Jackson Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Wyoming, USA.
23rd July.
2038.
It was a warm Wyoming evening, as the setting sun began to slowly fall behind the distant mountains, it bathed the Dam and it's settlement in a pleasant apricot dusk. Amongst the calm settlers, a storm was brewing as Joel stormed after Ellie into the house, slamming the door behind him in utter anger.
"I thought we where done with bringin' the Fireflies up, it's history!" Joel roared.
"Why not? The world needs more guys like them!" Ellie shouted back at him as she spun around with a face like thunder.
"Can we just fuckin' drop it Ellie!" Joel leaned forward slightly as he shouted.
The pair locked eyes in a long stifling pause.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Ellie broke the silence as she noticed Joel's eyes flitting from hers to the floor.
"W-what?" he said with a stutter.
"You are aren't you?" she said softly.
"Course not!" he protested as he slowly turned away from Ellie towards the window.
"Don't fucking bullshit me Joel!" She yelled loudly making him jump slightly in the silence.
Joel let out a shuddered sigh, he turned around to face her in the dark room, the only light that illuminated the room was a faint large strip of dying orange sunlight which cut like a sword through the shoddy curtains.
"Ellie you need to understand, what went on in Salt Lake City was for your life," He said as he looked into her eyes.
With tears forming in her eyes.
"What happened?" she sniffled quietly.
Joel wiped the strained tears from his face and spoke.
"We hit the hospital after two fireflies found us in the water in that tunnel, I remember waking up with Marlene there, I'd asked her if I could see you but she said you where being "Prepped for surgery"," He said with a bunny ears hand gesture,
"And?" Ellie asked with a blank expression on her tear flecked face.
"They started marchin' me out of there after I said I needed to see you, and I got a chance to fight back and get you out! I wasn't gonna let you die if there was a chance that it'd not work," He replied
The atmosphere in the room erupted.
"You swore!" Ellie screamed at him as she turned and punched the wall behind her in anger.
"I know, but listen! they where going to kill you baby girl!" Joel sniffled with a choked up reply.
"What about Marlene?" she bellowed back at him making him break into a weep.
"She had a gun pointed at you, I had to put her down. she would have killed me and then you," Joel replied as he sobbed, masking the true way he killed Marlene, She had been wounded and helpless, begging for him to let her live and he had put a bullet straight through her skull, for the benefit of Ellie.
"So you killed her!" Ellie screeched.
At that moment Ellie tried to walk out of the house, but Joel grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off the floor as she screamed in protest.
"You Fuckin' Liar!" she yelled as she kicked and screamed for him to release her.
"She was like a mother to me!" she bawled.
"Calm Down! Ellie! Stop! Just think about this!" Joel shouted through gritted teeth as he fought against the struggling girl.
She threw her head back and butted Joel straight in the nose which automatically made him drop her, she scrambled for the front door and yanked it open.
"Baby Girl, Please!" He shouted as she ran through the door, Settlers and Neighbours that where chatting on their porches where instantly drawn to the source of unrest in the settlement.
Tommy and Maria's house was directly across from Joel and Ellie's house and they where both sat watching from their porch, When Ellie heard Joel yell after her she stopped dead at the end of the garden and turned around, her face red with crying and her teeth gritted.
"I am not your baby girl, you bastard! She died twenty-five years ago, when that bullet ripped through her! I will never be your baby girl!" she said as she turned on her heels and ran in the direction of the Dam's main building.
Joel fell to his knees on the porch of the small house and broke down in floods of tears, Ellie's hurtful words shaking him to his very core. At that moment Tommy came jogging across from his own house. Joel looked up to see his approaching brother with Maria still stood on their porch, her hands covering her lower face in shock.
"What the hell was that all about Joel?" Tommy asked his broken brother as he knelt down to console him.
"I've lost her Tommy, The fireflies, I saved her from them, I didn't tell her!" He replied between sobs
"Come on man, come over to my place and tell me and Maria about it, I am sure Ellie will be OK," Tommy said as he picked his brother up by the arm.
"Maria!" Tommy shouted across to her as he walked with his arm around Joel.
She nodded back.
"Get on the horn and tell Earl and Houser to keep an eye on Ellie" he instructed her.
With that she turned and walked into the house.
"Whatever has happened, I am sure once she has had some time she will be OK, just let her simmer." Tommy reassured his brother.
Joel remained silent.
"I've lost her," His mind echoed.
A/N
A quick one shot before work. I hate going back after Christmas. I hope you guys like what I have done with this. I have tried to experiment with different ways of writing settings and feeling within the characters, with more expression in the language I use. Let me know what you guys think about this stab in the heart for poor ol' Joel. Happy New Year Guys!