Eternal Mind | The Last Of Us

10

Fresh air hit Prim's face as she and Ellie climbed out of a widow. "Put this around your arm", Joel verbalized as he handed her a white cloth.

"Thanks", she replied. This minor act of kindness was very contradictory to his behavior a few minutes ago.

The two adults looked at the girls as they stood in front of a lengthy wooden plank that was being held together by crooked, rusted nails.

"I know it looks scary".

Without uncertainty, Ellie stepped onto it. "That was scary, This is wood". To her, a makeshift bridge was nothing out of the ordinary.

Prim went after her. Stopping in the middle she looked down. Her lips pressed together. Blood dripped from her nose. For a moment all she did was look down. The ground looked so far yet so close.

She glimpsed over at Ellie and then down again. The wood creaked as her feet got closer to the edge. Inch by inch.

"Come check this out"! Ellie shouted at her. Prim looked her way. This time she fully turned her body around.  She stood there for a second but one second was all it took for her to continue across toward her friend.

Joel yelled from the other side, "Just wait there. Give us a minute". He took some black tape out of his bag to help with Tess's swollen foot. She looked him up and down.

There's probably more ahead".

"Then we'll deal with them". Tess stopped Joel once he wrapped the tape around her ankle. "I got it, I got it".

"What about the kids"?

"What about them", Tess remarked.

"It's gotten too dangerous we should just turn back. I mean maybe the first bite didn't take, but what about the other one? And maybe it takes longer for kids to turn".

"How bout you just take the good news, can you do that? We've already been through hell enough". She tugged on the tape tighter. "Can't you just think for once, for even a second that there's a slight possibility, a chance that we could actually win"?

A look of confusion was plastered on Joel's face. Tess usually agreed with him on things that could be a risk factor for them. Even though they were promised supplies that would be very beneficial. They wouldn't be able to enjoy any of it six feet under. 

Tess exhaled. "Just go, go watch them". As Joel walked away she put her face in her arms.

Ellie's eyes were fixated on the sky. An orange-yellow hue had enveloped it since the last time they were outside. If only she had a camera to capture such beauty.

On the opposite side of fasciation, there was Prim. She stood off to the side. If you had seen a young girl that was currently in the state she was in the old world, you would surely think that it was a product of a terrible home life. 

Her feet were caked in dirt. Her eyes were dull, almost lifeless. The brown curls from her hair were frizzier than ever. Some strands stuck out, looking as if lightning had struck her.

Dried blood laid under her nose and on her shirt. Footsteps echoed through her eyes. Her face scrunched up in discomfort. Maybe they'll have some music recorders at the firefly base.

Joel came up beside Ellie. "Is it everything you hoped for"?

The girl hummed in acknowledgement. "Jurys still out. But man you can't deny that view".

The pair stood there looking out at the city. Prim's hands shot up over her ears. Tess strolled passed them. "C'mon, let's get there before it's dark".

Joel didn't move after everyone went down the ladder. He looked down at his watch and back at the sunset.