The Last of Us: Part Seven

[Jessica Reed]

Rain patters against the windows as we re-join our fearle-… heroes in an abandoned cabin somewhere outside of Philadelphia. Smoke rises from a pot as Verona stirs the contents whilst staring out of the window quietly, lost in his own thoughts. Jessica lays on a single bed in the corner peacefully before she suddenly begins to stir, rapidly clutching her chest which is heavily bruised as she remembers the injury she inflicted upon herself.

Jessica Reed: Ow… where are we?

Roberto turns to see Jessica slowly picking herself up as he stirs the boiling pot of beans.

Roberto Verona: Welcome back sleeping beauty, nice of your to join us.

Jessica Reed: What happened? Where are we?

Roberto Verona: We’re in a disused cabin where you hopefully can’t get us into anymore trouble.

Jessica looks down to see that her heavily bruised chest has been bandaged and suddenly loosk up at Verona uneasily.

Jessica Reed: How did my boo boo get bandaged? Did you…

Jess screws up her face.

Jessica Reed: Ew, you creeper!

Verona quickly interjects.

Roberto Verona: Settle down and put your rape whistle away, you did that yourself.

Jessica Reed: When the hershies did I do that, I’ve been out since Philly?

Roberto Verona: It wasn’t the shotgun that knocked you out, it was the fact you face planted on a cement block when we were escaping over the bridge.

Jessica looks at Verona suspiciously.

Jessica Reed: I’ll believe you this time. Pervert.

Roberto Verona: I can assure you, Jess, if I wanted to “hit that” I would have done so years ago.

Jessica Reed: What is that supposed to mean!?

Verona chuckles to himself.

Roberto Verona: Nothing. Are you hungry?

Jessica Reed: Yes, being violated is a stressful business.

Verona grabs a nearby bowl and spoons the contents of the pot into it before sliding it towards Jess.

Roberto Verona: Just shut up and eat will you.

Jessica leans over tentatively and lifts the bowl up. Picking up a spoon she begins to feverishly funnel the beans into her mouth before her eyes open wide in pain as the heat of the food shocks her system. Placing the bowl down she begins to fan dramatically at her mouth.

Jessica Reed: Ow, ow, ow!

Roberto Verona: You wonder why I worry about you? Let it cool before you lap it up.

Jessica Reed: Oh shush you!

Roberto smiles and shakes his head.

Roberto Verona: Just be sure to get your strength up, we have a long journey ahead of us and we can’t afford any more run ins like back in Philadelphia, that was far too close. You nearly got us killed a few times.

Jessica Reed: Hey, don’t pick on me, I’m just a girl!

Roberto Verona: A girl who told me she could handle a weapon and then proceeded to take herself out because she isn’t used to recoil.

Jessica Reed: That’s never happened to me before on games…

Verona suddenly leans forward, looking right at Jessica.

Roberto Verona: This isn’t a game, Jess, it’s real life. There’s no unlimited ammunition, no reloads, nature is a bitch and she will consume us if we don’t pay attention. I need to know that I can trust you to look after not only yourself but also have my back if the time comes that I can’t defend myself.

Jessica Reed: You know I would…

Roberto Verona: No, Jess, I know you’d try, but trying isn’t going to be enough.

Jessica Reed: So what do you want me to do?

Roberto Verona: You’re going to learn how to fire a gun. I mean, really fire a gun.

Jessica suddenly ignores the pain in her mouth and perks up excitedly before wincing as she strains her previous injury.

Roberto Verona: It’s not right of me to expect you to put yourself in danger if you can’t defend yourself, but you need to take this seriously.

Jessica Reed: I will.

Roberto Verona: I mean it.

Jessica Reed: I swear!

Jessica extends and arm, her little finger pointed towards Roberto.

Jessica Reed: Pinky promise!

Roberto smiles and laughs to himself before wrapping his finger around Jess’ firmly before returning to the pot to get some food of his own as the scene begins to fade to black.

So, this week it appears that I am involved in something which Roberto described to me as a “Booking 101 Clusterfudge”… and yes I censored him, he’s been a real potty mouth recently. Regardless, it seems to me that management decided to throw together some girls in a hope to get some sort of tension going.

Which I guess makes sense, although I am seriously still concerned that Eternity can kidnap somebody and not be arrested.

Hello?

Doesn’t anybody in the FBI find this disturbing? Somebody. Anybody?

No… well, excuse me for having some concern for poor Tiffany Jones, I mean, somebody has to right? It seems that Miss Conway and Jake on their own haven’t been enough. Seriously people, some of us are pretty frightened to come to work right now, what with Eternity’s kidnapping habits and her new found friends.

Soon you’ll have a body on your hands.

Indiscernible voices off camera.

What do you mean stop being melodramatic? This is how serial murder sprees start, are none of you even a tiny bit concerned? I mean, I always knew Eternity was a little bit of a crumbled cookie but kidnap never leads anywhere good people.

I can’t believe you guys.

Look, Eternity, you’re a real sweet girl and this is just so… OK, so it’s not unlike you but it’s a bit crazy even for your standards. You need to do the right thing or, at least, try not to do anything too illegal in our match this week, Hannah told me what happens to accessories inside and apparently a busty girl like me would get eaten alive in there.

Literally.

Whatever that means.

Regardless, you don’t need to worry about me and Lex sweetie, I mean… he’s not really my type, bald men scare me. I mean, ever since I had that welcome training session with Gib anyway, he is clearly some sort of secret octopus. Where was I?

Oh, yes!

Look, I like you Eternity, I mean you’re a bit… unhinged, but I know that deep down in there is a nice girl in there and I certainly know I can trust you to bring it in the ring, but I just don’t know what you’ve got in store for me with your new friends and those super powers of yours.

I really don’t want to end up gagged in a basement or shot with lightening.

This week, I am going to do my job, and you just do yours but please, you need to stop these games you’re playing with Kathy, it’s just so horrible, poor Tiffany is suffering so much, it’s so uncool and you’re going to get yourself into really serious trouble. You’re such a talented girl and I want our match to be as good as it no doubt can be, but if you get yourself locked up, there won’t be a match.

Which would be so lame.

But, I guess I had best spare a moment or two to address our opponents this week, I am really sorry I almost forgot about your guys, please forgive me, I swear, it’s only because I am so worried about Tiffany and Miss Conway hasn’t been the same for weeks, sometimes wrestling has to be put to one side.

Oh, ha ha wise guy, it isn’t put aside every time I step inside the ring. You see this is why you’re still in developmental getting groped by Gib… oh, sorry guys, I’m working with clowns here.

Ayla, I think we both know that you are one super talented lady and if you get yourself in a groove you could easily find yourself challenging for any of the belts here in IWF, I won’t go down the silly girl route of just insulting you for the sake of it, that’d be super daft because I honestly really respect what you do out there.

Maybe you feel the same about me, maybe you don’t, but I have to give credit where it’s due, even if it’s a one way street sometimes.

I know this week is really about creating some sort of drama between me and Eternity and you and your partner, but I still hope we can show off what we can do out there without too much silliness occurring, but in wrestling you really never know. I know that you’ll prove a really stern test whatever happens out there and I will need to be on my guard to make sure you don’t punish me for any mistakes.

But, I can’t write myself off too much, I’ve proven myself a match for anybody in this federation and even though I know what you can do, I still believe that I have enough to make sure this contest isn’t a foregone conclusion.

Wrestling women like you is exactly what I want to do, to prove myself against the best so whatever the motives for this match may be.

I am super grateful to have a chance to face off with you as we grapple to see who is the best.

As for you Amber, that was totally uncool what you did to Tara, what is the matter with you? You used to be a really cool girl who we could all get behind and when you became champion, I totally had high hopes for you.

I mean until you started practically etching your name on my belt and being mean for the sake of it.

I am under no illusions, I know you can go hard out there, you wouldn’t be the Ruby champion if you were a total goose but your attitude recently has been really bad. I mean, I get that you’re confident, but sometimes you’re just down right arrogant.

That’s so not cool.

Look, I am not going to get all stupid and promise to beat you or hurt you or anything that dumb, but if you still underestimate, even after the last time we shared a ring, I have no problems with showing you what I can do. I am not just some placeholder champion waiting to be dethroned by you or anybody else; I am as much of a champion as you are whose earned everything she’s got.

I don’t know what you and Honourbound are up to, and honestly, right now, with Eternity going cuckoo I have to prioritise keeping my eyes on her, but if you really wanna show everyone what you’re made of.

Why don’t you show everybody what you can do without the dirty games?

You’re so much better than that, you don’t need to cheat or rely on others for their help, if you want to impress the world then here’s your big chance against the Diamond’s champion and the number one contender to her belt.

You’ll definitely get more respect for beating us fair and square rather than just being all sneaky and stuff.

Let’s see what you’re really made of.

The wind blows gently through the trees as we return to the intrepid survivors Roberto Verona and Jessica Reed as the latter lays flat on her stomach, a rifle clutched in her hands as Verona kneels beside her, helping her adjust her grip until it is suitable. Roberto turns and looks down over a ledge into a street, pointing his arms outwards before he looks back down at Jess.

Roberto Verona: Do you see it?

Jessica Reed: I can’t do it.

Roberto Verona: Do you want to learn how to fire a gun or not?

Jessica frowns and nods her head.

Roberto Verona: Good. Then line the sight up with the box…

Jessica Reed: But it’s an unopened copy of GTA V…

Roberto Verona: Then it shouldn’t complain about gun violence.

Jessica Reed: I… that actually makes sense.

Roberto Verona: When you’re confident, brace yourself, hold the weapon firmly but don’t resist the kick back too much. Then, squeeze the trigger…

Jessica Reed: You’re making this sound like a cooking program.

Roberto Verona: Do you want to be able to fire a gun without caving your chest cavity in or do you want to wise crack?

There is an awkward pause before Jessica groans.

Jessica Reed: Fine! Just shut up and let me concentrate.

Roberto lifts his arms in the air as he backs away, leaving Jess to line up her gun. A silence falls on the pair as the wind softly blows around them before a sudden explosion leaps from the barrel of her rifle sending a bullet hurtling towards the copy of GTA. Plastic splinters fly through the air as the packaging is launched upwards whilst Jess sits up and clenches her fists excitedly.

Jessica Reed: Did you see that! A dead hit!

Roberto smiles warmly.

Roberto Verona: See what happens when you concentrate?

Jessica Reed: What else do you want me to shoot? What about that lamppost over there? Maybe that rabbit in that field. Oh, what about that guy behind you?

Roberto looks at Jess in confusion.

Roberto Verona: What guy?

As Roberto turns suddenly a man in camouflage gear tackles him to the floor, wrestling for his handgun as Jessica screams. Frantically Roberto tries to wrestle the man’s hand away from his side arm, opting to simply toss the item away from them both as he tries to protect himself from the rain of fists which soon follow.

Roberto Verona: Jess, get back!

Verona shouts as Jess just as a fist manages to connect with his jaw, much to his disgust. Pushing back the pair roll gradually towards a ledge as they fight for control over the other. Jessica watch on in horror as both of them fight desperately to subdue the other firing fists and kicks wherever they can land them.

Jessica Reed: Roberto, watch out!

Suddenly the two men let out a cry as they tumble over the ledge and go crashing to the concrete below with a thunderous crash, leaving a sudden and eerie silence as Jessica clutches her rifle, visibly shaking. Slowly she begins to tip toe towards where the two men fell.

Jessica Reed: Rob-Roberto….

Bit by bit she gets a little closer, suddenly hearing the sound of pain laden groaning.

Jessica Reed: Roberto, are you ok!?

Jessica gets down on her knees and pokes a head over to peer down and suddenly, she gasps in horror, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as her grip on the ledge tighten. Moments pass as she stares down at the two men, her distress growing with each breath as her chest heaves.

Jessica Reed: Please, please don’t leave me!

Jess screams down at them as tears begin to flow down her face and slowly but surely our scene fades to black, leaving a distraught Jessica staring down at her partner as she struggles to control her panic.