Claire's Point of View

Ellie and I sat together in the tall grass, readying our stealthy attack.

"Are you ready?" She whispered.

I looked over to her and nodded my head in response.

"Remember. Stealth is key here," Ellie warned. "Don't be aggressive unless our lives depend on it. Okay?"

"Okay," I confirmed the rules with her as we both pulled out our bows.

I preferred my bow, over a pistol any day. I had gotten mine off a dead scar when I was just thirteen, giving me years of practice.

Ellie and I moved through the grass, taking out a few of the WLFs. We made our way towards a big white tent, used to harbor supplies amongst other things.

"Am I crazy, or are we a few people light?" I heard one WLF say aloud.

"Whitney's probably hiding with her game thing," The other WLF snickered in reference to who Ellie just killed making me nauseous.

"No, I mean this is taking all day. There should've been at least two more units assigned to move this much inventory," The female WLF explained.

"I know India was inbound," Explained her male friend. "Maybe they had a dust-up in the park. Previous group ran into a couple Scars in there."

I recalled how the WLF begged the Scar for their life. Everybody that was missing was either slaughtered by Scars or by Ellie and I.

"I'm sure they'll get here soon," The male went on to explain to comfort his friend and lighten the mood.

"Longer we're here, the more danger we're in," The female rebutted. "I'm not sticking around after dark."

"Not wrong," Ellie muttered under her breath as she handed me an axe that laid at her feet.

Ellie and I listened closely, hoping to get any idea of what was happening here so we knew how to proceed. Ellie motioned for me to follow, so I did. We moved back around the dirt covered tent and Ellie pointed to a guy elevated on his outpost. I nodded my head and drew my bow back, landing a crisp headshot.

Ellie fashioned a proud nod and we moved along. We pushed into the tent through a teared open hole. Ellie pulled out her nine millimeter with her makeshift suppressor attachment, ready for any commotion as we moved in the tent.

Ellie and I left the tent after she grabbed some supplies and made our way towards the familiar thick grass except now we were on a different side of the tent. Ellie held her gun up, aiming for a man, missing her first shot. However, she made it up with a clean headshot with her second attempt leaving her suppressor-less.

"Oh shit!" A WLF exclaimed as they watched the man fall down.

"Kevin!" A female WLF cried following the cries of her friend. "Ambush, ambush! Think it came from over there!" She was quick to alert her peers.

"Let's split up," I whispered to Ellie.

"No way," Ellie whispered back. "Not after what's been happening."

"It's our best bet," I explained. "They know we're here, I can advert their attention elsewhere."

Ellie sighed, "Be careful Claire."

I took one last look at her before scurrying my own way, as did she. I grabbed a glass bottle, chucking it far from Ellie's direction so she could keep moving safely through the greenery.

I came up behind a soldier, jumping up onto their back, "Stay quiet," I ordered as stabbed their neck, following Ellie's stealthy ways to kill.

I dropped the person onto the ground quietly and kept moving through the grass. I could see in the distance, someone dropping to their knees indicating Ellie, as well as me, is taking out soldiers simultaneously.

I looked back over in Ellie's direction and saw a dog chasing her, "Fuck," I whispered to myself. I grabbed a brick that sat next to me and threw it into a window, creating a loud smashing noise away from Ellie.

"Let's go Bear," Their owner ushered the canine into the direction of the broken window.

"Idiots," I whispered to myself.

I stealthily took out several more WLFs as I made my way back to Ellie, assuming she took out the rest.

"Let's go in," She said pointing her chin towards the building.

"Yeah," I said following her.

"Nice work by the way," Ellie said. "You had my back a few times back there."

"Yeah of course," I said as Ellie came up behind a guy, grabbing him in her all-too-familiar stealthy manner.

"Shh. Quiet," Ellie said to him.

"Don't do anything stupid," He choked out to her.

"Shut up," Ellie said slitting his throat and throwing him over her side.

"Ellie more soldiers are coming," I said to her as we took cover.

"You gotta be kissing! Another dead soldier! How'd they get past us?!" A woman cried out.

"What, again?" Her friend asked out if confusion.

As someone was coming towards Ellie and I's cover. We jumped through a window in the building, crouching behind the short wall as we looped around behind her. But at that exact movement, she turned around to face us, "We got a trespasser!" She called out to her fellow soldiers.

Ellie didn't waste any time and jumped onto the girl, stabbing her abdomen twice before dropping her.

"Over there!" Called another soldier.

Ellie and I went to turn yet another corner after we thought we lost them, but was caught yet again, "Right there!" A soldier yelled.

Ellie ran up on a man, using her upgraded pickaxe and gutting out the man in one rough blow to the stomach.

"Jesus Christ!" Another soldier who spotted the scene exclaimed in horror.

The men and women kept shooting as Ellie as we ran behind a wall in an attempt to take cover. Ellie angrily grabbed a Molotov, throwing it at the closest person. The Molotov sent them up in flames, giving us a chance to get away.

"They're gone!" A soldier angrily huffed out admitting they lost our track. "Flush her out!"

Ellie and I threw out Molotovs onto each of the soldiers. I have never taken out live people with Molotovs. Only the infected. Ellie and I stood up, staring at the scorched people on the ground.

"Perfect," Ellie said. "Quick. Let's make a run for the hospital."

She grabbed me hand as we ran, still semi-low to the ground. The breeze from running was pushing onto my face and through my hair. Ellie's hair was blowing as well in front of me.

"The hospital," Ellie whispered as we walked in swiftly.

We spotted only a few soldiers stationed to the ground level, taking them out with ease. We took whatever we needed or found. Mostly medical supplies, which was to be expected, but I don't think either of us were complaining.

Ellie handed me a box of ammo, "You can't count on that bow forever," She also handed me a bottle suppressor.

"Thanks Ellie," I said, this time I was no longer reluctant to take what she offered me.

"Let's go," Ellie said I followed her into towards a door.

We pushed the door hard, surpassing its weak barricade. When we closed it we rebarricaded it with the same black crates.

We went up a flight of stairs, and into a door leading to a higher level. It was really dark resulting in Ellie and I turning on our flashlights.

Ellie and I could hear music as we proceeded through the dark hallways. "That you Nora?" Asked Ellie aloud.

We followed the music, stumbling upon an open vent, "It's gotta be traveling through there," I said.

She nodded and jumped up onto a metal filing cabinet, then into the vent, me following close behind. We stared through the grates below the vent spotting Nora.

"Maybe if you posted more guards, Abby would still be in her cell," Nora said making conversation with someone.

Ellie's breath hitched, "When the fuck was Abby here?"

"Abby's the one that escaped," I quietly breathed out recalling the conversation from earlier between the two WLFs.

Unconvinced, Nora's WLF friend responded to her story, "I'm not stupid. You're going to tell us where she went."

"When Isaac talks to us about this.. I'm going to say what I think happened," Explained another WLF to Nora putting her on the spot.

"Knock yourself out. I got work to do," Nora responded seemingly unbothered.

"Nora!" A soldier called after her as she walked away. Once gone, the soldier spoke up to his partner, "I'm not going down for her, man."

"Don't worry, Isaac will get it out of her," Their partner said reassuringly.

As Ellie and I made our way towards the end of the vent, she pushed the grate down quietly. She turned onto her back, grabbing onto a pipe in the ceiling above her and dropped down onto her feet. I smirked down at her, seeing how smart she was and did the same. If I was first I definitely wouldn't have thought of that and would've totally busted us.

Ellie and I spotted a door at the end of the hall. Ellie gave me one look before turning back towards the door, quietly turning the knob and entering slowly.

"Don't scream," Ellie commanded as she raised her gun at Nora.

Nora stopped in her tracks and stared at Ellie.

"Put that shit down," Ellie ordered her.

Nora placed what she was holding on the counter and turned back to Ellie slowly, placing her hands up on either side of her head, surrendering.

"You remember me?" Asked Ellie gaining more response from Nora, just a blank stare. "Yeah. You remember me." Ellie's words were quiet yet confident.

"What do you want?" Nora's shaky voice asked.

"Abby was here earlier. Where'd she go?" Asked Ellie, who I'm assuming she was referring to Abby.

"I don't know," Lied Nora which angered Ellie so she took several steps closer to Nora, still aiming her gun. "You shoot me.. the sound will have every soldier come running. And Claire, they'll take you alive, imprison you for being a disgusting traitor. Do you even know why Abby did what she did?!"

"You'll still be dead," Her words were quick and full of anger. "Tell me where she went and I'll think about letting you go. You're treading in thin ice talking about Claire like that."

"We could have killed you," Nora began to explain in an attempt to calm down Ellie.

"Maybe you should have," Ellie snickered back. "Or maybe you should've stayed the fuck out of Jackson." Ellie was getting even more angry, her eyebrows were knit close together. "Where's Abby?" Ellie pressured Nora, taking another step forward causing Nora to put her hands up in defense.

"You still hear his screams?" Nora's voice was incredibly shaky.

"What?" Asked Ellie as she tilted her head.

"I hear them every night.." Explained Nora.

I was getting quite lost. Sure, rumor had it that Abby killed the intruder's — Ellie's — father. But I don't even know what went down causing Ellie to travel to Seattle. We never talked about it.

"Yeah," Nora said nodding her head, remembering the screams. "Yeah, that little bitch got what he deserved."

"You fucking cunt-!" That definitely pulled on some of Ellie's heartstrings, causing her to react irrationally. She drew her arm back, preparing to pistol whip Nora. Except Nora, had a plan. She through a metal tray at Ellie, stunning her.

"Help! Trespassers!" Yelped Nora as Ellie grabbed her head for a split second.

Without thinking, I began running after Nora, Ellie's slight stun holding her back a few feet behind me.

"Somebody! Please!" Begged Nora. "Over here!"

She ran through an oak door, I opened the door and ran after her, Ellie hot on my trail.

"Nora!" Screamed Ellie. "You can't escape this!"

Nora pushed a hospital stretcher in front of the door, but it was no match for Ellie and I's agility. We hopped over it with ease, following Nora's tracks.

Before I knew it, Ellie was in front of me, her stamina better than mine. We reached a door that as we went to open, was barricaded by Nora by something too heavy.

"Damn it!" Exclaimed Ellie as she backed up in an attempt to find another way.

Ellie broke windows,  resting a shortcut into the other room and followed Nora.

"Shoot them!" Ordered Nora as we entered an open area with little-to-no cover.

WLF soldiers from above were shouting as us, but all I could focus on was Nora.

"God damn it!" Ellie exclaimed.

"Shit!" Nora called realizing how close were to her.

"No, no, no!" Ellie called to Nora who shut a door behind her.

Ellie busted open the door, following Nora through a window. Ellie jumped across a broken elevator shaft, alarming me to do the same. Her reaction time was so incredible along with her reflexes.

As I jumped across the shaft into the room, Nora and Ellie were brawling. Nora pushed Ellie onto the ground and fought for Ellie's knife. I intervened by picking Nora up off of Ellie. Ellie sliced Nora with her blade however Nora kicked her leg backwards sending me onto the ground. Because of this, Nora was able to make a swift exit.

Ellie and I followed her. But the room was once again barricaded. Ellie and I kept throwing out body weight against the door. But now the WLFs were catching up.

"Hey!" One called down the hall.

Ellie and I had no escape except to keep trying against the door. We were able to slide through, avoiding the gunshots from down the hall. Ellie's breathing was heavy and loud as we ran.

"Throw down your weapons!" A soldier called as they followed us. 

Ellie and I ignored their calls and continued to find Nora. We pushed open a door, the room was covered in spores and Nora stood their maskless. Ellie ignored Nora and turned around to me shoving her gas mask onto my face, "Ellie!" I called but Ellie ignored me and turned back to Nora who stood their afraid.

"No, no, wait," Nora pleaded knowing she was already dead, she was trapped in a room with Ellie and I and had already breathed in spores.. but so has Ellie.

"Ellie!" I called back trying to get her attention to put on another gas mask, but it was too late. "Fuck El!"

Ellie had already made a run for Nora, "No, no, no, please-"

Ellie turned around to meet the soldiers, "Back up," She yelled to them as she held Nora in a choke hold.

A soldier grabbed onto me, "You shoot Nora we kill her!" A soldier called.

"Just go!" I screamed back to Ellie.

"You can walks way form this, okay, I can-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Ellie was screaming now, scrambling to figure out what to do.

"Gun down! Hands up!" Ordered the soldier that latched into me.

"Get back!" Screamed Ellie as she pointed her guns towards the soldiers cornering her.

"You have nowhere to go!" A soldier called back to her.

"Ellie fucking jump!" I screamed as the floor's weak structure was concaving below her, creating an opening to the lower level.

"Claire-!"

Before Ellie could fight I turned kicked my leg back onto the soldier and kneed him between his legs.

"Ellie go!" I screamed back to her as I grabbed my knife from my pocket and stabbed the soldier.

The soldier began opening fire on me, giving Ellie the perfect opportunity to escape.

"Fuck!" Ellie yelled as she jumped backwards into hole.

"No!" Cried Nora.

"Fuck off!" I yelled to the shoulder as I stepped back and threw a Molotov at them.

The fire spread quickly between the soldiers, they were screaming, giving me the opportunity to follow Ellie.

I fell onto spores, and heard Nora's coughing from the distance. But not Ellie's. My nerves were pulsating as I hoped for Ellie's survival. I ran behind a counter taking cover.

"There! Take her out!" Called a soldier.

"Fuck's the power doing on?!" A soldier angrily yelled in reference to the red light that covered the scene.

"Doesn't matter," Said one of his partner. "Find the trespasser."

"Shh! Clickers!" Warned a soldier.

"Fuck!" I whispered to myself.

"Nora wasn't wearing a mask. What the fuck are we doing?" He asked insinuating that she's dead anyways.

"I don't care! I want her extracted, and I want the trespasser and the traitor dead!"

I spotted Ellie, looping around cover as she followed a soldier to stealthy kill him. I breathed out noticing she was okay, but not for long, she was breathing in spores.

I used the suppressor Ellie gave me to take out a soldier, then crouched again to stay behind my cover. I heard a clicker in the distance, I stayed behind ny cover quietly trying to wait it out, my back turned away from the cover. I stood up, leaning over the counter I was using for cover but was suddenly taken aback my someone grabbing me.

"Fuck off!" I whispered grabbing my knife and leaning my wrist back.

A familiar soft hand held onto my wrist, "It's me."

I turned around and jumped into Ellie's arms holding her close.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked as I nuzzled my head in her neck. "What the fuck El seriously?! Why did you give me your mask."

"I'll explain later," Ellie said confidently.

"There will be no later Ellie, look at you, you're breathing in spores and-"

"And look at me Claire!" Ellie argued back. "I'm fine and in perfect condition! You saw Nora, didn't you? Couldn't you hear her, her coughing?"

"Ellie what are you suggesting?" I asked.

"I'm immune," Ellie let loose as she took a step back from our hug.

"You're.. what? Is that some sort of joke?"

"Listen Claire, we have to go find Nora. Now. We don't have time for this, I'll explain later. Okay?"

"What the fuck Ellie," I said looking up at her. "Okay fine, let's go."

Ellie had killed all the WLFs already and now it was time to go after Nora all whilst being mindful of infected.

Ellie and I pushed through a door, "Okay. Where'd you go?" Asked Ellie as we walked around.

Finally, we came across another door which led to another dead end. Except Nora, was at the end of this dead end.

The blaring red emergency lights giving Ellie an over exaggerated reddened face.  Nora has herself propped up against a door, coughing and in horrible condition. I watched as she suffered and Ellie didn't. Was it true? Was Ellie actually immune.

"Hi Nora," Ellie whispered sending shivers down my spine.

"Oh god.. oh god," Nora cried out realizing her fate.

Ellie barricaded the door, giving Nora no chance to escape even if she tried. Ellie walked over to Nora, I followed behind her, leaving distance between us. I didn't want to hover or smother Ellie in a time and place such as this.

Nora whipped out a metal pole, attempting to trip Ellie. All it took was for Ellie to take a step back with her survival instincts to avoid the latter. Nora was doomed. Nora swung the pole again. With a grunt, Ellie latched onto it, her grip removing it from Nora's with ease. Ellie swung her arm in return, smacking Nora across the face with it making me flinch.

Nora was hyperventilating and crying, trying to fix her posture and stand up. But it was no use, there was nothing Nora could do to change anything. Ellie paced back in forth in front of Nora, staring her down as she suffered.

"Where's Abby?" Asked Ellie nervously.

Nora sat against the set of double doors behind her, giving her enough support to sit up and look at Ellie, "You're breathing spores," Said Nora in astonishment. "You're her."

Her? Who was her?

"You firefly?" Asked Ellie.

"There are no fireflies anymore," Nora breathed out in response.

All I knew of the fireflies was that my mother and father were apart of them. And when the fireflies went to shit, my parents brought me to the WLF. Only my father and I made it. And then.. it was just me.

"Where's Abby?" Urged Ellie getting back to her initial point.

Nora held onto her stomach, "I'm fucking dead anyway. Why would I tell you anything?" Nora had a point.

Ellie crouched down in front of her, gripping the pole to her side, "Because I can make it quick. Or I can make it much worse."

"Think about what he did!" Cried Nora. "How many people are dead because of him?"

Ellie stood up and spoke calmly, "It's your last chance."

"I'm not giving up my friend," Nora said. "Not to you and not to that bitch traitor. No wonder why Abby never liked you."

"What the fuck did you just say about her?" Ellie said angrily.

"Yeah there was a fucking reason Abby hated Claire growing up," Spewed Nora.

"What?" I spoke up, my voice small and timid.

"You fucking bitch," Spat Nora.

I stood there in shock, what could I have possibly done to make Abby hate me so much. I always figured she hated me, but now this was confirmation that Abby genuinely hated me.

I looked over to Ellie, she was breathing heavy and shaky. Ellie was gripping the pipe so tight, her knuckles were turning white.

Ellie swung the pipe back, then back at Nora. Blood gushed out of Nora as he coughs continued. I stood there in shock as I watched Ellie take another swing. I've never seen Ellie's face more serious. I've never seen anyone's face so pent up with pure hatred.

Ellie kept swinging, blood splashing onto her. I stood against the wall as my legs gave in, sliding down the wall. I watched as Ellie kept swinging at Nora, watching the whole scene crumble to black in front of me.

***

i've been working on this chapter for two hours straight and it's finally done!! i hope it was a good one. and it's fairly long to compensate for no update yesterday so they may not be an update tomorrow unless i'm able to squeeze one if after work today and before work tomorrow!!

anyways, thanks for reading and as always remember votes/comments are always appreciated as it helps boost my work that i try so hard to cultivate!

-bella<3

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