NO LIGHT. ✹ E.W.

iii.

Sometimes, you could almost imagine the sound of the busy cities before the outbreak. The echoing of construction workers doing their duty, children following that oddly creepy melody for a truck selling ice cream and sometimes, on a rare occasion, you liked to picture yourself like that.

Normal.

Not waking up after two consistent days after being shot. The gunshot, which conveniently missed any major organs, ached over your side. From the moment you cracked open your eyes everything hurt. Your head throbbed with a dull migraine, every limb felt so heavy and exhausting. Even opening your eyes seemed to be such a chore, so much so that the first time you woke up you immediately fell back asleep. The second time had been nearing six o'clock in the evening, a light groan pulling from your lips at the burning sensation in your body.

"Fuck." You groaned, everything seemed so foggy in your head. It seemed like a fever dream that you'd conjured in your sleep, however, the ache in your side proved it to be true.

Which meant that Joel was still dead.

"I'm awake." You called, coughing the hoarseness out of your voice. You could hear the sound of footsteps rushing through the building at your strangled call and a moment later, Sydney, one of the doctors in camp, appeared.

"Oh thank goodness." She exhaled in relief, ushering over to check the bandages covering your abdomen. They were painted a splotchy pinkish red from your blood, tender at the smallest touch. "I was beginning to become afraid you'd gone into a comatose state, you've been out a couple days."

"Where's Ellie and Tommy?" You strained to sit up, gasping at the audible shocks of pain pulsing through you at the action. "Are they okay?"

"Tommy's fine, Ellie's fine. But Joel..." She trailed, voice lowering into nothing. but

Your lips curved into a frown. "I know."

You could only imagine how Ellie must have been feeling for the past two days while you carelessly slept.  To lose the only father she'd ever known to a complete stranger; to watch it. Sure, you were close with Joel but Ellie had the history with him. She had to be taking it hard. And poor Tommy, losing your siblings couldn't be the easiest thing to go through. You hated to imagine the twist of shock on his face when he woke up to find Joel's lifeless form looking so utterly broken.

Sydney offered you two hands as a stable form of support, knowing she couldn't stop you from trying to sit up even if she wanted to. She knew you would want to go see Ellie, to see his grave and if she knew you, as soon as you heard what your girlfriend had been planning you'd be hitting the road within a day. That didn't mean she wasn't going to help you prepare yourself. So with the offered support you managed to get to your feet, knees buckling at the jolt of pain running through your side at the sudden pressure; luckily, Sydney was there to brace you again.

She only answered small questions from you while she helped you maneuver, telling you how the service was quiet and Tommy played Joel's favorite song. You hated not being able to be there for Ellie when she needed you.