𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐎 (𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒) *editing*

𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐡🌞

Maeve jolted awake. The truck abruptly stopped, practically throwing her out of the dreamless slumber she was in. She yawned a bear-like yawn before she realized she was using TJ as her pillow. He was just as startled as she was when the truck jerked forward. They both looked at each other but averted their gazes. Though, she was sure he didn't know because also woke up from Joel's sudden brake check.

"Now what?" Ellie yawned.

They were on the freeway, which was clogged by dozens of abandoned cars. Joel grumbled under his breath as if debating on what to do: turn around, or use the ramp that led into the jungle of buildings of whatever city they were in,

"Screw it," Joel grunted and drove the truck down the turnpike.

All was going smoothly when there was suddenly a man limping toward the truck. Joel stomped the brake, causing everyone to be thrown forward.

"Easy!" the younger specimens looked at Joel, but his only focus was the man that limped toward them.

"Please...help..." The man called out pitifully.

"Holy shit..." Ellie glanced between Joel and the man. "Are we going to help him?"

"Put your seat belts on, kids," Joel ordered.

They hurried to put their seat belts on.

"But what about the guy?" Maeve asked warily.

"Oh, he ain't even hurt." Joel gunned it.

The truck shot forward and at the man. Everything happened so quickly. The limping brought out his gun, missing his shots as he was hit by the truck, getting tossed over the hood like a rag doll. It wasn't seconds after, many other guys tried shooting the truck, their bullets cracking against the doors and even shattering the windows.

"Not good!" A loud squealing of metal deafened the gunshots for a split second as a turned-over bus tore through part of the street and t-boned their truck.

"Hold on!"

Maeve grabbed on both of the men as they crashed into a storefront, breaking the entrance and then some. The pickup collided with an iron beam that ended their spiraling. For a moment, everything was still.

"Ugh..." Maeve groaned and unbuckled herself.

"We're good...I think..." TJ peered at the sisters in slight disorientation.

"Then get out quick," Joel told them.

"C'mere, you!" Suddenly, a buff and grunge man ripped Ellie's door open and seized her.

"Let go of me, you chickenshit! Joel!" She cried out as the man pulled her from the truck.

"Ellie!" Maeve yelled out, scrambling over TJ and out of the truck to aid her sister. "Let her go, asshole!" She snatched a broke four-by-four and charged at the man who was choking her sister and swung it as hard as she could at his head. The rotten wood broke on impact. Already pissed off, the man growled, turning his wrathful attention onto Maeve, who throw the broken piece of wood at him, which hit him in the face. That seemed to piss him off more. He lunged at Maeve, tackling her before she could dodge or run away to safety.

"I'll show you," The man wrapped his hands around Maeve's throat, squeezing her flesh. "I'll show you."

She gasped for air and clawed at the man's arms. Black dots filled her vision and the pain in her trachea was excruciating. He was trying to crush her windpipe or break her neck. Or both. She wouldn't last much longer, but...before she would let her consciousness slip, she managed to pluck her knife from her pocket and jam it in the guy's left elbow. He yelled out, releasing her to get the knife out of his flesh.