"You think Tommy came through here?" I asked as we navigated our way through the city.
It was overgrown, the once grey roads coated in a bed of green grass and leaves. The buildings were all decayed and withered. Seemed as though FEDRA got their hands on Seattle quickly after outbreak day.
"Bet he did. So, where are we?" Ellie questioned, pulling the map out from her pocket and unfolding it.
"Pretty sure we're here," I nodded.
"We'll mark it up as we go," She replied, "God, the military bombed the shit out of this place."
"But why? I don't understand."
"Well, they would sometimes destroy parts of the city that were... Lost to the infected. Or to rebels,"
"Talk about overkill,"
"Well, it usually worked,"
"On infected or rebels?"
"Both," She said bluntly, "Trust me, you're lucky you didn't grow up in a QZ."
"I'm starting to get that impression..." I agreed before pointing to the large domed building, "Hey, look. The dome, that's got to be it right?"
Ellie nodded her head and raced towards the building in the distance. When we reached the dome, I began to read off a sign with squinted eyes.
"Ration distribution centre,"
"In Boston, we'd line up for blocks," Ellie began, "And the food sucked."
"I think I'd go crazy,"
"Boston always had food shortages. Hungry people get desperate," She shrugged as we made our way through the gate.
She held open the second gate, allowing me to slip under the chain and hold it open for her on the other side. She crawled under, quickly grabbing me and ducking to the side when we heard a familiar clicking sound.
"Let's be quiet about this, okay?" She whispered, pulling her knife from her back pocket, "Be careful."
I nodded my head and crept towards the runner stood near the wall, pouncing and wrapping my arm around its shoulders before driving my knife into its throat. Slowly lowering it to the ground, I set off again quietly for the clicker by the shipping container.
I approached slowly, trying my best to keep as silent as possible. These things had insane hearing so extra caution around them was always a must. I couldn't count the amount of times I'd almost had my throat torn out by a clicker. I struck again, stabbing it multiple times in the throat and jumping on the container.
"That's all of them," Ellie nodded, pulling herself up with me so that we could head up the ladder on the side of the building.
We jumped through an entry point by a crumbling wall, my eyes widening as I examined the grand building. It wasn't just any old building. It was a synagogue - and it was still in pretty good condition.
"It's a synagogue," I smiled as I headed down the wooden staircase.
"How can you tell?" She asked.
"There are menorah decorations on the wall. It's a Jewish thing. Dina would love this place..."
"Dina?"
"She's Jewish. Always talks about how she likes coming from a long line of survivors," I explained, recalling in my best friends past commentary.
"Like, after outbreak day?" Asked Ellie as she began to search the place.
"That. And Inquisition. And the Holocaust,"
Ellie stared at me blankly. I forgot she wasn't quite as much of a nerd as me when it came to history. She stuck to her stupid superhero cards and comic books. It was safe to say there was quite a disparity in our interests. Maybe that's why we worked so well.
"It's fucking empty," Ellie cursed in the distance before joining me again on the steps, "We've got to try the courthouse."
"Maybe it's worth looking for some supplies first? This city doesn't seem as empty as it looks,"
Ellie and I headed out of the synagogue. I was sure to pocket a few things I thought Dina would like. I was hoping to soften the blow a little, I think. I promised her I'd never leave again and yet not even a month after my arrival, I found myself back on the road again.
"Valiant Music Shop..." Ellie read from a sign above the building next door, diverting my attention, "Should we check it out?"
"Sure," I grinned before searching for a way in.
The Music Store was old. The shelves were ransacked and barren. Being there made me think back to before I left. Ellie and I on partnered patrols, scouting for CD's just to buy some extra time together. I shook my head with a grin.
"What're you smiling at?" She asked with a smirk, wrapping her arms around my waist and pressing a kiss to my temple.
"Nothing..."
I ran my fingertips along the shelves, collecting dust on the pads of my fingers as I carefully read each album I crossed. I quickly turned when I began to hear gentle strumming from the room next door, standing in the doorway to see Ellie singing quietly with a guitar.
"What was that?" I asked.
"Nothing," She grinned.
"Didn't sound like nothing,"
Ellie adjusted her fingers as she began to strum a familiar song, looking at me with a gentle smile before saying, "You remember the night of the party?"
"How could I forget it?"
She began to play my favourite song, singing along softly as I watched her intently. It was at this moment that I knew I was head over heels, crazy in love with her. I watched the way her eyes fluttered as she sung, the way her fingers softly stroked the strings, the way her foot tapped against the wooden floor.
My heart fluttered when she finished, my stomach in knots as I struggled to even keep my eyes on her.
"You should've kissed me then," I whispered.
"I wanted to," She smiled, her head rested on top of the guitar as she stared at me for a while before sighing and standing, "We better head off. We don't know how long they stay in one place."
She placed the guitar back where she'd found it, heading out of the doorway, leaving me with a racing heart and sweating palms. I felt 16 again.