The Last of Us - Redemption
Summery:
When the infection broke out, Joel took his 12-year-old daughter Sarah and fled his hometown. On their way out, they got shot at by a soldier. Joel took the bullets and got mortally wounded while Sarah survived. 20 years later, she was entrusted with an important task that could change the world, though it would mean to make a deal with a devil from the past.
Chapter 1
"Here's to you, Dad. Happy birthday!"
Sarah raised her glass, filled with a brownish, alcoholic liquid, right before she poured the content down in one gulp. It burned in her throat. Caused a pain that was killing another one. On this very day, 20 years ago, hell broke loose as the Cordyceps fungus started to take over her hometown. Hundreds of people died that night, even more got infected.
Back then, she had been a happy 12-year-old girl with short blond hair, who had lived alone with her father, since her mom had died years before.
Today, she was a grown-up woman, 32 years old. Her hair was still blond and short, yet her former round face was now more angular and her slim body had become a few more muscles. Yes, she had changed, but the nightmare of this night was still as present as if it had happened yesterday. The car accident, in which she had broken her leg. Running the gauntlet through town while getting carried by her father. Being chased by the infected. Seeing all those people die. And then this soldier who had shot at them. Her dad's body had taken the bullets and protected her, but if it hadn't been for her uncle Tommy, she would've gotten shot as well. He had saved her, but he hadn't been able to save her father, Joel. He died this night, just hours after his birthday. Shot by those people who had been supposed to protect them.
Since that night, Sarah hated the military, respectively FEDRA, the organization that had taken over as the infection had become unstoppable and the government had been suspended, indefinitely.
No wonder that she had joined the resistance, called Fireflies. Being at the age of 14, she had only been a messenger and organized small uprisings. But as the struggles became bloodier and the threat by the infected increased, because the Fireflies had to operate outside the Quarantine Zones more and more, she had received her first combat training.
Raising in the ranks, Sarah had become one of the highest leaders of the resistance. Until a certain incident had changed everything and she had left the Fireflies, two years ago.
Still despising a life in the QZs, the blonde woman had chosen to live in a house outside of Boston. Close enough for looting, yet far enough to not get bothered by neither FEDRA nor the Fireflies, or even worse, Hunters, marauding people, who were robbing, killing and sometimes even eating other survivors.
Thinking about this, Sarah's head started to spin and she gladly took another glass of alcohol. She looked at the sunlight that was falling onto the floor, realizing that it was something around late afternoon. Soon, it would be dark and she had to prepare for the night.
Suddenly, it knocked at the door.
Swiftly, she drew her pistol and aimed at the thin, wooden barrier. She wasn't expecting anyone. She never expected anyone, so everybody knocking at her door was an uninvited guest.
She stood up, her sight focused. She just wanted to ask, who was there as the female person on the other side raised her voice.
"In the darkest night, look at the sky…"
Recognizing this voice and the saying, Sarah heavily sighed "Shit!" and holstered her pistol, before answering "...maybe you see a firefly."
She then opened the door, and behind it stood a mid-aged woman with black skin. Her name was Marlene, leader of the Fireflies and Sarah's former best friend. And while she had a wry smirk on her lips, the blond woman just returned an annoyed demeanor.
"What the fuck are you doin' here?"
"Can't a friend just visit a friend for ol' time's sake?" Marlene asked nonchalantly and sauntered past the other woman, who didn't stop her from entering, but instead closed the door behind her.
"It's been two years and you never visited me, once," Sarah countered, crossing her arms.
"Been busy," the ebony woman shrugged, inspecting the house's inventory, which was, compared to many other quarters, rather fancy. Good furniture, intact windows, some decorations, electricity by solar panels. Pure luxury, considering the times they were living in. After the sightseeing, she sat down on the recliner and ogled the bottle and the glass that was on the table beside it.
"Today's your Dad's birthday, right?"
Unimpressed that Marlene still knew such a detail, Sarah sat down as well, filled the glass and shoved it towards the other woman.
"Heard the military's huntin' you down pretty bad."
"To your Dad," Marlene toasted and gulped down the drink, letting it burn through her throat before answering. "You heard right. We're gonna leave the city and retreat to the west."
"So, you finally do what I told you two years ago."
Her tone was chiding and frustrated. Marlene knew that she was walking on thin ice and though she would've loved to give a sharp reply, she chose to stay diplomatic.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I should've listened. But…"
"Just what do you want, Marly?" Sarah interrupted, clearly being even more upset, which caused Marlene to sigh heavily. Obviously it was hard for her to hold her composure.
"I need someone to escort a girl to Salt Lake City, ASAP."
"A girl? To Salt Lake?" the blonde scoffed and shook her head. "Why? Don't you have enough goons anymore to make this trip?"
"Sarah, you're the best tracker I know. You know almost every route. And…I trust you."
Once again, Sarah simply let out a dry chuckle and shook her head. "You must be really desperate to trust me."
"I am desperate," Marlene affirmed, touching the other woman's arm as she wanted her full attention and made her look into her brown eyes. "My best men are busy distracting the military and evacuating our people. I'd love to escort her myself, but I need to stay and help. All I can do is to bring her outta the QZ."
"So, you want me to bring her to Salt Lake, all alone and by foot, or what?"
"No," the black woman replied sternly, and leaned back in the recliner. "There will be a car at the Massachusetts State House, fuelled and prepped for the trip."
For a long moment, Sarah scanned the other woman from head to toe. Something didn't add up. Why risk and give so much resources for a girl? What was making her so special?
"Okay, Marly, what's the catch?"
"There's no catch," Marlene returned defiantly. "You go there in the morning, drive to Salt Lake, deliver the girl and after you're done, you can keep the car, filled to the brim with all the supplies you want and be on your way."
After filling the glass once more, Sarah took one last drink before she got up.
"A'right," she eventually said coldly, walking towards another room without giving Marlene another glimpse. "Then we'll see each other tomorrow at the State House. You know where the door is."
The door fell into the lock, leaving Marlene alone for a moment, before she decided that things had gone better than anticipated and then took her leave.