Air Brushed

The Last of Us

Chapter 6: The Last of Us

"Haz, open the door," the frustrated voice demands.

"I was told not to let you in," my companion's pitch jumps an octave as he sings the last word comically.

There is a groan, muffled by the barrier, "I'm really not in the mood for this."

"That's Prints?" I whisper, trying to picture the member of the gang I have yet to meet.

Before Haz has time to answer, the boy outside gives a howl of laughter, "You have a GIRL in there!"

How did he hear me? I had WHISPERED.

I exchange a look with Haz, who is clearly holding back a chuckle. The disembodied voice continues in rapid fire, "Where did you find her? What does she look like? Is she hot?"

"Prints, sleep on the couch," Haz shouts over his shoulder, apparently amused now.

"Wait no, I have to meet her. I didn't know Tommo let us bring girls back. That's totally not fair," Prints jiggles the door knob again. "Shit. Is she touching my stuff? She's not touching it, right?"

"Relax, mate," my companion slowly gets to his feet. "She's just visiting."

Probably against his better judgment, Haz pushes the door open, standing in the way so that I can't see Prints. The latter gives a small, suggestive hum, "Just visiting?"

"It's Ozzie," Haz's eyes slide toward me so that he just has to turn his head a little to lock gazes with me.

"Ozzie? Like Little Man's Ozzie?"

"Yeah, Little Man's Ozzie," the familiar guy steps aside to reveal...

There are TWO? Okay. I know I got hit in the head pretty hard and it is still kind of sore, but my double vision had faded a while ago... and yet there they are.

I blink rapidly a few times, trying to figure out if I am hallucinating.

They looked EXACTLY ALIKE.

Wait, no, Prints has brown eyes. Haz has green. Once I spot this, I begin to notice the more subtle differences. Height, tan, and eye slant. Alright. I can cope with that.

"Quite the resemblance, yeah?" Haz runs his fingers through his hair, purposely pulling the expertly rolled up bandana out.

Prints steps into the room, raising an eyebrow, "So what's going on in here?"

"Sleeping," I suddenly lose the entirety of the comfort zone I had built up with Haz because of the new face.

This makes me recognize its existence. I had a COMFORT ZONE around these people? I shouldn't BE comfortable around them at ALL, yet I can't deny the fact that, in retrospect, I am- well, had been.

Haz was right.

Besides Tommo, none of them have done anything but help or defend me.

"Ooo, she has a bit of a bite," Prints wiggles his fingers humorously.

"Anyway, Prints, Ozzie, Ozzie, Prints," Haz motions to each of us upon introduction.

The new boy walks over with so much ease that the path might have been clear if I hadn't known better. As he squats down, I sit up and we shake hands.

As he lets go, he exchanges a look with Haz, "You didn't tell me Ozzie was a GIRL or that she was HOT."

The compliment instantly makes my face feel like it's on fire.

"Prints," the taller guy deadpans. Prints snickers, but doesn't react otherwise.

For a couple seconds, it's like they're having a silent conversation. A dialogue that I either can't understand or am subconsciously refusing to.