The Last Of Us: A Forsaken Son

P.T.S.D

Nature always gave an aroma that David felt profoundly comforting. During those days he'd perambulate before he went to hunt. He'd take Caleb along, hoping he could see that there was some beauty left in this, what he'd call,  "depraved world.".

Whatever beauty he saw, Ellie must've seen it too. Their stroll through the trees left her in awe as she claimed this was her first time witnessing it.

Caleb wondered what was it that she could perceive about nature that he couldn't. In his brown gaze everything seemed dull – nothing seemed to had meaning. Everything just, existed.

But he didn't want to indulge in those thoughts, so he kept ignoring those mental images of David.

"Joel"

"What?"

"Why won't you just take me back to Marlene?" Ellie asked suddenly

"If she was up to the task, why'd she drop you off on us?" Joel asked in a rhetorical sense before continuing, "besides, your friends chances of survival weren't too high to begin with"

"She's a lot tougher than you think"

"It don't matter, because I doubt I can keep either one of you safe until we get back in the city." He continued "trust me, I wish there was some other option.

A reclined water tower kept its feet as it stood within a gated zone. The gate doors were tied together with a chain making it apparent of its secureness, along with the barbwire that sat on top.

"What should we do?" Ellie asked

"Gotta go around" Joel told her before walking to the left, following the gates outline.

Before Caleb could climb over the tree log after Joel, Ellie's voice caused him to divert his attention to her words.

"Oh hey" she said pointing her finger "look at that"

The yellow light that blinked on his shoulder caused him to be perplexed. But as his eyes closely examined it, he could see the diminutive dark body.

Ellie smiled as yellow lights started to blink around her. Her laugh genuine as she took in Nature's beauty.

"Fireflies" she said

Multiple fireflies flew around her, blinking more frequent as if they could feel the joy she exude. Caleb looked back down to his shoulder and there was no blinking light anymore.

"You two come on now" Joel called for them

"Sorry" Ellie said before they climbed over the log.

Joel was standing on top of an outbuilding. "Up here" he said.

After he pulled a perched plank of wood up to the roof he'd create a makeshift bridge with the mobile office trailer sitting inside the gate.

A black smoke emitted from something in the distance. Sitting next to the thin smoke was a large church.

"Is that where you usually meet him?" Ellie asked as they all stared.

"No, different places usually." Joel responded

"Think that smoke is where he is?"

"Sure as hell better be"

A path that descended down a small hill opposite  of the gated doors to the water tower led them into a backyard of some sort.

There was a rusted basketball hoop hanging next to a rusted bench table. Also, a shed that sat in the middle, where they suddenly heard clicking noises come from.