This is Not the Last of Us

Chapter 40

Ellie stepped into the entranceway of the theater. Abby was just getting there herself. The two stared at each other and Abby raised her gun and fired. The shot missed as Ellie ducked behind cover. Ellie could hear Abby swear as she moved to get closer to Ellie. Lev hesitated by the steps, bowstring drawn and arrow nocked.

Ellie waited until Abby's feet stopped just short of her. She threw her jacket into Abby's face, earning an alarmed cry. Ellie quickly made a run for it into the actual theater.

She could hear them chasing after her, but she was much faster than either of them. She hurried behind the cover of the curtains. Abby had fired two shots at Ellie, but both of them missed. Ellie was starting to think it was intentional that they missed.

Ellie looked around the backroom of the stage and panted. She could use this area to her advantage.

The next thirty minutes was one of the most intense fights of Ellie's life. Abby had chased her into the back of the theater, but Ellie had the advantage here. This was a landscape she had meticulously studied over the course of days. She knew this place like the back of her hand.

Ellie placed traps around slyly, and she used broken glass from lights and vases to her advantage. Ellie could hear Abby's footsteps, she was louder than Ellie herself. Abby was approaching the door, and Ellie was stationed right next to the entrance.

The second the door opened, Ellie lunged and landed a nice punch. Abby stumbled and Ellie moved to stab her. But Abby was physically stronger than Ellie, she grabbed Ellie's wrist and flung her across the floor.

Ellie grunted and pulled herself up just as Abby was moving to grab her. Ellie knew she would lose in a battle of brawn. She'd need to be clever– girlfriend levels of clever.

Abby tried to rush her, and Ellie immediately fired. The shot missed, but it forced Abby to move to cover. It was a standoff like this. Abby was hiding behind cover and moving as silently as she could.

"Where are you?" Ellie barked and pointed her gun.

Of course, Abby didn't answer. Should she try to provoke her? No, it was better to keep going this way.

Ellie stalked around, silent and cold. She heard Abby's loud footsteps behind her and immediately ducked. Abby's first swing missed with a violent overstep from her. Abby stumbled and looked down at Ellie who rammed her knife into Abby's leg.

Abby stumbled back and screamed out in pain. Ellie smirked and ran for cover as Abby raised her gun.

"Get out here!" Abby shrieked and put a hand over the wound in her calf. It was a deep wound, Ellie had gotten her good.

Ellie could hear Abby limping now, more desperate to get even now. She was panting and grunting every so often, which made her easier to locate. Ellie kept her ears open and gun at the ready.

They both moved around as quietly as they could. But Abby was in a losing position, and they both knew it.

Ellie hadn't expected Abby to throw a bottle in her face, however. Ellie blocked her face and could hear Abby running at her, but she was disoriented from the hit. She brought her hands down just in time to get a punch from Abby. The hit was so hard Ellie hit the floor and skidded. She scrambled to find purchase and Abby got on top of her while strangling her.

Ellie could see the anger in Abby's face; it reflected the own anger she had felt for years. A rage so buried deep and held back that you almost felt bad to see it. Ellie's vision was fading, and her breath was almost gone.

She was going to die here.

The loud crack and the feeling of glass on Ellie's skin snapped her back to attention. Abby was screaming and swearing, and there was blood on her face. Ellie rolled out from underneath her as Abby tried to pull the glass out of her skin.