The Last of Us: Endure and Survive

Chapter 22: Day Fifty-Eight

"I wonder where he is ..." Matt said to himself as he looked around the empty station shed, the same place he often worked when overseeing the civilians.

It was time for that duty once again, but Matt was confused on where the previous overseer was. Suddenly, he heard some commotion outside, near a few greenhouses.

Matt turned and left the shed, walking the short distance to the collection of four small greenhouses that were used to grow all sorts of vegetables – Of course, there were more on the base elsewhere, but these were the closest and the where the commotion was happening.

"Come on girl!" An armed guard said, "We could help each other out!"

Matt watched as a group of civilians stared in horror as a familiar girl was on the floor as an armed man stood over her, "If you help me, I can help you," The man said as Matt stood with the crowd with disgust on his face.

"Oy, what the fuck are you doing?" Matt yelled as he approached the man, standing in between him and the girl, now immediately recognised to be Isabell, "Stand down."

The man had fear plastered on his face, thankfully, he wasn't aiming the gun at the girl, it was already lowered, but it would've been a different story if the man was.

"I was ... Er ..." The man stuttered, "Just making sure she was doing her job ..."

Isabell stood up and moved beside Matt, "He wanted me to 'help him' ..." She whispered.

Matt shook his head, he knew the implication, "You're sick," he spat, "I take it you're the one supposed to be overseeing them?"

The man nodded, it wasn't supposed to go like this, "Yes ..."

"Then fuck off, I'm taking over the shift," Matt scowled.

The man, who was clearly in his mid-forties gave a weak salute and turned, running off in the opposite direction. The few civilians that had gathered around to watch the commotion had slowly started to return to their work, seeing that it had been dealt with.

"You okay?" Matt asked as he turned to face Isabell, who was clearly shaken from the encounter.

The girl sniffed but nodded, "Yeah ... I was just so helpless ... I wasn't sure what to do."

Matt sighed, "I'm sorry I didn't get her sooner," he admitted, "Why didn't any of the others try and get involved?"

Isabell looked at him, "They were scared too," she told, "They didn't want to be shot ... One of them tried to intervene, but that man threatened to shoot him ..."

There was still a few more hours they were required to work, it had only been an hour since they had lunch, "Follow me," Matt said as he turned and started walking back to the shed.

The girl simply nodded, at first, she didn't want to, not after what happened – However, Matt was different.

Matt soon entered the shed with the girl, "You sure you're okay?" the man asked as he walked up to the desk and sat in the chair behind it.

Isabell stood in front of the desk and rubbed her arm, "I don't know ..." She sighed, everything was going to shit.

Matt looked out the window to see the rest of the civilians working, they still had a few hours left until their shift was over, "Take the rest of the day off," He told, looking back at the girl, his hand then moved to the drawer that came out of the desk and pulled out a ration card, sliding it across to her, "And get something to eat."