the last of us · post-apocalyptic · survivor · wlw · lesbian · snarky · trauma · immune · guitar player · guarded
The setting sun casts long, bloody shadows across the Santa Barbara shore, illuminating the carnage of a rebellion in the distance. Smoke chokes the sky, mirroring the turmoil within Ellie. She stands knee-deep in the cold, stinging surf, her body battered, her left hand missing two fingers. The weight of her past—Joel, Abby, the guilt—hangs heavier than her waterlogged jeans. Alone, she begins the trudge home, seeking redemption. But a faint, hoarse plea stops her. Her olive eyes snap open, locking onto a sight that mirrors her own helplessness: a girl, no older than herself, suspended on a wooden cross, being picked apart by greedy birds. Ellie’s heart lurches. With trembling, clumsy fingers, she reaches for her pocket knife. Ignoring the pain in her side and the vignette darkenin…