Solace - TLOU

Chapter Ten

"You all right?"

Tess bent down struggling to breathe as she answered,

"Twisted ankle, but yeah..."

Violet sighed before turning towards Ellie and asking the girl if she was okay. Violet didn't like having another person to protect, she couldn't afford another person to care about.
Ellie replied,

"Well I didn't shit my pants, so."

Violet laughed quietly before speaking,

"Congratulations."

Ellie groaned and then noticed the stinging in her arm, she pulled up her sleep and checked out another bite wound on the same exact spot.

"You fսck¡ng kidding me?
I mean, if it was gonna happen to one of us."

Violet looked over and sighed, pleased that it wasn't her sister, but worried that sometimes you don't get second chances. What if the bite took this time? She didn't want to kill a kid, infected or not. Violet spoke quickly,

"Hey... let's get the fսck outta here."

They made it to a window leading onto the roof, Violet sighed in relief, as she grunted opening the window and crawling through. Joel handed a bandage to Ellie, for her to place onto her arm. Ellie thanked him before pointing towards the thin plank joining the building,

"Over there?"

Joel replied noting the high ledge that would scare any normal person.

"Yeah, I know. It looks scary."

Ellie sarcastically replied walking forward without a care in the world, Violet hated the look of the flimsy wood creaking underneath the girls feet.

"That was scary. This is wood."

Joel spoke wanting to speak with Tess while Violet coaxed Lily to walk forward as Violet's heart beat fast watching her sister dangle above a guaranteed death.

"Just wait there. Give us a minute."

Lily made it over to the other side as Violet walked forward careful to maintain her balance before looking out to see a beautiful sunset, the capitol building in view. Joel looked over at Ellie who stared in amazement, Lily smiled at her sister as she sat in awe, Joel spoke,

"Is it everything you hoped for?"

Ellie smiled at the man before looking back at the view, speaking smartly,

"Jury's still out. But, man, you can't deny that view."

Violet broke the silence as she spoke quickly,

"C'mon, let's get there before it's dark."

As they made it to the building, there was some sort of tension between Tess and Joel. She seemed on edge, angry even. Violet wasn't sure why.
The building looked mostly inhabited and looked like their was a lack of activity for a long time.
Tess spoke softly,

"Where the fսck are they?"

Violet exchanged a look with Joel before she nodded telling him to keep going. Joel walked forward slowly, Violet following behind checking his six. As they made it to the armoured truck outside, Joel reached up and opened the door. It was empty so Joel turned and spoke to the group softly,

"Stay back."

He kept walking around the truck to find the body of an officer. As Joel opened the truck, Tess walked over and exclaimed,

"Joel? What the fսck is going on?"

Joel shrugged his shoulders and replied quickly,

"I don't know."

Blood followed up the steps as Tess pulled Ellie up the steps exclaiming in fear,

"Come on. Come on!"

Joel screamed after her following behind her, unsure why she was acting so cagey and aggressive.
As the group went inside they found all of the fireflies dead. Lily squeaked in disgust as Ellie audibly gasped. Tess was freaking out going to each firefly and checking their pockets.

"Okay. I mean, there's gotta be a, a fսck¡n' radio or somethin', right? Who killed them? FEDRA?"

Violet turned her head to Tess before speaking clearly,

"One of them got bit. The healthy ones fought the sick ones. We have to go. We've failed. Everyone lost."

Tess ignored Violet continued searching as Joel questioned her,

"Tess? What're you doin'?"

Tess ignored him again, moving away from him and snapping towards Ellie, trying to figure out a solution on her borrowed time. Not that the group knew that.

"Where did Marlene say that she was taking you? Ellie!"

Ellie flinched backwards as Violet stood unsure why a normally rational person was acting this way. The conversation went on as something dawned on her.
Tess was infected. Joel pleased with her as Violet took a few steps back, Tess's eyes meeting her with slight fear and tears sifting through them.

"No! Tess... it's over. We are going home."

Tess snapped back at Joel, the truth coming out. Violet thought of when she had been bitten, was it when she left Tess on her own.

"That's not my fսck¡ng home! I'm stayin'. I mean... our luck had to run out sooner or later."

Ellie turned to Tess the realisation making its way to her, as she thought of her own experiencing.
Tess was bitten.

"Fսck. She's infected."

END OF CHAPTER