PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS - The last of us

chapter seven

𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

The Williams sisters walked hand in hand through some sort of abandoned sitting area, following Tess. The younger girl was silently seeking comfort after the whole flashback, which is why she made sure to stay close to the only person who's been there her whole life, Ellie.

After Tess pulled back the tarp that hung like curtains, the group was now on a balcony that over looked the city. Emily didn't know that though as her height only allowed her to see the brick wall and nothing above it.

"Woah." Ellie whispered in amazement of the view.

"I can't see." Emily whined as she started childishly jumping, attempting to catch a glimpse over the wall.

"There's so many." Ellie realised, now on slightly on edge with whatever she was seeing.

Emily was quickly growing more frustrated at the fact everyone could see but her, she'd wished she was taller in that moment just so she'd be able to see without having to annoy someone into helping her. "I want to see." The girl demanded as she gave up jumping and began trying to climb the wall instead.

"The last time we were here, they were still deep inside the buildings. Then I guess enough people came through looking for the QZ, they went inside seeking shelter, and that's how they get more and more of the city but by bit, year after year." Tess explained.

Emily was gripping the wall, her little feet half way up the wall as her hands attempted to pull her body up. For a split second Emily was able to pull herself up enough to slightly look over the wall before falling backwards onto her butt. "Ouch." She sighed, although Joel was the only one paying attention to her as he found her determination quite amusing.

"They're connected." Ellie observed, still not paying her sister any attention.

"More than you know." Tess replied.

Emily got back on her feet and decided on trying to climb the wall again, hoping to have more success this time. Joel sighed in annoyance at the girl now, it was dangerous what she was doing and Joel immediate instinct was to protect the young girl. His parent instincts told him to protect the girl, just like he'd protect Sarah. But Emily wasn't Sarah, Emily would never be Sarah. Joel would always get annoyed at Emily's childish behaviour, not how he'd adore it when Sarah was that age.

Joel picked the girl up with a glare on his face, before placing her on top of the wall with a hand gripping her back to stop her from falling. Much to Joel's dismay Emily subconsciously learned back into Joel, slightly afraid of falling over the edge.

Now that Emily could see over the edge she was able to see what Ellie and Tess was talking so seriously about, the monsters. Hundreds of them in the street, they wasn't dead though they were moving around on the floor. Emily's young mind went back to the first time she had seen them in person, when she was alone and defenceless against the monsters twice her height and weight.

"I don't want to go past them...please." She cringed at the thought as she looked Joel in the eyes. She didn't want to go through it again, and she didn't want Ellie, Joel and Tess to go through it too.

Joel looked at the girl with the same hard look he held most the time, however even him being the cold, hard man he is couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for the little girl in front of him. "We're not." Joel said simply, hoping it would bring her a little comfort.

"The fungus also grows underground. Long fibers like wires, some of them stretching over a mile. Now, you step on a patch of cordyceps in one place, and you can wake a dozen infected from somewhere else. Now they know where you are, now they come. You're not immune from being ripped apart. You understand? It's important. I'm trying to keep you alive, both of you" Tess explained to Ellie, although now Emily was listening too.