The Last of Us

Chapter IX

Joel's POV

I start mumbling and shaking my head. I churn slightly and open my eyes.

"You mumble in your sleep." I hear Ellie. I sit up and notice it's raining. Ellie is sitting on a chair near the window with her knees to her chest. "I hate bad dreams." She looks out the window, at the city.

I put my forehead on my hand.

"Yeah, me too." I get up and walk to Ellie. She looks at me.

"You know, I've never been this close - to the outside." She points to the window. I walk away. "Look how dark it is." I walk to a table and light the lantern on it. "I mean, it couldn't be any worse out there." She turns to me. "Can it?" Oh you have no idea.

"What on earth do the fireflies want with you?" She walks towards me. I hear the door open and Tess walks in.

"Hey." She shuts the door. "Sorry it took so long. Soldiers fuckin' everywhere."

"How's Marlene?" Asks Ellie.

"She'll make it." Tess looks at me. "I saw the merchandise. It's a lot." She nods her head slightly. "Wanna do this?"

"Yeah." I answer.

"Let's go." We walk out the door. Tess walks to a window and I stand next to her.

"Don't you think it's a bit strange that they're having us do their smugglin'?" I ask.

"Marlene wanted to do it herself. We weren't their first choice, or the second for that matter. She lost a lot of men. Beggars can't be choosers." We walk to a small opening in the wall.

"Come on." We struggle to squeeze through it but eventually do. I walk to a generator and pull it. We step a wooden pallet, like a makeshift elevator. I push a button on the wall and we go down.

"Who's waitin' for us at the drop off?" I ask looking at Tess.

"She said that there's some Fireflies that have traveled all the way from another city. Girl must be important." Answers Tess looking at Ellie. "What is the deal with you? You some big-wigs daughter or something?" Asks Tess.

"Something like that." I hear Ellie answer and we walk. "How long is this all gonna take?"

"If everything goes as planned, we should get you to them in a few hours." I turn my flashlight on and duck under an opening in the wall. "Ellie, once we get out there, I need you to follow our lead and stay close."

"Yeah. Of course." We walk into a room with a ladder on the wall.

"Climb up and check if the coast is clear." Tess mentions. I climb up the ladder and lift up the wood, checking my surroundings.

"Now hold up. There's a patrol up ahead." I look around and wait. "Alright, we're good. Come on up." I walk to the side and Ellie and Tess make their way up the ladder. "C'mon, kid." Ellie gets up and Tess follows. "Watch your step." I push the wood back in place and follow Tess and Ellie. "This rain ain't gonna do us any good."

"Holy shit...I'm actually outside." Ellie says astonished. We jump down from where we were and walk straight. I walk into a truck.

"Up this way." I say and we walk. I stop and look around and then I walk out. Right away, I'm hit in the head with the end of a gun and I fall to the ground.