Hello, its Nick, I'm still a bit new to the whole fanfic writing but I hope you enjoy this "pilot" as much as I did
We all know the story, Joel and Ellie made their adventure across the run down places of the United States, how Joel, grew so much to this girl that he refused to save the world, just to save her life, how he killed one of the last people he knew, how they ran back to the safety of the secure zones.
But everyone has a expiration date, time had passed, yes, Ellie and Joel had become like daughter and father, looking after each other knowing the world was still a hell hole but they learned how to live with it, the fireflies, decayed after the death of their leader.
Ellie is now 34 years old, she has seen the worst and the best that's left from mankind she and Joel who is now 73, his body tired and scar filled, he now just lays in bed resting after almost 40 years of fighting for survival.
After his 60 birthday Joel decided he had enough that he was tired of fighting but since both he and Ellie needed food she took over, like a family business of some sort while she goes out Joel just roams around the city the regrets of a lie told years ago.
Now Joel lies in bed his breath becoming weaker by the minute Ellie sitting in his side, alone in the room filled with interesting things they have gathered trough the years, some stuffed animals, comics, books, CD's, LP's, cassettes and even a couple of video game cases. As Ellie grabs Joel's hand holding it tightly a tear runs down his wrinkled face.
-What's the matter? - Ellie asks holding back her own tears.
-I'm sorry- Mumbles Joel
-What for? You never did anything wrong Da…Joel- Ellie mumbles her cheeks blushing as she almost makes a mistake
-You don't understand….- mumbles Joel as he takes a deep breath –I lied to you- He says coldly as he exhales
-What?! When?- Ellie asks the tears on her face not from sadness but anger
-When…- Joel coughs and breaths heavily -Back then, in the Fireflies Hospital, they didn't have any other immune survivor, you were the only one…
Ellie's eyes open wide as the tears flow the emotions clouding Ellie's thoughts.
-You mean they needed me to find the cure, and you took me away?!- Ellie screams angrily letting go of Joel's hand bringing it to her face to clean the tears.
-You…..You don't understand- Joel says sitting on his bed, his eyes shutting close from the pain.
-The only way they could find the cure was if you died!- Joel screams back coughing as he finishes
Ellie looks at Joel, still in shock from the news, from the truth.
-And you murdered your way to where I was…. Just to save me, and DOOM the whole human fucking race?!- Ellie's voice cracks as she touches her bitten arm, the scar now a simple wither skin part.
Joel's eyes tear up as he comes to terms over his actions, in his mind he sees it all, everyone he killed, to save her, he remembers all the way back to the begging to Sarah, how that damned soldier shot her, his lifeless corpse after Tommy's shot, his eyes clouded with the tears.
-I'm sorry- Joel whispers as his eyes slowly close
-It's not me you should say that…- Ellie whispers – You have to say it to EVERY FUCKIN' HUMAN BEING!- She screams not realizing Joel just gave his last breath, his lifeless face still wet from the tears, Ellie looks at him not with the tender eyes she used to have but with hatred and anger, she takes out her knife, the same pocket knife she used to save him in the past, and stabs him on the chest, one time, two times, three times and a last as the tears emerge on her face.
-You selfish mother fucker!- She screams in angst as she pulls the knife of from Joel's chest her hand covered in the blood, she sights and gets up scavenging the apartment, grabbing everything she needs, food, weapons, water and finally car keys, a car, they bought with effort of enough ration cards to feed a family for a month.
She walks back to the room and takes a final look at Joel's body, the blood staining the sheets and mattress.
-Goodbye…- She whispers to the now empty place, walking out heading to the gates of the safe zone only one goal in her mind, a sacrifice, the last sacrifice for mankind, for Riley for Tess, for Henry, for Sam, for everyone that died, and everyone that "lived", she is ready, there is no turning back from this, she knows it, but if the fireflies are still there, then the human race will finally see a pacific sunrise after almost half a century of fighting for survival.
She arrives at the gate, she waves and the soldiers let her pass, they know her, she knows them, they know her condition, but don't know about Joel's lie, they wish the fireflies found the cure already but nothing has happened.
-Let me pass- Demands Ellie as she shows the keys and a ID badge.
The soldiers stare and nod slowly opening the heavy steel doors as everyone else in the wall scanning to see if any clicker appears, none do, thankfully, since more time has passed most infected have evolved, the clickers are now just bloaters, runners are clickers, and bloaters…. They have become, believe it or not, fungus, they are not humans anymore, the only problem with this is that they produce more spores which mixed with the winter and autumn winds can create deadly spore-storms, she remembers being in Riverside when a thick spore storm appeared, the camp that she was in didn't notice, the result, 20 new infected, she looked in sadness how everyone coughed and cried knowing their faith, several kids got infected, their parents choosing the more human approach and killed them living only with the guilt for a couple more minutes as they turned the guns on themselves and shot.
Ellie walks through the gates heading straight for a black Toyota Rav 4, the paint falling apart from the rust but who could care as long as it runs it's good, she enters and turns the engine on a large puff of smoke coming from the exhaust, she adjusts her rearview mirror and opens the glove box, tears rolling down as she sees it, a picture of her younger self with Joel, she remembers that.
It happened in a sunny day at the outsides of Providence, Rhode Island, they had just entered a pawn shop looking for supplies and there it was a Polaroid camera, Joel laughs as he realizes Ellie doesn't know what it is.
-Here let me show you- He says as he takes it and stands besides Ellie, taking a "selfie" they both laugh and she keeps the camera and photo, tears roll in her face after the memory is over
-Why did you do it?- She whispers as she begins driving out of sight of the guards.
Well hope you enjoyed it let me know what y'all think and I will continue it.
Nick