I'll Be A Flower || Ellie Williams fanfiction || In Works!

XI. Tell me what?

[chapter 11]

Eileanoir

We ran to an old gas station. There were beautiful white flowers there, but i didn't know it's name.

The gas station had been taken over by FEDRA and there were multiple tanks that were owned by them.

"Well this place takes me back." Joel suddenly informs us.

"How? You been here before?" I ask, slightly confused.

"No, but after everything went down, i ended up in a triage just like this."

"Everywhere you looked you just saw families torn apart. Whole damn world seemed to have turned upside down in a blink." He sadly continues.

"Is that after you lost Sarah?" Ellie asks quietly, hoping to not invade too much. I knew Sarah was his daughter, but i hadn't heard much about her.

"Yes it was." Joel mutters softly.

"I can't imagine losing someone you love like that. Losing everything that you know. I'm sorry, Joel." Ellie says. I just give Joel an apologetic smile and nod.

"That's okay, girls."

We loot the area and Joel mods his guns. Then we keep walking.

"Hey, Joel. I got something for you. Here. Maria showed this to me and i uh... stole it. I hope ypu don't mind." Ellie shows Joel a picture of him and Sarah.

He takes a deep breath after almost choking in his own spit. "Well, no matter how hard you try... i guess you can't escape your past. Thank you."

And we continue walking down the street, jumping over fences and rubble. We start going down to an underground tunnel. "This time it's gonna be different."

"What do you mean?" Joel questions Ellie.

"They're gonna be there - The Fireflies. I'm sure of it."

"Well, they better be." I mutter softly and look at Ellie. She smiles at me kindly and we keep going further down.

All of a sudden Joel crouches down. "Oh shit."

"Infected. Get down." He whispers to us and we comply.

Joel handles most of it, i only take down a couple by stabbing them.

"Holy shit." Ellie says. "Stay quiet."

We take down a couple more and Joel goes to loot a room.

"Oh my god, there's so many of them." She says worriedly.

"I know, let's just keep at it." He reassures and keeps crouching forward.

"Stay back." Joel says after a while. He goes to kill multiple infected until we're finally done.

"Shit... This is getting tiring." I mutter annoyedly.

"Okay. Eli, c'mere. I'll boost you up." Joel calls for me and i run up to him. I get on top of the truck and push down a crate so Ellie and Joel can get up.

We jump down and slowly walk along the edge of the tunnel since there was water in there, and Ellie couldn't swim.

"Hey. Uh, i was thinking about a nickname for you. I mean, i know you already have one... i just, you know." Ellie akwardly starts. I smile.

"Uhhuh. What is it."

She looks at me, excited. "I thought about Lea. Is that good?" I nod happily and give her a little side hug. "Thanks, Els."

She laughs. "Okay. Now im Els?" I grin wink playfully. "Sure. If you want to be."

"Yeah, i do." She blushes lightly and we keep walking.

"Kids, watch your step. That water looks pretty deep." Joel informs from ahead.

"We got it." We run up to him. "Hey that's what we can do when we're done." Ellie excitedly gets and idea.

"What's that?" Joel asks. "Well, you guys can teach me how to swim."

"You got it." he says and jumps into the water. He dives to the other side.

"I'm on the other side!" he then yells.

"Cool. Drop that ladder down for us." Ellie shouts over to Joel. "Alright. Hold on."

He jumps up and drops the ladder
"Just stick to the edge. It's shallow over there."

And we climb up and jump down. Then we get in the water. "Oh god, It's freezing!" Ellie whines. I scrunch my face up at the cold feeling of the water on my legs.

Joel gets up and tries the door, but it won't budge. "And another jammed door."

"Ellie, gimme your foot." He said and made a cradle out of his palms. Ellie went through the hole in the fence and got to the other side.

"Ellie! Look out!" I yell as i see a clicker emerge from behind her. She shouts in surprise and Joel shoots it dead.

"You okay?" He asks. "Yeah. It just surprised me. Man, i can't wait for those things to be wiped out." She opens the door.

I furrow my brows. "What do you mean?"

Ellie freezes and turns to Joel. "...Joel. Can i tell her?" He sighs and looks at me. "I guess you'll have to by now."

I'm completely puzzled, just standing there with my arms out. "Tell me what?"

Ellie walks closer to me and fiddles with her fingers. "I...I was bit a long time ago. And nothing happened." She mumbles with her eyes closed.

I try to make sense of her revelation, but i just don't understand. "What?"

"I'm immune. To the cordyceps. Ive been bit before and nothing happened." She sighs after speaking more clearly. "The Fireflies are gonna make a cure out of me."

"H-How?" That's all i can get out. Should i laugh? Usually when she makes a joke i get it.

"I'm not sure. Using my blood, i guess." She shrugs, still looking down. I glance at Joel and then back to Ellie. She's... serious.

"Hey. I'm not...scared or something." I lightly touch her chin so she looks at me. "I think its kinda cool."

She looks me in the eyes and smiles a little. "I guess."

"It totally is." I assure her and smack her arm. "Now come on, let's keep going!"