Look for the Light

1

You were standing guard when you overheard their conversation. You'd not meant to eavesdrop but when your name had fallen from Ellie's lips, you couldn't help yourself.

"You and her a thing?" The child asked and Joel scoffed.

"Pass." He replied and your heart sank.

"Something is going on with you two though." She stated matter of factly and you could almost picture Joel's expression.

"Pass." He replied again and that was your cue to turn around again and return to keeping the watch.

"How'd you end up in Boston?" Ellie pushed and Joel practically grumbled out his reply.

"Pass." His favourite response "No more questions about me."

You tuned out after that. You could vaguely hear them discussing the life expectancy of the infected but you didn't care to listen. Your mind instead wandered back to how you had met Tess and Joel. How they'd saved you from almost certain death.

4 years earlier...

You were sure you were hallucinating when two figures came into view. You blamed it on the blood loss. Damn raiders had got you good. Clutching to your leg, you watched them slink into view. You knew they would likely kill you. If anything, they would put you out of your misery. So that's why, when they had gotten close enough, you'd called out for help. The shadows blocked the sun as they came to a stop beside you, your vision going black as they crouched to your level.

"She's been shot." Stated Tess as she inspected your wound "Best just leave her here." She stated as she got back to her feet but Joel remained.

Normally he would have agreed with his partner. He'd left plenty of doomed souls to die where he's found them but there was something about you that drew him in.

"We're not far from Bill and Frank's." He stated as he placed two fingers on your neck "If we get her there, they could help."

"Bill barely lets us in." Tess grumbled, "What makes you think he'll help her!" She scoffed.

"Frank will."

"Why do you care Joel?" She asked, pulling his gaze to her "She's a nobody. You've done it before!"

Joel didn't reply. He simply scooped her up into his arms and started walking. Less than an hour later, Frank was patching you up and Bill was grumbling about dragging strays into his town.

You hadn't strayed from Joel's side a day since

Present...

"You can put the gun down, Joel." Sat Tess as she managed to barge the door open.

You made your way to Ellie's side and studied Tess' expression.

"What is it?" You ask and she simply motioned for you to follow.

This couldn't be good news.

Following through the abandoned hotel restaurant, you made your way to what looked like a balcony in the middle of renovations, before everything went to hell. Stepping through a plastic curtain the truth of your predicament came to light. You wouldn't be going the way you'd hoped.

"There's so many." Gasped Ellie and you glanced at the girl a moment before sharing a look with Joel.

"The last time we were here, they were still deep inside the buildings." Stated Tess as she watched the infected writhe on the floor "Then I guess enough people came through looking for the QZ, they went inside seeking shelter... and that's how they get more and more of the city bit by bit, year after year."