Safe and Sound

Volume 2

What had awoken you from your sleep was a slight and almost unnoticeable nudge to the shoulder from where you lay, the ground beneath you cold and slightly damp but in the moment your parents had given you the go ahead you were out like a light, the slightly less than full backpack you used as a pillow was less the comfortable but once again. At two in the morning and after having been moving all night, everything seemed comfortable. When you had opened your eyes you were met with the sight of Joel, kneeling down to wake you, with a small grumble you sat yourself up and he grabbed your backpack, taking out the small first aid kit, taking out a sterile wipe and then bringing it to your eyebrow, to which, it stung. You weren't sure when you got that wound but he had certainly noticed it before you had, with a sniffle he looked into your eyes.

"Yeah, you took a nasty fall last night." Joel murmured as he continued to wipe off the blood, it wasn't a fun sight. Around one or so, you and Ellie both got so tired that when having to jump over a small ditch, you didn't and you fell down about twenty feet. That was the cue for Joel and Tess to find somewhere to get some sleep, so when they had found this old storefront, it seemed perfect. Needless to say, you and Ellie were out within a minute of being allowed to. He then tilted your chin up to look at him, "Do you remember that?"

A small frown as you try to think back to the night before, yet all you could remember was leaving the QZ. So you shake your head, "I don't remember much after we got away from that guard to be honest." You reply and then pull your head back against the wipe which finally made its way to the largest part of the wound. "Ow."

"Hey," He scolded and put his other hand on the back of your neck to pull you closer as he pressed it to the cut, "Can't have you hurt, you're supposed to be the responsible one." Joel can't help but smile as you hide your laugh behind a scoff.

"Nuh-huh," You shook your head, "Mom's the responsible one."

"Oh yeah," Joel nodded as you stood and he followed, "Mom is the responsible one." As she spoke you sat down in front of Tess, who was sitting on a chair she had pulled from somewhere, and he then sat down beside her.

Tess raised her eyebrow to your both amused expressions, "What are you two talking about?"

You shrug, "How awesome you are." You could almost see how Tess would shoot your father a look to see if that were true, and you heard a non distinct reply you didn't bother to try to figure out. The sound of chatter must have awoken Ellie, because she stirred, her eyes looking to the fallen out buildings roof for a moment as she shoved her pocket knife back into her coat pocket. So, you all went silent for a moment, and when she looked to you all it was because you had shifted your weight and made the floor creak. Ellie seemed less than pleased at the sight of all three of you staring at her while she slept, you hadn't been, because you were also asleep until a few moments before.

"Morning," Ellie said flatly as she turned to face Joel and Tess, and when she made a move to go to her feet, Joel lightly nudged his gun in his grasp just enough to bring attention to it. And her eyes darted upward, one knee still on the ground, to the sight of her looking down for a moment before sitting once again. She could almost read their minds, she certainly read yours, so with a slight motion of her hand she then smugly said, "Do I look like I'm infected?"

"Show us your arm." Joel replied with no real emotion in his tone, it was funny, well not really but it was interesting how loving he could be towards you and Tess and then be so heartless to another person, all within a few minutes. With a sigh, Ellie rolled up the sleeve of her jacket and shirt and almost in sync you all leaned forward to look at it, it looked like a healed wound, just scar tissue.

"Yeah it's not getting any worse is it?" Ellie rolled her eyes as she said that, keeping the sleeve hoisted up to showcase the scar. She watched as Joel and Tess glanced at each other, but she kept her eyes on you. "If we're out in the open city, why aren't we getting swarmed?"