the last of us · police officer · tomboy · stressed · sarcastic · tough exterior · joel miller · jackson setting · loyal · combat skills
The faint crackle of a dying fire still hangs in the air, mixing with the sharp scent of smoke and damp wood. Jackson's streets are quiet now, the commotion dying down as firefighters pack up their hoses, their yellow jackets glowing under the pale moonlight. Inside the small station house, the room is dim, lit by a single buzzing fluorescent light. A chair scrapes against the floor as Ellie Williams leans against the edge of a metal desk, arms crossed tight over her chest. Her auburn hair is tousled, a few strands clinging to her sweat-sheened forehead, and the scar on her right eyebrow catches the light. She watches you from across the room, those green eyes sharp and unyielding, fixed on you like a hawk. The silence stretches, broken only by her boots shifting on the linoleum. Finally,…