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The path they were supposed to take was blocked by huge amounts of rubble from collided buildings. "So the state is house is across there, it's about a ten-minute walk if you could go straight".

"So, Long way or short"?

"I meant the long way or the we're fucking dead way".

"Well, I vote the long way just based on that limited amount of information".

"We have to check it from the hotel first". The group made their way onto a highway. Cars stretched for miles upon miles.

'Where the fuck are they already", Ellie asked. Her nerves were getting the best of her. She hadn't seen not one infected since they'd been on the trip.

"You'll know when they're close".

Prim hummed in agrumment. "Ils sont loin". Joel walked behind them from a distance.

"How did you get bit", Tess asked curiously.

"You know the old mall in the Qz"?

"The one that's sealed off and boarded up that no one supposes to go in ever, that one".

"Whatever, I snuck in to see what it was like. Didn't think there was gonna be anything in there and then one just came at me outta nowhere. Thought I got away but".

"So it was just you there, alone"?

"Yeah". Ellie looked down. A good indicator that she was lying.

"How old are you"?

"Fourteen".

"Wow well I mean you got some balls on you sister".

Ellie smiled at the comment. "Thanks". 

Tess helped Prim get over the car that was upside down. She and Ellie walked along the sidewalk. "No one's going to come after you guys right like Mom, Dad, Boyfriend"?

"I'm an orphan and uh no, I don't think Prim has any parents either". Although Prim heard what Ellie said she did not acknowledge it. Right now was not a good time for bad memories to come up.

Ellies dragged her arm agasint the metal of plants, leaves, and moss. "Everyone said the open city was crazy like swarms of infected running around everywhere".

"Not exactly like that".

"You know people like to tell stories".

"So there aren't superinfected that explode fungus spores at you"? 

"Shit I hope not".

"Or ones with split open heads that see in the dark like bats". Tess looked at Joel and they became silent. All of sudden there was a loud yell. "What was that", Ellie asked worriedly.

"Let's keep moving".
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It took a while but they finally made it to the hotel. When Ellie walked in she couldn't believe her eyes. Hotels were such a novelty to her. Being in a place that you had only about read in books was so surreal.

"You've gotta be kidding me, you ever stay in a place like this"? 

"How do you know what this is".

"Have you ever heard of books".

Joel went down the steps that lead to murky water. "Wait are we going in there", Ellie asked.

"Yeah, we gotta get to the stairwell on the other side".

She took a few steps back. "I don't know how to swim".

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