The Last of Us part III Ellie's Redemption

Redemption

When Ellie came to she was unaware of her surroundings. She felt pain everywhere in her body but her head hurt the most, she put her hand to it and winced.
"So you're finally awake...Ellie."
She looked towards the voice, the boy sat in a chair, Ellie's backpack on his lap, a 9mm pointed at her.
He had a Latin look to him, a beautiful ethnic mix, his freckles stood out.
Ellie tried to speak but her tongue was dry, she coughed to try and clear it.
"There's water next to the bed, drink some then tell me why you're here."
Ellie drank, it was warm but it tasted sweet, she had needed it.
"You put me to bed?" It hurt to even talk for her.
The boy just stared at her.
"I needed to hole up before I moved on, I didn't know anyone was here." Ellie explained.
"Clearly." Curtis replied sternly.
Ellie sighed. "Long story short I came here to tend to my wounds then go. Someone had been tailing me, I'm sorry about your window." She was apologizing? "Anyway what's your name?"
"Curtis. Keep going." The gun was still pointed at her.
"My horse, dang, I need to see to my horse."
"The horse is fine Ellie, the guy you killed, his horse is fine too. Why was he after you?"
"He was just some jerk-off, it's not important."
"You both come here and try to trash my home. I think it is." Curtis wasn't giving Ellie any slack.
"I was traveling through the area and I stopped at a motel, I cleared out infected then tried to get some rest, that guy and some other douche bags must have heard the commotion. Before I knew it we were trading bullets."
"With the New Eagles?"
"I don't care who they were, but if you say so."
"They were, that guy downstairs is one. He has an emblem of the group on his coat."
Ellie tried to reach towards Curtis.
"Don't you dare come any closer or I'll shoot the rest of your hand off." Curtis was getting tetchy, Ellie didn't want to test him, yet.
"I wasn't trying anything."
"Yes you were! Raise your hands, I don't trust you."
Ellie raised them slowly, she was trying to figure a way out of the situation.
"So you're not one of the Eagles, what's the deal then?"
"I'm sick of these asshole groups, I'm just trying to survive on my own, I wish I could be left alone."
"Why are you alone? Are you wanted for some reason by the Eagles? Is that why they found you?" Curtis asked.
"Looks like those assholes I met before I got here were New Eagles, fine, great, I've never even heard of them until now. The groups are all the same to me. I'm not wanted by anyone, that's why I left my town and moved on."
"You killed someone called Geena?"
"Yeah I guess so, kill or be killed Curtis. You've got a lot of questions for me, I promise you all I want is to move on. Besides, how old are you?"
"Thirteen, why?"
"Thirteen and you had no problem blowing half that guy's face off."
"Survival." He replied.
"So you understand what I'm saying. Look, I need to go, if you need me to repair the window I'll do it but I need to be gone as soon as I can. How long was I out?"
"Most of the day, I expect it'll be dark soon."
"Fuck. Curtis I need my bag, my supplies I have to go."
"You can go Ellie, you don't even need to fix the window, but I have one condition."
"What's the condition?"
"You take me with you Ellie." The boy was serious.
"No. No way! Not happening." Ellie waved her hands wildly.
"I'll keep the gun on you until you change your mind."
"This isn't a game, you're safe here, where I'm going isn't safe."
"I'm safe Ellie? Thanks to you I know that's no longer true."
"I wouldn't have hurt you, I just needed to..."
"Smash my window right? So what's going to happen now is I give you until morning to decide to take me."
"What if I still say no?"
"Then after I kill you I'll kill myself. You're my last hope of getting out of here, if I stay here much longer I'll starve. If you take me with you I'll give you your belongings back."
"You know if you fall asleep I'll take my belongings and leave."
Curtis leaned forward, tight but shaky grip on his gun.
Ellie swallowed hard.
"I'll put a bullet through your knee if you come an inch closer." He said, Ellie thought of Joel, this kid was making her angry.
"Fucking shoot me then?! I'm at your mercy, come on, are you a Fucking chicken?!" She pointed at her head. "One shot right through my fucking brain!" In her head she knew it wasn't smart but the hothead in her won out again.
"All adults let me down, you're no different. You only care about yourself and maybe I'm happy to just shoot you and be done with it."
"Maybe but I think I'll risk it, if you're dead-set on shooting me, rather you shoot me in my knee instead of my head. I'm not just letting you do it and I could overpower you easily." Ellie lowered her arms slowly.
"Are you stupid Ellie?! So you go from saying you wouldn't hurt me to threatening me. You put on a good act but you're as bad as that scum who bled out on my carpet."
"You don't know me Curtis and I don't know you. If you think my life is that worthless and you think everyone is bad then killing me makes you just like them. I've killed a lot and I suffer with that every day. Yes you shot that guy downstairs but you purposely tried to maim not kill, you left that honor to me. I don't want you ending up like these people, like me I guess."
"I'll have to if I want to survive, I don't want to kill you Ellie whether you believe it or not. But you don't give a shit about me do you?" Curtis whined.
"I'm thinking about you dude, get it through your head. You ride with me you'll die, I'm like an albatross."
"What...an albatross? What do you mean? The bird right?"
"Yeah I bring bad luck to everyone around me." Ellie let out an exasperated breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to threaten you, it wasn't my intention. But I'm being serious, the outside world is no joke, especially if you're untrained at fighting."
Curtis looked at the ground momentarily, in thought then nodded. "Fine Ellie, we'll travel by moonlight." Curtis pointed at a bowl next to her glass of water.
"It's oats, eat it then we're going. It's all I've got left, it's yours."
"Curtis I don't know if I can keep you safe."
"If I die I die, at least I have a chance with you."
"A very small chance Curtis." Ellie pinched her thumb and forefinger together.
"Ellie eat, get your strength up then we go. If you're taking me you're no good on an empty stomach."
"Fine Curtis, fine. I understand what it's like to be scared and alone."
"Don't make fun of me Ellie."
"I'm being serious jackass." Ellie ate gratefully, after she finished she looked at him, he had been silent the last few minutes.
"Here's my deal. You come with me, but you do your part and don't be a burden to me. There's a strong likeliness you or I will die. If it's me, you're on your own again, out there, you really need to think hard about this. If you agree to that we have a deal."
Curtis looked at her for a long time.
"Do you promise?" Curtis didn't take his eyes off her, this time it was Ellie who looked away. She slowly nodded, returning the gaze hard.
"I promise, but I'm not kidding, you fuck up you'll die."
"How you fucked up downstairs and I saved your life?" Curtis replied angrily.
"My life is looking down the barrel of your handgun. But okay, done deal. So do me a favor and lower the gun finally, you got what you wanted."
Curtis lowered it but kept a tight grip on it.
Ellie dressed then looked at Curtis. "Can I have my bag back please?" Damn, now she was the one begging.
Curtis gave her the bag. "You could at least thank me because I did save your life."
Ellie put out her hand, Curtis was hesitant to hand his gun over.
"For now Curtis, I don't want you pointing that at me again. I'll give it back when I think I can trust you to not threaten me with it again. Until then I'll make sure you're protected."
Curtis gave it to her. "Just keep the promise, I want it back because you may need me."
"I get why you did what you did and held me at gun point but it's a scary experience, I'm sorry I got mad but let's just say I hope you never get one pointed at you."
"I didn't know who you were, I still don't. I hope you're not lying to me."
"I'm not lying Curtis, what more can I say?"
"I'm trusting you, I'm a kid, if you go back on your word..."
"What I said I meant, even the bit about you dying if you fuck up. Yeah just like me, remember we all make mistakes."
"I just gave you my gun okay, I'm putting my trust in you so I don't want you holding it for long. If something goes down you remember this, you want me to do my part I can't do much without a weapon can I?"
"Tomorrow, maybe, let's just see how the evening goes. You're right though, you're putting your trust in me so I'll put my trust in you, just don't ever point it at me again."
"I wont."
"Thanks." Ellie said.
"But I still don't get it back until tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow, yeah." Ellie clarified.
"Urgh." Curtis wasn't happy, Ellie didn't care.
They got another backpack together for Curtis, stocked up and mounted the horses. They rode away, Curtis glancing back, knowing he would never return just like the rest of his family.
Ellie took notice, she wanted to say something but held her tongue, he didn't need a 'life is harsh, now get over it' lecture.
Curtis had his flashlight on, lighting their way ahead.
"We travel until it's pitch black, find somewhere, hole up then start properly in the morning." Ellie looked at him. "Okay?"
He nodded. "Tell me your story Ellie, I want to know."
Ellie didn't really want to but found a weight lifted by talking about her journey since leaving Jackson over two weeks ago. When Curtis had asked about what happened before she left Jackson she told him that could wait for another day. He had been persistently asking how she lost the two fingers on her left hand, she had replied that it was a fight but refused to elaborate, only that it had ended her guitar playing days.
"Fuck, you used to play guitar and some asshole cut your fingers off? Did they do it on purpose?" Curtis asked shocked.
"Yeah, but they didn't walk away lightly, they've probably got more scars than you could count."
"But what was it about?"
Ellie sighed. "A gang of raiders attacked and we finally fought them off, most of them died, some made a run for it, we never saw them again. The person who left me with this gift." Ellie wiggled her stub fingers. "Was one of the ones that got away, I guess those of us who survived were lucky that day."
"I bet you wish you could get revenge on them." Curtis said, it felt like he had read her mind. Obviously he hadn't but it was bringing up memories of Abby, she wanted that to be in the past.
"At first yeah, but not anymore."
Curtis looked at her unconvinced.
"It wouldn't change anything, so no, I don't want revenge." Ellie was hoping he would drop the subject.
"Oh, that's good." Was all he said.
"When we get to our next safe building and secure ourselves and the horses for the night I'd like to know your story Curtis."
"Oh okay, but I want to know yours too."
"I guess that's a fair trade." Ellie accepted.
"All of it."
"I'll tell you a little everyday, I'm not one for opening up, deal?" Ellie asked.
"Alright." Curtis replied weakly.