𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐎𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 - 𝐓𝐋𝐎𝐔

𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝.

"Jackson County. Means we're close to Jackson city, right?"

"Shouldn't be more than a few miles."

"You ready to see dear, old brother?"

"I'm just ready to get there."

"You nervous?"

"I don't know what I'm feeling."

Ciri hung behind Ellie and Joel as they began to follow the river. She remained silent, letting Ellie ask all the questions regarding Joel's situation with Tommy.

Joel and Ellie had quickly realised that Ciri wasn't feeling like her usual self since the altercation a few days ago.

She wasn't play stupid guessing games with Ellie to entertain each other while they travelled on foot and in the evenings when they'd set up camp. She wasn't sharing any childhood stories from the different countries she'd been to; she wasn't teaching them or speaking any French or other languages she knew, like she usually would.

In fact, she barely spoke at all.

Ellie had attempted to try and gain some of that little bit of normalcy they'd created but Ciri would only politely decline. So, in respect of her silence, she took to bothering Joel more often.

Joel knew better than to try and speak to get a word out of her. He'd already decided what would be the better solution to this and was keen to get to Jackson and find his brother.

They come across a hydroelectric power plant and attempt to figure a way across to the other side as the running water through the damn blocked it.

Ciri spots a wooden palette beneath the water and dives in without any consultation in order to bring it up to the surface for Ellie quickly. Joel in the meantime turns the hand wheel to create half of the bridge they needed to get across to the other side.

Once Ciri had transported Ellie across via the palette, the teenager was able to turn the other wheel for the adults to cross over.

"Team work!" Ellie holds her hand up to them for a high five. Both of them return the gesture and Ciri cracks a small smile as she cheers. "Yeah!"

Upon finding a tiny grave with a teddy bear left on it, Ciri instantly distances herself from the short discussion Ellie and Joel have when he turns down the girl's attempts to talk about Henry and Sam. Joel couldn't help but frown as he sees her make her way far ahead of them.

It didn't take them long to reach the entrance to the powerhouses of the plant which were guarded with high walls with wire at the top and a heavy metal gate.

"Uh, should we head in?"

"Ah, ain't no way around. Gonna have to cut through the plant."

As they search the area before approaching the gates, Ciri was way ahead of them as she heard people on the other side. Joel didn't notice as she had her rifle at the ready and moved past her to try the gates.

"Hold up-" She tries to stop him but in a flash she points her rifle up at the blonde woman on her right as they hear the sounds of guns cocking above them.

"Don't even think about it! Drop your weapons!"

Ellie had instinctively reacted, covering Ciri's back by pointing her own gun at the two men on the opposite side.

"Ellie, Ciri - does as the lady says."

Ciri slowly lowers her gun, thinking they'd be dead already if these people really didn't want trouble, and Ellie does the same when she sees her do so.