Secrets And Hope {The Last Of Us Fanfiction}

II

The sun seemed to set just as quickly as it had risen, but after hours of walking under the blazing summer sun the three were grateful for the break in temperature. After finally finding shelter in an abandoned cabin, the girls sat in front of a small fireplace. The placed was empty and damp as the cold hung in the air. The boarded up windows failed to keep heat within the place. And the eerie silence was surprising settling; after all no noise meant no infected.

But that didn't stop Joel from staying on full alert as he made his way back to the cabin with more firewood. A slight smile found its place when he saw the confusion on Ellie's face as she glanced back at Nora.

"What?! You can't be serious!"

"No really! It's called a cell phone, you could use it to call anyone from anywhere!"

"No way, you're totally fucking with me!"

Joel placed the firewood by the fireplace before he took a seat between Ellie and Nora.

"No she's right, almost everyone had one. Even kids your age."

"Yeah but they mostly used em' for texting."

"Texting?"

Joel and Nora both laughed at Ellie's confusion.

"Yeah they're messages, you'd sent em' to people and they'd read em and send you a reply."

Ellie took the dead cell phone from Nora's grip and stared at the blank screen in amazement.

"So...you could use this square thingy to call or message anyone from anywhere?"

"Pretty much."

"So fucking cool! Man... I wish it still worked!"

Nora sighed as she took the phone back from Ellie.

"Me too. I lost contact with my family just after the outbreak, I'd give anything to talk to them."

Ellie crossed her legs and glanced down to the floor. The silence that filled the room was all too familiar to all of them. The feeling of bringing up the past, or bringing up loved ones. Ellie looked to Joel before they both glanced back to Nora.

"How old were you during the outbreak?"

"I was quite young when the cordyceps hit, I'd just turned twenty a week before the outbreak."

"So...that'd make you forty now right?"

"Ellie!"

Nora laughed as she gave Joel a reassuring smile.

"It's okay and yeah it would."

"Huh eight years younger than Joel...interesting."

Nora chuckled at Ellie as she noticed the look on Joel's face.

"Well Joel you look good for your age...considering, you know... That was a compliment by the way."

Joel nodded as he threw some wood onto the dying fire.

"Alright then."

Nora giggled slightly at Joel's sudden shyness as she too crossed her legs and sat forward.

"So where you guys from anyway?"

"Boston QZ. But me? I'm originally from Austin."

Nora smiled as she leaned back with crossed arms.

"Huh Texas man. Been a while since I've seen your kind around here."

"S'cuse me?"

"I just...mean it's... been a while since I've met anyone from my hometown."