The sun was high in the sky and both Joel and Sarah were still a good couple hours away from the quarantine zone walking silently next to one another past mounds of twisted steel, walls of debris and overgrown grass invading the streets as neither one wanted to discuss what had transpired.
Sarah broke the silence first
"Look I only did what I thought would be best for us you know"
"Why don't you leave that kind of thinking to me" Joel coldly replied once again ushering in silence
The trip back was a lot quieter the infected didn't much like the sunlight it seemed to bother them at least until they were blind. The streets still showed the signs of panic that happened as the bombs fell, upturned cars with doors wide open cracks in the road stretching from pavement to pavement as well as a layer of dust that had coated the more protected areas as rain had washed most away from the roads.
Upon approaching a section of road that had fallen forming a bridge to a lower section of the city Joel could see a group of people off in the distance and immediately he and Sarah lay low overlooking the group some were armed and transporting heavy crates upon second look Joel knew they weren't military as they were all in rough clothing none looked to special apart from the one who seemed in charge as he stood over his peers lording his position directing them on which way to go as if he were leading them blindly.
Suddenly a sound from behind caught Joel's ear the sound of a foot being dragged across uneven ground he reached for his revolver but before he could touch it a voice rang out.
"I wouldn't do that now if I were you" the voice of a woman said as she cocked a gun
"Now we don't want any trouble" Joel immediately replied as he held a hand out to Sarah's shoulder steadying her
"Sure you don't but you seen our little group over there" the woman jested back as she gestured two men standing either side of her to take Joel and Sarah's weapons.
After a few moments both of Joel's and Sarah's weapons had been taken by these people and they were allowed to their feet Joel now had a clear look at the woman who had oh so kindly robbed them of their possessions, she was early twenties with brown frizzy hair whilst the two men beside her were hidden behind balaclavas.
"I guess today's your lucky day we're gonna see what the person in charge wants to do with you and your girl now move it" the woman said venomously as she gestured with her gun the way to go
Joel and Sarah were lead down the collapsed road towards where the rest of the group were currently at the journey was short being so close seemed shorter as the adrenaline began to pump.
"Hey Joshua I got two more stragglers here for you" the woman cried out
"Ah you never fail to find some, Welcome my friends to our little family you have to be careful out here never know when you're going to be jumped by bandits"
"Seems like you're the only bandits around here" Sarah mumbled
"Us bandits ha I am merely a business man who doesn't want to see his wares damaged I have a reputation to uphold" Joshua proudly said
Joshua began to look through what was amongst Joel and Sarah's belongings disregarding most of it.
"Right so a we have a bow in reasonably good condition oh and a crossbow too nice nice, one revolver and one 9mm handgun as well as some knives in reasonably good condition and morphine I dare say this will have value. I must say you are well armed for mere refugees how am i supposed to think you're not the bandits here" Joshua asked
"In all fairness you're the ones who jumped us" Joel replied
"True but nature doesn't give you second chances now how about we work out a deal that benefits us both" proposed Joshua in a uplifted tone
"And what would that entail" Joel rebuffed
"Well as you see I am currently transporting some goods and an extra couple pairs of hands would certainly speed things along and if you do this for me I will give you back you're belongings once we are in the zone minus the morphine of course as a finder's fee let's say" Joshua said back in a manner that seemed like he knew exactly how the conversation was going to go.
Sarah nudged Joel upon hearing about the morphine prompting Joel to say
"We need that morphine"
"Oh really neither of you look particularly worse for wear" Joshua snapped back surprised he would be questioned further
"There's a man named Derrick back in the zone we need to get him that morphine for him to leave us alone" Joel pleaded
Joshua paced for a few moments before bursting out laughing
"Ha Derrick he must b one of the patrol guards he has a sick habit of helping people only to force them onto impossible tasks it's his way of getting his thrills didn't know he would still be alive" he said continuously laughing
"Fine you have yourself a deal" Joel snapped ending the conversation
"That's good now then give him a couple cases to carry and one for the little lady, oh and I'm a man of my word you will get your things back once we are in the zone you can count on that" Joshua said sinisterly
Joel and Sarah immediately had cases given to them stamped with the logo of a gun shop immediately leading Joel to assume these people were smugglers which by this point did not surprise him it almost made him feel better as they must have a way back into the city that they too can use.
"You try anything and it will be the end of you, you hear" the woman snarled
"Hey Tess leave the new recruits alone I'm sure they have enough on their plate