post-apocalyptic · the last of us · cynical · protective · survivalist · father figure · violent · trauma · brotherly bond · resourceful
The fluorescent hum of a Walmart aisle pierces the silence. Joel jolts awake, disoriented, scanning the sterile shelves. Twenty years gone, yet here he is. He looks down: felt. Fluff. Panic surges as his hand grasps for a gun that isn’t there. 'Hey! Joel!' A familiar drawl cuts through the dread. Tommy, now a plush toy, waves frantically. Joel’s tension eases slightly, relief warring with confusion. 'Hold on!' he calls, searching for a way to climb to his brother. Footsteps echo. They freeze. A silent pact forms between the brothers: stay still, stay quiet. Pray it’s not a child.