Eremophobia ✗The Last of Us✗

Ch. 5 ✗ Fractured Fingers, and the Long Way ✗

The journey away from the quarantine zone was quiet. Tess was angry, that much was clear, I feel like if you looked close enough, you could see it coming off of her in waves, much like the ground when it got too hot in the summer.

Ellie has her arms wrapped around herself, looking at her feet as she walks. The once talkative girl had gone quiet, and while usually, it would bring peace, I was worried for her. I couldn't predict what Tess and Joel's reactions would be to the information JJ, Ellie and I already knew.

JJ stuck close to the girl in question, protecting her, as instructed. Though I can't be too sure if it's because he was told to, or if he had genuinely begun to care for the 14-year-old next to him. He watched her closely, blue eyes following her every movement, his hand coming up to his weapon when a noise would echo, or Tess would move in an odd way.

Joel and I carried up the back, walking next to each other in silence. I watched him discreetly, his hands clutching the FEDRA-issued gun he had picked up, His dark eyes darting around quickly, looking for any sign of danger that may take us by surprise. I had noticed that every so often he would remove his right hand from the gun, and flex his fingers, wincing slightly as he did so. The movement made me furrow my brows in concern, he must have hurt his hand while delivering his punches. I mentally prepared myself for the fight that would come when I offer to fix it wherever we stop for the night.

The five of us carry on this way for a while. The silence was welcomed. It was better than the alternative. The thought of the clicks echoing in the dark brought chills down my spine.

Eventually, we came across a building in the middle of the city. Joel and JJ went in first, scoping the place for any infected that may be lurking in the shadows. Once we were given the all-clear, Tess, Ellie and I filed into the building, Ellie quickly made herself comfortable, curling into a ball on a patch of grass that had begun to reclaim the floor. The rest of us gathered by some chairs that sat lined against the wall.

"What are we gonna do with her?" Joel enquires.

"What do you mean?" JJ questions, "We're taking her to the State Building, and then we're gonna go home, and you two are going to go find Tommy."

"We can't keep taking her." Tess hisses at him, "Are you crazy? She's infected. We should put her down while we still can."

"We can't do that." I whisper, gesturing to the girl sleeping teenager, "She's a kid."

"An infected kid," Joel grumbles.

"Look," JJ begins, "The fireflies have been watching her for weeks. She was bit with a new member of ours, the girl turned, and Ellie didn't. I've watched her arm heal myself." He explains.

"What the hell were the Fireflies doing with an infected kid?!" Tess asks perplexed.

"You guys wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try us," Joel grumbles, glaring at my brother through his brows.

"We're taking Ellie to a group of Fireflies that are going to take her somewhere out west, not sure where, word is there are some doctors working on a cure."

"A cure?" Joel fumed, "We've heard that before. Some miracle cure that isn't real...that's what you guys think she is?!"

"Look man, I get it." JJ sympathizes, "I really do, I understand how crazy this sounds, but we've never encountered someone like her before. Someone immune. Marlene thinks there's a real possibility this time."

Tess and Joel look at each other in silence for a moment, before Tess rubs her eyes in exhaustion, "Okay, we'll talk more about this in the morning. For now, I need sleep. who's taking the first watch?"