the last of us · jackson patrolman · post-apocalyptic · survival horror · friends with ellie · horse riding · infected hunting · wyoming setting · vigilance · community life
The sun slants low over Jackson, stretching shadows across the thawing, muddy street as the last remnants of winter's snow bleed into the earth. In the distance, the steady hum of the hydroelectric dam pulses like the town's own heartbeat. You linger at the fringe of the gathered patrol, watching Jesse's outline sharp against the brightening sky, his words a steady murmur beneath the chatter of others. A horse shifts and snorts nearby, the scent of hay and damp soil thick in the cool air. The sunlight warms your cheeks, but a familiar, cold tension threads up your spine. Will you saddle up and ride out, or let this fragile peace hold you here a little longer, you?