¹epiphany ─ j. miller

I Feel Sick

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SUMMER
I FEEL SICK

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The truck ended up crashing into a storefront, Joel and Elva both groaning in pain as they unbuckled their seatbelts and made their attempt to escape the situation. Ellie stirred, a few chunks of glass lodged into her shirt.

"I'm okay." She stated. "I'm okay."

"Then get out quick." Joel replied. Elva's door opened suddenly, one of the hunters that had crashed into them grabbing onto her legs.

"Get off of me!" She yelled, kicking at the man who had grabbed her. She grasped the bag left on the floor of the passenger seat, trying to grab a shiv.

Joel pulled her shoulders back, trying to keep her in the middle of the car. Elva grabbed her shiv, stabbing it into the hunter's neck. Another grabbed Ellie, and another ran up behind Joel, slamming his head into the console of the truck a few times.

Elva grabbed her gun, running out of the vehicle and chasing after the man who held Ellie. "Fuck you man!" She yelled. The man turned around, ready to fight. That gave enough time for Ellie to slide out from his grip, letting Elva shoot the man twice in the chest.

"Joel!" Elva yelled, running back towards the man. His head was being held right against a sharp piece of broken glass. Another hunter came up behind her, wrapping his arms around the woman's neck. She quickly used her last shiv and stabbed him in the stomach, turning back around and snapping the hunter's neck.

Seeing that Joel had turned the tables and stabbed the hunter with the piece of glass, Elva quickly turned around and faced Ellie. "Grab the bags!" She yelled. Ellie nodded, running back to the truck and digging through the back.

"What is wrong with these guys?" The young girl asked, grabbing everyone's bags and hoisting her own over her shoulders again.

"Catch your breath." Joel stated. "We're leaving."

"Okay-"

"Watch out!" Elva yelled, pulling Joel down just in time for another hunter to begin shooting at the truck, breaking another window.

Joel swore, pulling out his own gun. "Stay down!"

A few more shots were fired as the small group hid behind metal shelving units, reloading their pistols before poking their heads out.

Elva took down a few with clean headshots, Joel engaging in a full on fist-fight with the remaining two. Ellie stayed behind, completely unable to do anything with her lack of weaponry.

Finally, all of the hunters laid limp on the tiled shop floor. Leaving Elva, Ellie, and Joel to pick up the remains of what they had. Ammo, guns and supplies were left on their bodies, thankfully, and they grabbed what they could.

A few stragglers walked in. Joel slammed one's head into the wall, completely ripping his face off. The other one was taken care of by Elva, she slammed the hunter into the ground and crushed his face with her foot.

"Alright, I think that's the last of them." Joel exclaimed.

"You okay?" Elva asked, standing up fully and looking over to where Ellie had been hiding. The young girl shrugged, stretching.

"Yeah, I guess so." She answered. "Are you?"

"Don't worry about me. Let's just get the hell out of here." Elva spoke.

Joel nodded, gazing around the room. "You know the drill, look around, see if there's anything we can use." He stated.

"Roger that." Elva winked, grabbing a few almost-empty bottles of alcohol and some stray bandages left scattered on the shelves of the store.