Broken Without You

Chapter 15

The way back to Jackson was easier in the car compared to horseback. Joel had stopped by a cluster of abandoned vehicles by a gas station and found Ellie some new clothes that were better than the hospital scrubs she was wearing.

Ellie hadn't spoken much since she woke up, not that you blamed her. All this time she thought she was going to save the world and now... you couldn't imagine how she must be feeling.

The car lasted most the trip, but the engine broke down not too far from Jackson, forcing you to travel the last five hours on foot.

You took a short cut through the woods instead of following the windy main road. Joel and Ellie were walking slower than usual as you trekked through the woods, and you knew that was for your benefit because the concussion was really taking its toll on you.

"You know, Sarah and I used to hike like this all the time." Joel suddenly started to say, glancing over his shoulder at you and Ellie. "I wouldn't say it was her favourite thing. She wasn't a fan of the mosquitoes and such."

"I don't blame her." You commented, swatting away a mosquito as you spoke.

"But she was a big climber... or scampering. That's probably the right word. That girl... she'd see a big rock, and just... pew." Joel explained moving his hand up as he spoke. "She woulda liked you. Not to say the two of you are the same. Definitely different kids."

That caught Ellies attention as she lifted her head and looked over at him, "how so?"

"Well, she was a lot more... I wanna say girly..." Joel slowly answered not wanting to offend her. "And I'm not sayin' that you're not girly-"

"I'm not."

Joel smiled, "yeah, you're not. So that. She was taller. She had a killer smile. Again, not sayin' that you don't."

You smiled listening to him talk about Sarah. You wished he would talk about his late daughter more often, but it was a hard topic for him, and you knew he was only doing it now to try and get Ellie to smile and cheer her up a bit.

"-But you know why I think she'd like you?"

"Why?" Ellie asked curiously.

"'Cause you're funny. I think you would've made her laugh. Anyway, I bet you would've liked her back."

Ellie smiled softly, "yeah, bet I would've."

The three of you continued walking up the path over the hill. Each step was making your head thump more viciously, but you just focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

"There ya go. Not much further now." Joel suddenly announced, coming to a stop and you lifted your head to find that you had finally reached the top of the hill and the community of Jackson was in the distance.

Thank fuck for that.

"Do you need a rest?' Joel asked, looking over at you worriedly and you realised that you probably weren't doing a good job at hiding your pain.

Did you need to rest? Definitely. But you feared that if you sat down, you'd never get back up again.

"No."

Joel looked like he wanted to call you out on that clear lie, but then Ellie suddenly started to speak.

"Hey... fuck." She swore softly, looking away from the two of you almost as if she regretted saying anything.

You watched Ellie carefully as she shook her head at herself and walked over to the two of you before looking up at Joel.

"Back in Kansas City, you asked me about the first time I killed someone. When I got bit in that mall, I-I wasn't on my own. My best friend was there and she got bit too. We didn't know what to do, and she says, 'we can just wait it out. Be all poetic and lose our minds together.' And then she did. And I had to... Her name was Riley, and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then Sam-"