The Cowboy and The Girl

The Fall

We climbed from the bus on top of the entrance of The Hotel Grand. I followed behind Ellie and Joel. Trying to keep myself from assuming everything was going to go bad in here.

The world was messed up and I had to keep myself from assuming everything would turn out of the worst. If I did that I would end up just as miserable as the rest of humanity.

Joel dropped through the window of the entrance. His gruff southern voice called out to tell us it was clear and to come on down.

I couldn't help but think it wasn't clear and not to yell. It was only moments ago we watched two dudes walk in here. I was worried they would hear us.

Ellie drops down into the building with me right behind her. The vast space makes me look up and around me at the dilapidated hotel.

"Whoa... This place is fancy. Ever stay in a place like this? Before it all went to shit I mean." Ellie says, looking around in awe. Her gaze met mine.

Her question made me think of the last time I stayed in a hotel before everything fell apart. It happened to be the night everything fell apart.

Joel doesn't answer her so I choose to fill in the silence, as I follow behind him.

"Yeah, well it wasn't this fancy but I stayed in a few hotels. They could be really fun." I say smiling at her.

"Ahhh. I really miss coffee." I hear Joel mumble to himself as he searches behind the counter.

I giggle looking over at him.

"Is that all you have to say Cowboy?"

"Shut up." He mumbles bending over to look for supplies.

I giggle again, both me and Ellie smiling at each other at his embarrassment.

"Let's go." He says, moving to pick up a ladder.

"Someone needs to take a nap. Who am I kidding? I need to take a nap." I say, as he leans the ladder on the wall letting us access the second floor.

"Come on up." Joel says at the top.

"After you." I say to Ellie her smiling at me and starting to climb.

We head higher up, careful not to fall because of half of the staircase being gone.

Climbing out onto a rooftop the sound of voices filling our ears.

"Oh shit. Get down, get down." Joel says crouching, both me and Ellie following his orders.

A rush of adrenaline pumps through me as my heart starts to beat faster. Not warning to get caught we press ourselves to the wall under a broken out window.

I take a breath, meeting Joel's gaze as their conversation about clickers goes in one ear and out the other.

"Nice and quiet." He whispers to me pulling out a knife.

"You got it handsome." I whisper back, winking at him. I meant just to tease him, but I swear I see him blush before she shakes his head and jumps through the window.

Slowly moving through the room, we stay close to the walls. Close to get each other. My heart pounds with each person Joel takes down.

When we hear more voices we move into a nearby room. Sticking ourselves flat to the wall. I take a deep breath, just as two guys walk through the door together.

I don't even think about it as I grab the one closest to me and shove my knife into his throat. The crunching sound of breaking bones mixes with the sound of gargling as Joel snaps the other one's neck.