Warmth and Hope
by TimeAndLife21
Joel and Ellie were just enjoying the soft wind blowing through their hair as they observed the giraffe herd. Joel looked down a little and noticed a look of bliss on her face. He was glad she was doing better after what had happened up in the mountains in the winter. He was worried that it had broken her. But no. She may have broken down, but she got back up again.
"Hey Joel…What's that castle over there?" She asked as she pointed off into the distance.
Joel looked up and saw the grey looking caste that was close to the Hospital. It was surrounded by other buildings, but you couldn't help but look at it rather than the modernized buildings that surrounded it.
"Ah that's...that's not a castle. That's a Temple." Joel said as he recalled before the outbreak.
"A temple? What's that?" She asked.
"It...it was a place of worship for a religious group. The Mormons, I think it was." Joel said as he remembered when he was a kid he met a few of those people.
"Mormons? They sound weird." She said with a grimace.
Joel chuckled.
"They were nice people. I had one who was an acquaintance of mine before the outbreak. He was kind man and would always tell me to have a good day and helped out if I need anything." Joel said as he remembered when he was taking care of a 5 year old Sarah.
He remembered that when she was sick with the measles, he didn't have enough money to pay for the medication, let alone food in the tiny apartment that he had at the time and was newly divorced as well. Word got out and he had these older couples and younger families coming over to make sure he was okay and gave him dinners. The acquaintance who he didn't know all that well pitched in to pay for the medication and told him that he didn't need to pay him back. That his daughter's wellness was payment enough.
"It looks pretty. What's that gold dot on it?" She asked as she peered out to it.
"I think that's...Gabrial? No..that not it." Joel tried to remember the name of the statue.
It took him a couple of minutes to remember the name.
"Moroni. That's his name."
"They worshiped a guy like that?" Ellie asked.
"No, No...Moroni was an angel...can't remember for the life of me the significance... but he was important in the Mormon's history." He said looking out at the temple.
"Huh...What happened to them then?" Ellie asked.
Joel chuckled at her questions. But he was trying to remember what did happen to them. He assumed that they were killed or infected the same way everyone else was. Of course, There might still be many of them out there. Just trying to survive like everyone else.
"Same way what happened to everyone else. They were always big believers in faith. They believed in eternal life after death. Life of no more suffering, you get to be with your family if they pass on." Joel sniffed.
"Sounds like a fantasy." Ellie frowned a little.
"Everyone has different beliefs. In all honesty, they were the better ones in this world. They always believed in hope." Joel said as he sighed.
Silence permeated between them comfortably, then Ellie looked up and smiled at him.
"Can we go there? To that temple I mean? After this?" Ellie asked.
"Maybe." Joel said smiling slightly.
Joel was lucky to have gotten Ellie out of there. In the truck he had hijacked, he knew that when night comes down the infected will be coming out. Ellie was still drowsy from the drugs that she was injected with, but she was still coherent enough. He was thanking God that she was still alive.
"We are going to stop by that Temple. Hopefully it won't have any infected." He said as he turned down the empty street. Surprisingly there were hardly any cars that surrounded the Temple square.
"We're staying there for the night?" She muttered.
"Yeah...let's hope so." Joel said softly as he parked on the curb.
The sun was just about to set and he picked up Ellie and carried her across the grounds. There was no sign of infected. Not even a sound of them. He was still on high alert though. He went to the broken glass doors that led inside and walked in.
He made his way through the dusty and dark halls (luckily not damp) and it looked like the temple hadn't been affected by the CBI at all. With his light on he made his way upstairs and made sure that some doors were close before he moved on. Some of the windows were broken letting in the vines from outside, but otherwise, the dusty place held a sort of...warmth to him.
He found a dusty long couch and he settled Ellie onto it. She rubbed her eyes before laying down getting comfortable.
"We'll stay here for the night. We leave in the morning okay?" He said as he looked up to the glittering chandler.
"Okay." Ellie whispered as she fell asleep.
Joel took out a blanket that he had in his pack and covered Ellie so that she didn't get sick. After doing so, he found a couch and walked over to it and sat down. He looked around and noticed something. There were no skeletons around, no clickers, nothing. The place was virtually untouched by the world outside. He recalled his acquaintance saying something about that Temples were places where goodness will stay and keep protected. Joel could feel something in this place.
Not fear.
Not Hate.
No nothing.
Except warmth and relief.
He could feel something in this Temple. Whatever it was, it made him thankful that Ellie was alive. If it wasn't for her...he wouldn't have become human again. She could never replace Sarah, but he didn't mind. Over their trials of coming here, for the cure, he could feel the relationship between them grow. He felt something wet going down his cheeks. Tears.
Why was he crying? Was it relief? Was it Joy? Was it that he was happy that he and Ellie were still alive? Or was it all of them at once? He looked over where Ellie was and he felt warm inside. He felt warmth and hope. He wasn't a good man. With his past would make anyone shudder. But he was a survivor. he survived this and he will survive again. He may feel remorse for the people he has killed, but in this world…it was kill or be killed.
In the back of his mind, a little voice said, "You are forgiven."
Joel promised himself that he will take care of Ellie. He wanted to see her grow into a young woman and enjoy life in this post apocalyptic world. He wanted to die knowing that at least in his life, he had done some good protecting her.
It was early in the morning when Ellie and Joel got up to leave the Temple grounds. Ellie wandered around always keeping in the sight of Joel and she smiled.
"This place is really nice." She said as she said down on a stone bench.
"Yeah, I'm still surprised this place is standing." Joel said as he looked up at the grey stone walls of the temple.
"You know...This place feels nice. I don't know why though. I guess it's probably just me, but...I feel...warm. And Happy." She said as she looked up at him.
Joel felt a strange feeling of hope in his heart. A hope for a better life for her.
"It is." He said as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Is there any other temples around?" She asked.
"Yeah. Why?" Joel looked down at her curiously.
"I like this place...If there are other places like it...I want to feel this feeling again. This feeling of warm fuzziness." Ellie said smiling.
"We'll see. We'll see." Joel said as they got up and left the grounds.
As they were driving the roads, Ellie looked back and saw the temple disappear out of sight. She felt a little sad leaving it so soon, but she hoped that she would see a place like it again in her life. She wanted to feel it again.
"Think we will come across another temple like that?" She asked.
"Maybe. If you want too." He said gently.
"I want to." She said as she leaned back.
They traveled back to Tommy's with feelings of hope and warmth. The world may have crumbled, but the people are survivors. They will always have hope for a better future, a better life. Both Ellie and Joel were glad to have had this journey. They had hard times, but they got through it together. They will always have hope and each other.
TAL21: I was really excited about that The Salt Lake Temple was in the Game. At first I was slightly hesitant that why it was in there, but I wanted a bit of a spiritual moment for Joel and Ellie. They both went through a lot of crap and they are still alive. And Yes, if you ask, I am a member of The Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints. The thought went though my mind of what would happened to those who are religious and faithful in TLOF world. Would they be survivors? Would they be similar to the Fireflies or people like Tommy's Settlement? I think for most of us, myself included, would try and survive and keep to the faith that we have.
We are not perfect people. We will do things for our survival, we will do things for the protection of out families, and we will die for what is right. We will make mistakes, we will also hope to not make those mistakes again.
I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot Drabble of what may have happened after Joel got Ellie out of there. With the view that they had at the Bus depot, i would say that she would be asking why such a pre-modern castle would still be standing and not crumbled like the buildings around it. She is a bright kid and would have questions about it. Joel as always would try to the best of his ability to answer, but I hope I portrayed them right in a way.
You guys have an awesome time and I hope you enjoyed this one-shot. Please leave Reviews and Opinions! I would love to hear what you guys say about it!
KEEP ON READING AND WRITING! :D