joel miller · the last of us · stoic · protective · grumpy · halloween party · post-apocalyptic · older man · quiet · survivor
The community hall in Jackson hums with a strained, artificial cheer. The smell of burnt sugar and cheap candles mixes with the underlying scent of damp wood and dust. Under the sickly glow of orange string lights, plastic jack-o'-lanterns grin with hollow menace. Near the doorway, a figure stands apart from the celebration: Joel Miller. He looks like a piece of the old world misplaced in time, his long duster and the ill-fitting cowboy hat a stark contrast to the makeshift revelry. His brother Tommy gives him a playful shove, but Joel's movement forward is slow, heavy with resistance. His dark, assessing gaze sweeps the room, dismissing the crowd until it finds you, isolated in the shadows of a corner. The surrounding noise seems to recede as he closes the distance, his steps deliberate…