Divided In War

Chapter 2

What Am I Thinking

Ellie rode out of the gate with Dina only a few meters ahead of her. While entering the woods opposite of the way Jesse and Sylvia went, they slowed to match each others pace and rode side by side. Ellie looks over to Dina, laughing at the crinkled-up face she made as a snowflake falls onto her nose.

"What the hell are you laughing at stupid?" Dina reacts.

"Obviously your dumb face." Ellie retorts causing Dina to scoff, kicking the side of her mare speeding off in front of Ellie.

"Oh, come on." Ellie rolls her eyes doing the same to speed after the other.

Making it to the first check point, Dina shows where to tie up the horses before making it the checkpoint signing book. Ellie walks off catching a glimpse of a card, going to pick it up she sees it's hockey card.

Chuckling, "Hey. Dina look! Its those cards Sylvie collects! I'm gonna give it to her tonight."

"Tonight? What are you doing tonight?" Dina suspiciously asks.

"Oh, me and Sylvie are going to watch some movies tonight, she said she had found some the other day she wanted us to see."

Dina only nods in response. She walks to a ladder and climbs up, Ellie following her lead. Making it the safe room, Dina just pointed towards the logbook and turned around sharply walking off to the balcony.

"What's got her balls in a twist." Ellie whispers to herself as she takes two steps to the book.

Ellie signs into the book but pauses after she wrote Dina's name. "Goddamn it, she's just a friend." Her mind whirls. Shaking herself out of her own thoughts she joins Dina on the balcony looking at the view.

Dina hums, "Sometimes it feels freeing out here."

"I know right, I wish Sylvia could see this."

Dina sighs, "What's going on between the two of you."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Ellie turns her whole body to face Dina.

"It's always Sylvia this and Sylvia that, you guys a thing?" Dina matches Ellie's stance.

"Oh no, nonononono. Not at all, we're just best friends and I feel bad for her. I'm just trying to give her something to look forward to. Our friendship is great but that's all it is and will be." Ellie speaks holding her gaze in the chocolate eyes on Dina's freckled face.

"Oh, I'm sorry for assuming. But that's really nice of you, her life has been tough that's for sure, I wouldn't imagine losing your parents after going through so much.." Dina feels guilty for assuming such things and standoffish , but her heart swells knowing Ellie isn't in a relationship.

"Anywayyy, let's get going. We have to finish this patrol soon." Ellie agrees and both make their way to their horses and drive off. Enjoying the silence and beautiful route covered in snow.

-

Ellie and Dina had made it back to Jackson 20 minutes ago with the rest of the patrol groups, all except for one.

"They should be back by now." Dina speaks nervously picking at her knuckles and occasionally biting her nails.

"Sylvia is in good hands." Maria speaks from the side also waiting at the gate with Ellie, Dina, and Tommy.

"What if something happened! The route they took has been reported sightings! Ugh, I'm going out there. She needs my help." Ellie marched to her bag to put it on, but Tommy stopped her.

"She's fine, Sylvia can very much so hold her own, how about you guys go home and rest while I stay here and wait. If they aren't here by sundown I'll send a team to search." Tommy rests a firm hand on Ellies shoulder, making sure her stubborn brain had heard what he said.

Ellie's head hung lower but nodded either way.
"Fine. When you see her send her to my place."

"Sure." With that Ellie and Dina went their own, Maria stayed a few minutes longer but Tommy also forcing her to go home.

-

Three and a half hours have passed, and Ellie was sitting at her desk when she heard a knock on her door. Her nerves rose and frantically got our of her chair, tripping over the chair leg but quickly got back up to answer the door in hopes it was Sylvia.

"Hey! Where have y- OH! Hey Joel, what's up?" She tried to act cool, but her heavy breathing did the opposite.

"Uh, I just heard from Tommy that Sylvia had gotten back." Joel sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

"Really?!" She said a little to excited, and quickly moving passed Joel to go to her house.

"Woah- Hold it girl. Tommy said they went through a lot out there. Just, take it easy."

"Take it easy? Pfft, I'm giving that girl a piece of my mind." Ellie says leaning forward a smudge and tapping her index finger against her forehead.

Joel only chuckled in response, waving her off and Ellie stomped her way out of Joel's backyard.

After she left the yard, Ellie started to think. Was she okay? Did she need someone right now for comfort? Ellie started to worry and started to rush two streets down to Tommy's house. While trying to get there as fast as she could without getting stares, her mind went into overdrive. Ellie couldn't imagine losing her best friend, so much so she flung Tommy's door wide open catching the attention of said Tommy drinking a coffee while at the dinner table.

"Where is she." Ellie seemed almost panicked.

"She's upstairs with Jesse, he's uh, making sure she's okay. She looked a little frazzled." Tommy tries to explain.

"What the hell does that fucking mean. Wait, why is Jesse with her?!" Ellie wonders.

Shaking her head, "What am I thinking. She can have more people to support her and make her happy." Still thinking as she climbs the staircase and walk down the hall to Sylvia's room.

Ellie knocks and knocks again. And then one more time, still no answer. "What the fuck is she doing in there?" she whispers.

"That's it." Ellie grabs the doorknob, twisting it and opens the door. Her face drops. Jesse was sitting on Sylvia's bed with Sylvia sitting on his lap, legs wrapped around his waist. The two of them in the middle of a heavy make out session. With a half empty bottle of alcohol on her bedside table.

Ellie feels angry for some reason, and she clears her throat while crossing her arms over her chest. The two jumped off each other and both looked socked to see their friend with an unimpressed expression in the doorway.

"Ellie!" Sylvia squeaks out.

Ellie only keeps her eye contact with her, seemingly asking for some sort of explanation.

"I, uh umm, shit.... Don't tell Tommy please." Sylvia says but Jesse just stays quiet.