The Last Of Us: A Forsaken Son

Infected

Caleb hands went to his knees as he tried to recollect his breathing. Ellie sat on her bottom as she tried to do the same.

"Say we deliver you to the fireflies, what then?" Tess asked her

Ellie let out a weary sigh before she spoke, "Marlene said that they have their own quarantine zone, with doctors there trying to find a cure"

"Heard that before, huh, Tess?" Joel said, his cynicism evident in his tone.

"She said whatever happened to me is the key to finding a vaccine" Ellie said

"Oh, Jesus." Joel let out a mocking chuckle.

This appeared to made Ellie upset as she stood and faced Joel, "Fuck you man. I didn't ask for this"

"Neither did I?" He responded "Tess, what the hell are we doing?"

Tess gave Joel a stare, a stare that seemed to not go with Joel's thoughts as he took a step back shocked.  "I can't believe this..."

"What if it's true Joel?" Tess said

"First the boy. Now you want to do this with her, too?" He pointed in the direction opposite of where they came "with those things out there?"

Tess gave Caleb and Ellie a glance. "not everyone can be like you, Joel" she walked past him.

They then began to continue on their journey. The raindrops filling the silence along with some thunder.

After climbing to higher ground using the broken pieces of the highway they'd just came from under, the same highway Caleb saw before his body did a thing of its own. It wasn't until he saw the two buildings standing tall that he sensed a feel of familiarity.

"To see these buildings up close..." Ellie said in awe, "They're so damn tall."

Other buildings and infrastructure stood in ruins, and the streets littered with debris and abandoned cars.

"What happened here?" Caleb asked

"Military bombed the hell out of the surrounding areas to the quarantine zone." Tess continued "Hoping to get rid of as much of the infected as possible. Which lasted for a short while"

"Is this place safe?" Ellie asked, her voice mix with trepidation and uncertainty.

"Let's hope so" Tess said, leading the way.

They navigated their way into a building that was still mostly holding together, though the aftermath of the bombing had left it with a scarred interior. Despite the damage to its structure, the building still appeared to be standing tall, precariously so.

"Whoa.." Ellie suddenly said.

Caleb eyes widened as he saw a man's body sitting against a wall. His figure drenched in blood as well as half his face.

"He's been ripped apart" Tess said, standing beside Caleb. The flashlight that emitted from her illuminated the man's body.

Staring at his face only made his mind conjure up the image of David. It felt as if life was indiscriminately putting things in place to keep him from forgetting that horrid event.

"Come on, kid" Joel voice broke the stillness Caleb felt as he stood there drowning at the fact he saw David's face.

"Okay..."

He saw another body sat against the wall as they went up some stairs. This time, he didn't take the time to observe the damage, he just kept going.

After Joel went through a door frame with a bold number five next to it, he heard Joel release a sympathetic yet unfazed sigh.