Chapter 2

The next day

Ellie's POV

I woke up in my bedroom in Jackson which I still wasn't used to, so I went downstairs for breakfast since I was pretty hungry. I go down to the smell of something delicious and I saw Joel by a stove and Jake sitting at the table eating breakfast.

"Morning," I said which caused Joel to turn and face me.

"Mornin baby girl. You sleep well?" Joel asked in response.

"Yeah," I replied but I was lying I slept terribly but I didn't want Joel to worry about that, he probably had enough on his mind because of what happened to Jake.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Joel said so I sat down at the table, an awkward silence then filled the room.

"Name?" Jake asked.

"Huh" I said in response.

"I asked your name," Jake said but didn't even look at me when he said it, then again he'll probably give the stare from when Tess died.

"Oh it's Ellie," I replied.

"Thanks Joel," Jake said and then got up and left the room.

"Why doesn't he remember me?" I asked Joel once he left Joel then put a plate down in front of me but I didn't even look at what was on it.

"He's got amnesia," Joel replied.

"What does that mean?"

"It's when a person's memory goes back to a different point in their life. In Jake's case he's memory has gone back about a year back so he doesn't remember you at all," Joel explained.

"So how do we fix it?"

"There's no real cure to it, the only way for him to get his memory back is show him things that are similar to what he forgot so that he remembers it."

"Damn."

"Eat your breakfast, we can worry about him later," Joel said then left

Jake's POV

"Who is she?" I thought as I threw knives into the wall of my room "Baby girl? He only called Sarah that so why does he call her that now? And how did we end up here? Something ain't right, he's hiding something," I thought then I heard the door of my room open so I threw a knife at the wall next to it as a kind of warning and I see the girl from earlier in the doorway.

"Easy, you trying to kill me?" Ellie asked.

"Knock next time," I replied "What do you want?"

"I was just checking on you that's all."

"I don't need someone checking in on me. There's something else."

"No there's nothing else."

"Quit beating around the bush and say it."

"I told you I was just checking on you," she replied but I could see through that lie easily and even if it was true I need some kind of answer and I have a feeling I won't get it from Joel, I then walked up to where the knife I threw was and pulled it out of the wall.

"Alright, I'll bite. So who are? And I don't mean just your name," I questioned as I continued to throw knives at the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"You're obviously someone close to Joel, after all he calls you baby girl."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"He only called one other person by that name."

"Who?"

"Man you're slow, I assume he's told you about Sarah."

"Yeah."

"There's your answer. How do you know him?"

"It's long story."

"I'm all ears."

"I don't.. want to talk about it," she replied which made me raise an eyebrow and she then left.

"They've got some explaining to do," I thought, I then heard some kind of noise from downstairs I had no idea what it was but it sounded nice so I decided to go downstairs a check what it was. I go down and see Ellie holding a wooden object with some strings on them and Joel helping her out with whatever it was "They're way closer than I thought," I whispered to myself then went back up the stairs and into my room "Think. Why are we here, how did we get here, and when did we leave Boston?", I wondered for a few minutes about the answer but couldn't think of anything the only thing I came up with is it has something to do with. her, whoever she may be. She's close to Joel and Joel didn't trust pretty much anyone except Tess.. Tess where's she? Great another question I don't have the answer too. "I need to talk to Joel," I said out loud so I went back downstairs too see them still with that weird wooden thing "Got a sec?" I asked when I entered the room Joel then looked at me with a somewhat unsure face which was weird he always had a poker face on.

"Uh sure," Joel replied and put the wooden thing down.

"You said you'll explain."

"I know Jake but now's not the right time," Joel responded his answer confused what exactly was the problem.

"Why?"

"I just need to figure a few things out,."

"Fine," I replied "Come find me when you want to tell me," I said then walked out the house and down the streets of the town with my hands in my pockets "Actual houses, no military, no people dying before your eyes. Way to good to be true."

"Yeah I thought so too," an unknown voice said I turn to see who it was, a brown haired woman in her early to mid thirties wearing some slightly torn jeans and a red flannel shirt "I guess you're new here, I was doubtful at first when I came," the woman said I couldn't care so I turned and kept walking "Hey you don't need to be so rude," she said and began walking alongside me and I rolled my eyes in frustration "So what's your name?" I didn't answer I still had my doubts about this place so I have doubts about the people as well "Hey I'm talking to you" I still didn't say anything "I see you're the silent type."

"What do you want?" I asked in annoyance.

"Ah you can talk," she replied, she was really starting to piss me off "I just starting conversation, helping the new people settle in."

"I'm not much of a talker."

"I can tell."

"Just leave me alone."

"Why something the matter?" she questioned there was only so much annoyance I can take.

"I said just leave me alone," I said as I pulled out one of my knives and pointed it at the side of her neck.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me. Consider this a warning" I said "Now fuck off" I said then someone else grabbed my arm and pulled it away from her neck.

"The hell are you doing,?" Joel asked I then pulled my arm out of his grip and put the knife away and walked past both of them Joel then caught up to me "You out of your mind?"

"Then just tell me what's going on."

"C'mon we're going home."

"Why don't you just fucking tell me?" I asked but only got silence.

Ellie's POV

The door to the house then opened and I see Joel and Jake enter I felt like I should do something but I didn't know what Jake then went upstairs leaving just me and Joel.

"So now what?" I asked.

"I don't it's gonna be hard getting his memory back."

"Any ideas."

"None," Joel said simply "There's also another thing that might be a problem."

"What?"

"He said all kids under sixteen have to go to a school they set up here, and I have a feeling Jake's gonna cause trouble there."

"Don't worry I'll be there to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Ellie this Jake is even worse than the one you know, right now he's going through depression and people back in our smuggler's group called him insane," Joel replied and that sent a chill down my neck.

"Well he's gonna have to go anyway."

"You're right. Who knows this might help bring back his memory."

"It's worth a shot."