THE UNEXPECTED

03

Soon after exiting the hotel, we were faced with yet again more hunters. They were fucking everywhere, it was exhausting. Luckily, I'd found more ammo to keep me going as well as a metal pole that I'd attached a shiv to the end of. It was looking real nice.

"Okay...Em and I will jump down there and clear a path for us." Joel spoke, gesturing to the ground below us. Ellie looked increasingly annoyed at this.

"What about me?" She huffed.

"Just stay here."

"This is so stupid," Ellie growled. "We'd have more of a fucking chance if you let me help." I couldn't help but agree with her.

"I am," Joel snapped. He reached over and took the rifle from what seemed to be an old lookout spot, "Now, you seem to know your way around a gun. You reckon you can handle that?" He asked.

The teen looks at me, then the weapon with weariness, "Well, uh, I sorta shot a rifle before...but it was at rats."

Joel sends a deadpanned expression my way, "Rats?" I shrug, not seeing the issue. What else would she shoot at? I highly doubted she'd have shot an actual human before at her age.

"With BBs," she clarified even further causing Joel to sigh. He crouched down, level with the rifle, and began explaining the basics to her. I watched as she took in all of the information and nodded furiously. A smile soon found itself onto my lips, it was sweet seeing the way Joel was with Ellie, he'd told me all about Sarah and I couldn't help but feel as though he was projecting his fatherly tendencies onto the girl.

"Listen, if we get into trouble down there, you make every shot count." I nodded also, confirming this. Ellie looked at me and then back to Joel.

"I got this." She assured and at that we made our way down to the ground, crouching behind some sort of concrete block.

"Hey Joel?" I whispered, gaining his attention. He hummed in response. "I'm glad that I ran into you, was wondering when I'd see your grumpy ass again." I smirked as he let out a small laugh, we got really close back then but it fizzled out when he went one way and I went another.

"So am I, and just so that we're clear, it was either him or me back there so I appreciate it." I nodded at his thanks and he returned one back to me.

"Let's do this." I had my eyes trained on the hunters only meters from us, I was ready to kill those fuckers.

The two of us split up, me going one way and Joel the other. Strategically we shot the hunters one by one, completely disregarding stealth whatsoever. However, it was reassuring to hear the boom of the rifle every so often meaning that Ellie had our back. Soon, all of the hunters dropped dead by our doings and Joel hollered for Ellie to come down and join us.

"How'd I do?" Ellie asked excitedly as soon as she was within talking distance, she rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Brilliantly." I smiled as Ellie beamed back at me, Joel however was yet to say anything.

"How about something a little more your size." He reached into his pack revealing a small pistol and handed it to her. Ellie looked over the moon, glad that Joel was finally trusting her. "Now, it's for emergencies only." He paused, "This is not a toy-"

"I think she gets the gist, Joel." I interrupted, Ellie sending me a nod of thanks.

"Do you know how to switch the safety off?" He asked to make sure.

"I do." Ellie replied casually.

"Okay." And that was that. Ellie had a gun and we soon advanced further into the city, searching for a way out.

I admired the sky as pink and orange hues littered the clouds, the sun was soon setting and we'd yet to find cover or better yet leave this godforsaken city. It was haunting and my patience was wearing thin, exhaustion creeping up on me.

We'd climbed through into some sort of shop or something when noise from the street beside us caught our attention.

"Shit, get down!" I hissed, suddenly crouching below a window sill. Joel and Ellie followed closely, eyeing a couple who'd run out into the open.

"Run!" We'd heard one of the call, they were frantic and panicked in their movements making me gulp. Something bad was going to happen. My thoughts were correct as shortly after, a truck roared to life and battered into them violently.

"What do we do?" Ellie whispered, frowning as she watched the scene play out. Joel sighed before speaking.

"Nothin'"

I had to look away when one of them was shot dead, this would've been me if it weren't for Joel and Tommy and I hated to be reminded of it. I tuned out as the hunters spoke wrongly of the two deceased, complaining of how little they had on them. It pained me how it was so normal for them.

"Oh man." Ellie breathed out.

"There ain't nothin' we coulda done." Joel said solemnly, a part of him riddled with guilt of being on both sides.

"I know...it's just...oh man." Ellie looked away from the window sadly.

"Let's just get to the bridge and find a way out of this shithole." I sighed.