The Last of Us

Chapter XII

Joel's POV

We move forward slowly, staying cautious. We walk around and go through a tunnel.

"Tess, up through here, through this pipe." I say. "I think we can make it through here." I keep walking.

"Stay very close, Ellie." Tess assures Ellie.

"Okay." Ellie answers and I keep walking and come into some water. I see a car drive over us and I back up.

"Whoa, who, whoa. Hang on, hang on." I warn and walk. "Jesus." I hear a soldier.

"Gather up. They're calling us back. We're returning to the wall!" We keep walking and another soldier speaks.

"You heard the man. Load them up. Let's go! Let's go!"

"Come on." I say and keep walking through the water then lift myself into a pipe where a gate is at the end. I walk to it and push it open and walk out. Ellie sits down.

"Alright, they're gone." I say and Tess squats next to Ellie.

"Look - what was the plan?" Tess asks. "Let's say that we deliver you to the Fireflies, what then?"

"Marlene... She said that they have their own little quarantine zone. With doctors there: still trying to find a cure."

I interrupt. "Yeah, we've heard that before, huh, Tess?"

Ellie sighs. "And that...whatever happened to me is the key to finding a vaccine."

"Oh Jesus." I say and look around.

Ellie sighs again. "It's what she said."

"Oh I'm sure she did."

"Hey, fuck you, man! I didn't ask for this!" Ellie gets up.

I shake my head. "Me neither. Tess what the hell are we doing here?" I walk to her and she stands up.

"What if it's true?" She asks. I shake my head.

"I can't believe-"

"What if, Joel? I mean we've come this far, let's just finish it."

I put my hand on her back and pull her to the side. "Do I need to remind you what is out there?" Tess looks at Ellie then at me.

"I get it." Tess walks away and Ellie follows.

"This way." Tess says walking and I follow. "If we cut through downtown, we can hit the Capitol building by sunrise."

"We hope." I mumble to myself. I walk with them and climb onto some rocks and then onto a highway that's broken.

"Holy moley. I guess this is what these buildings look up close." Ellie mentions. "They're so damn tall." We continue walking. "So, what happened here?"

"They bombed the hell out of the surrounding areas to the quarantine zones, hoping to kill as much of the infected as possible." We jog. "It worked - for a little while." I hear a screech of some sort and it makes me jump a little.

"Ahhh, what was that?" Ellie questions. I can tell she's a little shaken up too.

"Tess, do you hear that?" I question.

I run to catch up to Tess.

"Yeah. Sounded pretty far away though."

"Shit." I say. It sure as hell didn't sound far away.

"Are we safe?" Asks Ellie.

"For now." Tess answers. "Come on." We walk up something and then stop.