The Last Of Us: A Forsaken Son

An Uneasy Heart

Frantic footsteps echoed through the dense forests, accompanied by the rustling of leaves and crunching of dirt under his barefoot. The uneven ground made it difficult to run smoothly, and the boy stumbled frequently. Despite the obstacle course, he pushed forward, heart pounding and lungs burning with the effort.

Through the series of trees he went pass he had saw rays of light. The rays moved back and forth as if someone was controlling it, trying to find something.

He came to a point where the forests ran out of ground. Below was a pile of broken trees, rocks, and dirt. Deep gouges and craters surrounding it.

This path was one he couldn't take, it would've been easier to approach the place that contained the rays of light he saw.

Continuing west now, his frantic steps kept going. His body on the verge of collapsing whilst his thighs burning from exhaustion but his mind unable to capture it.

Now stumbling onto a small slope that lead to a flat piece of concrete. He wasn't sure if he was to get hurt from going down this landslide, but he looked back into the darkness of the forests where the shadowy trees stood tall before he chose to slide down.

There was a highway forward that was busted; abandoned cars, broken concrete. To the left stood very tall buildings, buildings you'll usually see in a bustling kind of city. Northeast to the highway he saw that the rays of light was bigger now; he was getting closer.

Despite the sense of uncertainty that swelled within him, the boy began to walk towards the lights direction, hoping to find shelter and safety amongst the tall buildings he just discovered.

The smell of rubble and gas filled his nostrils as the rough concrete felt his toes walk on them.

Suddenly, he felt a twinge within his body causing him to fall onto the ground. His breath was shallow, and he kept trying to stand on his own but his body wouldn't let him.

His mind coming up with no conclusion of the reason he fell, he eventually gave in and let his body lie on the rough, cold concrete.

~

The sound of cackling filled the space. Everyone sat on their own logs with marshmallows hovering over the fire, the shadowy trees surrounding them and their fire.

"Caleb, your marshmallows burning too much. You only gotta sit it there for a little bit" Sharlene said.

Emily raised her marshmallow to Sharlenes face, "did I do good mommy?" Her smile was so bright and innocent.

"Of course honey, you did amazing" she tapped Emily's nose as she gave her a smile.

Dirt crunching footsteps came from behind him. David, Sharlene's husband, came and sat on the log that was beside Caleb's. A sigh left his lips once his bottom touched the log, "no zombies in sight" he sat his gun next to him. The barrel facing upwards towards the sky while the stock was placed into the ground, its body leaning against the log. Caleb heard David call it a rifle, but then again, he never knew the different types of guns that was in the world. He was only fourteen.

"Tomorrow, I'm teaching you how to shoot a rifle ol' sport" David said as he picked up a stick that contained a fresh marshmallow.

"David no!" Sharlene exclaimed. "He's just a kid"

"Do I need to remind you of what's out there Sharlene?"

"We won't need to use any guns. The quarantine zone isn't too far from here, we're just outside Boston"

A burnt smell tickled their noses, overruling the smell of nature. David grabs Caleb's hands containing the marshmallow and pulled it away from the fire. There wasn't an ounce of white on that marshmallow. The entirety of it was black, burnt to a crisp.