to the ends of the earth || ellie williams (book one)

twenty two

Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead, trailing down my cheek and along my jaw before sliding off of me. I wiped my forehead with one hand, using the other to hold my chest as I took deep breaths.

I never had an issue with killing. Not after being on the road for so long with my Dad, doing things I always said I'd never do. I don't know why I thought I was different, why I could rise above the need to ever take another human life. But it was unavoidable. Especially now that Ellie was at risk.

I lunged from behind the wall and on to my stomach in the tall grass, dragging myself slowly along the ground as I examined the scene. There were four people patrolling the courtyard to the school. All heavily armed, all a lot bigger than I was. I shook the negative thoughts out of my head. I knew I could take them.

I approached a large WLF van, kneeling on my feet to peer around the corner at the woman leant against it. I slowly made for her, pacing up behind her before grabbing her neck with my arm. I drove my knife into her throat and lowered her slowly to the ground, heading for another wall that I could hide behind before anybody had even noticed what I'd done.

I had to take advantage of the fact that they didn't know that I was coming. In order to do that, I had to act fast. I headed for a guy leant against the wall, dragging him back and twisting his neck causing him to collapse to the floor.

The ladder was in clear view. I just had to get there. I didn't like to kill unnecessarily and as long as nobody was to get in my way, I didn't intend to wreak anymore havoc that I already had. I quickly darted for the ladder, gripping the cool metal bars and pulling myself to the roof. I took a deep breath, laying there for a few seconds to slow my heart rate before picking myself up again.

The ceiling was glass. I ran across it, desperately peering down into the classrooms in search for Ellie. I wasn't religious, but I was praying to something that she was okay. My heart dropped when I saw her. She was tied to a table, a man looking over her snarling something silently under his breath.

"Fuck it," I sighed, aiming my pistol to the ground and shooting through the glass.

I fell through the ceiling, crashing on my back causing me to cough and splutter as I landed on a bed of glass. I rolled to my side, desperately trying to catch my breath after winding myself so severely.

"Charlotte!" Ellie yelled as the man who once patronised her made his way towards me.

"Jesus. You shouldn't have come here," The man spat, racing towards me and kneeling to wrap his hands around my neck.

My eyes widened as he strangled me. I kicked my feet, digging my nails into his hands that remained tight around my throat. I struggled to cough. I felt the air slowly draining from my body as my eyes fluttered closed.

Suddenly, Ellie sprung from the floor, darting towards him to wrap her arm around his neck. She drove her knife into the side of his throat, his eyes rolling as his jaw began to shudder.

"Got you, motherfucker." Ellie whispered into his ear, releasing his body causing him to thud onto the floor.

She knelt at my side and sat me up, rubbing my back slowly before bringing her hands to my face.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Mostly..." I lied, I was in agony, "We need to go. Somebody is going to have heard the gun shots."

Ellie nodded her head, patting down the man's lifeless body as I collected myself.

"Look," She said, unfolding a piece of paper from his pocket, "She's one of them."

"Ellie, come on. Look at that later," I panicked.

My head snapped to the side when I heard the glass shatter leading into the classroom. I grabbed Ellie and ducked behind a desk.

"Shots fired!" Someone called in the distance.

"Was there a TV station on that map?" Ellie asked, still surveying the note she's found moments prior.

"I don't fucking know! Come on!" I swore, peering above the desk to see our attackers scattering around the building, "I'll cover you. Go around."

Ellie snuck out of the door, gunning down the wolves in our way before grabbing me to run through another set of double doors. We collapsed behind another desk as more of them swarmed the area.

"Keep it quiet, yeah?" She whispered, "And be fucking safe."

"Always," I grinned, parting ways with her so that we could attack from either side.

I remained silent as I made my way through the room, taking people out when the opportunity presented itself and eventually reaching the end of the corridor. I peered above the window, seeing Ellie's hand appear to give me a thumbs up. Shaking my head with a smile, I opened the door and rejoined my partner as we headed out into another courtyard.

We made our way out with ease. It felt as though we were perfectly in-sync. She always knew my next move, she stepped in when I needed help and she kept me protected at all costs.

When we eventually escaped the school, I found myself collapsed on a couch in a nearby motel. I struggled to regain my breath, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand as I sighed. Ellie continued to search the building, picking up anything that could be useful before joining me in the living area.

"Are you okay?" She asked, kneeling down to place her palms on my thighs.

"I'm fine. I just need a minute..." I reassured quietly with my head bowed.

Ellie placed a finger under my chin, lifting my face up so that our eye lines were connected. Her concern was plastered all over her face, as if she wanted to keep it together but she couldn't. I didn't want to be a burden.

"Talk to me," She whispered, yanking herself up to sit beside me on the couch before pulling my head onto her shoulder.

"This is just bringing a lot back for me, you know?"

I couldn't help but think about being on the road with my father. All the people I'd killed. My hands were so saturated with blood that it was leaking from my fingertips. 

"Charlotte, these are bad people..."

"Are they?" I asked with a scoff, sitting up to face her, "Or are we?"

Ellie's eyes widened at my reaction. She stood up, pacing the room as she began to play with her fingers - a habit she often performed when she was nervous.

"I don't understand. If you had a problem with this—"

"I didn't say I have a problem with this, Ellie. I just don't want you to act like we're innocent," I responded with a sigh.

"How can you even say that?" She mumbled, "You saw what they did to Joel."

Her face was a mixture of disgust and disappointment. As if she wasn't looking at me anymore, but rather at someone she barely recognised. I tore my eyes away from her, shaking my head before standing up.

"Let's just go," I murmured, making my way towards the window that'd been smashed in by the stairs.

"Okay," Ellie nodded slowly, following me towards the window and heading out behind me.