The Last of Us

Chapter XLI

Joel's POV

I meet them in the house and the windows are boarded up but the clickers keep trying to come in.

"You're okay!" Ellie says and runs to me.

"Still here. Anybody hurt?" I ask.

"Uh-uh." Sam says.

"No, we're good." Henry responds.

"Alright, I think it's time we quit this place. C'mon." I say and walk out a back door. We get I to a backyard and I lift a loose piece of wood from the picket fence and we go through it, the radio tower right ahead.

------A LITTLE WHILE LATER------

Henry laughs.

"Shut the hell up."

"Dead serious." I answer. "It was Tommy's birthday. That's all he wanted to do just - rent two Harley's and drive cross country." He takes a bite of his beans, since we've finally made it to the tower.

"Ah, man. I could die happy if I could just ride one around the block." Henry sits up and laughs. "What was it like?"

"It was good. It was real good."

"Good? Can you believe this guy?" Henry looks at Ellie then back at me. "C'mon, man, gimme details. Describe it."

"You know what?" Ellie stands up. "You two deserve a little privacy."

"No, no, Ellie, Ellie, this isn't just any regular motorcycle. Okay? You get on that bad boy, you feel that engine." Henry starts. "Nothing like it."

"Oh yeah? How would you know?"

"I've seen it in my dreams. Vroom, vroom, vroom." Henry acts like he's riding a motorcycle and he laughs.

"Okay." Ellie shrugs her shoulders and walks to the room Sam is in. Henry's smile diminishes and he looks at me.

"I don't think anyone from our group is gonna show up." He says and shakes his head.

"Yeah." I answer and look at him.

"Worst part about it all - explaining it to Sam."

Ellie's POV

I walk into the room and Sam is sitting at a table that has cans on it.

"Well, it's safe to say those two have officially bonded." I walk to the table. "What're you doin'?"

"Taking stock of all the food we found today." Sam answers.

"I see..." I cross my arms and then pick up a can. "And how are we doing on canned peaches?" Sam takes the can from my hands and sets it down.

"Did Henry send you?"

"No." I look at him confused. "Why would Henry send me?"

"To make sure I'm not fucking up some how." He looks at the cans and then at me.

"Pshhh. I'd say we all did pretty good back there - especially you." He scoots the chair back a little, gets up, and walks to a window.

"Well... Is everything alright?" I ask.

"Everything's fine." He answers and looks out the window.

"Okay." I turn around and start walking to the door. "Well... Have a good night." I start to walk to the door.

"Uh- how is it that your never scared?" Sam turns to me and I turn back around.

"Who says that I'm not?"

"What are you scared of?"

I sigh. "Let's see..." I twiddle my fingers. "Scorpions are pretty creepy." He turns to the window shaking his head. "Um... Being by myself." He turns back and looks at me and I nod. "I'm scared of ending up alone. What about you?"