Secrets And Hope {The Last Of Us Fanfiction}

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The snow slowly drifted down from the sky, its weight pulling on the tree's branches. Trudging through the snow, Tommy narrowed his eyes as they scanned the area for any sign of Nora and Joel. The wind began picking up, whistling through the snow and autumn leaves that slowly faded into the ground. The horses snorted and fussed at the cold around them as they reared and bucked to head back to safety.

"Tommy we gotta head back, there's a storm coming!"

The men's voices were drowned out by the wind but Tommy could just make out what they were saying by the look of defeat on their faces. He glanced up at the clouded sky, the snow rushing down, twirling and dancing with the wind. Both guilt and dread turned in his stomach as he looked back to them.

"No...we keep moving. We'll find 'em."

Kicking his horse on, they galloped through the trees before coming out to a small clearing. Bodies of infected littered the floor along with the red stains seeping into the snow from a nearby dead deer. Tommy dismounted his horse and looked over the scene. Fearing the worst he took a step forward as he rubbed his chin and sighed deeply.

"Oh Christ."

"Tommy..."

Letting out a shaken breath, Tommy turned at the sound of his name to face one of his men holding a hunting rifle he'd found. Joel's hunting rifle.

"We found this a couple yards back. You don't think-"

"It's Joel's...We're getting' closer."

Tommy quickly ran back to his horse as he shouted to the others.

"Come on boys, they're around here somewhere let's keep moving!...Just hope we ain't too late."

They galloped off towards a fenced field, only just able to make out the faint tracks in the snow as they pushed forward.

---------------------------------------------------

As the cold began to set in, Nora huddled herself near a small fire. Watching as the flames flickered and crackled. She glanced across to Joel who stood still digging through the rubble. Nora stumbled to her feet as she made her way over to him. As she spoke, her voice was strained and rough.

"Joel. Joel give it up. That whole hallway could be blocked, even if you clear the door we could still be no closer to getting out!"

"We can't just sit here and do nothin'!"

Joel desperately pulled through the rubble, letting it fall around his feet. As he reached for another stone it gave way letting more debris fall, causing him to stumble backwards. In that same second, Joel's legs fell from under him as he collapsed.

"Joel...what is it? Joel!"

Nora kneeled by his side and gently lifted him up. A thick cloud of dust hovered above them from the disturbed rubble. It settled in their hair and on their clothes, like a blanket of grey almost making them appear as ghosts. Joel coughed it away as he struggled with every breath he took.

"Easy. Easy. What happened, are you okay?"

"I don't know, I feel exhausted. It... it's hard to breathe."

Nora looked to Joel with concern before drawing her attention to their camp fire as it slowly withered and choked away.

"Joel...Joel look at the fire, it's dying out..."

Nora rose to her feet and placed her hand along the cracks in the fallen walls. She slowly moved them down before quickly pulling her arm back as if she'd been stung.