Ageless Secrets

Ten

Outside Boston QZ

After navigating through the dark, wasteland city of Boston we found a place to hold up until daytime came around. I had checked out the scar on Ellie's arm before she curled up on the ground and fell asleep. “She's infected,” Joel whispered harshly, throwing his arm out to point in the direction of Ellie. “We can't just kill her, Joel!”

“She's infected!”

I looked over at Tess for help. “She's right, Joel, we can't just kill her. We'll wait it out here for the night. We can keep an eye on her,” she told him. I rolled my eyes and ran my hand through my hair. “She's not going to turn,” I mumbled. “You don't know that,” Joel snapped at me. “For one, lower your damn voice when you talk to me. Two, yes, she's infected…BUT she doesn't show any signs of turning. That bite on her arm is scarred over. If she was going to turn she would have by now.”

Joel threw his hands up in the air. “This is a waste of time. We should just go back and figure out another way, Tess. She's gonna get us killed.” I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest. “Let's just wait it out until sunrise. Yn looked at her and checked out that bite. If she says it's healed then I believe her.” That's a surprise. “Fine. But if she shows so much as one sign of turning I'm shooting her.”

The night went by slowly. I sat as far as I could from Joel and Tess. I sat with my back against the dirty wall, hood up on my jacket, and my head leaned back with my eyes closed. Music filled my ears blocking out any other noises around me. I didn't have the volume up too loud, though. I still wanted to be aware of my surroundings but block out my sister and Joel mumbling about the kid. I also didn't need to open my eyes to know Joel was shooting daggers at me.

Eventually, I felt someone sitting down beside me. Knowing the kid was sleeping and Joel wouldn't be caught dead coming near me, it wasn't hard to guess who it was. “I do not want to talk unless you plan on telling me what the fuck we are doing.” I pulled the headphones down around my neck and hit the stop button on the cassette player. I pulled my hood down and looked over at her. “You haven't changed since you were a teenager. Still stubborn as hell.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “I trust you and your opinions are important to me. The kid, she was with Marlene when we went to find the asshole who sold our battery. She didn't tell me why the kid is so important, she just said we needed to get her to the capitol. We didn't know she was infected, obviously. Joel's worried about Tommy, he hasn't heard from him in a few weeks. He wants to lookin for him out towards Wyoming, that's where he last radioed from. I need you with me. I need to know you're safe.”

She held up her hand before I could get a word out. “I know you can take care of yourself. You've always been able to take care of yourself. I guess what I am saying is…you're my rock, yn. You have always been able to keep me level headed. I know I've been tough on you, but I did it because I love you. You grew up so fast, you were forced to. I needed to know that you'd always be safe if something were to happen to me. If I ever ended up like Andy and… I just need you to not hate me.”

“I don't hate you, Tess. I never hated you. Did I go to Bill and Franks to get away from you? Yes. At first it was to get away from you; you and Joel. You can be overbearing and way too bossy. You're right, I did have to grow up fast. I didn't get to do things a regular teenager would do or what a young adult in her twenties would do. I didn't have any friends. In this world it's best not to get attached to people, I know that now. I was wild. I fell for a man that is seventeen years older than me. I was stupid and naive. Going to live with Frank and Bill made me realize how childish I was being.”

Silence fell between us and for once it wasn't awkward. “I'll go with you, but you leave the girl alone. That goes for Joel, too. You said you trust me so that means you need to trust me when I say Ellie isn't going to turn. She has the infection there is no doubt about that, but she isn't going to turn. If she was going to, she would have by now. If She's immune then that's a whole game changer. Should could be the key to beating all this shit. End this hell we live in.”

Once the sun started to come up Tess, Joel, and I watched and waited for Ellie to wake up. Joel had a few words to say about the whole situation. He was still against taking her to the capitol. Tess was able to talk him down from just shooting the kid. She walked over to Ellie and told her to pull her sleeve up. “How old is this?” She asked. “Three weeks.” Tess looked over at me and I nodded. Joel tightened his jaw and let out an annoyed grunt. “Fine. But if she shows any sign…”

“She won't. And if she does I'll put her down myself.” Ellie's head snapped over to look at me, eyes wide. But it seemed to be good enough for Joel. I stood beside Ellie while Joel and Tess talked. “I know you won't turn,” I told her. Tess turned around and nodded her head. “Okay, let's go.” I started walking towards her when Ellie decided to start twitching and making the noise the infected make.

I turned around and shook my head, “Not a good idea. He will shoot you.” She stopped and cleared her throat, “Sorry.” We walked out of the building we were holding up in and out into the decrepit city. It looked completely different in the day light. “Have you been put here a lot?” I glanced over at Ellie and shrugged. “Yeah, I mean not too recently. So, how'd you get bit?” She went silent for a few seconds before answering. “Just being s stupid teenager.” By the look on her face i decided not to dig any further.