The Last Of Us: A Forsaken Son

Grief

After they'd drop Bill off, Joel drove the truck to their destination – Tommy.

The rhythmic tapping against the glass consumed his attention. Watching the leaves and trees soak with mother natures rain. Every drop seemingly took him further and further away from indulging into his mind. Not even Ellie's shouting could break his attention away.

She expressed excitement over a comic book she read. Where did she get it? Who knows. But it gave her a sense of joy despite everything they've been through so far.

Joel drives the truck along the highway in silence until Ellie's cry of excitement diverted his attention to her. His eyes was drawn into the depths of sleep deprivation, a shallow dark color forming under his eyes.

"Caleb, here go that journal you found" Ellie reached from the backseat.

Music now filled his ears. Was that playing the whole time? He was too busy observing the dull nature when Joel put it on.

He looked over his shoulder and saw the green journal in Ellie's hand. He almost forgot about this. At least now he can have something to keep himself from a time of introspection.

"Where'd you get that?" Joel asked

"We found it in that house before we got into the school" Ellie told him

A part of Caleb felt as though he'd get a scolding from Joel. But when he was met with silence, it actually brought him relief.

"Oh" Ellie said intrigued "I'm sure your 'friend' will be missing this tonight" she pulled a magazine from her bag "light on the reading but it's got some interesting photos"

Joel's eyes filled with concern as he looked back at Ellie holding out the pages of the magazine.

"Ellie that ain't for kids"

"Whoa!" She said amazed "how the hell does he walk around with that thing?" She held out the page and brought it to Caleb's face "Caleb look"

The man stood in a peculiar pose with no clothing on him. His private part – which Caleb knew of since he obtained one himself – staring up into the sky.

Caleb felt nothing seeing this, even though it was a picture not fit for a kid of the age fourteen to see — it didn't strike anything into him.

"Mines not that big"

Ellie began to burst into laughter at Caleb's words. Even though he spoke from a sincere perspective, he didn't know the underlying meaning to what he just said.

"Ellie get rid of that!" Joel reached for the magazine.

"Hold your horses, you'll get your turn" she told him then continue to flip the pages "wait. Why are these ones stuck together?"

At a loss of words Joel continued to drive. Ellie let out another burst of laughter claiming she was joking before throwing it out the window.

"You know" she spoke "this isn't too bad"

"Why don't you try to get some sleep, alright?" Joel told her

"Pfft – I'm not even tired"

Minutes later she was laid out in the backseat sleeping. Caleb read the writing that was underneath the dates in the journal. Joel kept on with his driving. The only thing filling the quiet atmosphere was the music's placid melody.

"Joel." Caleb suddenly said

"Hm?"

"I wanted to help"

It took some time for Joel to respond. Ellie's approach back at the cellar coming fore-forth to his mind. His eyes looked at Caleb for a second before he finally responded.

"It's okay. We should just be lucky Bill came when he did"

"It's just... everytime I see those things I think of what they did to Emily... then my body becomes hard to move..." Caleb looked at Joel with tears brimming at the tip of his eyelids. "I'm sorry..."

Joel kept his eyes on the road. Through his peripheral vision he could see the tears slowly falling down Caleb's face. No kid should have to face such horrors as they did.

"Just try to get some sleep" he told him

To be comtinued.