The Last Ones Left

Chapter 20: Hope

"You did it" I smile at him, he grins at me as well then hops off of the truck, I climb down after him just as he finishes picking up all of the loot the Infected dropped. We jog to the large truck that's blocking our way through "Here let me boost you up" Joel says to me, "Alright" I nod then step into his cupped hands then grab onto the ledge of the truck, I pull myself up. "Look out below!" I yell then push the box off of the top of the truck and down below next to Joel. He climbs up just as I hop off and onto the air duct that fell off the ceiling. "Watch your step, that water looks pretty deep" Joel says then hops down after me. I jog along the side of the walkway with Joel beside me "Hey, that's what we can do when we're done, you can teach me how to swim" I say as I smile up at him "You got it" Joel smiles back then jumps into the water next to him, "Alright, I'm gonna see what I can find on the other side of this truck" Joel says then dives underwater, a few seconds later he emerges on the other side of the broken down fire truck blocking our path. "I'm on the other side!" Joel yells to me "Cool! Drop that ladder down for me!" I yell back. 

I see Joel walk up onto the truck and reach down for the ladder but then he stares at me "What?" I ask "Nothin', you're just still really beautiful even from far away" Joel yells down to me then grins, I blush madly and look away from him "Just hand me the ladder" I laugh. Joel chuckles then slides the ladder down the truck so that it's resting against it, I climb up the ladder and stand up on the truck. "Alright just stick to the edge, it's shallow over there" Joel yells to me. I climb down the rocks and stick to the right side of the road, as soon as I run into the water my entire lower half goes frozen "Oh, it's freezing!" I gasp, Joel smiles at me then tries to open the door, "Shit, it's locked" Joel mutters. He looks around for an opening of some sort then sees a small opening at the top of the gate, "Think you can fit through there?" Joel asks me, "Yeah, sure". Joel squats down and cups his hands together "Alright, gimme your foot" he says. I step into his hands then he pushes me upwards and I pull myself up onto the ledge then hop down over the gate, "Alright, get that door open" he commands. 

I brush off the dust on my jeans then start to walk towards the gate door, "Look out!" I hear Joel yell. I look at him confused, what's he yelling about? "Ellie!" he yells as he pulls out his revolver. I hear a clicking sound then turn around, a Clicker grabs onto my shoulder and tries to bite me but I hold him away with all of my strength. "Joel!" I scream, I'm not going to be able to hold him off for long, Joel starts shooting the Clicker but it won't die, please for the love of god don't accidently shoot me. He shoots it one last time in the head then it drops dead, I rest my hands on my knees and breathe in and out. Oh my god, "Ellie? Ellie, baby? Are you okay?" Joel asks me, he grabs onto the gate and stares at me "Yeah... it just surprised me" I breathe out. I walk over to the gate and unlock it for him, as soon as I open the door Joel runs to me and picks me up. He wraps his arms tightly around my waist and buries his head into my neck "God that had me so worried" he says, I smile and wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I could stay like this forever, "A bite won't kill me Joel, I'm never going to leave you. Nothing can take me away from you" I assure him. Joel moves his head back and stares at me for a few seconds before he smiles and leans in and kisses me, I run my hand through his hair while my other hand rest on his chest. 

When I pull away I cup his cheek with my hand "Thank you for saving me" I whisper, "Anything for you, Ellie" he smiles. He kisses me briefly then carefully lets me down, "Alright, let's go get this over with" Joel says then turns around and grabs the supplies on the table towards the end of the room. He sets his stuff down on the workbench to upgrade his weapons, "How do you think they'll get the cure from me?" I ask him. Joel focuses on his rifle but shrugs "I dunno, maybe they'll take some blood? I've never known about medical stuff" Joel says. "Oh, okay" I mumble, he doesn't seem to want to talk about this stuff. Joel shoves everything back into his backpack. "Alright, come on" he says then jogs up the stairs at the back of the room, he turns to the right and opens the door at the end of the hallway with a shiv, when he gets the door open he quickly crafts a new shiv then walks into the room. After a few minutes he comes out with a bag full of supplies, I turn around and walk down the hallway in the opposite direction. "Watch your head" I say as I duck under a cabinet that fell through the roof. I hop over the broken door, I look around the new room we entered. It's a huge open room with water filling up the bottom half of the room, I look to my right just as Joel hops over the door then he walks up next to me.