Tommy hadn't been escorting the two more than ten minutes and they were already up to their knees in mud. After the clouds parted around midday, the previous downpour resulted in extremely muddy conditions, Jackson's main roads mainly being unpaved did nothing to help the predicament. Joel was immensely impressed with the ever expanding establishment that his little brother helped to build, he was truly proud of the man his brother had become. Joel let the downfall of society change him into a cold blooded animal, he let it mold him like a potter molds a fresh lump of clay, but instead of a beautiful sculpture he was nothing more than a broken mirror. Tommy was polar opposite, he wanted to help people while everything fell apart around them, he remembered how in one of the darkest times of his life, back in the triages, he only stood there letting grief pull him down into insanity. Tommy had sat with the people who sobbed over the people they lost or couldn't find, one he remembered in particular was an elderly woman whose husband; who happened to be a vietnam veteran, she had been split up with while he attempted to help people out of the city. Tommy sat in the chair across from her, surrounded by moans, cries, and death, and held her hands in his while she weeped, assuring her that her husband would return to her because that's what fine soldiers like her husband did.
There was no doubt that Tommy was a better man than him, Joel never could've accomplished half the things his brother did, Jackson County was proof of that. As they trekked down the muddy road Joel looked around, as he did so he noticed a feeling emerge in the pit of his stomach that he hadn't felt for a long time: Hope. Houses were immaculate on today's standards, yards housed large crops such as towering stalks of corn, and other various plants like carrots, and potatoes. Parking lots had been tore up to facilitate more crops, and what used to be a community park in the center of town was converted into an active grazing field, complete with a barn and stables.
"This place here… it's amazing", Joel said in awe.
"It wasn't easy, this place started out with Maria's family and a couple of other folks holed up in an apartment complex, eventually they were able to clear it out, and then the walls came up", Tommy replied.
"Have to admit, can't deny the view", Ellie piped up.
Joel pulled her to his side, reveling in the immense joy he felt at that moment, it felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He finally had a home where no one was shot in the street, where people weren't being held out on for their rations, and more importantly he had a second chance, a second chance that so happened to be cradled to his hip.
"No… you sure can't."
Tommy led them to a row of storage units, pulling out a key ring that was attached to his belt, he began to flip through the various keys until he let out a grunt of approval at finding the correct one. He undid the padlock on the steel roll up door, pulling it up into the air, revealing a full room of clothes and other accessories.
"Every newcomer gets to have a pick, we only ask that in order to keep our supplies from runnin' out that if you take somethin', you leave somethin', first time's on the house though", Tommy said with a smile.
Joel glanced at Ellie staring in awe at the amount of clothes, she returned his glance as if silently asking for his permission.
"Go on, find somethin' ya like", Joel said.
Ellie rushed inside the small nine by sixteen foot storage unit, and began rifling through the racks and hangers, letting out the occasional ooh and ahh at a garment that caught her eye.
"She reminds me a lot of her, y'know", Tommy pointed out.
"Yeah, does me too", Joel responded with a ghost of a smile on his face.
"That girl means everything to ya doesn't she", Tommy asked.
"She sure does, she helped me to feel human again," Joel replied.
"She might not be blood, but by God is she family", Tommy stated, "Go on now, find yourself somethin' ya like."
Joel chuckled as he stepped forward into the wide room, his boots thumping on the concrete floor made an echo that reverberated off the sheet metal walls. He more carefully picked through the men's shirts, impressed with the amount of larges they were able to find as he eyed a blue flannel shirt that he fancied, as well as two t-shirts. As he was about to step out of the room something caught his eye, looking from side to side as if about to do something illegal, he quickly snatched a pair of tan, rubber soled moccasin slippers. Ellie as well found a decent pile of clothes she liked, she even managed to find a pair of hiking boots that fit perfectly, glancing down at her hole-filled Converse she was glad she found them.
"Did you git everything ya want", Joel asked.
"Oh yeah, I'm just happy to have found new jeans, my old pair had more stitches than the Frankenstein monster", Ellie snarked.
Joel chortled at the young red-heads remark, tousling her hair as Tommy locked up the storage unit.
"Y'all follow me, I got somethin' I've been savin' just for the two of ya'", Tommy said.
"Lead the way dude", Ellie replied.
They trudged through the mud for a while until they reached the outer edge of town, Ellie and Joel found themselves standing before a small, white, two story house. The house had a gable style tin roof, green shutters on the windows, and a small deck with a porch swing. Tommy opened the screen door and unlocked the thick wooden door, he swung it open, motioning with his hand for them to come inside.
"Welcome home big brother", Tommy said warmly.
"Tommy… I don't know what to say", Joel said awestruck.
"Just say thanks", Tommy replied smartly, placing the house key in his hand, "I told you there was a place here for ya."
"Wow, this is ours", Ellie asked excitedly, letting her childlike wonder surface.
"Reckon it is baby girl, welcome home", Joel opened his arms and she wasted no time in closing the gap between them, pressing her small frame into him. She'd probably never admit it out loud, but this was her most favorite place in the world, in the protective embrace of the man she'd come to view as her father.
"Maria and I will be around later to see how y'all are settled in, 'til then enjoy", Tommy said, he and Joel shared a warm hug before he departed.
"Y'know this is great and all but we're missing one thing", Ellie stated matter-of-factly.
"And what would that be", Joel asked sarcastically, already anticipating her answer.
"Dinner."