A/N: Another chapter, sorry for not doing this for a long time
ELLIE: CHAPTER 4: The Search
Ellie woke up tired, yet stressed out that day. She got up from her bed and started preparing to go and search for Joel. She grabbed her backpack, pistol, and other stuff she thaught might be useful. Haven't used this backpack in sometime. The last time I used it was coming back from the Fireflies. I wonder what's going on with them. First they wanted a cure, and now they stopped. All this travelling was for nothing. Well maybe not nothing. I mean, I met Joel. He's like the dad that I never had. But… now he is missing, and… After telling herself this, she instantly broke down, and let the tears flow. She cried so loud, that it woke up Maria.
She ran into Ellie's room and asked what was wrong.
"It's nothin', really." she weakly, still trying to catch her breath from crying.
"I don't believe what you're sayin' Ellie, you're goin' to tell me now, and I ain't taking no for an answer" Maria said.
"Maria… It's nothing." Ellie replied.
"Does it have something to do with Joel's disappearance?" Maria asked.
"Yes," Ellie said weakly.
"Don't worry, Ellie, we'll find him." Maria told Ellie. This made Ellie feel more confident.
"Alright!" Tommy began, it is a couple of minutes later and Tommy has rounded up the Jackson militia and the people, "this is how it's going to play out." He said to the people of Jackson. "We got lots of guns, for us." Tommy added. "But the first ones to get their hand on them, are the ones who are going to help search for Joel." He then called out a couple of militia men, "Earl, Jason (some middle-aged, guard there), Nick (a young guard there), and Mason (a guard who looked like he was in his 30s, with a beard somewhat like Joel's, but was pure black equipped with a ballistic vest, riot helmet, and military boots, but changed the under shirt), Ellie will accompany you on your search. Keep her safe." Tommy said.
"You got it Sir" Mason said.
"Mason you're in charge."
They headed out into the woods to look for some clues to what happened to Joel. "Hey! Over here!" Earl shouted. "Looks like his rifle, Ellie you're the expert on him, is this his rifle?"
"Yeah" Ellie responded.
"Good, we found something, keep searching." Mason said. Ellie searched around, Man, maybe I should have gone with Joel to hunt. Now I am paying for it. Ellie told herself.
"Nick!" Mason began, the shout had been at a random that it kind of startled Ellie. "Quit swinging that rifle that way!" Mason walked up to him and took the rifle out of his hand for a minute. Mason checked if it was on safety first and then threw the rifle back at Nick's chest. "This is an M4 rifle you are lucky to be carrying one of these in your lifetime!" He finally finished pointing to the M4 in Nick's arms.
"Sorry sir, won't happen again" Jason said and readjusted the rifle in his arms, and pointed the muzzle down.
"Sorry won't be good enough next time, because if that weapon wasn't on safety, and you accidently pull the trigger, you could of killed most of us. Now fall in line"
"Yes sir," Nick said.
After the drama, Ellie then found a rifle bullet casing. "Hey!" Ellie said, "Look what I found" she said holding up the bullet casing.
"Yup, that's a rifle bullet casing" Earl said.
"Don't you think they'll be blood near be if he was shot" Jason stated. Mason looked at him and said.
"Your right Jason." Earl said.
Man Joel, where could of you gone. Ellie told herself.
It was getting dark, and they had searched for hours, with little clues of what happened to Joel. They started heading back to the settlement. Ellie looked disappointed and sad at the same time. She continued to make her way to the house she lived in. She was hungry and tired. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't because she was hungry.
Maria was in the kitchen, cooking something for Ellie.
"What's for dinner" Ellie asked and grabbed a chair.
"Well, I got you some chicken." Maria said. Ellie looked at the chicken with her mouthwatering, "Mmm, looks good"
"Yup enjoy, just for you, and I left you fresh clothes on your bed" she told Ellie.
"Okay" she said. She ate like she hadn't eaten years. After, she went to take a shower, it had given her to time to think. Don't worry Joel, we'll find you.