The Last Of Us: A Forsaken Son

On Campus

"I think I got the hang of this now"

"That you do"

     Caleb felt the fluid motion of his horse through his lower body parts. Hours of being saddled on this horse slowly led him to getting accustomed.

     The sun emitted it's tangerine color while it's neighboring somber clouds hindered their eyes from seeing the cerulean sky behind it.

Upon riding through the entrance to Eastern Colorado University, Caleb wasn't surprised to see the former campus grimly standing. The horse wasn't the only thing he'd become attuned to.

Observing the scenery — the feeling of its vastness in size, and the tall buildings they'd galloped past — gave Caleb a notion of its bustling atmosphere.

"How was it here before everything?"

"I can't speak from experience, but, it's a place where young adults would live and study" Joel responded casually.

"Wait, so, they would just live here and study? Even though they were all grown up?" Ellie then asked.

"Yeah. Study, party; basically find themselves and figure out what they wanted to do with their lives"

"It sounds fun" Caleb conjured the thought of him being surrounded by people; everyone smiling and having fun. It made him smile wholeheartedly.

With the upcoming buildings and pathways giving no passage way, they cut through a gaping hole in the side of a building. At the end of the corridor the hole led them to, a closed gate was on there right.

Past it was open space, and on the right were two L-shaped stairs leading to a higher floor. On the left was another gate leading to another part of the campus, which is where they needed to get to.

Joel pushed the metal gates to their sides creating an opening for them to go through, even with the horses. But Callus — the horse Joel and Ellie were saddled on — neighed vaguely at the atmosphere. The sound of a runner was heard from the floor above.

Joel told Caleb and Ellie to wait while he decided to head for the other gate. After tampering with the gate panel and being met with no response from it, Joel came jogging back towards them. He carried a grime piece of paper in his hand.

"I'm gonna have to go upstairs to get the gate open"

     Caleb wanted to go. His idolization of being helpful prodding at him with an underlying irresistible force. By the time his mouth opened to say those words—I can help—Joel was already heading up the stairs.

     Both of the horses suddenly begin neighing. As Ellie gave Callus solace rubs on the top of his head, being the observant he was, Caleb lightly tapped onto his horses fur.

     He hadn't gave his horse a name yet. For the most part he'd just call her "girl" and that'll be it.

     Her neighing continued however, causing Ellie to bring her attention over and give solace rubs against her fur. "Don't worry, girl, Joel'll take care of 'em" she cooed.

     Once the horses neighing was subdued Ellie spoke again, this time towards him.

"Did you give her name yet?"

     He shook his head. "No, not yet"

"What about e-"

     The growling runners were loud now. Mingling in with the gunfire. At least they knew Joel was taking care of them. Though they anxiously waited with a dread thought resting at the back of their skulls.

     Joel came strolling down the stairs shortly after the cease of gunfire.

"You two can c'mon now" he said.

⸻

"Maybe an astronaut" Ellie spoke "being up there all by yourself. Seeing the stars. Sounds pretty cool to me"

As if he was asked a question Caleb mused on the many things, so he's heard from Joel, that he could do when he gets older. In a time before the plague had appeared and drenched the city with its depravity.

The words Ellie spoke were so blithely that he felt that his deep thinking was abashed. With as much sincerity he couldn't even imagine himself in a life without runners, or clickers. Even the idealization of having both of his parents back and sitting underneath the sun's emittance; everything was still so vague.

Everything he did was in regard of his parents. Hypothetically, in a alternate timeline where runners didn't exist and he lived an ordinary life, would he still be at a loss if someone asked him this question?

"I don't know"

"A lot of people aren't sure of what they would do" Joel responded

"Did you know?" Ellie then asked.

"Well, yeah. I thought about being a... a singer"

"Huh?" Caleb said baffled.

His confusion must've caught her by surprise since Ellie was chuckling.

"I'm serious" Joel said to dissolve the skepticism.

"Well then sing something for us"

"Uh, no"

"Come on! We won't laugh! Right, Caleb?"

"Yeah"

"Maybe another time"

Silence befell them until random graffiti caught their eyes. It was the fireflies insignia in white coloring. A good sign for them.

"First sign of fireflies" Ellie noted.

"This is good, right?" Caleb then asked.

"Let's hope so" Joel responded.

A few meters down the walls linear structure was a small gap of a pathway. Another metal gate blocked them from getting to the other side.

He gave the generator on the opposite side of the gate an inquiry look before trying the door panel next to him. Unsurprised, there was a non responsiveness from the gate. Without saying anything beforehand Joel crawled through the small opening of the doorway a few centimeters away.

"You both stay safe" Joel told him

"You too" they both responded

To Be Continued