaming echoing louder into the woods. A large flaming bottle flew fifteen meters in front of her. The runners were unaware until the bottle crashed between their legs igniting three fungus-covered beings in orange, ungodly terrible smelling, smokey burning light.

"Nam Imperium!" Shouted Blue as several more Molotov cocktails crashed further into the woods igniting several charging clickers. Their screeching guttural clicks turned into screeches of agony. Four bright flashes of light and four loud bursts of Blue's revolver and several more clickers edging close to Blue shrieked in pain as the bullets from his .357 revolver blasted from the chamber. Explosions of flesh sprayed into the air, leaving gaping holes in the colorful cordyceps membrane where the infected eyes used to be.

Ellie broke her cover and fired ten shots from her 9mm Glock in quick succession. Two stalkers and a furious foaming-at-the-mouth clicker within a foot of the immune girl fell to the ground dead.

Trees burned around her as Ellie ran past the corpses of various infected. A small herd of dead corpses led her to the very edge of the woods. Until Ellie heard a low rumbling roar and the grunting and heaving of someone swinging a blade. Fireflies illuminated to Ellies far right a woman screaming halfway up a tree, a clicker clattering its teeth hurriedly. However, just under a small bluff was Blue slicing into a Bloaters belly. His machete remained stuck into the angry stage 4 infected being. It growled, pulled out the sharp blade, crushed the machete with its foot, and charged at a defenseless Blue.

"No!" Ellie fired her gun, emptying the entire magazine into the back of the Bloater causing it to twist its body in agonizing anger. Ellie reloaded her weapon and without even having to think fired her entire magazine into the Bloater's chest. It fell to the mossy forest floor in a disgusting pool of blood and guts.

Blue was again gone into the darkness towards the shore of Lake Jackson. Ellie remained unsure searching again for that clicker only to notice both the woman and clicker were gone. Ellie ran after Blue's trail hearing shotgun blasts and quick successions of gunfire. The fishy, relaxing smell of the lake entered Ellie's nostrils as her feet sank into the sandy shores. Emerald green eyes fell upon a large shadow crying against another being.

"Please, Loraine! God no! NO!" Screamed Dave, his rifle stock keeping his recently turned wife at bay. Mrs. Porter's veins were bulging, an overload of cordyceps fungus flowing through her bloodstream. Her mouth kept foaming as she tried clawing at Dave's huge bald head.

Before Ellie could act, she heard two deafening loud shotgun blasts. Two small sprays of blood from the fallen infected gushed into the air covering Dave and Ellie nearly head to toe in dark globules of blood. Ellie turned her head behind her, noticing a now headless clicker was dead on the sandy shore. Mrs. Porter's recently infected body lay below Dave, a now messed-up heap of pellet holes and torn cartilage. The smoking barrel of Blue's sawed-off shotgun left Ellie shocked and the now grieving Dave hopeless.

Emerald eyes met sapphire blue across the sandy beach. Two unharmed children crawled out of a small fishing boat. Crying over their dead mother's corpse.

Blue only turned his head away from the sight in front of him. His face and eyes were illuminated by the now glowing sea of fireflies. He could only say with a weak voice, "Always the same. What is wrongly gained is wrongly lost."

Ellie ran toward Dave and his family to give them comfort. She looked back and saw Blue turning his back on her, he reentered the now-burning forest. Orange and bright yellow flames rose higher. Black smoke engulfed the entire Wyoming outdoors. Her Emerald eyes shined at his disappearing back as he vanished into the burning forest. Ellie's heart and soul were left again in utter disbelief.

Present day

Ellie heard loud cries and the laughter of children playing tag outside. Commotion from a married couple next door arguing about the Thanksgiving festival that had yet to pass. Only to be silenced by what sounded like a gunshot from far out in the valley. Ellie grumbled getting out of bed before dressing into a pair of leggings beneath a second layer of thick blue jeans. Ellie checked the mirror outside her dresser door smiling at how prepared she was. Wearing a thick green military parka with a grey hoody at back. Underneath she wore an orange sweater. Ellie was fully dressed and was about to close her dresser drawer before staring at Joel's light brown jacket just a while longer. If he was here now, he'd probably shake his head at the girl in disappointment. Holstering her brand new M9 Baretta, Ellie slinged a backpack over her shoulder and grabbed Boris's bow from beside her bed. Ready to finally get out of Jackson, Ellie rushed out her door to Blue's room.

Ellie opened and then quickly closed the door to room 304 as quietly as she could. Tiptoeing in her hiking boots, Ellie made her way from the doorway and past the small bathroom towards Blue's opened journal. Ever so slowly, the auburn-haired woman almost comically snuck her way to his cheap wooden desk. Curiosity overwhelmed Ellie until she found herself reading an entry from the enticing journal.

November 15th, 2041

I awoke to his sickly smell drifting from the bottom floor. I stood covered in blood. I spent the whole day wrapping them in fungus-covered linens and whatever I could find…-

A loud canid snarl took Ellie by surprise. Massive large fanged canines and protective dark brown eyes shined from the corner of Blue's room hiding its form in the shadows. A spine-tingling, "WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!" Shook Ellie to her to her core.

"Easy their boy." Whispered Ellie turning to face an emerging massive maroon-furred Labrador retriever.

"Don't you fucking dare!"

Ellie now turned her body yet again to face Blue who sat up in his bed shirtless. For a lazy drunk cowboy, he was extremely fit with a complete six pack and broad shoulders. His dark honeyed brown head of hair was messy, yet very thick and more than a handful for any straight woman. Blue pulled himself out of bed wearing only his underwear. His tanned and scarred body was in full view. Ellie turned her head away as the cowboy snatched his journal out of Ellie's hands with almost enough force to knock her to the ground.

"Thank you." Snapped Blue his sapphire blue eyes staring dreadfully into emerald green, "Doubt the girl next door is here to give me a happy ending. Red! Easy there you good boy, yes you! See its just Eighty!"

Red licked his master's face who was busy scratching behind Red's fluffy ears. Blue let go of his dog, but Red still growled one final time before running to sniff the air around Ellie's knees. Blue angrily threw his journal into a cross-fit backpack, before putting on a dirty under-armor shirt over his chest and then buttoning up a flannel shirt. Ellie glared right back at Blue before shouting back, "Bastard!"

"So, so, original, sweetheart." Blue said sarcastically, while taking out a sawed-off Lupara (shotgun) from under his bed and securing the weapon to a strapped shotgun holster on his back, "Not the first time a woman's called me that. Especially from you. Never took you for the snooping and stalking type of woman."

"Sweetheart?" Ellie spat out with complete disgust, "I'm sorry I looked at your open journal you're needed."

"Needed for what? I wasn't working day and night for two weeks straight to work on my requested day off." Countered a very aggravated Blue who didn't care about Ellie's half-assed apology.

"Working? Since when have you ever done a fair day's work? And who in their right mind is getting wasted at 8 am?" Yelled Ellie angrily, her frustrations nearing the boiling point.

"A man with a plan." Answered Blue, ignoring her questions, his sapphire blue eyes were still glassy and uncaring. Red gave his master a loud WOOF in agreement.

"You made a complete fool of yourself in front of the entire city! We have a job to do, instead, your religious friends had to drag your vomiting ass out of the chapel! I wish you were infected!" Shouted Ellie, her blood boiling at how ungrateful and irresponsible Blue was acting. Blue was what Dina would have called spoiled goods. There wasn't a single good trait Ellie could concoct in her mind as she coldly said, "If you were infected… I'd give me the opportunity to put a bullet through that thick skull of yours! Be at the stables in half an hour ready to leave, if you're even a second late, you'll be wishing you were infected."

Ellie had her hands on the doorknob when she heard a hurt voice call out, "Okay."

The Stables

Blue had saddled and prepared for the long journey as well as a sobering alcoholic could ever hope. Before he could place a single leather cowboy boot onto his horse's stirrups he felt a powerful hand pull him to the side. Before the solemn cowboy was Tommy. The old timer wore an eyepatch over his busted up left eye and his brown eyes shined with fury and disbelief. Tommy then shoved Blue onto the wooden wall of the horse stall. The angry one-eyed man's hands were white straining against the younger cowboy's poncho collar.

"Maria, I, the town, and the entire god-Damn Republic of Jackson have opened our doors for you and your religious yahoos. Out of the kindness of our hearts, we have allowed you shelter. You sleep in a warm home with running water and running electricity. All I've ever seen you do is drink, read, and sulk while doing a half-assed job." Shouted Tommy, causing ranchers and stable hands to stop and listen to the commotion.

"I'm sorry I've disappointed you…." Replied Blue his face covered in the shadow of his Stetson hat. The only thing Tommy could see was cold sapphire blue eyes. Blue raised his head his face now in the light, "Squabble with me all day you want partner. Leave the people I saved out of this!"

Blue held his much larger hands over Tommy's and gave the 62-year-old Miller a light squeeze. Pain spiked up in both of Tommy's shaking hands. Tommy then released the cowboy from his grasp after hearing Blue say, "Easy their Partner. I have a job to do."

"Leave, do your job, and don't mess up. I want to make this very crystal clear you drunk cocksucker!" Uttered Tommy his voice getting lower and with a nonchalant shrug finished, "If I hear back from my niece, you slacked off or left her like that mishap back in May. You'll be spending Thanksgiving with the wolves! Ellie!"

"Yes." Spoke Ellie in a whisper.

"I'll leave his life in your hands." Finished Tommy before leaving.

Ellie pulled the reins of her already-saddled Morgan out of her stall. Ellie caught the roaming horse several years back. It had a large white diamond between its eyes and bright white socks above its hooves. When Dina last visited Ellie with JJ, she remarked it was one of the prettiest creatures in Jackson. Ellie ended up naming the large brown morgan, Daisy, a fitting name for a beautiful mare. The large brown mare whinnied as Ellie attached large saddle bags filled with letters Erik had handed her. Blue followed the immune woman silently with his large dog Red following the pair behind. Ellie climbed the stirrups of her saddle and kicked Daisy's upper thighs very lightly. The large horse trotted out of the stables majestically only to wait and hear Erik pulling Blue's horse out of the stable, "Are you positive you're, okay? Whole towns' been talking about you. Tommy was discussing with me… about shooting you!"

"I'm fine kid! Tommy is all anger and talk, he couldn't shoot a buffalo if it was in front of him! Don't need you explainin' how delivering letters is any more complicated than changing a lightbulb." Spoke blue while exiting the stables on horseback, his scraggly beard glistening in the orange setting sun. He was riding an exceptionally large and very menacing black Mustang. His dog Red was following behind, cute, thought Ellie before really thinking, "Still an asshole."

- Time to Grow by Gustavo Santaolalla-

Both riders trotted their steeds through Jackson. Blue was leading the pair, his left hand on the horn of his saddle, his right rubbing his horse's neck. Many onlookers frowned or laughed as Blue passed by them. Ellie looked at the lazy cowboy's back deep in thought as he continued leading the way. Dave shook his head and muttered "Good Luck" as the pair passed the 7/11 bridge and made their way out of the main gate of Jackson. Blue didn't seem deterred by the comments of the townspeople. His face was stoic and unrelentingly emotionless as his Mustang's trots turned into a full-blown gallop.

Both riders kept a rhythmic pace. Ellie whooped Daisy in front of Blue's massive Mustang causing the middle-aged cowboy to intensely pull his reins back. They were two miles overlooking the town of Jackson right where Ellie approached Tommy six years back. The sun was setting and Ellie wasn't sure how to break the news, "We should have been at Moose at least four hours ago. If we make camp just four more miles north of the city we could be at Moose by morning and then hit Colter by midday."

Blue's Mustang gave a loud whinny as the cowboy shook his head. Red finally caught up to his master. The large dog stared at both riders in fascination. Blue simply looked north and gave Ellie a wide toothy smile, "If we race over we'll be in Moose in maybe a couple of hours. Red'll find us no matter how fast or far we go. Once we're done with Moose, then we'll hit Colter by midnight. From there, it is just a two-day ride to Yellowstone. If we race to Moose and Colter, it'll save us more than a day of traveling."

"I don't wanna take that sort of risk! Remember the last time we were out at night outside of Moose?" Spoke Ellie the setting sunlight beaming off her elegant porcelain skin in a glow.

"Yeah, and I ended up saving Dave and his family from a stray herd. What was it… twenty-five confirmed kills from Mwah, only seven from you?" Replied Blue his grin widening into a more mischievous grin.

"One of em' was that bloater that was ready to rip you half. I don't wanna chance fate again Blue!"

"Right, always forget about that guy. Before we go any further Ellie, I want to say that… como se dice en ingles (How to say it in English). I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being the cause behind us being late. However, it'll be safer for us to travel and hit Colter by midnight. Colter has more impregnable walls, good camping grounds, a lot of delicious meats, and would just be safer than Moose. Chancing fate would be getting attacked in the same spot twice." Finished Blue giving Ellie a knowing look she knew too well. Lowering her shoulders in defeat.

Ellie finally relented with a low, "Fine, but first to make it to Moose gets extra rations!"

Both riders raced quickly past aspen woods, and sparkling orange valleys, with purple-painted mountains glistening milky white in the far distance. Ellie pushed Daisy to her limits, her horse's hooves kicking up earth and trampling overgrown shrubs trying relentlessly to make the ten-mile stretch from Jackson to Moose. She'd rather run into another bloater than lose her race to the lazy cowboy. Continuing to ride over winding streams and snow-covered muddy grounds. Ellie lost track of Blue's large black Mustang after an hour of riding through the Wyoming mountains. Shadows grew across the valley. The sun in the distance a red burning orb above.

After several hours of rough riding through thick forests, Daisy galloped over a fallen timber pine causing Ellie to look up at the now darkening mountains above her. Outpost Teton, also once known as Teton National Park before the outbreak, was shining brightly overlooking the valley of the Jackson Republic. Ellie kicked Daisy's upper thighs into another gallop noticing she was close to Moose. Daisy moved her rider out of the thick Wyoming forest onto a cracked two lane road. The bright lights of Moose shined in Ellie's emerald eyes.

"You're late!" Spoke Blue his black Mustang just below the winding hilly road outside of town. Red the Labrador Retriever was huffing with his tongue out gasping for breath.

Ellie kicked Daisy's upper thighs and charged past Blue, her horse's legs increasing their power and speed with each gallop. Her thick booty bounced in the frantic galloping morgans saddle, Blue only registering Ellie's loud, "Sayonara!"

Blue made chase. Onlookers from dilapidated trailer homes stared out of broken barred windows. Moose natives on patrol nearly raised their guns only to turn their heads as an auburn-haired girl riding a brown Morgan blurred on past them. Blurring not far behind was a black Mustang and a large red dog. Ellie pulled her reins hard causing Daisy to rear her front hoofs in the air. In front of her were the town guards on watch. They looked at the immune girl from the small 7-foot wooden walls surrounding the tiny town of Moose.

"Easy their rider!" Shouted a guard holding a Kalashnikov, "State your name and business!"

Blue brought his large Mustang into a rearing stop before shouting, "We're the bloody pony express!"

"Let 'em in just Ellie and Blue. Causing more trouble again! Shamus open the gate!" Shouted Benjamin from the parapets of the wall.

-end of song-

The large wooden doors opened allowing both riders to trot slowly toward the old resort building of the town. It was protected by two large sniper towers that were at the ready from the commotion caused by their race. Ellie and Blue tied their horses up to a wooden horse post outside the facility. Ellie with a chuckling laugh looked into Blue's sapphire eyes, which in turn stared happily into emerald green, "When we get to Colter you owe me a steak, mashed potatoes, and a turnip stew!"

"Yes ma'am!" Said Blue with a salute. He dropped down from his saddle and unloaded a single saddle bag filled to the brim with letters and parcels. Ellie did the same and followed Benjamin, the town leader of Moose, deep within the renovated resort building. Moose stood as a gateway point between outpost Teton, the bright shores of Colter, and the city of Yellow Stone. It was settled by Jackson in 2036 by Benjamin however the town only grew to prominence during the years of peace between 2040 through 2043. It had a total population of just 200 souls who made their bread and butter in the Jackson Republic by hunting, ranching, breeding horses, and the now-growing fur trade.

Blue and Ellie smiled at each other as they rode out of town the full moon emerging over the Rocky Mountains in a bright massive yellow ball of light. Thousands of bright blue, yellow, red, and white stars shined from the heavens below the happy pair of horse riders. They traveled along the edge of Lake Jackson following each other. They had been traveling for three hours mostly in silence until they both started talking. Their conversations ranged from simple things such as how much they hated shoveling shit, listening to Dave ordering them around, or about the world outside of Jackson.

"Whole worlds messed up you know. Although I'll admit I enjoyed exploring the beaches of California just was overrun by slavers. Seattle wouldn't be a bad vacation spot if it weren't so overrun by infected. However, you must admit we have it lucky here in Jackson. Barely any infected get past the patrols, there are safe places to sleep, camp out, settle down." Explained Ellie thinking about Dina. How she missed her so.

"You know nothing about the world Ellie," Huffed Blue his sapphire eyes full of life, "California is nice and chill. Seattle is a depressing dump. How anyone would settle in a place that rains every day I wouldn't know. You speak about Jackson as if it's Zion." Spoke Blue, his dog Red giving a WOOF of approval.

"Name me one other place where it's safe like Jackson?"

"I could name you almost a hundred different towns, cities, and places thriving with life outside of these borders. But you need to realize nowhere is safe. Six months ago these very shores were swarmed with infected and we were lucky only one person died. I like Jackson! But it's not a home for me." Finished Blue his horse trotting a little bit faster. The milky way overhead made Ellie rub her weary eyes hoping this wasn't a dream. How could anyone take living in the Jackson Republic for granted?

"Where is your home then Blue?"

"Home's out here riding or walking the wastelands. The best days I ever had was traveling across the plains, deserts, tundra, and jungles, of Mexico, the former United States, and Canada with ol' Red by my side." Blue sentimentally said, getting another loud WOOF in agreement.

"You've been to Mexico?" Asked Ellie surprised she hadn't met anyone in Jackson who had ever crossed the US/Mexican border.

"I spent seven years between Monterrey, Tampico, and even Chihuahua. The nicest, deadliest, and most warming people I've ever met and some of the worst too." Blue's voice drifted out as he said worst, "Let's change the subject, please."

"Sorry about hitting a touchy subject. Just never met anyone half as traveled as you." Replied Ellie her bewilderment still off the charts. Until she heard rustling out in the distance, "Blue wait!"

Both riders stopped. Ellie grabbed her scoped .308 hunting rifle out of a gun holster tied to Daisy's saddle. Ellie peered into the scope as Tommy had taught her a dozen years prior. Whenever she had this gut feeling it was always a sign of an infected nearby. Ellie scoped out the dark scenery until she caught a glowing shadow stumbling by the shoreline a quarter mile north. Luckily, the full moon and clear night sky revealed it traveling very slowly toward Colter. Ellie adjusted her shot high enough to account for gravity and pulled the trigger. She quickly twisted the rifle's bolt expelling the empty cartridge out of the chamber.

"Nice shot." Spoke Blue pulling his binoculars down, "Got that clicker right between the eyes."

Colter

Both horse riders galloped to the more impressive gates of Colter past midnight. The cold November mountain air stung Ellie's exposed face like thousands of needles. Colter was the crown jewel of the Jackson Republic, at least in the maddening eyes of Tommy. Nestled by the northern shores of Lake Jackson. Colter served the Jackson Republic as having the most potential for growth with a thriving fishery, a large brewery producing enough beer and liquor to qualm those with an alcoholic thirst, and almost two dozen greenhouses growing various vegetables not found elsewhere. More impressive was the growing production of cannabis products such as hemp, cannabis flower for medicinal purposes, and even as a highly valued crop for trade. Colter had a total population exceeding 1,000 people, most of them living just as well off as the citizens of Jackson.

"Who goes there!" Shouted a guard from the much more impressive ten-foot walls of Colter.

"The pony express!" Shouted Blue with a slight chuckle causing Ellie to roll her eyes at her partner's antics.

"Never heard of them!" Replied the guard his gun armed at Blue from atop his parapet, "Who's to say you aren't WLF or raiders!"

"We're with the Jackson Express here to deliver letters and parcels to your town! We've just arrived a little early and would love to not fucking freeze to death out here." Ellie said calmly trying her best to de-escalate the paranoid town guard.

"Open the gate!" Shouted the guard.

A loud creak rumbled across Lake Jackson's outer walls. The large wooden gate of Colter opened before the duo. They trotted their exhausted horses past various refurbished trailers which now served as the town's greenhouses. Past desolate streets that had desolate saloons. Long lines of Christmas lights shined from various light poles across the well-lit streets of the thriving city. A man playing guitar to a small crowd of drunks outside of the Colter Brewery House took Ellie out of her thoughts. She led Blue to the large building constructed in 2041 and finished in 2044. It had neon lights emblazoned around the facility spelling out Colter Brewery House in giant red neon. Two armed guards wearing Ushanka-furred hats stood outside with Kalashnikovs both talking in Russian.

Ellie slowed her horse down to a very slow trot and said, "Do you both know where the post office is?"

"P-p-post Offkiss?" Repeated one of the guards before the other guard playfully punched his side.

The other guard pointed down the road and then started speaking in very thick Russian with a Siberian accent. Ellie's scarred right eyebrow twitched as the guard started making numerous hand gestures in what could have been the middle finger in Russia. With a confused face, Ellie watched the Russian man finish his rant before pointing towards a big building and saying, "Ponyat! Down there!"

"Thank you!" Replied the auburn girl only to be met with Blue's amused grin. She spat out her tongue and made a funny face then frowned with amusement.

"You'd be better off playing charades!" Joked Blue as they trotted down the road. Blue looked at Ellie in slight confusion as they turned a corner, those guards out of their line of sight.

"Zhukov's guys?" Asked Blue unsure why he always saw Russian, Manchurian, and Mongols north of Moose.

"Yes," Answered Ellie with slight excitement remembering her old job as a teacher, "Came over the Bering Strait a few years after the outbreak. A lot of Russians and Chinese who survived Asia decided that things in Alaska would be better. According to Zhukov, he brought over ten thousand people on a shipping container across the Bering Strait. God only knows what happened but Zhukov only had just over a thousand people by the time they settled in Yellow Stone in 2043."

"So that's what started that war," Joked Blue, getting a nod in return from Ellie. They arrived outside of a massive wildlife and game complex that had stables next to the facility. They pulled their exhausted horses to the warm stables. Ellie led Blue towards the facility, the pair carrying the saddlebags with the specified letters for the town of Colter. A Mongolian man welcomed them inside, "Come, come, come, it's a great fortune to receive the mail early for a change."

They dropped off the satchels filled with letters in a massive caged room guarded by a gruff old black man. He led the pair out of the halls towards a kitchen stocked with all kinds of food. The old man then replied with a large smile, "Name's Isaiah elected Communal council leader of Colter. You both are welcome to anything you want in here. We have enough food in Colter to last us five winters. Here is the key to a spare trailer down the street. Again thank you both for your hard work! It's not like Jackson to deliver mail so quickly!"

"You are very much welcome it was a complete and utter pleasure, Isaiah," Said Ellie very meekly her eyes dark and baggy. The immune girl nearly fell into Blue as she saw a digital clock reading 1:45 A:M, the time completely shocking Ellie. They traveled nearly 9 hours since leaving Jackson, yet it wasn't until she read the time that Ellie realized how tired she was. They grabbed a few cooked, salted, and buttered salmon filets from a clean refrigerator, two entire trays of cooked rations, a few warm blankets, a large rawhide bone for Red, and at least for Ellie a bottle of moonshine. Blue half dragged Ellie and Red to their trailer. With Red inside warming up, they both took several more trips to the pantry under the watchful eyes of Isaiah.

Blue took out a rolling paper filled with a thick dark green shredded… Ellie looked at the cowboy with surprised and tired eyes. Blue took out a match and burned the joint in front of the auburn-haired girl. Taking several large pulls and several loud coughs, "Agh, agh, shit! One of the Mongolians handed me this in exchange for six rounds of 9mm ammunition."

"Blue! I could have used that in case we ran into any infected. Never seen you shoot a 9mm a day of my life," Huffed Ellie as the room began to smell like a skunk.

"Relax they grow this stuff by the ton here, by the time we hit Yellowstone we can refill on as much ammunition as we need." Spoke Blue, handing Ellie the smoking orange-tipped joint.

She took several hits, then puffed the smoke out of her mouth in a ring, "We have everything we need, right!"

"Exactamente!" Exclaimed the tanned and sapphire-eyed cowboy as he tossed his Stetson hat on a hook protruding from the trailer wall.

Ellie and Blue smoked the joint. Should they have? Certainly not. Ellie and Blue shared a bottle of moonshine. Should they have done that as well? Most certainly not. However, after a long, long, long day of dealing with Blue. Ellie looked at the cowboy in a new light. They were far ahead of schedule all because of Blue and it was almost going to be morning, but Ellie didn't care.

For once in a long time, Ellie didn't feel so alone. She had someone who carried a weight of pain, who hid their true self from the world, someone she felt could understand her. Red was sleeping by the trailer's radiator, while his master and his master's mistress were laughing on the bed. Their empty and scrap-less ration trays were thrown on top of a counter, their bottle of moonshine next to the trays. The bottle was only a quarter drunk. The trailer smelled of marijuana and powerful alcohol.

Ellie shoved the now poncho-less cowboy on the bed with a wide croaking smile, "Okay here's another good one! What do you call the owner of a waterproofing clothing company?"

"Lemme think," Blue said his eyes light red a stupid grin plastered on his face, "Poncho Villa!"

"The head Poncho!" Answered Ellie her cheeks crimson.

"Okay I have a good one… a crazy wife says to her husband that moose are falling from the sky," Ellie head fell onto Blue's chest half exhausted, but still listening, "The husband says its reindeer"

Ellie laughed but Blue continued, "Why can't you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? Because the pee is silent!"

Ellie laughed even louder, causing Blue to be pushed back against the trailer wall. Deciding it was late enough, the middle-aged cowboy moved over so he could get some sleep in their king-sized bed. Ellie followed suit but both were too tired to dress in their pajamas, instead, they stripped off their pants. Still, leaving both of their shirts and underwear on. Turning off every light except for the kitchen light on the other side of the trailer. Ellie jumped into the king bed drunk and high. Blue raised his head from his pillow and nearly jumped out of the covers when he felt Ellie's body against his. His chest warmed up to the weight of her head on his chest. Blue sighed getting ready for shuteye again…

"Blue I have a question?" Ellie asked, her head nestled on Blue's chest pinning the cowboy in place. Her emerald eyes were glassy yet shined beautifully from the moonlight. The reflection of the moon shined from her eyes as Ellie softly asked, "Do you believe in god?"

Blue opened his eyelids wider revealing sapphire orbs as he replied, "I don't know the way the world is even Angulimala doubts. The dog preacher doubts, the imam on the other side of the squatters quarter doubts, everyone doubts. The rabbi says man is supposed to struggle to find god. My whole life has been a struggle… what about you?"

"Me too."

"You ask this because?" Asked Blue only to be met by silence. The cowboy waited minutes feeling Ellie snuggling closer for more warmth. His breath became foggy, he felt Ellie holding him harder. He was just about to once again drift off to sleep feeling content for the first time in almost six years.

"I'm not a good person Blue. I've done terrible things I've killed so many people. I wake up each day hoping I'm dead yet I look at you… you've saved children, a priest, a monk, and Dave's family. You should go on without feeling pain." Spoke Ellie her Emerald eyes shining with sadness and regret, "The pain that you know no matter what you do if god was real. You're going to burn in hell!"

"Me too." Ellie looked into the darkness at Sapphire Blue. She waited to hear his answer anxiously, "If anyone in this trailer is damned it is me."

Ellie moved her head towards Blue's instinctively. Next thing Blue knew, he felt her lips against his. Her moist, warm lips nestled against his. Her nose rubbed against his nose. Her freckled cheeks rubbed against his grizzled beard. Both green and blue eyes closed at the same time. Ellie wrapped her eight fingers around the lazy cowboy's head without thinking. Only feeling, she deepened the kiss slipping her tongue inside his mouth. Both of them held each other's necks, feeling each other's bodies, while their tongues wrestled against each other. Her tongue entered the cowboy's mouth tasting his alcohol and marijuana-coated gums. Ellie never wanted this to stop, she was throwing her disgust for the man out the window… she felt a hand push her away.

Blue pushed Ellie away and turned his head away from the drunk emerald eyes girl. She only heard Blue's faint voice echo across the trailer, "Not today."

Ellie and Blue passed out not even a minute later in each other's arms.

-Never Let me Down Again by Jessica Mazin-

They awoke by 9:30 A:M, to the sounds of roosters chirping outside. With groggy hangovers, they didn't say a word. They dressed, cleaned their trailer of trash, packed their things, and were about to finally leave Colter. Ellie brushed Daisy's brown mane with a horse brush within the horse's stable. She had been waiting for close to ten minutes before Ellie marched out of the stables to look for Blue. The last thing she needed was a repeat of yesterday. Ellie walked deeper into town through now remarkably busy streets towards the shore of Lake Jackson. Cowboys tilted their hats in respect and friendly locals waved at the visiting Jacksonite.

Ellie weakly waved back, but her mind was still foggy from last night. She lost control of herself in front of Blue. It was a combination of a lack of sleep, alcohol, and MaryJane that made her do that with Blue. At least that's what she wanted to believe, yet her cheeks turned red remembering her behavior from last night. While she had enjoyed his warmth and comfort, she felt confused by him pushing her aside last night. Coming closer to the shores of Lake Jackson snowflakes started to fall from the sky in very light flurries. Ellie spotted Blue next to a man with glasses. The sight of Blue made her relieved Ellie waved her hands in front of two buggies before crossing the street towards the busy wharf where Blue was. Blue shook the man with glasses hand while holding a small Velcro pouch.

"Believe me man that stuff is far out!" Spoke the mysterious man dressed in a gardening uniform before walking away from the wooden fence of the wharf into a crowd of people around the wharf selling cannabis, beer, maize, fish, bullets, meat, and every good imaginable in Ellie's eyes. Ellie walked over to Blue her hands crossed together.

"We should get going!" Said Ellie, before turning and looking back at Blue following her across town.

"What was that about?" Asked Ellie as they passed by the fishery and past a thriving neighborhood of people smoking cigarettes outside of trailers. Harvesters were chitchatting while carrying sacks filled with bushels of maize, turnips, lettuce, and peppers.

"You know how much we can get for a pound of weed at the Ranch House." Said Blue as they reached the stables by the Colter town hall. Situated in the Fish and Wildlife headquarters.

"A used needle." Answered Ellie with an amused grin.

"Ha, ha, ha… probably," Said Blue, "Ellie about last night…"

"Blue, I'm sorry about my behavior last night. A lack of sleep, too many drinks, and smoking with you just…" Began Ellie, trying her best to break the news as softly as possible, "I'm not like other girls, I, ugh."

"I understand. Nothing more needs to be said." Spoke the cowboy with a bright smirk.

"Blue I bat for the other team…" Ellie tried explaining, unable to look Blue in his eyes. She felt a warm knuckle lift her chin and then stared at vibrant sapphire blue eyes.

"We rode thirty miles last night," Began Blue, Ellie noticed he had a profoundly serious intent in his eyes, "We have seventy more miles ahead of us. No matter how you stretch it we have a two-day ride ahead of us. The snows already fallin, reckon you don't wanna get snowed in at Yellowstone?"

"I wouldn't reckon I'd like." Replied Ellie with a smile. She climbed her horse's stirrups at the same time as Blue. The pair trotted through the busy streets of Colter through the town's main square. Both riders kicked their legs back into their horses' upper thighs. Dirt and mud kicked into the air with each gallop. The overcast sky brought light flurries of snow onto both riders as they descended toward a massive forest in the north. Their next destination, Yellowstone.

(A/N): This concludes chapter 3. I want to give a very special thanks to all the readers who made it this far. If you liked the story please give it a follow, favorite, and even a review. Those actions help the algorithm with getting new readers interested. Anyways next chapter may take a little longer or shorter to come out. There will be a lot more action in the next few chapters leading up to a crescendo of action.

Adios,

DW