The Edge of Everything ¹ | THE LAST OF US |

four ; infected

Four ;

Infected

Penelope was laying on the grass-covered ground. Using her father's coat as a blanket, draped across her body. Her backpack was being used as a pillow, with her oxygen tanks taken out of the bag to be comfier. She was asleep, unaware of the world.

Penelope fell right asleep the night before. Completely exhausted from the adrenaline and excitement the night before. Ellie, on the other hand, did not fall asleep right away the night before. It took hours of her tossing and turning before sleep consumed the girl.

The two adults of the group stayed awake the whole night, watching over Ellie. Waiting for her to turn. But as the sunlight came through the hole in the ceiling, displaying the warm heat like a nice blanket over Ellie, they saw no sign the child was turning.

Penelope stirred, extending out of her curled-up position. She groggily looked around, her eyes full of sleepiness. She let out a big yawn, stretching her back. As Penelope sat up, her father's coat fell off her body. She observed her soundings, finding a bunch of red seats and pictures all over the walls. She glanced over to find Ellie groggily getting up just like she did moments ago.

Ellie situated herself, taking in her soundings before pocketing her switchblade. She turned her buddy around swiftly after hearing the floorboards creaking. Ellie tries to stand up, but Joel picks up his gun, aiming it at Ellie. Greeting the two adults in the room with their guns pointed at her. "Morning."

Ellie sits down with her eyes raised. "Do I look like I'm infected?"

"Show us your arm." Joel demands the girl.

Ellie rolls up her sweatshirt and her coat, showing her infected bite. Penelope inches closer to the girl, trying to get a better look. Joel quickly aims his gun at Penelope. She stops in her tracks. Afraid he would shoot her too.

"Yeah, it's not getting any worse, is it?" Ellie quips back to the older man, yanking her sleeve down. Tess leans forward to get a better look, and Joel's brows furrow into a hard expression. Joel looks away from the younger girls obviously not seeing anything change in Ellie's mark.

"If we're out in the open city why aren't we getting swarmed?" Ellie questioned the adults.

"Don't worry about that." Joel's voice came across as stern.

"Well, I'm gonna ." Ellie snapped back to the older man.

Penelope started to pack up her oxygen tanks into her backpack. She shrugged on her father's coat, the cold air nipping at her body.

"What was Marlene doing with an infected kid?" Tess' voice came from the other side of the room. She had her hands in her pockets and a hard expression on her face.

"I'm not infected." Ellie insisted. "She found me after I was bitten."

"And she didn't shoot you." Joel stated.

"Clearly not." Ellie's next sentence was fast, it was hard for Penelope to understand what Ellie was saying. "She locked me up and had her guys test me every day to see if I was getting sick."

"Test you how?"

Ellie ignored the question. "I have to pee."

"Test you...how?" Tess demanded the child, tired of her crap.

Ellie sighed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "They'd make me count to 10 and hold out my hand and then keep it steady." She paused to look at Penelope who was tugging her father's coat closer to her body. "But, you know, I think what really impressed them was the fact that I didn't turn into a fucking monster. Now can I please?"