Pumpkins
Fluffy142
A/N: Well! It took me a while, but I finally found a great idea for another one-shot! I hope that you all enjoy it, and thank you all for following me through these last few months. I really appreciated HB2000'S support. As well as my writing friend FreddyandPewdiepieXD, who has followed me since the beginning. FreddyxPewd was the person who introduced me to the whole TLoU series. I really have to give this person credit, not only for being a lifelong friend, but to opening me to the vast expanse of TLoU.
Pumpkins
Ellie sat up with a jolt, and instinctively shot her hand under her pillow where her switchblade awaited its next kill. Breathing heavily, and covered in a cold sweat, she looked over towards Joel, who stirred slightly in his sleep. Forcing her breath to slow, she pulled her knees to her chest. Ever since that cold winter with David, she had never been the same. After Joel had found her, and even though she had somewhat recovered, there was no forgetting those memories.
"Ellie… what's wrong?" Joel had awoken to coldness seeping through the open blanket to his right. Momentarily worried where she'd gone, he found her staring into the first signs of dawn at the window. Rising slowly, he quietly padded to where she stood. The full shock of why she had gotten up struck him. Tears flowed steadily down her face, and her knuckles where white from gripping the sill as she did. Feeling his heart twist, not only for her sorrow, but for what that bastard took from her. Carefully, he put his arm around her shoulder. She reacted to his touch, but did not shrink at his sudden appearance. Smiling softly, she leaned in close, and pressed her head against his chest, feeling his loving heart pound beneath the surface.
Together they watched the fall sun rise over the mountains of Jackson. After Wyoming, they had been living inside the town for several weeks, but there were times like today that Ellie would wake in a jolt as David's machete sliced through her flesh.
Finally, after the sun had fully engulfed Jackson in its warming light, Joel motioned toward the bathroom and where the clothes she had picked for today laid by her backpack. Smiling at the thought of getting out of her night clothes, she picked them up, and walked into the bathroom across the hall. Joel picked up his own clean clothes, and shut the bedroom door. They seemed to be done at the same time, because Joel had just reopened the door whenever Ellie poked her head into the hallway.
"Forgetting something?" Joel inquired with a smirk. Holding up her jacket, as well as picking up his own, she took it and left their small 2 story house. Ellie pulled Joel along play fully as they walked across town to where the stables where. The autumn leaves swirled gently around their ankles as the warm, gentle breeze lifted them skyward.
"C'mon Joel! It's our day off! I'm not wasting time with you moping around behind me!" She grabbed his arm once more, and started to pull in earnest. He smiled as he deliberately held back. Soon, they were at a complete standstill. Ellie desperately trying to make the mule she pulled on move, but to no avail. Finally, Joel sprung forward, and set off at a loping pace to their destination. Ellie took a moment to realize what had happened, and thought badly for her own gullibility.
"C'mon Ellie!" Joel sounded bright and cheerful as he jogged backwards, and waited for Ellie to sprint to him, as his stride was much longer than hers. Ellie finally caught up with Joel, and they slowed to a walk as they neared the stables. Ellie finally caught her breath, and let loose a wad of spittle on the ground.
"Whew! That was a good warm-up!" She bent over, hands on her knees, as she walked slowly to Johnathan, who was watching over the stables this morning.
"G'mornin' Joel! Hello again, Ellie" He smiled warmly to the teenager, who was a regular at the stable. "So! You two out for a ride?" He rubs his hands together in preparation to their answer, and they both nod "yes". "Great! Ellie, I have a special surprise for you, by the way…" He walks into the stable, and returns with what appears to be Callus. Ellie couldn't help but smile, but she knew that he had been shot during that winter whose memories had awoken her that morning. "This here is Callus' mother, now she is an older horse, so don't push it too hard." Handing the reigns to Ellie, she saddled, and mounted the older horse. Johnathan had also brought out a dappled mare, which was fit and seemed excited to be out and about. Joel mounted as well, bid Johnathan farewell, and he and Ellie trotted through the gate, which Maria opened gladly, and waved them goodbye.
"So… What's been on your mind lately?" Joel's voice carried widely through the woods, and the concern hidden in it was obvious to Ellie. She stayed quiet, but shook her head slowly, as if in disbelief at her own dreams. Joel now realized the extent of her misery this morning, and pulled up close beside her. Ellie smiled at his approach, and stepped up her horse's pace to a quick canter. Joel matched it on his own, and it soon reached a full gallop.
They laughed as they rode through the forest, something caught her attention though. Reigning in, Ellie dismounted as Joel sped past. Joel trotted back to where she had stopped. Jogging into the clearing where she stood, he stopped.
"Ellie… What's going on? What'd you find out he…" Joel stopped mid-sentence. He and Ellie where in a clearing full of pumpkins, their hollow flesh brightly reflecting their bright colors around the clearing.
"Joel? What the hell are these?" She inquired as she hefted a larger one into her arms.
"God Damn… I thought I'd never see pumpkins again." Joel smiled as he lifted one as well. His was smaller than the one Ellie held, but it was a pumpkin either way. Ellie thought quietly, and tentatively lifted the heavy fruit to her ear, and knocked. The noise reverberated through the hollow object, and her smile widened. "I reckon it's right about that time of year… Ellie, have you ever made a jack-o'-lantern?" Ellie stood, dumbstruck, for a full minute.
"What the fuck is a jar-o'-lamb-turd?
They spent the rest of the afternoon taking in the brightly lit scenery of the Colorado countryside. The autumn leaves swirled playfully around their heads as they walked the horses back to Jackson. Both had enjoyed spending the day in each other's company, and looked forward to what Joel called, a "You'd never like it until you try it" activity.
They handed their mounts back to Johnathan, with an eager smile, who took them behind the stable to be washed and brushed down. As they bid him farewell for the day, they carried their load back to their house.
"Sooooo…. What do we do now?" Joel had instructed her to place towels on the table in the kitchen. What they were for, she didn't know.
"Well, we're gonna cut these open, scoop out the seeds, make faces in them, put a candle inside, and set them on the porch." Joel smiled. Ellie looked at him like he had three heads as she pulled out her switchblade.
"Hmm… well, Jack, it was nice knowing you." She heard the hollow thud as the steel blade plunged into the top of the pumpkin. Grimacing with psychotic delight, she made screaming noises as she worked the knife around the green stem. Joel looked at her and smiled as he also started on his larger pumpkin with the kitchen knife.
"Oh no, Jack! You seem to be having some braid issues!" Ellie exclaimed as she followed Joel's instructions, and began to scoop out the inside. "Okay… this is just gross. Why is it all squishy?" Ellie moaned in disgust as she flicked the handful of the gooey substance.
"Ellie, do you have to comment on everything?"
"Yeah, why? It makes life fun." She smiled knowingly as she plunged her hand into "Jack" once more. They continued to play doctor for a while, and after the pumpkins were cleaned out they washed their hands.
"Well, this should be fun!" Ellie had been looking forward to this part the entire afternoon.
"I guess that you can say that… but it's also the hardest part." He picked up the paring knife, and stopped… the tip of the smaller blade inches from the orange canvas. He couldn't decide what to carve. There wasn't anything in particular that stood out in the world, but there might be something.
"Finished!" Ellie yelled from the kitchen, and Joel had almost ruined the 20 minutes of work he had put into his jack-o'-lantern. He had found something to carve, but he knew that it would take a while. He had always been a decent artist, but after a few years, it takes a while to come back to you. He had struggled for the first few minutes, but soon his feelings loosened, and the true creative instinct of his being kicked in. It had taken him about an hour and a half to finally finish his work. Sitting back, and reviewing the intricate lines and detail.
"Joel! What's taking you so…" Ellie stopped with her head poked through the doorway into the living room. What she saw made her heart melt. Ignoring the complete mess of the room, she saw what had taken him almost 2 hours to complete. A positive relief of her face, what she assumed to be Sarah, and also a portrait of Tess covered almost the entire circumference of the orange globe. Joel noticed her standing there, and smiled warmly at her. Joel picked up the knife again, and with Ellie's careful watching, carved his own face into the remaining space. This one was in negative relief, and stood out from the others. The overall beauty of his carvings seemed to almost overwhelm her. They both stood up and walked to the kitchen.
"Umm, Joel… we don't have any candles."