The Last of Us: Mysteries *Canceled*

Chapter 10: I Love You

Water dripped from the window panel into the green grass. Ellie kicked a tin can at the house as she knew Joel would be back to just yell at her. She had never felt this much hatred and anger over Joel before. "Fucking hate him." Ellie mumbled. She kicked at the ground and watched the dirt fly. Her hands made balls of fists as she heard foot steps coming closer. "What do you want?" Ellie mumbled, not daring to look at Joel. 

Joel's thoughts pondered as he took a deep breath. He slowly exhaled and began to speak. "Ellie." He said roughly. Ellie still faced the house, not wanting Joel to be there. Joel put his hand on Ellie's shoulder, but she rejected by pulling her shoulder back. "I know you're mad at me-" 

"I'm beyond mad, Joel. You always go off and ruin things for me." Ellie interrupted. "That boy is not safe." Joel threw back, willing to start an argument. "So what?! I don't think so. Joel, he saved my life. He saved me from drowning, and he saved me from getting shot. How do you find that dangerous?" Ellie turned around and look at Joel with fury. "He came from a group of hunters. Who are willing to take everything that we have made progress with and kill everyone who lives here. Including me and you." Ellie rolled her eyes at Joel's statement. Joel felt that he was not clear to Ellie. "I don't want that boy to stay here. I want you to get him out of here." Joel crossed his arms. 

Ellie froze and her heart dropped. "You wanna know what I think? I wish you hadn't saved me from the fireflies. You know, then everyone would be happy, and I wouldn't be with you and your dumb ass selfish ways!" Ellie blurted. Joel froze and glared at Ellie who ran inside the house. He heard the door slam and her march inside.

~Flash back~

Joel's Point Of View

I had just finished listening yet another one of Marlene's recorder. I went ahead and shoved in in my bag and headed for the pediatrics room. As walked down the hallway, a door remained. I opened it up and saw the doctors shadows through the curtains of the glass pane window. This was it. I slowly crept to the door and swung it open. "Sweet Jesus," The head surgeon swiftly turned around. "Doctor?" The nurse said with worry. I stood in front of the entry way, waiting to see what they'd do. "What are you doing in here?" The head surgeon stared me down as I took a few steps forward. The head surgeon reached for his taser gun and lunged for me. "I won't let you take her. This is our future. Think of all the lives we would save!" The head surgeon persuaded. I didn't care. With a few more steps forward, the head surgeon swung the taser towards my abdomen. With a few seconds to spare, I reached at his hand and stopped him, bringing his hand to his neck and shocking him.

His body went limp. "No. You fucking animal!" The nurse cried. "Kari, shut the hell up!" The other nurse lectured. I grabbed my revolver and shot her head on. "Oh Jesus. Just take the girl and leave, ok?" The remaining nurse coward into the corner. With one shot, his body went limp onto the ground. I turned to Ellie who was unconscious on the operating table. I reached over to the cords a ripped them off her motionless body. "Come on baby girl." I lifted her into my arms. "I gotcha... I gotcha." I looked over into the hallway and saw the lights of the guards flashlights moving rapidly towards us. "Oh Shit." I ran towards one of the doors, looking for the nearest exit. "He's carrying her towards pediatrics. Get up here. Now!" A guard yelled at the others. "Shit." I looked for ways where the flashlights didn't flare. "Shit." I said over and over. "He's over here!" Another guard yelled as his flashlight shined on me. I dodged into a hallway, seeing another not far from where I was. "I'm getting you outta here, girl." I said to Ellie. "Come on, man. We just want the girl!" A guard yelled at me, trying to be persuasive. "I got you, I got you." I said to Ellie.  "Cover the exits!" Guards were appearing from left to right. "God Dammit, which way?" I asked myself. "You got nowhere to go!" A guard's voice taunted. I found myself in a locker room. "Go around the other way!" The guards knew I was coming. "We're okay.... We're okay... We're okay..." I encouraged myself. 

"This is your last chance, drop her!" The guards yelled. There was an elevator at least one hundred feet away. We're so close. Flashlight glared from the hallway next to it. "I got him in my sights!" A guard yelled as his flashlight reflected off me. "I said get back!" I yelled, just seconds away from the elevator. Shots were fired, just inches away from me. When I got inside the elevator, I clicked the P2 button rapidly. "C'mon, C'mon!" I whispered waiting for the door to shut. "Hey, Stop!" A guard called. Just when they could grab me, the elevator door shut. I rested my back against the wall and looked down at Ellie. She was now safe. "Oh God." I breathed. When the last beep sounded and the door opened, I hit the red button and walked out. "You can't save her!" I looked at Marlene who was at gunpoint with me. "Even if you get her out of here, then what? How long before she's torn to pieces by a pack of clickers? That is if she hasn't been raped and murdered first." She still held the gun at my head, watching my every move. "That ain't for you to decide." I held Ellie close to me. "It's what she'd want." Marlene persuaded. I looked down at Ellie and pondered in thought. "And you know it!" Marlene looked at me. I glared at her. "Look... You can still do the right thing here." She put her hands up. "She won't feel anything." She reassured. I closed my eyes and quickly grabbed my revolver. I shot her and ran to a nearby car. I secured Ellie onto the back seat. I walked back to Marlene, who was still alive, but bleeding and near death. "Please... Let me go!" She reached up at me. "You'd only come after her." I shot Marlene one last time until she dropped limp. I walked to the car and started it up.

~End of Flashback~

Ellie paced back and forth in her bedroom, unsure what to do next. Run away with Don? Or stay in this hell hole? Why should anyone decide for her? Ellie thoughts pondered in her mind. She sat on her bed and looked out the window. The tree leaves were starting to change colors. From a light green to red, orange, and yellow. She blew off some of her steam and heard her bedroom door. The footsteps lightly made the floor creak. The figure sat next to Ellie. She looked up and saw Don. Don slightly smiled, his soft gray eyes looked into Ellie's. Ellie looked away. "He wants you gone." Don looked Ellie's direction. "I figured that. He hates me after all." Don shrugged. Ellie sighed once more and rested her head on Don's shoulder. "We should run away." Ellie brought up. "Get the hell out of Wyoming. There's nothing here for you or me." Ellie felt Don exhale slowly. "I mean, what other choice do we have?" 

"Ellie, there's people that love you, who adore you. There's something for you here." Don pushed himself off the bed, looking straight at Ellie. "But it's the only way for us to be together. I-" Ellie paused for a moment. "I love you."

Don sat next to Ellie again. "I love you too." Don kissed the top of Ellie's head and held her close to him.