Secrets And Hope {The Last Of Us Fanfiction}

XII

No one had ever heard the wind blow like this before, howling and screeching against the house like a pack of wild wolves. It was getting late and the snow continued to fall. It hadn't stopped all day and it was getting deep. So deep in fact that it was getting harder to get around town. People had no choice but to stay in their homes until the storm blew over, they only hoped it wouldn't last long. Food was running low as were their medical supplies and ammo. But the heavy snow would still fall, piling up just under the window sills. The cold would still grip on the windows and the walls causing a chilling draft to float through the air inside. Ellie sat by the window silently watching the white flakes fall from the sky. She took a deep breath that lingered for a second as she turned back to Nora.

"Damn it's really coming down, Tommy said they can't even use the turbines until the snow thaws out."

"Well we'll manage, ain't got no other choice."

"Yeah I guess so..."

"Come on sit back down and I'll bandage that arm of yours."

Ellie nodded and let out another deep sigh as she took a seat at the kitchen table opposite Nora. She sat quietly as Nora gently dabbed her left arm with a rag, the alcohol stinging Ellie's wound as she winced in pain.

"Sorry. I still can't believe you didn't see that patch of ice."

"Pssh...wasn't my fault. And you don't have to fuss over me Nora, I'm fine!"

"We both know if I let anything happen to you, Joel would kill me."

"Nah he wouldn't dare, you scare him too much."

Nora let out a breathless laugh as she continued bandaging Ellie's arm.

"Yeah well I ain't taking any chances. Now hold still."

Ellie slumped down into her chair as she sat impatiently waiting for Nora to finish. She quickly sat back up as the sound of the door opening caught her attention. Joel stepped inside rubbing his hands together for warm as he stomped the snow from his shoes.

"Hey Joel."

"Ellie...Are you okay, what happened?"

"I uh..."

"She's fine. She slipped on some ice outside, got a little scraped but she's okay."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Nora finished bandaging Ellie's arm as she sat back in her seat, sending Joel an irritated glare.

"I'm fine Joel."

"Alright. Okay if you say so. Uh Nora you got a minute?"

"Yeah..."

Nora rose from her seat and followed Joel towards the front door. He paused as he turned to face her, taking a second to let out a deep sigh. Nora could see the concern in his eyes as she stood with her hands rested on her hips.

"So how we doin'?"

"Not good. Tommy says we don't got no electricity if this storms keeps up, we're running outta food and medical supplies. And there ain't no way any of us can go hunting or scavenging, everything's either dead or frozen. At this rate I reckon it'll be a miracle if this town makes it through to spring."

"Well we got plenty of canned food, me and Ellie got a fire going. And candles as we need 'em. Reckon we just hold out for as long as we can."

Joel tried to hide the grim look on his face, but the worry in his eyes gave him away as he let out a sigh of defeat.

"Yeah."

Joel quickly checked over his jacket before heading back towards the door.

"I'd better go get some more firewood."

The room fell quiet as Joel stepped back outside. The wind echoing throughout the house as the door opened and closed with a slam. A few flecks of snow finding their way into the house as they rapidly melted into small puddles of water on the floor.
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Later into the night the wind howled on as it tapped away at the window along with the icy grip of the horrendous cold. The three sat in the living room by the old worn fireplace as the roaring fire radiated heat throughout the place. Ellie resumed her seat by the window, silently watching the snow fall. Joel and Nora sat at opposite ends of the couch, each with a small glass of scotch in their hands. Nora eyed the snow that hit the window as it slowly slid down the glass, gathering on the sill.

"I don't remember it snowing this much back home."

"Yeah me neither and when it did, wasn't even enough to cover the ground."

Nora sat back in her seat as a small distant smile appeared.

"You know what my favourite time of year was; autumn. I'd drive around to look at the trees changing, we'd always have bonfires after sundown on my grandfather's ranch. And the smell from Mrs Benson's bakery."

"I can't believe you remembered that."

"Pssh I can't believe you could forget about sweet old Mrs Benson. Hell she made the best apple pie in town."

Joel let out a deep chuckle as the memories of home came back to him.

"She did. But it wasn't half as good as the pumpkin pie she made around Halloween."

"Damn I'd kill for a piece right about now."

Joel and Nora fell silent as they lingered in their memories of a world before infected but as they did, the smiles on their faces slowly faded as the crushing realization hit them once again that it was all gone now. Ellie stepped away from the window as she walked into the kitchen to grab her backpack before re-joining Joel and Nora in the living room. Taking a seat on the floor in front of them she pulled a small book out from her bag.

"Okay we need to lighten the mood. Ready? What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh."

Nora smirked as she looked down at Ellie.

"What is that?"

"It's a joke book. N-"

'No Pun Intended Volume Three, By Will Livingston.' Y'know, I can't believe you managed to find another one of those damn things. They're just awful Ellie!"

"You're awful!"

"And you still don't understand what that means."

"And it still doesn't matter...now where was I? Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine. Past, Present and Future walked into a bar... It was tense."

With a smile on her face Ellie looked to Joel and Nora for their reactions, only to receive groans at her terrible jokes. Ellie chuckled at them as she flipped through her book to find some that might actually get a laugh from Joel and Nora.

"What did the tree say to the wind? Leaf me alone. What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese...I don't get it."

Joel and Nora both laughed at Ellie's confusion. Their attention was caught by the dying embers of the fire, Nora quickly stood to tend the fire with more wood as Joel sat forward in his seat.

"Okay kiddo that's enough. Put that thing away."

"Hang on one more. I'm reading a book about anti-gravity...I can't put it down."

Nora sat back down beside Joel as she chuckled, gaining a small smile from Joel.

"Okay I actually kinda liked that one."

Ellie smiled in response as she started to read another one. The three sat long into the night, talking and laughing at Ellie's jokes. As the snow continued to fall outside gradually getting deeper and deeper. The sky darkened as clouds formed together letting the heavy snow fall as the temperature seemed to drop by the hour. And although they had a warm house to live in, candles to light the place and a limited amount of food in the cupboards; Joel and Nora shared the same nagging feeling that they'd struggle to survive the harsh winter ahead.