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There was dried blood caked under her fingernails. She wasn't sure if the blood was hers or Joel's or someone else's...
She picked at the dried blood under her fingernails and chanced a glance at Joel. He was focused, moving forward and if he sensed her staring at him, he didn't let on. They'd been walking for hours now, along deserted back roads, crossing freeways lined with immobile vehicles as far as the eye can see, all pointed in the direction of Boston, all abandoned in a desperate attempt to get to the safety of the Quarantine Zone.
Every once in a while, Joel checked to see if a car had something useful in it. He found a screwdriver, a half-empty bottle of baby aspirin and a can of what turned out to be baked beans. They had eaten the beans as they walked and only stopped once for Ellie to squat behind a truck and relieve herself. That had been embarrassing, but Joel hadn't made any comments about it, so neither did she.
There was a terrible moment when they had come across a body. Joel had shoved her roughly behind him and slowly approached the slumped figure, gun raised. But there was no sign of infection, only the empty shell of a person who had only died a few short days before. Flies swarmed his head, crawling over open, unseeing eyes and swollen lips. Joel had held his composure and simply walked on, but Ellie had doubled over, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the crumbling asphalt.
By the time Ellie had recovered enough to look up, Joel had passed more than a dozen cars down the interstate. Suddenly fearful he was leaving her behind, she broken out into a sprint to catch him. Joel eventually stopped, leveling her with a withering stare. She didn't care - she was not going to be left behind. In her haste, she stumbled and almost collided with Joel. He grabbed the strap of her bag before she could go tumbling onto the concrete, saving her from a particularly nasty fall. But just as soon as she was upright, he released his grip, almost shoving her away in the process.
She could not figure this guy out.
She had tried to start conversations with him a couple times, but the most she got in return was a grunt or silent glare. She desperately wanted to ask him how he was doing, especially after losing his friend, but he had made it very clear when they had finally escaped the underground subway tunnels of Boston that he did not want to discuss it. Ever.
She pulled her switchblade from her back pocket and slid the safety off. She flipped the blade open with a flick of her wrist and carefully used it to scrape the last bit of blood and dirt from under her nails.
She glanced over at Joel to see him looking at her. They briefly held eye contact before Joel frowned and looked away.
What a strange man. She's been with him for almost 24 hours now and he only spoke to her when absolutely necessary. Even then, communication was mostly grunts, pointing or other gestures. It felt like trying to talk with a caveman.
Ellie sighed loudly before pocketing her prized switchblade. "How much further?" she grumbled.
Joel didn't even bother to spare her a glance. "Only a few more miles. Should make it there in plenty of time before sunset."
She frowned. She couldn't imagine spending an entire week with this guy. Hopefully, they would find a truck here in Lincoln and be able to make it to... wherever it was that he was taking her to. To his brother? Who had worked with Marlene and the Fireflies. The Fireflies who could help; they would know what do to. She had to make it to them. She sighed loudly and felt a small amount of rebellious glee at the dark look Joel threw her way. The sooner, the better, she decided.