Endure & Survive ~ The Last of Us Fanfiction

A Tunnel I'd Die For

After Joel rescued me from the grasp of some desperate scientists, he and I continued our journey. Where we were headed was beyond me, but as he put it, we never stop moving. It took me a few days to get back into feeling like myself, whatever drug they used to knock me out being stronger than I could've ever imagined. It took me days just to open my eyes for longer than fifteen seconds.

We ventured east, Joel telling me that Chicago would be safest. People assumed we'd gone West and I'd been used as a lab rat, so they'd be expectant of anybody but me to wander into their streets. It was a relief that at least there wouldn't be Fireflies lingering the street ready to gain a twenty-point head shot with my name on it.

Joel was strangely protective of me, but I found it comforting on occasion. Haven't you ever thought It was nice knowing that someone always has your back? But, he should know that I can handle myself. I mean, I was the one who'd helped him get through the street of Philadelphia while being perched on a roof with a shotgun. Also, I'd stabbed that Clicker off his back about a year ago, back in that over the top luxury hotel. Obviously, It was just a bunch of rubble on five floors, now.

We strolled down an abandoned highway on the side of a rocky mountain, the sun glittering as it began to set. I held my bow at the ready, the string pulled back at my side in between my two fingers. I kept my eyes peeled as I trailed closely behind Joel. His hand rested on the handle of the pistol in his belt, finger pointed straight next to the trigger. I've always wanted to try his pistol. It seemed so much more powerful that the ones I'd tried, and he only let me use rifles and shotguns without supervision. I was better at aiming when it was against my shoulder, my entire upper body moving as the weapon did. I felt more secure using them, but curiosity still gnawed at my head wondering how much recoil his must have. But I adjusted my grip on the bow, whisking my wondering aside for later.

My feet kept tugging me forward, following Joel like our ankles were connected with chains, but my eyes thought otherwise. They looked over the metal barrier, captivated by the sun that was now only half of what it used to be at the horizon. The water glistened with the orange rays that still continued pulsing at the land.

"Man, that's crazy." I say to myself about how amazing the sun setting was.

"What's crazy?" Joel's raspy voice asks from in front of me. He must've heard my mumbling.

"The sunset. It's fucking gorgeous." I sigh.

"Yeah, it is. Keep it moving, Ellie."

I wish he could just stop being so serious for a few minutes. Stop and watch the sun, imagine boats were sailing across the waves below. I wonder if he feels the need to, too. Maybe there's a spot in the back of his mind that think the way I do about these situations, but maybe not.

Joel and I round a curve only to stop short. In front of us was a gaping, pitch black tunnel that's been made into the mountain, some cars lining up in crashes from the opening, pouring in until they've disappeared out of sight.

"Oh, man." I go.

"We gotta go in. C'mon. We can't stop." Joel murmurs, hesitating forward. Even he and his whiskery face seem afraid sometimes.

"Joel!" I scold. He turns to face me, "There's gonna be a freaking mob of Clickers in there! And it's pitch black! We won't be able to see a thing!"

"I have a flashlight from our last looting trip." He argues, "We can't stop here."

"There's no other way to get around?" I ask doubtfully.

"I'm 'fraid not. Now let's go."

He sounds just a tiny but aggravated, making me want to keep pushing his buttons. But Joel has the special ability to shut me up while barely doing a thing, and he decided to use it now.

My fingers get just a bit stronger around my bow, the fingers around the rear of the arrow getting tight around the string. My knuckles turn white. I'm glad I remembered to zip my hoodie awhile ago, because it would get in the way of shooting with the bow if I hadn't, and there was no turning back now.

As we inch closer and closer to the mouth of the cave, Joel stops and turns to me.

"Spores. Get your mask on."

I'd nearly forgotten that he'd given me Tess' old mask after she abandoned her bag. Of course, that was right after she told us she was bitten and the Fireflies came in and shot her through the forehead.

I swing my bag's strap off one shoulder, transferring my bow into my other arm. With my free hand, I unzip the front pouch and slip out her mask. I zip it back up and sling my bag back onto both my shoulders, reassembling my bow's previous position.

When I slide it over my face, everything becomes a strange shade of orange. Obviously, it doesn't make anything brighter except the hue. If we venture into that tunnel, things will still be unrecognizable without Joel's flashlight. I say a silent prayer hoping that the battery won't die. There probably isn't another abandoned gas station or mini mart for miles, even excluding the stretch of the tunnel. I didn't even need to wear this stupid mask, but I always do it to humor Joel.

"Great." I say, "Just great."

"Hey." Joel says to me, his voice muffled through the mask, "Let's get this over with."

So that's what we do. We cautiously step forward, avoiding zombie corpses and scattered car parts, the only reliable source of light slowly dissipating behind us.