TLOU - Crystal Clear

The End Of The Fucking World

"My name's James.. and well I've been living in a shit-fucked world for about 10 years now and let's just show you how I got here.. It was a nice day.. mid August maybe? I'm not sure I remember but it was in Texas, I was 13 at the time. I was out hunting with my sister and aunt."

"Auntieee I'm starving!" James spoke in a whining tone as he looked at his aunt, her short blonde hair moving in the wind as her green eyes stared daggers at him "Shush! You'll drive the damn deer away kiddo!" She whisper yelled at him and he listened as he looked away for a second, waiting. His sister aimed at the deer took a breath in and let it out as she pulled the trigger and BAM! The deer fell to the forest floor as the others scampered off. James looked around and smiled but soon the air became still. James didn't like it as his smile dropped, a strange walking figure appeared and began eating away at the deer and as they got closer the figure only looked more and more disoriented and.. dead... James looked at his aunt and she put a finger to her mouth and she pointed the opposite direction. And they ran. They ran as fast as they could and soon the figure and two others followed very quickly after them and soon they reached the farm house, running in the garage only to see the house door open. "Mom! Dad!?" James ran in and when he reached the living room everything was destroyed, the TV was broken and had static, the walls were scratched, paintings on the floor and glass broken as heavy breathing was heard. When James turned the corner, his father was eating away at his mother "Fuck dad! What did you do!?" His eyes widened as tears rolled down his cheeks. Soon, his father. No, the creature looked at him and his eyes were dull, empty almost and started yelling and running at him "Shit!" He ran down the hallway, grabbing a knife from the kitchen counter. "Stop it dad! Please!" He sobbed but as his father got closer he closed his eyes, he couldn't do it. But a gunshot was heard and his aunt was holding a shotgun with his sister behind her. He ran towards them but then ran to their mother. "Mom!" His sister called as she held her hand, Alaina looked at her sister and sobbed "Fuck.." Their mother began mumbling and Alaina crouched down to hear her. "Take.. care of them Alaina.." She whispered and their aunt sobbed and nodded "Ofcourse..." They packed bags with canned food and bottled water and canisters, some knives and two pistols and a shotgun. They went to the truck, going to the city as James held his sister as she cried he looked out the window as they neared the city it was fogged with smoke, fire burning in cars, wrecked vehicles and broken buildings, bodies lay scattered as some were severed, injured, dead and some moving in awkward ways. James closed his eyes as a tear rolled down his face. Soon they reached the highway and went west. Aunt Alaina stayed quiet for most of the trip, speaking when spoken to. Her face was hard and stiff almost as if she might rage out in someone, James almost half expected her to yell at the two but she never did. He soon fell asleep and when he awoke the truck was stopped and his aunt wasn't seen he looked around in panic but calmed down and sat back and waited. Minutes passed, then hours. He began to worry but soon night fell and his anxiety filled, his sister was still asleep and he soon heard a hand slap the car window and he jumped but covered his mouth as to keep quiet. Soon he fell asleep restlessly and woke up to see his aunt in the driver's seat. "Whered you go? I got so worried.." When she didn't answer he looked at her before carefully setting his sister's head down on the seat and crawled in the front seat but then realized she was just asleep and he sighed leaning back and he opened the small cubby and saw a small switchblade, grabbing it and observing its colors. It was a deep brown wood engraved knife with maroon flowers on a vine covering the sides and he looked at it, opening it to reveal a sharp blade. He closed it putting it in his pocket. He soon crawled in the back and sighed as he fell asleep.

Present

James was in a bush, holding a rifle with his name carved on the side of it. He was looking around when he heard someone step behind him, quickly turning he lowered his gun as he saw his sister "Where's Alaina?" He whispered and she pointed to the water tower, and she was at the top of it scoping out the area. He nodded and soon they headed that way. Dodging people, going through alleys and sneaking on top of rooftops before reaching their aunt. They soon met up and they ran the opposite direction, headed west. They got out of the small town as they ran. But gunshots were heard and they quickly hid in the underbrush of a small divet on the side of the road before popping back out and making a run for it to the woods. They sprinted, keeping their footsteps light and silent as they did and they quickly made it to an opening and they went different directions. "Split up and conquer, just like always." James thought to himself and he ran as fast as he could as he hid in his usual spot. Waiting patiently for the signal as he pulled his bandana off his face to take a breather. He soon put it back on when he heard foot steps. When he put his rifle up to shoot he looked, took a deep breath but before he could Alaina jumped out but before anything could happen she was shot in the side and he pulled the trigger shooting the guy down. His sister ran to their aunt as he walked over to the guy, shooting him in the head before looking at his aunt "Shit!" They heard more foot steps and they hid her in the underbrush. "We have to help her!" His sister whispered at him in anger and worry but he looked at the wound, turning their aunts back to see tha it went straight through. "Flora..." Before they could debate more their aunt spoke up "Leave, now... both of you. Go." She spoke softly "No-" "Flora. We have to, we will die here." James spoke firmly, his eyes teared up. "I promised your mother... now go." James picked his sister up, shooting at the two men before he ran as he carried her. She sobbed yelling and hitting his shoulder but he let tears roll down and he just ran..

A Year Later

James looked around as he and his sister had just arrived in a small town. It was definitely small but it would do for the night. The two soon walked around for awhile when Flora spoke up. "James, there's a nice blue one right there." He looked over and smiled gently. "Yea, we'll take it tonight, let's go." They walked over, entering the house. Scratch marks scattered the walls, paintings were on the floor with shattered glass and furniture and tables were tipped over and broken. He looked around and went hpstairs. The stairs creaking woth his foot steps, carrying his postol in hand in case any surprises were to appear. Nothing was upstairs and he went back down and started a fire and began making beans and a can of chicken soup. The two soon fell asleep but James was awaken when gun fire was hesrd. He wuickly got up, awaking his sister and they packed quickly. Voices and footsteps were heard nesr the front door and they ran out the back. "Remeber-" He started but Flora beat him to it. "Slipt up amd conquer. Got it." He nodded and jumped the fence. Running to the small radio tower at the ned of the road. He hid behind houses and he ran into a shed before men walked into it. He sighed quietly, putting his bandana on to cover his face and he hid behind a counter. He soon crpuched, walking slowly as he did so holding a swotchblade knife he had found years ago in his aunts truck. He hid before a guy turned down the aisle he was in and he cursed silently. He then stood up, hiding behind the shelf and when he turned he stabbed him in the throat, making him fall but before he could hit the ground he grabbed him and set him down gently, grabbing his knife and walking down the aisle. His heart beat quickened and he closed his eyes, listening to the foot steps and soon jumped out and stabbed a women in the head before jumping over and punching a dude in the face, stabbing his throat and running out of the shop. He ran and ran but soon he was shot at, they missed him for the most part and soon shots were fired from the radio tower shooting the three men that were following him and he smiled. "That's Flora," He ran and ran but soon the gunfire from the radio tower stopped and he knew something was wrong. He soon climbed the ladder quickly, and when he arrived to the top. A man was standing over Flora's lifeless body and he looked at it in shock and horror before charging at the man, stabbing him from behind, but he was thrown at the wall and soon picked up by his throat, he kicked and thrashed to no avail and he choked, but he soon brought his knee up kicking him in the crotch, as he doubled back James grabbed his head and bashed it against his knee before kicking him down and stabbing him in the eye. "Fucker!" He looked at his sister, running to her, tears rolling down his face, as he soon grabbed her gun and backpack grabbing the rest of her stuff, and taking the photo of him, her and their aunt and he cried. He ran out of the radio tower and found a small shed he sighed heavily, as he hid in the small shed, tears rolling down his face. Blood and dirt rolling with it as he looked around. "Fuck..."

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