The Last Light

Chapter. 5

(TW: VIOLENCE)

We hear gunshots, sharp and erratic, echoing through the town. The screams and snarls of the infected follow, growing louder as they tear through the streets, hunting down anything that moves. Ellie and I exchange a glance, knowing it's far too dangerous to make a run for it now. We'll be torn apart before we even make it halfway down the block.

"We stay put," Ellie whispers.

I nod, not daring to speak above a whisper. The sound of more infected running nearby sends chills down my spine, and I feel my pulse quicken again. We need to be invisible, blend in with the decay of the town. Ellie motions for me to help her as she cracks the windows slightly to let in some air. Then we take our coats, stuffing them into the gaps to block any visibility into the car.

We move quickly, shoving our bags in the back window, then scooting the seats forward, making space in the back. Ellie pulls out a sleeping bag, pinning it up, sealing us in completely from the outside world.

Ellie sits back, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow. "Alright. We should be good here." She pauses, listening intently to the chaos outside. "We'll wait it out. They'll move on eventually."

The muffled snarls and pounding footsteps continue outside, but inside the car, it feels like we're in a different world. I rest my head against the back of the seat, my body finally relaxing. Ellie leans next to me, her shoulder brushing mine.

I pull out a bottle of water from my bag behind me, then hand it to Ellie. She passes it back, and I take a small drink, savoring the coolness on my tight throat. Reaching back again, I grab a few granola bars, and we begin carefully tearing them open.

I glance at Ellie, who's staring at her hands. I think back to how we first met only two days ago, that initial confrontation, how quickly we went from enemies to something like allies. Maybe even more than that, but I can't quite place it yet.

The silence stretches on, neither of us knowing what to say. We've been through so much already, in such a short amount of time.

I clear my throat softly, breaking the silence. "You okay?" It's a simple question, yet it feels so loaded.

Ellie nods but doesn't look up. "Yeah... just tired."

An hour passes in silence before Ellie shifts slightly beside me, breaking the stillness. She exhales, her voice low, almost hesitant.

"You know," she starts, her eyes still fixed on her hands, "I didn't think I'd be here again. With someone... depending on them." She takes a deep breath. "Last time I got close to someone, it didn't end well," she continues, her tone a mix of bitterness and regret. "I swore I'd never do it again. Thought it was safer to just keep people at arm's length, you know? Less painful that way."

I didn't know what to say at first, so I just let her talk. "Then you showed up, and I thought, 'Great. Another person I have to watch out for, another chance to screw things up.'" She finally looks at me. "But... with you, it's different. And it scares the hell out of me."

I nod, unsure of how to respond. "I-." I swallow hard. "-feel the same.. it just almost feels, I don't know.. natural.. being around you."

Ellie's wasn't expecting me to say that. She looks down, her lips curving into a small, almost hesitant smile. "Yeah," she murmurs, her voice quieter. "I get that. It's weird, right? Like we've only known each other for a couple days, but it... fits. Makes sense somehow."