ehlie

[ehlie]

hi yall, long time no see   —   i just wanted to update yall and let you know, im moving ellie to my multi over on @antmounds <3 i really would love to come back to this blog at some point (and its not out of the question for the future) but as of right now, i just dont have the time or mental capacity to have several single muse blogs. so yeah, see yall on the flip side <3

[ehlie]

hi yall, long time no see   —   i just wanted to update yall and let you know, im moving ellie to my multi over on @antmounds <3 i really would love to come back to this blog at some point (and its not out of the question for the future) but as of right now, i just dont have the time or mental capacity to have several single muse blogs. so yeah, see yall on the flip side <3

[ehlie]

hi yall, long time no see   —   i just wanted to update yall and let you know, im moving ellie to my multi over on @antmounds <3 i really would love to come back to this blog at some point (and its not out of the question for the future) but as of right now, i just dont have the time or mental capacity to have several single muse blogs. so yeah, see yall on the flip side <3

[ehlie]

you see,   this  little  pig  is slowly becoming my own  worst  enemy.    you see   —   this evil pig,   she’s a  blood,   blood,   blood  sucking part of me.

[ehlie]

tbh, the muse for ellie just isn’t here at the moment (i feel a little burnt out) so i’m going 2 focus my energy into writing my oc/developing her, so y’all can catch me on @legiate for a little while. 

[ehlie]

COME CLOSER MY CHILD, AND DO MIND THE FIRE. ART.

[ehlie]

untoldsurvivor​.

clem feels comfortable around ellie  ,  more so than she wants to admit to herself  .  she’s willing to talk to her about things that she refuses to talk to anyone else with  .  for example  ,  ellie knows more about lee than anyone else in jackson does  .  all except the fact that clem was the one that put the bullet in his head  .  it’s not that big of a deal  ,  not in this day and age  .  and yet  ,  clem still feels guilty  .  she huffs  ,  slowing down in order to walk next to ellie  .  there’s a moment of silence before she inhales  ,  teeth sinking into her lower lip  .   ❝  that’s pretty fucked  .  sorry  .   ❞  she pauses again  ,  glancing around for a moment  .   ❝  you know  ,  i think lee would’ve liked you  .  he didn’t like groups too much but  …  i think he would’ve been okay with this one  .   ❞

you’ve noticed his name be mentioned scarcely.    lee.    you’ve managed to use context clues   &   the brief mentions to pinpoint who he was   ;   the guy who took care of clementine when her parents were killed.    he seemed like a good guy from all the other had said   ;   someone joel would’ve been able to respect   &   like for their similar predicaments.    hands shoving themselves into the pockets of your jeans,   your shoulders raise meekly at her  sorry.    it wasn’t her fault for all the  bad  experiences you’d gone through   —   it was this  world’s  fault.    this world raised wolves   &   monsters,   bearing their sharp teeth to rip  everyone   &   everything  to shreds.    if it wasn’t the infected who would kill you,   it would be the humans who only wanted to see death   &   gore.    this world wasn’t pretty   &   didn’t wear a mask   —   you got what was presented to you,   whether you liked it or not.    ❝    joel   &   lee sound like they would’ve been friends.    maybe he’d put up his  yeehaw  music better than me.    ❞     you laugh,   nudging her ribcage gently with your elbow,   an amicable smile spreading itself across your face.

[ehlie]

  some  one  word  prompts .    (    send   one   of   the   words   for   our   muses   to   interact   based   off   that   word   )

goodbye :  my  muse  kissing  and/or  hugging  your  muse  goodbye.

secrets :   my  muse  sharing/confiding  their  deepest,  darkest  secret  with  your  muse.

nightmare :   my  muse  coming  to  your  muses  aid  when  they  awake  from  a  nightmare.

push :   my  muse  pushing  your  muse  out  of  the  way  of  danger.

embrace :   my  muse  abruptly  throwing  their  arms  around  your  muse,  hugging  them  tightly.

bloody :   my  muse  coming  to  your  muse  with  blood  stains  on  their  clothes  and  hands,  shaking.

drunk :   my  muse  takes  care  of  your  muse  while  they  are  in  a  drunken  state.

bed :   my  muse  wakes  up  in  the  same  bed  as  your  muse  with  little  recollection  of  the  night  before.

slap :   my  muse  slaps  your  muse  across  the  face  out  of  anger.

gone :   my  muse  stays  by  your  muses  side  while  they  take  their  last  breath.

scream :   my  muse  hears  your  muse  scream  and  quickly  runs  to  their  side.

sleep :   my  muse  falls  asleep  on  your  muse,  making  it  hard  for  my  muse  to  leave.

stalk :   my  muse  gets  caught  by  your  muse  trailing  behind  them,  watching  them.

sacrifice :   my  muse  jumps  in  front  of  your  muse,  sacrificing  their  life  for  your  muses  life.

trail :   my  muse  watches  as  your  muse  traces  one  of  my  muses  scares,  asking  them  about  it.

love :   my  muse  confronts  your  muse  about  why  they  never  say  ’ i  love  you ’  back.

piggyback :   my  muse  jumps  on  your  muses  back,  my  muse  gives  yours  a  piggyback  ride.

jump :   my  muse  runs  to  your  muse  and  jumps  up,  my  muse  holding  yours  up  by  their  thighs.

dance :   my  muse  holds  their  hand  out,  waiting  for  your  muse  to  come  out  and  slow  dance  with  them.

carry :   my  muse  carries  your  muse  to  their  house,  either  drunk,  or  a  weakened  state,  can  specify. 

lighter :   my  muse  pulls  out  a  lighter  and  lights  it  for  your  muse  to  use  to  light  their  cigarette.

shot :   my  muse  gets  shot  and  struggles  to  your  muses  house  for  aid.

wound :   my  muse  patches  and  bandages  a  wound  your  muse  has  gotten.

fight :   my  muse  stops  your  muse  from  getting  into  a  physical  fight  with  someone  else.

arrest :   your  muse  finds  my  muse  arrested  in  cuffs  with  swarming  police  everywhere.

hospital :   my  muse  awakens  in  a  hospital,  finding  your  muse  by  their  side,  asking  what  happened.

gun :  my  muse  pulls  out  a  gun  on  your  muse,  your  muse  tries  to  talk  them  into  putting  the  gun  down. 

betrayal :  my  muse  finds  out  that  your  muse  has  betrayed  them  in  same  way  and  confronts  them  about  it.

nude :  my  muse  walks  in  on  your  muse  accidentally  seeing  them  naked.

karaoke :  my  muse  pulls  your  muse  up  on  stage  with  them  to  sing  some  karaoke  songs. 

laughter :   my  muse  hears  your  muse  laughing  uncontrollably  and  approaches  to  see  if  they  are  okay.

murder :   my  muse  walks  in  on  your  muse  committing  a  gruesome  murder.

wet :   my  muse  strips  down  to  their  under  garments  and  runs  into  the  water,  motioning  for  your  muse  to  join  them.

[ehlie]

roseguided​.

        𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒 𝐌𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄 , 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 , && 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃.   it’d made her blood boil , it’d made the sense of tightness in her chest almost suffocating.  these people knew nothing of what happened in seattle , of what they went through let alone ellie.   even dina knows why she did what she did && has chosen not to personally hold it against her━if she were in her shoes, && she could’ve been  with what happened to her mother ,  then dina would’ve done the   𝙴𝚇𝙰𝙲𝚃 𝚂𝙰𝙼𝙴.     eyes close for a moment ,    ❝  we both have things to apologize for even if you won’t see it that way , ellie.  ❞      tone continues level as dina tries to keep her composure despite the ever rising flood of   𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓   inside of her.  a shaky breath is taken into her chest , arms crossing over chest as if to defend herself against what was about to leave her lips ,     ❝  you left me , you left us ,  && everything inside of me wanted to hate you for it.  but , i know that i could never hate you.  i believe that you’re sorry ,  i can see it . .  ❞        ;         as long as dina has known she loved ellie she knew that it’d always be her━ellie, to dina, was the person she was suppose to be with.  dina was meant to have a life with her ,  why would she let this get in the way?  it’ll be hard    𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈   their relationship , but she’s decided ever since ellie came back that this was what she wanted.  ellie needed to know that she didn’t lose everything.   bottom lip quivers ,  eyes glancing away as burning hot , yet slightly relieving ,  tears begin to pour out of her eyes && down flushed cheeks :     ❝  you hurt me so-so much when you left . . it was like you took a piece of me with you.  ❞   tone turns sorrowful for only a moment ,    ❝   i’ve decided i don’t want to be mad anymore , i don’t want to let my feelings over what happened 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍   me on he inside anymore.  ❞     eyes meet ellie’s again ,    ❝  when i left the farm i left all of the trauma && the pain behind . .  but i never left you , ellie.  ❞     a deep exhale leaves her chest ,  like a weight had been lifted.      ❝  i’m willing to try to fix things if you are.   i want too.  ❞    head nods as to reassure ,    ❝  do you-do you want that?  ❞    brow arched.   [do you still want me?]

with every word,   you can feel your heart breaking.    it’s shattering into a million pieces,   almost becoming unrecognizable because of all the pieces.    the edges are sharp,   your eyelids fluttering shut as you listen intensely.    this  is  all  my  fault.    maybe you shouldn’t have left,   maybe you shouldn’t have listened to tommy   &   allowed his words to burrow themselves under your skin.    they had picked   &   picked,   grasping onto  anything  they could have.    his words had rendered themselves onto your body,   cutting deep into your heart   &   lungs.    when he’d left the farm that day,   any chance you had to think about anything else was polluted with his words,   causing your heart to break   &   oxygen to halt inside your lungs.    no air   /   no life.    that night,   you tried to sleep   —   you attempted to close your eyes   &   bring yourself back down to earth in a feeling of serenity   &   peace.    you  couldn’t.   you couldn’t stop thinking of joel’s face,   his screams   —   then abby’s face consumed the memories,   her voice,   the blood,   everything.    a pit of rage burned inside your belly,   threatening to spill into everything you had to offer.    you couldn’t let it consume dina or jj,   you had to let it consume yourself to realize what you  really  had to do.    once she’s finished speaking,   her question lingers inside your head   ;   it bounces off the walls of brain like a tennis ball,   making everything tremble like an earthquake.    all you want is for dina to be  happy.    you want her to propser   &   you want jj to propser.    they deserve the best life possible   —   can you give them that?    everything you had done was selfish   &   for your  own  benefit,   even if you  hadn’t  followed through.    your lips press together,   your eyes opening as you come to meet her gaze,   hands coming up to cup themselves around her face.    verdant eyes stare softly,   a moment of vulnerability peeking through the harsh exterior you’ve built for yourself.    ❝    i want what’s best for you.    ❞    you know what your answer would be   :   it would  always  be yes.    the question that remains splatters itself inside your head   /   is it what she  deserves?    in this moment,   it feels like everything surrounding the two of you is burning from the heat radiating off of you,   crumbling to pieces just like the life you had left behind.    it’s hard to look at her,   hard to remember how things were  prior  to your departure for santa barbara.    you  almost  question if dina is the same person you knew all those moments ago   ;   you know you aren’t.    ❝    i want us to work,   of  course  i do,   but   —   i want what’s best for you.    ❞

[ehlie]

THERE’S SO MANY RUMORS AROUND MY DEATH,   I CAN BARELY KEEP THEM STRAIGHT.     I  AM  THE  LOCUST,    I  AM  THE  APPLE,     I  AM  THE  LAMB,     I  AM  THE  SNAKE  IN  THE  GARDEN,     I  AM  EVE  IN  ALL  HER  RUINOUS  GLORY.     THE FIFTH SEAL UNLEASHES HELL UPON THIS GREEN EARTH AND HIS HANDS AROUND MY NECK IN THE RIVER KEEP ME SANE.     I WONDER WHERE THEY FIND ME,   IN THAT RIVER?     IN A CHURCH?     IN A GRAVEYARD OR MY OWN HOME?     WONDER IF THEY’LL EVEN FIND ME?                            (..      THEY TELL ME,   ‘PIECES  OF  ELIZABETH’S  BODY,    THEY  KEEP  FINDING  PIECES  OF  ELIZABETH’S  BODY’.)

[ehlie]

Tell me… what happened here. If you lie to me one more time, I’m gone. You will never see me again. But if you tell me the truth, I’ll go back to Jackson. No matter what it is.

[ehlie]

stillaware.

the girl must recognize her name based on the relief that spreads across her features, the way her shoulders drop. jill’s own tension falls, a smile starting. it’s been a long time since she’s seen a kid; the youngest in their group is rebecca and she’s into her twenties now. there’s something about the reminder of generations continuing that makes the world feel a little lighter. 

the question is understandable. it’s rare to see anyone traveling alone, and often suspicious, but apparently she’s not the only one enjoying the silence and solitude of the afternoon. 

“ groups are easier to notice and we don’t want to lead anyone back to us or to jackson. so it’s just me today. what about you? “ 

she doesn’t want to tell her that a kid shouldn’t be out on their own like this. knows that the world they live in makes everyone grow up way too fast. but it makes her wonder just who authorized it and why, or if they even knew this girl was out front all alone. 

at the introduction, jill’s hand is halfway out to shake hers when suddenly she stops, the name sitting at the back of her mind like an itch. the hesitation lasts only a second and she takes the girl’s hand, eyes falling to the tattoo that adorns her forearm.  

ellie… 

her eyes widen, a sensation like her stomach dropping as realization hits her. of course the name is familiar; it wasn’t long ago that she heard it in the mouths of the fireflies. 

a stupid plan. reckless. inhumane. involving a child to be used as little more than a sacrifice in a fruitless attempt at a vaccine for a fungus. 

it’s too late to hide the recognition and jill gives an apologetic smile as she releases the handshake. she might be wrong, it might just be a coincidence, but she swears she can see a scar beneath the ink. one that mirrors her own, hidden under her sleeve on the tender part of her bicep. 

well, one way to be sure… 

“ you the same ellie the fireflies went after? “

your head nods in agreement,   taking into account what she said.    there’s a reason patrols are typically separated   —   a group of six divided into twos.    each duo goes   &   scouts the region they’re assigned,   killing any stray infected who’ve wandered in or forage for any food the last patrol might’ve missed.    ❝    that makes sense.    i,   on the other hand,   just wanted the  alone  time.    patrols give me the chance to think,   you know?    ❞    jackson’s too loud   &   some of the residents are pretentious assholes   —   you aren’t blind,   you note the looks they give you for your appearance   &   the tattoo that covers your forearm.    to the older residents,   you’re not the typical teenager they saw prior to the world going to shit.    to the others,   you’re too quiet   &   too much of a loner for their liking   —   it makes you look suspicious,   in joel’s words.    [well,   fuck that   ;   i don’t care.    it would be your usual response,   opting in a sigh from joel.    why  would  you care about their opinions?    they didn’t know you,   just like you  hardly  knew them.]    

you note the hesitation in shaking your hand,   your brows furrowing in evident confusion.    you go to open your mouth,   to question if everything was okay until you hear the question spill from her lips.    at that moment,   you could feel your heart plummet inside your chest,   drowning in  every  emotion you’d tried so desperately to bury.    you had shoved all memories of the fireflies in the back of your head,   storing it in a chest   &   locking it   —   you had thrown the key away years ago.    you can hear joel’s words echoing,   the whole speech of being careful,   not giving your name out to strangers   —   every rule he had given you about going out  alone.    the first time you break them,   this happens.    [what  a  fucking  joke.]    it doesn’t stop your heart from thumping to the rhythm of a war-drum,   anxiety flowing your veins   &   agitation blooming across your face.    your lips remain parted,   brain attempting to find the words to speak.    instead,   you finally close them,   gulping as you instead squint your eyes,   head tilting to the side.

❝    you know who the fireflies are?    ❞    

[ehlie]

wornguilt​.

@ehlie​ liked for a starter ! 

he should be studying  .  jayden is well aware of that fact  ( only because he’s sober )  .  he has a test on friday and if he fails  ,  his dad is gonna be pissed  .  then again  ,  his dad is always pissed  .  besides  ,  he wasn’t too worried  .  he was practically a honor roll student without the studying  .  brows arch towards the girl  ,  a faint grin on his features  .  ❝  wanna get high  ?  ❞

verdant hues survey the text on the textbook in front of you,   brows knitting in concentration before your attention is drawn away by his words.    gaze is redirected on him,   expression vacant for a moment before elation spreads.    ❝    thank god,   i thought you’d never fucking ask.    ❞    the textbook snaps shut,   readjusting yourself from lying flat on your stomach to sitting with your legs crossed,   swaying over to grab a hidden joint in your pencil pouch.    only  for  special  occasions.    ❝    you got a lighter?    ❞

[ehlie]

gloriuos​.

two young hunters on the precipice of the badlands,   teetering between lawlessness and the sound comfort of a village just beyond their shoulders.      their rifles are twins,   and it seems their intentions too;    she brings her weapon down and deadlocks on the fumbling body of an infected,    the one scrambling about the meander.    quickly,     his own spins off his shoulder and settles perfectly into the grip of his hands,    his palms polished with lethal intent.    the electric crackle of the gun going off to claim its target leaves the quiet river spotless.    in another second,    a few new rotten faces crawled out of their shadows in their fruitless pursuit of the sound.         ❝       there,   i saved you a penny and five seconds.        ❞     jace steps away,    the bones in his fingers ringing softly from metal and impact.    he looks to ellie,    all low-lidded eyes and lazy grins.        ❝       hit those two buffoons without missing,    and i might just tell you the story tonight.        ❞

you don’t hesitate to answer his words.    ❝    you’re fuckin’ on.    ❞    sights are lowered onto the infected   ;   a moment is taken watching them,   stumbling in search of their next meal.    a deep inhale is breezed throughout your lungs,   chest tightened as your scope is settled  slightly  above one of their heads.    [the bullet will  always  drop!]    trigger is gently squeezed,   bullet is fired   —   murky blood is splattered   &   down one goes!    the right corner of your mouth is curved into a smug smirk,   aim swerving to the next body,   the resonating sound of your gun continuing to echo through the air.    now it becomes tricky!    the second infected charges,   sluggishly attempting to gain  any  knowledge of where the gunshot came from.    you repeat the cycle   ;   aim,   fire,   down he goes!    both rotting bodies lie side - by - side,   your scope giving the final view as you lower the rifle,   sticking the barrel against the ground.    it’s one of the few times you’re able to be boastful   —   in jest.    ❝    looks like i’m getting a story tonight!    how  about  that?    ❞    a shit-eating grin is spread across your face,   head nodding at your own words.    yeah,   i  like  that!

[ehlie]

boundedbygrief​.

SHE HAS EVERY REASON TO BE THIS UPSET  .  you know that  .  she deserves to be able to lash out  ,  even if it’s at the one person that wants to protect her  .  though  ,  you can feel yourself becoming upset at her words  .  all you’ve ever done since you took both her and riley in was try to protect them  .  to do what you thought was best for them  .  but  ,  obviously what you were saying didn’t get to them  .  if it did  ,  riley wouldn’t have snuck out to see her and she’d still be alive  .  you inhale sharply  ,  a glare resting in your eyes as you turn your focus towards her  .  ❝  ellie  ,  don’t start  .  i didn’t make riley leave and i’m not leaving you  .  i’m trying to protect you  .  so  ,  please  ,  let me do that  .  ❞

you’re tired of everyone leaving or dying.    riley,   your mom,   now marlene   —   everyone leaves or dies.    there’s no happy medium,   just a bottomless pit of ache.    you’ve grown used to the feeling because there’s nothing else to feel   ;   the only other thing you  can  feel is the army of ghosts trailing behind you.    [all the people you’ve lost.]    your head shakes in disagreement,   twisting your head once she’s looking at you.   you’re beginning to test her patience   ;   the glare with daggers proves it.    ❝    whatever.    ❞    it’s the only thing you’re able to mutter,   retreating to one of the nearby chairs.     your appearance of being the wolf has sunken,   senescence occurring   ;   you decay back into the little girl you’re  meant  to be,   since that’s all anyone wanted for you   &   themselves.     ❝    just go,   i’m over this.    ❞

[ehlie]

boundedbygrief​.

YOU KNOW SOMETHING’S OFF BETWEEN ELLIE AND CLEM  .  you’re good at picking up on things and for the two to usually be attached at the hip when it came to patrols and otherwise  ,  they’ve barely even made eye contact this morning  .  it makes you worry  .  you know you shouldn’t  .  if clem wanted to talk to you about something  ,  she knows she can  .  you just hope that ellie knows the same  .  you shouldn’t question ellie about whatever is going on between her and clem  .  clementine is damn near an adult  ( she turns eighteen in a few weeks )  but  ,  you’re still worried  .  what if its more than that  ?

you huff  ,  nodding faintly at her question  ,  smile still present on your features  .  ❝  my day is going okay  ,  just a lot on my mind  .  nothing for you to worry about  .  ❞  you pause for a moment  ,  wondering on how you can word this without sounding too  …  well  ,  nosy  .  though  ,  that’s exactly what you were being  .  ❝  have you spoken to clem today  ?  she’s been a little off since last night and i know the two of you are like two peas in a pod  .  ❞

the moment clementine’s name is brought up,   your heart sinks.    it falls into a pool of water   &   drowns right then   &   there.    it stings like an electric current,   lightning surging through everything   &   electrocuting you.    there’s a sense of anxiety that burrows itself into your heart,   your gaze faltering from lee to the ground,   watching every step you face.    hands shove themselves into the pockets of your jeans,   shoulders raising in an inhibited shrug.    ❝    i haven’t,   sorry.    ❞    it’s a quick natured response,   a rarity for you   &   abnormal.    lee knows you,   he’s not dumb   —   he’ll know something’s off.    he  already  knows something’s off.   

spilling your guts out isn’t something you’re adept at.    you’ve grown accustom to avoiding things,   especially since joel wasn’t the  main  person  in your life anymore.    avoiding had became your destiny at life   &   it worked for everything.    this was another one of those situations where avoiding was key.    if you avoided it enough,   it had to disappear,   right?    you take a deep breath,   deciding to brush his sentence off.    ❝    some weird shit happened on our patrol.    i think we’re both just   ...   a little off,   you know?    ❞    it’s a lie   &   you know lee can see right through you.    if not by the tension that laces itself through your words,   it’s the panic that spreads across your face.    ❝    it’s not a big deal,   i promise.    ❞    another  lie.

[ehlie]

@alabastrined

the knife presses against her windpipe and she gasps. it digs, it presses against her most vulnerable parts and draws blood. it trickles down the blade and licks the edge of the assailant’s hand. ❛ wait, ❜ she croaks. oh little saviour - what do you know of death? of plunging a knife deep into your enemies and making a bacchanal of their demise? you killed your friends. you killed your love ( no, please — ), and you killed your mother. their deaths are on your hands. they’re dead because of you. clarke griffin is struggling. she grabs the hand holding the knife and pulls it - get off of me! 

overhead, the light flickers. it tastes death. it flickers with every gasp, like a cruel god waiting in the other room flicking it on … and off … and on again. it waits for death. god has the face of all those she has killed. i won’t die. flaxen-hair lunges forward, into the knife, but not enough to kill her, and with lightning speed, sling-shots backwards, ramming straight into her assailants nose, a sickening crack resounding through the old apartment building. clarke griffin then runs - she grabs her hand-gun and runs - run for your father, run for your mother, run for your daughter. madi. she weaves through the edifice, slamming doors behind her and barricading it with what she can find: a bookshelf, chairs, a table, and keeps running. she hopes get lost in here. she has to survive. madi waits for her in the abandoned science museum below the space needle. clarke, look! stegosaurus! she can hear her voice. she remembers. she has to live. 

at last, she hides on the third floor in a sparse apartment. she braces herself against the wall and points her handgun at the door, waiting. ready. come get me. 

fuck,   fuck,   fuck!    carmine gushes from your nostrils like a waterfall,   dripping onto your grey t-shirt   &   all over the toe caps of your converse.    the pain is  nearly  masqueraded by the adrenaline surging its way through your veins,   the periodic pierce causing your features to wince in discomfort.    you don’t need medical knowledge to realize it’s broken,   the swelling  already  beginning to create a sense of agony.    before you even recognize your own actions,   you’re chasing after your fleeing hostage,   feet storming throughout the building.    there’s voices shouting overhead from the second floor once you reach the anteroom,   the commotion drawing attention from others inside   —   get  her!    shoot  the  trespasser!    bullets are fired at you,   flying centimeters from your body   &   you could swear you felt one graze against your ribcage.    a glance down   &   noting you had a new hole in your shirt confirmed the theory,   blood beginning to trickle out from the new scrape.    you couldn’t waste your time on minuscule injuries   —   your attention was instilled on one thing only.

most of the doors are barricaded,   leaving you to seek out the concealed pathways.    your entire trek throughout seattle had been that way   ;   you weren’t sure why you’d expected  anything  to go differently.    you eventually find a flight of stairs used for emergencies,   your back leaning heavily against the doorway as you collect your bearings.    there’s a sharp piercing pain seething throughout your nosal bone if you attempt to breathe in   —   the bottom half of your face is painted red,   the metallic smell   &   taste of your own blood seeping through your pores   &   mouth.    you take the brief moment to breathe before beginning your climb up the stairs,   fingers wiping themselves against your jeans.    they’re already stained with grime   &   soot,   at least the blood will add a  pop  of  color.    you make your way up to the third floor,   a light trail of blood leading your way.    there’s enough dips to create a fresh pattern   —   it  has  to be her.

the trail leads you to a doorway,   the hallway reminding you of apartments   ;   that must be what these are.    scarred fingers reach out towards the doorknob,   your other hand retreating to rest on the handle of your 9mm pistol.    there’s no time wasted opening the door,   your body surging in   &   coming eye-to-eye with the blonde.    green hues land on the pistol aimed at you   &   without hesitation,   you grab the weapon out of her hand   &   toss it behind you,   hearing it scatter against the ground.    your face is stern   &   you can feel the blood beginning to dry as you take your  own  gun out of its holster,   aiming it at the other.    everything inside you boils,   your voice rasping as you speak.    ❝    if you do one more thing,   i swear to god,   i will fucking kill you.    ❞    it’s a threat   &   it’s meant to be perceived as one   ;   your patience is beginning to wear thin.    dina needs help,   you need help   —   it’s  now  or  never.    ❝    so i’m going to ask you once,   put your fucking hands up   &   sit the fuck down.    ❞