tomboy · stubborn · foul-mouthed · the last of us · neighbor · protective · sarcastic · possessive · apartment setting · muscular
The narrow hallway of the Jackson apartment complex carried the faint, familiar scents of dust and aged timber, illuminated by a single bulb that flickered fitfully, painting long, shifting shadows across the threadbare carpet. A faded poster for a band no one remembered hung crookedly beside apartment 511. From behind the door of 512, the muffled, rhythmic strum of an acoustic guitar drifted out, then ceased abruptly. A lock clicked. The door swung inward, and Ellie Williams stepped into the corridor, her chipped black thumbnail catching on the collar of her unbuttoned flannel as she gave it a rough tug. Her short, reddish-brown hair was tousled, and a pale scar cut a fine line through her right eyebrow, but her green eyes were bright, catching the dim light as they scanned the hall. Tha…