𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐎 (𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒) *editing*

𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫🌞

*Kind of a short chapter*

"Wow, look at that."

After navigating the hotel, the group came to a large room with a set of tables. There were still plates and silverware on them. Everything looked like time just...stopped. It was like nothing had been touched since Outbreak Day.

The deserted ballroom couldn't have looked any more depressing—was that a backdrop? Maeve eyed the torn beach background. Of course, it was. And she thought it couldn't get any more cringing. Or at least the beach photo was, what were they trying to go for? If she had lived before the Cordyceps, she would've liked to slap them around a bit for using the most outdated, overused backdrop photo.

It was so tacky.

Somehow, she couldn't imagine anyone posing in front of that train wreck of a picture, much less smiling in front of it.

Joel, acting as if everything wasn't all awkward and tense, stepped beside Ellie as she observed the damaged picture set, "That's a backdrop. People would take their pictures in front of it."

Maeve couldn't help but roll her eyes. He wasn't helping even a little bit with the awkward and intense air. Maybe he was feeling a bit guilty about earlier, trying to ease his way to an apology. For the most part, she understood Joel's frustration, taking a life wasn't easy and did serious mental damage to the person behind the gun, well, if they're weak-hearted. And second, she also took Ellie's side. She saved Joel's ass from a hunter, and he didn't act the slightest bit grateful. It felt rather rude.

"Yeah, I know what it is."

"Okay, then," Joel lightly rolled his tongue. Something on your mind, Ellie?"

The younger girl sighed loudly, crossed her arms over her chest, and faced Joel. "I wasn't trying to "disobey" you back there. You guys were taking a really long time and I thought, maybe you'd gotten into trouble."

"It don't matter what you thought. I need you to listen to me."

"I do. It's just that..." Ellie's nose screwed up. "Whatever, Joel."

Now that it was awkward again, Maeve decided to take a look around, even though there wasn't much. Empty cups, dusty plates. She cast a glance at the stage; it had this old, grand piano in the center of it. The gears in her head turned and she approached the stage, climbing on it. The second floor had wooden railings, but there was a part of the wall and floor that seemed to be rotted down enough, that if maybe someone was boosted up, they could totally lift each other up. Easy peasy.

But...the guys probably would be less than keen to lift up either her or Ellie, and then get pulled up, and then repeat. Yeah...she didn't want to do that either. She barely had the upper body strength to do twenty push-ups.

"That door looks like a way out. See any way to get up there?"

"Nope."

"Oh!" Maeve glanced the old piano, an idea blipping into her mind. "How about we use this to climb up there?"

"Out of all of your ideas, that one isn't all that bad."

The auburn-haired girl blew a raspberry at TJ and his snide comment. She resisted the urge to just whack him upside the head. Her arm itched and her fingers barely twitched. Her ideas were just fine! It was his decision to be distrustful! And it wasn't like he was coming up with anything to get them out of the dreadful hotel!

Even if he meant it as a compliment, it sounded sarcastic. Whatever the case, he had a serious case of roadkill up his ass.

"Okay..." Maeve huffed and smacked her hands on the side of the piano and tried to push. "Huh! Damn this thing won't budge!"