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[dog_eat_dog]

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[vaccination]

[A good man. The last thing she said to Joel was that he was a shitty person, and Ellie doubts she thinks any better of him now.]

A kid?

[dog_eat_dog]

Mmhmm. Kid lost his dad and his mom got arrested, so if Arthur doesn’t do anything about it, that’s it. The kid’s on his own.

[Tess has seen that play out so many times that she’s not even bothered by the idea. No military school for Jack, though, that’s almost certain.]

[vaccination]

[There are worse fates. Ellie shrugs a shoulder.]

And he's not even the dad. Good for him.

[dog_eat_dog]

Yep. Not all that big of a deal, but it’s his deal. I’ll earn my own.

[And when she declined it, she still figured Ellie and Joel had a chance. She could afford to be a little more prideful then.]

[vaccination]

Seems like you both lucked out. Have one another's backs.

[Ellie wonders if he was around when she got herself killed again.]

[dog_eat_dog]

I think so. After all my time here, I’ve yet to meet another warden I’d want to be paired with.

[vaccination]

[Ellie pulls a face at that.]

Golly gee, thanks.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Pointedly:]

I like you, kid, but I think you’d freak out on me.

[vaccination]

[She's... got a point. Ellie just shrugs. She's trying to behave.]

The age gap would probably embarrass you, anyway.

[dog_eat_dog]

I wouldn’t want a warden half my age, no. And sure, it’d be nice to not have to explain our world constantly, but...

[ She doesn’t particularly want to talk about this, so she veers vague. ]

You’re too close to home for some shit I need to deal with. Same in the other direction, too.

[vaccination]

Makes sense.

[Not that Ellie is even making an attempt at dealing with shit. This doesn't count. This is her pretending everything is fine.]

So, what's the best thing they offer to eat here?

[Point in case.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[ Tess claps her on the back. Moving on like a champ. ]

Let’s see if they have pizza today.

[vaccination]

[Tess, an excellent role model. Just like Joel.]

Pizza like... delivery pizza? I've had homemade pizza, but everyone always said it wasn't the same.

[But never whether it was better or worse...]

[dog_eat_dog]

Ha! If you want delivery pizza, we’ll have to go to the Enclosure. Won’t be filling, but it’s better than the homemade here.

[And she hasn’t had that in eons either.]

[vaccination]

Look, everyone always went on about gross, plastic-cheese pizza, like it was the best shit ever. I don't know if it was nostalgia or what. I'm just reporting what I've heard.

[dog_eat_dog]

[They're going to the fucking enclosure now, no other way around it. Tess steers her in that direction.]

All pizza is good, just for different reasons. You and I are going to set up with pizza and black cherry Polars. It’s been twenty years, we’ll find out whether it’s actually good.

[vaccination]

[whoa. Okay. Ellie laughs, perhaps to relieve the stress she feels.]

Am I gonna shit my brains out?

[... that may or may not have happened once or twice here already.]

[dog_eat_dog]

Undoubtedly. I still haven’t gotten the hang of the food here either.

[vaccination]

[A groan.]

It's good, but holy shit, my stomach.

[When she does eat, she loves it, but the pain is impressive.]

[dog_eat_dog]

Right? The sugar in everything, the amount of dairy, the pasta, all of it. I almost feel better when I’m half starved but it tastes so good.

[vaccination]

The fucking dairy.

[Did that stop her from shoveling down some ice cream? The second time, yeah.]

Maybe we'll never get used to it.

[dog_eat_dog]

Apparently you can build up a tolerance, but I haven’t found it yet.

[They’re at the door to the Enclosure. Tess gestures for Ellie to do her thing and unlock it.]

You get us in, I’ll set us up.

[vaccination]

[With a nod, Ellie pulls her backpack around to her front. The front pocket has her journal, and that opens the door.]

Whatever you have it make up, there better be a toilet.

[dog_eat_dog]

[ Tess notes the pocket and heads on in. ]

I’ll set us up with a whole house.

[ Which she does set about: plugging a suburban house in a quiet Boston neighbourhood in the before-times. Just barely nightfall, lights on in all the windows. Tess heads up the driveway of the nearest house, a cute two-storey colonial with yellow panels and white trim. The lawn is cut and dusted with fallen autumn leaves. Tess feels pretty happy about that, actually. Just like a memory.]

[vaccination]

[A house? Ellie was expecting a pizza place or mall. This is... cozy. Almost like all the nice, freshly painted houses in the movies. She follows Tess, turning around to take it all in.]

Is this a memory, or did you make it up?