𝕺𝖜𝖓 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝕰𝖓𝖊𝖒𝖞

- CHAPTER FIVE -
TIME TO SHINE

KATHY'S FEET LANDED with a thump on the other side of the scaffolding, "Sweetheart, you okay?"

"Other than shitting my pants?" Ellie gasped, "I'm fine."

"Let's go." Tess said, taking in their surroundings.

They were in another stairwell and going up wasn't an option as it was blocked by a demolished wall. The only way was down after Joel had pulled a file cabinet out of the way, "Here you go ladies."

"Ever the gentleman, Joel." Kathy smirked, hoping over the railing and down to the lower level. They were back on the fifth floor, only they were now in a different section.

"The stairwell's blocked." Ellie observed by the broken window. "Should we go back up?"

Tess didn't answer, just climbed out the window and onto the suspended scaffolding that would've been used for window washing back before the world went to shit. "Ahhh, this is crazy. Just don't look down."

"Wha- Are you serious?!" Ellie questioned in disbelief, but followed anyway after an encouraging nudge from her aunt. Kathy went next and Joel went last, climbing onto the next one and then the ledge on the outside of the building. "Don't look down. Just don't look down."

"You're okay. We got a way through." Tess told her shifting along and into another broken window. Kathy reckoned they were now on level four, but she couldn't really tell with the sign missing on the stairs.

Coming across another deceased soldier - this one was missing a left hand - Joel picked up a Revolver and checked to see how much ammo it had left.

"Runners." Tess informed Joel and Kathy who came into the room. The infected were below them and it sounded like there were quite a few.

"Me and Kathy'll check it out. Stay with the girl." Joel replied, motioning back for Kathy to stay close to him and they jumped down into the lion's den.

Kathy would like to say that they took the stealthy approach in killing the infected, but to be completely honest they just straight up killed them all with fists of fury and guns ablazing. It was good practice for her and for Joel with his new gun. Even if it was a waste of ammo, Kathy was glad she got to release some pent up stress.

"Alright, it's clear. You can come down now!" Kathy called out to the girls.

Tess whistled as she approached with Ellie, "I'm impressed, Kathy. Didn't know you had that in you."

"There's a lot you don't know about me." Kathy replied curtly, bending down to pick up some ammo that one of the infected had dropped.

"Let's just get outta here." Joel said and it wasn't long until he found a way. He held onto a heavy cabinet on wheels that was blocking the door. As mentioned before, the whole building was on a slant so it took Joel some effort to pull it away, "Alright, Tess, go!"

"Alright, hold on." Tess opened the door and retrieved something from the next room, putting it in the doorway to keep it open. "Here - this'll work. Gimme a hand, Ellie."

"Alright."

"Alright, that should do it."

Joel let go of the cabinet and he and Kathy climbed over the old printer that was now in the doorway. She went over the the couch and picked up a rag and some alcohol, perfect for making a makeshift medkit or one of her favourite weapons, a molotov. Maybe she was on her way with becoming a pyromaniac because she loved setting things on fire, especially Clickers. Those things just walked into open flames.

"See - doin' alright."

"Uh-huh."

➸ ➸ ➸

The quartet worked their way down the floors one by one until they found themselves in a subway station. It was almost pitch black, so they whipped out their flashlights to get a look around.

A body was sprawled out on the floor in front of them, clutching a molotov. Great. Kath crouched next to it to get a closer look while retrieving the weapon when she spotted the arm band, "Look at his sleeve. He was a Firefly."

"Yep. These guys aren't doin' well in or out of the city." Joel replied, "Now let's hope there is someone alive to meet us at the drop off."

Kathy found another body with a note and read it quietly.

Meet up with second Firefly team at Capitol Building

GIRLS:

5'3 (?)
14 years old
Red hair

5'8
40 years old
brown hair

"They're from the quarantine zone." Kathy said as she crumpled up the paper and threw it behind her.

"See, they're not our guys." Tess reassured her smuggling partner.

Together they all crouched under a part of the collapsed roof, into the main area of the underground station, instantly halting when a Clicker stumbled by.

"Over there. See 'em?" Joel pointed out that there was definitely more than one Clicker lurking about and Kathy smirked, pulling out her collection of Molotovs. It was her time to shine.

"Shit." Tess cursed as they took cover behind a ticket machine that was on its side. "God, we're almost out. Okay, Joel, you take point. Kathy and I'll watch the rear. Ellie, no matter what, you stay right on his heels."

"No, no, no." Kathy cut the woman off, causing them all the look at her in curiosity. "You guys stay here, I got this. Taking out Clickers is my specialty."

"Kathy-" Joel began, if she knew him any better, she'd think he was worried about her. How sweet.

"Relax. You gotta let someone else do the work for once." She grinned, sneaking away from them and picking up a brick along the way.

Kathy threw the brick into the middle of the room, alerting most of the Clickers. They screeched, staggering over to the source of the noise and once they were all in close proximity, Kathy threw one of her molotovs, setting them alight. Some others heard the noise and walked into the fire, combusting into flames.

Tess, Ellie and Joel watched in awe as she stealthily moved around the room, gathering all the Clickers with throwable objects and burning them to a crisp. There were a few runners, but they were easily dealt with by a trusty shiv to the neck. Joel was very impressed, she'd cleared out the whole area in less than five minutes and barely had to do a thing. He'd stop underestimating her from now on.

"No need to thank me. I know I'm awesome." The brunette walked over to them grinning when she was finished, ushering them to follow her, "Come one, this way. I found a way out."

She brought them over to where there was a ladder hanging over the edge of the closed off fire exit. Joel did that thing where he hoisted one of the women up to grab the ladder and pull it down so that they could climb it. They got out of the subway and back into the open air of the outside.

"Holy shit. We actually made it." Ellie exclaimed in excitement.

"Everyone okay?" asked Joel concernedly.

"Yes. Let's move." Tess answered as they trekked up the broken hill and onto the main street above.

"You guys are pretty good at this stuff." Ellie complimented the smugglers.

"It's called luck, and it's gonna run out." Joel clarified back. "Which way we goin', Tess?"

"Uh...Capitol building's in this direction." Tess indicated towards the white lorry that was blocking off the way they needed to go.

"How do we get up over this truck?" The auburn haired teen inquired the two women. Joel had gone off somewhere on his lonesome.

"I'm sure Joel will figure that out for us." Kathy reckoned, noticing he wasn't with them. Last time he did that, he came back with something to climb on top of. He was probably gonna do the same thing this time.

As predicted, Joel came out of one of the buildings near them, pushing a cabinet with a litter of dead infected behind him.

Tess noticed the bodies, "They're recently infected. Those soldiers must've jus turned."

"Which means there's more in the area. We gotta go." Joel replied, going back to pushing the wooden cabinet. He pushed it against the side of the lorry's trailer and climbed over, "Climb on up."

The two women and the girl jumped down off the trailer and found a garage door that could slide open if they pulled a chain.

"Maybe we can cut through here." Joel voice, gripping onto the chain and started to pull.

"Yeah, that worked out great last time." Ellie quipped sarcastically, "Sorry - I'm just sayin'."

"Hey, kiddo. I'm supposed to be the sarcastic one." Kathy playfully glared at her niece who then chuckled.

The chain was rattling rather loudly as Joel continued to pull it and Tess quickly stopped him when she heard something, "Sshh-shhh."

"What? I don't hear anything."

"Okay. Double-time." Tess advised and he started pulling the chain again. The door was now sliding up a little faster.

The infected's wails grew louder every second and they were soon visible as they launched over the truck, running full speed at them.

"They're coming!"

"I know."

"Okay, that's good, that's good. Go."

Kathy made sure she pushed Ellie under first, then Tess, herself and Joel rolling under last. An infected grabbed onto Joel's boot as he shuffled back and Kathy dropped the metal door on it's arm, cutting it clean off. The infected hit rapidly against the door but they weren't strong nor smart enough to open it, so they were safe.

Kathy felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins dimmer when she stifled a laugh and pointed to Joel's feet, "You got something on your shoe."

Joel grunted and shook it off.

❝IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME, I AM MY OWN WORST ENEMY❞