TROUVAILLE || The Last of Us

001 | PICKLEBALL.

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  Eighteen years ago, this world was warmer and kinder.
Loving, if anything.
Five years ago, this world turned its back on humanity.
Hateful, if anything.

  Five years ago, homes were filled and neighborhoods held backyard barbecues with TVs playing the latest football game. Children from all sorts of races and ages played in the driveway. Either on scooters or bikes, maybe even with chalk in hand.
Five years ago, Keara Cunning had a home. A family. A bed. A couple of blankets. A few friends.
None of it existed anymore.

  Cruel is an understatement for the life she lived now. If she had known this was how it'd go, she would've saved herself from the pain and suffering. It would've been an easier way out, and one that she wouldn't have regretted. Lack of judgement held the oxygen in her lungs and constant anxiety in her chest. Each day brought the same question upon her thoughts.
Stay or go.
Like a stupid twisted game of pickleball. Back and forth.
She had lost her home, friends, and family to the infected.

  What did she do to deserve the rise and fall of her chest? In Keara's mind, it should've been her. She should've been the one to go. Over the past five years of struggle and the world against her, a boy made it a bit easier to cope with.

  Samuel 'Sam' Davis.
A friend, a teacher, a protector, and a brother to Keara.
He had found her when she was only thirteen, the day after her family lost themselves to the infection. She was matted with mud and grass stains, her hair was knotted with sweat and blood. Yet, Sam didn't think twice about taking her under his wing. Even when he was barely eighteen at the time. The thing about Sam was that he was soft hearted.
Kind and giving.
Too good for this world.

  When Keara found herself as his shadow, he was a light to her. One that never switched off or ran out of energy. To Sam, Keara always came first. Perhaps it was just him, or maybe it was a brotherly nature that fell upon him like a blanket when he saw those dark brown eyes at the end of a cold and wet alley. He saved her in more ways than Keara could even imagine. The thought of leaving him for a bullet of her own was more heartbreaking than Keara wanted to admit. Yet, it was considerable.

"C'mon Kie."
His voice brought Keara out of her thoughts. The black haired boy motioned to an old storage container. The outside paint had peeled from erosion and the harsh elements. The inside was the closest thing to a home at this moment. Cold and silent but it was shelter from the unforgiving world outside.

  The heavy door craned and groaned as Sam pulled one side open. Stepping inside, Keara felt a bit more at ease. Finding a home off in the woods or the city was scared and a considerably rare find. The storage container had been their longest home so far. Which was nice considering it was hard to get into incase of emergencies, getting out was harder though. Old towels, blankets, and worn out rugs draped the cold flooring. An old office chair sat in one back corner with a halfway broken round side table. Two sleeping bags rested on the floor on separate sides, one for each body.

  "What'd you pick up today?"
Keara asked Sam as she shifted her backpack off her shoulders. The door of the storage container shut with a heavy thud that echoed within. When her backpack dropped to the floor, Keara pushed it to the wall with her shoe.
"That old grocery store had a few bottles of water I could salvage."
Sam replied as his own backpack met the floor with a thud.

  With fall, wild growing berries and vegetables were scarce. Thus, Sam and Keara had to rely on old stores or houses. They weren't the best resources, but did they have a choice in this world?
"That's alright, we'll probably have to boil the water just to be safe though."
Keara replied as her hand found the zipper of her jacket and gently pulled it down. Sam stepped forward, his fingers helped shift off the jacket from her shoulders.

  "Thanks."
The curly headed girl stated in a half mumble. Sam nodded with a silent response as a 'you're welcome.' as he took off his own jacket. With jackets aside, the two unpacked their backpacks in a comfortable silence between them. The rustling of their bags and occasional huffs were shared between them. Keara shifted to sit on her sleeping bag, her knees bent and angled into her chest.

  "Do you...think the world will ever be the same?"
Her words came off as hopeful. She was hopeful for better days and reassurance. Yet, deep down...it was stupid to even consider it being reality one day. Sam cleared his throat before taking his spot on his own sleeping bag across from her.
"Maybe, but not today or tomorrow kid."
His words aimed to reassure Keara, but they stung a bit. Like a healing scab that wasn't ready to peel. Keara simply nodded her head before placing her chin in the palm of her hands.

  "We'll get to see it though."
Sam added on with a small smile to the girl before pushing her knee in a playful motion. Keara felt her lips curve up a bit.
'I sure hope so.'
She thought but didn't voice those four words.
"Remember that trip in the woods? When I pushed you in the river?"
The black haired boy questioned, his smile growing at the memory.

  Thinking back to that day made Keara smile a bit more. The way the sun shined off spring green leaves and full trees. The subtle dance within the grass when the breeze bristled between each blade. Although they were struggling to survive then, it was one of the happier moments Keara shared with Sam.
"Yeah...then you laughed in my face until I pulled you in with me. Then you didn't think it was funny."
A snort came from her. Sam couldn't help but roll his eyes, a soft lopsided grin painted itself across his face.

  "Whatever...let's get some sleep alright? We've got a full day tomorrow kid."
The sound of his sleeping bag unzipping was heard before the rustle of his body shifting in it followed. Keara sat up for a few moments longer before doing the same with her own sleeping bag.

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• A subtle start to Trouvaille! I hope you guys enjoyed it:) Sorry if there's any errors I didn't catch, BE NICE👺

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