𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 - 𝐓𝐋𝐎𝐔

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲.

𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐈.

I sat on the floor, tapping my foot impatiently. The action made my whole body shake and the radiator rattled as I leaned back against it, causing the Firefly that was guarding me and the doorway to glare at me.

"Quit that." He spat after a few seconds when I ignored his threatening look.

I stop moving my foot, staring back at him in thought for moment before continuing to tap it.

After the small altercation down on the highway, they held me at gunpoint for the entire walk to the hospital, then proceeded to take the cuffs I had on and locked me to a radiator in some office.

I've been waiting over two hours for any news about either Ellie or Joel and haven't heard a thing. I'd tried listening to anything being said in the corridor outside my room, but got nothing as people swiftly walked past without a word. There was no one in the neighbouring rooms either for me to listen to, so I was left entirely in the dark.

I knew the guy that sat across from me, fully armed to the teeth, wasn't going to give me any insight because for one - he knew as much as I did since he'd been sat here with me the entire time, simply staring at me with spite, and secondly - I doubt he would ever tell me a thing anyway.

"I said fucking quit-" He shoots up from his seat only to be cut off when someone comes through the door.

The door flies open and Marlene enters, which immediately makes me sit upright.

"You're dismissed, Karl." She excuses the man who was just about to lash out at me and I can't help but send him a small amused smirk when he sends me one last glare before sauntering out of the room.

Marlene had come in alone and the smell of anxiety coming from her instantly put me on edge. She was naturally nervous around me anyway but this was far more intense than our previous encounters.

I stared back at her with raised brows when she sat in the chair across from me without a single word, not staring at anything in particular, but she most certainly was avoiding my gaze on purpose.

"So, you want to tell what the fuck's going on then?" I break the silence with a bewildered tone.

My heart was beginning to hammer with the anticipation, even though I saw them bring Ellie back with my own eyes, I was starting to think of the worst case scenario. Not to mention I didn't even know if Joel was awake yet and if he was okay.

She raises her head and finally meets my gaze. She chews on her bottom lip and lets out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes as she finally informs me of the situation.

My grip on the handcuffs behind my back grew so tight I felt like I was going to draw blood. "Are you fucking insane?" I instantly start to raise my voice at her.

"We don't have a choice." She says, remaining a calm and level voice but I could hear her heart racing.

"You always have a choice, Marlene!" I snap, making her flinch. "She has come all this way; she's been through hell and back to get here. You say she's not even been awake for a single second of being here and you're just gonna send her into surgery without her having her say in this?"

She doesn't say anything, keeping her eyes screwed shut and head tilted down in shame.

"And you're just gonna throw her life away that easy?"

She quickly pushes herself up and out of the chair to point her finger at me. "You should know better than anyone what comes with this life - fighting to protect whatever is left of humanity... it requires sacrifices."