*another boring chapter. Maeve has a mental battle going on, that's pretty much it, but we do get to see her kill infected!*

Hope. What was it, exactly?

As cliche as it was, it was seemingly the only thing keeping this ball going.

She could scoff. What was "hope", anyway? Was it a feeling of rightness or just a way of knowing everything was going to turn out fine even though everything around them was absolute shit? As much as she tried to keep down her pessimism, it seemed to overwhelm her mind with every step they took. It weighed on her terribly. She couldn't shake it.

The tunnel before them seemed like a set of jaws, just waiting for its last meal before it closes. Anticipation tugged and jolted her body like an uneven floor ready to collapse. Overwhelming darkness cut a line from the bright sun, which she wished to stay. The shadows were menacing and unwelcoming to the travelers. It did not wish them a safe voyage.

Or that's what it felt like to Maeve. And despite her negative feeling swarming around in her chest, she squared up her shoulders and followed Ellie. Journey-bound, kind of like that one explorer guy. What was his name? She recalled watching a movie or two about a dude who scoured distant lands to stop a bunch of German masterminds. Huh. Either way, she felt like that. That's what they were. People on a journey. It was kind of sappy putting it like that, journey. It was a mission. They were on a mission. The worst outcome would be to potentially die. Or not potentially at all. Maybe they would just die, without any warning or time to retaliate.

Maeve stifled a shiver as she sauntered into the shadowy abyss of the tunnel. It was creepy, that's for sure. Damp and cold. Spring was warm, but in there, it made her feel like she was back in winter.

Back in the frozen and scared. All shriveled up in the snow.

Dammit. She inwardly cursed and brought her hands to her face. She needed to stop thinking about it. No, thinking, in general. It was becoming a hassle to be reminded every time she encountered something that triggered the memories. She wanted it to stop.

"They're gonna be there."

"Huh?" Maeve looked toward Ellie.

"The Fireflies." She reminded. "They'll be there. I know it."

"We might not even—" Maeve bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from spoiling Ellie's hopeful anticipation. "Yeah. Here's hoping."

"Wow, you're being awful optimistic today," Ellie lightly joked. "Get a good sleep last night?"

The older girl merely glared at her sister and continued further on the pavement and around the strewn-out vehicles. That seemed to be a reoccurring pattern. Cars just randomly spread out on the roads they traveled on. It was like the people forgot how to park. She knew traffic was a thing, but weren't the cars supposed to be in between the white lines, not upside-down and sideways on them?

Just as they begin to pass a rolled-over U-Haul, a strange and ominous sound rang out into the empty air, echoing off the long tunnel walls.

"Holy—"

"Sh!" Maeve was yanked behind the U-Haul before she could give away their presence. A clicker stumbled around in a large puddle from the years of weather. And then there was a sleeping runner hunched over by a car with a busted windshield, and then a pacing runner not far from the sleeping runner. Further, there were more infected, either sleeping or stumbling about as if it were another day.

"Oh, my god..." Ellie murmured. "There's so many of them."

"I know," Joel grimaced, peeking around the trailer and at the infected about. "Let's just keep at it."

"Shouldn't we take them out?" Maeve found herself asking. She didn't know why she asked, usually she followed orders. But, with that many clickers, it'd be smarter to kill the runners. They had a tendency to scream out, which caused the clickers to be alerted and follow after them.

"And how will we do that?" Ellie twisted halfway around to look at her.

"We have bows." Maeve stated, gesturing between Joel and TJ.

The guys shared pinched expressions as if considering the suggestion.

"Or if you don't want to do it, then give me your bow." She needed to vent in a silent way. Infected were soulless things. She'd make it quick and put those people's bodies at rest finally.

"I don't think that's a good idea," TJ peered at her. "We can sneak around them."

"Just give the bow to me. I'll make it quick."

"Joel?" TJ then looked at the man for help.

He was tired, Maeve knew. The journey had been too long and too perilous. He would've lost the energy to argue by now.

"Give it to her." The man sighed. "Get it over with."

"But—"

"TJ, please."

"Fine," the blond handed over his bow and what arrows he had. "Don't mess this up."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm a better shot than you." Turning around, she notched an arrow, aiming at the wandering runner, and released the arrow. It zoomed through the air, lodging into the infected's cranium with an accuracy that took the guys aback.

"You didn't even try." TJ gaped.

"I told you so." She wasn't smug, not really. She was upset. Angry. She'd rather pent quickly than cause a huge ruckus and attract more infected to them. She notched another arrow, this time aiming at the sleeping infected. The arrow soared and lodged into its eye socket. Its body flopped to the asphalt with quiet gurgles. And then it was the clicker's turn. Another arrow was notched, released, and sunk into its target, effectively killing it.

"Way to go, Kiddo." Joel praised her archery as they came from behind their cover, still quiet as the other infected was just up ahead.

Passing the bodies, Maeve retrieved the arrows she shot. She felt somewhat relieved. Part of her was confused as to why she was suddenly upfront and homicidal and angry. Maybe she wasn't confused. Maybe she knew and didn't want to. Maybe what she wanted wasn't to kill these infected, but to kill the boy who tortured her.

Instead of a gunshot wound or punch to the face, she would have strung him up and butchered him. Cut him open to let him bleed out like a slaughtered pig. She wished to watch him squeal while she cut his skin open. So much rage was pent up inside, she felt like she could burst.

"Remind me to never get on your bad side." TJ whispered to her before they continued further into the tunnel.

A numbness overtook her, icing the anger that coursed through her. Had she gone too far? Why was she suddenly so...so...unrecognizable? A fearful thump within her chest jump-started her again. The killing was never an enjoyment for her...

What was happening to her?