Chapter Text
Delicate flakes, like tiny, frozen feathers, descended gracefully from the leaden sky. Each flake was unique, a miniature work of art, and they danced in the air before settling on the ground. The landscape was hushed, as if nature itself was holding its breath, muffled by the thick blanket of snow. Trees, their branches heavy with the weight of the newly fallen snow, stood like sentinels, guarding a world veiled in white. The ground was a canvas of untouched purity, waiting for the first footsteps to leave their mark. It was a moment of serene beauty, a reminder of the quiet magic that the snow brings to the world.
Ellie’s quiet was interrupted by a shake of her shoulder. The gesture was not disruptive or demanding, but instead a sympathetic movement. She turned, looking up at Jesse. Despite being woken from her sleep, she didn’t feel angered or upset. Rubbing her eyes, she released a sigh and without a word, gave Jesse her attention.
He still appeared tired and sullen, weeks after Dina and Tommy. His posture was poor, slumped over and appearing lazy. Jesse wasn’t talkative in the weeks that had passed, and that was something Ellie actually appreciated.
What was there to talk about? Their shared best friend had been taken out brutally. Jesse hadn’t asked for the details of the day, other than what he himself witnessed. How Ellie and Dina ended up in that situation and what had gone on beforehand.
Without admitting it, Jesse felt himself blaming Ellie for some of it, which brought up feelings of guilt. But he couldn’t help but think that maybe this could’ve been stopped.
“We should get going.” Jesse spoke softly, avoiding Ellie’s sad green eyes that stared up at him.
Ellie forced herself up from the sleeping bag she had been tucked into for the last several hours. Rubbing her eyes, she was forced back into her surroundings and the thoughts that plagued her. Dina, Tommy, the blood. Abby. She shivered upon remembering the stout woman’s physique and her heavy grip on the golf club that took the lives of her friends. Her family.
The auburn-haired girl didn’t say a word to Jesse, quietly allowing him to direct her around and try to make as much distance from Jackson and toward Seattle as fast as possible.
The solemn pair trudged on in their journey for revenge, fighting against snow and heavy winds that blast against their chilled faces.
Some hours into the day, while adjusting the straps of his backpack, Jesse peered over toward Ellie briefly before parting his lips to speak.
“Joel isn’t going to stay in Jackson.”
Ellie’s head snapped in Jesse’s direction upon the mention of the older man. She shifts uneasily, studying her friend’s expression. It killed her to admit that she knew Joel wouldn’t stay cooped up in Jackson, especially once he had discovered that Ellie had left without him.
“I know.” She responded quietly. “But that’s his choice.”
Jesse’s expression grimaced, as if he were fighting a scowl. “I know it’s none of my business—” He began.
“Then stop.” Ellie cut him off assertively, shooting him a glare. “We’re fine.” She halfheartedly reassured Jesse, picking at her dirty fingernails and fidgeting with the sleeves of her jacket.
“Ellie, he shouldn’t be alone. Maybe, y’know, maybe we wait for him, maybe we go back.” Jesse began to argue.
Ellie stopped dead in her tracks, grabbing Jesse’s arm and turning him toward her. “We’re not going back. And we’re not stopping.” She paused, staring up at Jesse’s pale face as he avoided her eye contact.
She scoffed, shaking her head. “You’re going to let them get away with this? If we stop and wait they could be gone–”
“Nobody wants that—”
“Yeah but that’s what you’re suggesting—”
“If you think that then—” Jesse’s rebuttal was interrupted by the anguished screeches of infected in the distance. The pair immediately fell quiet, turning in the direction of the noise. Their eyes met begrudgingly before grabbing their respective guns from their holsters.
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The Seattle sun was warm on the faces of Ellie and Jesse, despite the usual rain that fell there. Their feet ached as they walked but they had arrived in the fated city at last. Birds sang from the trees and the reflection of the sun just barely managed to bounce off the rusted cars left stranded in the street.
Ellie’s auburn hair was tied back into a small bun at the back of her head, the bottom half of her hair falling down her neck. She sighed into the breeze that met her, closing her eyes briefly. Suddenly, it was several years ago. Her birthday. The museum. The dinosaurs. The space shuttle. For a moment, she felt peace.
“Ellie.” Jesse interrupted and Ellie felt a brief pang of pain in her chest. Her tranquility broken, her eyes fell on his face.
“Yes?” She responded, her eyes shifting to Jesse. Even with the sun glaring in his face, he still looked lost and broken. His eyes were still distant, and the Spring weather didn’t bring out the ordinary Jesse Ellie knew.
“There’s a gate just up ahead here. How do you wanna do this?” He asked, stopping in his tracks and placing his hands on his hips. Ellie glanced towards the gate, squinting slightly to keep the sun from her eyes.
“Let me see if I can get up and over it…” She figured, shrugging. Jesse only nodded in agreement, his eyes flicking to the ground.
“Just…Stay here and watch out.” Ellie warned before beginning to make her way further towards the gate.
On her trudge up the gate, climbing the cubes and short building, Ellie thought of her Summer days with Joel. On days like today, with a warm breeze softly blowing, they’d sit in his backyard and even have their guitar lessons outside. If Ellie was lucky, she’d convince Joel to take the occasional camping trip outside of the Jackson walls.
Ellie felt her heart warm as she climbed, holding onto the warm metal of the gate. Once she reached the top and the sun shone down on her entire body, she even felt herself smile the slightest bit. She noticed a gap in the scaffolding of the gate and prepared herself to jump.
Taking a breath and beginning with a running start, Ellie leapt in the air towards the other end of the scaffolding. Her abdomen slamming against the edge, a harsh noise rang out. She heard the clanging on the golf club, the grunting of Dina.
“Fuck!-” She exclaimed, squeezing her eyes shut.
“Ellie?” Jesse called up to her. Forcing herself to steady her breathing, Ellie yelled back down. “I’m fine!”
Attempting to catch her breath, she pulled the rest of her body up to the surface of the scaffolding. She rolled onto her back for a moment to collect herself. Struggling, she closed her eyes and felt the sun on her face.