𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹
𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹
I DONT KNOW WHAT, BUT I FEEL IT COMIN’
˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗ ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ ˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗
summary : once reader’s home is suddenly taken from her, she makes the run to escape and rebuild her life. though in the process, she feels like she’s being hunted.
ellie williams x fem!reader, apocalypse, weapons, mention of death, violence, profanity, all kinds of inaccuracies, not following the exact lore of the game, reader is like ellie’s equal———————————————————————
You felt a sense of dread ever since the night prior. You’d just moved from the town you’d been staying in all your life. The pain of watching your whole life fall apart still fresh.
The day prior, your home had been destroyed. The place you cherished that was originally scraps, built into a trust-filled functioning town, had been infiltrated then soon burnt to ash.
You’d managed to run once it clicked what the collective yelling and gunshots had meant. You were torn when you had collected your things and run out the door. You felt horrible to leave your family, and friends. But you had known that some of them had probably left, too.
You ran for hours, before finally making camp midday. You took a couple more hours making yourself a makeshift shelter and eventually took some time to really take in your new reality. Soon enough, you fell asleep.
˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗ ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ ˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗
You were now packed up and on the move again. You decided you needed to find some kind of structure. A map, or an empty town.
During your journey, you just couldn’t help but acknowledge an overwhelming sense of dread. You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand, goosebumps fill your arms. You felt like you were being watched ever since you’d left.
When you left what was remaining of your home, you didn’t have enough time to gather many weapons. So now you were left with a knife and a pistol only with a couple rounds left.
Eventually, you exited the forest, finding yourself at the edge of a lake. With a sigh, you settled your backpack against the remnants of a tree stump. You eased to the ground, sitting down on the damp earth.
The weather had been dreary, mostly just rain and high winds. Today it was quieter, just wet and cold. You took a couple of minutes to take in the sight before you.
You’d patrolled plenty of times, been out and about ever since you were old enough. But you had never remembered there being a lake nearby, only a river. You listened to the soft sounds of the waves crashing against themselves, the occasional sound of a chirping bird filling your ears.
You almost felt relaxed, nearly forgetting the fact you were all alone. Almost unaware of the world around you, until you heard an unnaturally loud crunch.
Your body went rigid, and you looked behind you. Quick to stand, you drew your weapon cautiously. You were careful to inspect the forest, assuring yourself it was best to move away from the water.
You kept your gun trained on wherever you looked, finger hovering over the trigger. You could feel your heart rate pick up as you took cautious steps further. You eventually came across an arrow on the ground.
Though before you could even dare to pick it up, you felt a striking pain through your arm. You hear the landing of an arrow impaling the tree in front of you, and the clatter of you dropping your pistol.
Despite the searing pain in your bicep, you quickly retrieve your weapon and move to shelter behind the tree in front of you. You tighten your grip on your pistol with both hands, and raise it in front of you. Ready to fire a bullet at whatever crosses your path.
You’re slightly conflicted on what to do, you’re not sure if you wait it out in hopes to be able to retrieve your backpack, or if you should run and be vulnerable to being shot in a much more vital area.
Before you can decide, you’re hit with a blow to your jaw. The impact startles you, so you stumble back. You turn to see a person in front of you preparing another blow, but you’re quick to pivot your gun and smash it into their face.
This throws the stranger in front of you of balance, before they charge towards you. You manage to pull back and avoid most of their force. Despite this, you’re still dragged to the ground. The two of you land with a thud, and before you know it you’re both wrestling on the ground. Both of you delivering and receiving a couple more punches to the face.
Eventually, you have an opening to get on top of them. You take this opportunity and lock them in place. You’ve pinned their legs with your own, and hold their arms above them, the two of you huffing as they struggled against your hold.
After a beat of silence, you muster the breath and energy to speak.
Looking over the person you deemed as a woman, you can see her thinking about what to say, you couldn’t help but notice her taking a moment to catch her own breath.
Once you realized she wasn’t going to talk, you imposed another question.
Instead of replying she attempted to fight back, but only to struggle once again at your persistent hold. The close proximity of the two of you not doing her any justice as her expression tightened.
“If you don’t answer me I’ll have no choice but to kill you.”
You put more pressure on her chest with your knee, threatening to crush her ribs.
At this realization, she furrowed her brows and gave in with a protesting grunt.
“Fuck—I was trying to knock you out so I could take your things!”
You nodded at her response, releasing the harsh pressure of your knee. You stared at her, urging for her to explain herself further.
She soon grunted in defeat prior to opening her mouth to speak.
“You’re the first person I’ve seen in weeks, other than fireflies. The animals around here are getting more scarce because of them.”
After she spoke, you realized your arm was throbbing, and your blood was running down your arm and onto her. The adrenaline you were experiencing made you completely forget about it. Reminded of your injury, you gave a proposal.
“I’ll let you go if you give me your shit and don’t attack me.”
You could see a look of distaste fill her expression, before she spat words at you.
“Do you think I’m stupid? How the hell do I know you won’t attack me?”
“I’ll feed you, once. And I’ll need someone to patch this wound. I need your backpack so I know you won’t pull some dumb shit.”
She huffed a grunt, you could see her face filled with hesitance and uncertainty. She then soon gave a complying nod. You cautiously released her hands and made the motion to stand up. Your first move was to once again retrieve your pistol. When you took the couple of steps back, she was carefully removing her backpack.
She left it on the ground and stood, taking a few steps back so you could take it. Picking it up, you motioned for her to follow you.
You led her to where you were initially settled, and plopped her backpack next to yours.
“I haven’t found a place to stay yet.”
You admitted, holstering your gun on your hip and turning to face her.
“I have a place. It’s a mile or so away.”
She offered seemingly a little sooner than she intended. You noticed her shoulders tense slightly at her mistake.
“You just shot me, and now you’re offering to eat at your place?”
You raised a brow, before motioning for her to sit. You took your own backpack and took out whatever supplies you managed to grab.
“I don’t have any bad intentions unless you try to kill me again.”
She stood for a moment longer before nodding and sitting down on the grass next to you. She started picking out the things she needed and began to clean up your arm.
Soon enough, she’d disinfected it and finished covering it with a bandage. She sat back and began to clean up the mess.
You spoke as you inspected her work, before training your eyes on her movements.
“Can I wear my backpack the way there?”
She questioned you once she was finished. Standing in front of her backpack.
“…Yeah. Just keep in mind I have a gun, and you have a bow.”
She nodded and secured her bow and arrows onto her backpack, before heaving it upwards and settling it on her shoulders. She then held out a hand for you, holding out her left for yours. She hauled you up to your feet, careful to be avoidant of your injured right arm. Once you were steady, the took a couple of steps to the side of you, and picked up your own backpack. Soon she was offering it for you to take.
You looked at her and took your backpack from her, carefully maneuvering your injured arm and putting it on. You thought for a couple moments before speaking while you motioned for her to walk and you to follow.
She looked back at you before going to walk in front of you, leading the way.
You told her your name and she nodded in acknowledgment. The two of you continued to walk in silence, the lake behind the two you fading out of sight.
˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗ ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ ˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗
Soon enough, it was late afternoon. The two of you approached an old cabin that from the outside seemed abandoned. The windows were boarded up, it seemed like it was built pre-outbreak.
Ellie walked up the steps and twisted the doorknob. She pulled out a hand for you to wait outside, as she disappeared into the darkness of the cabin. Once you were stood alone upon the small trail in front of the steps, you finally realized how cold it felt today.
The relentless thoughts about your home and your family, along with the adrenaline that seemed to continuously pump through you, had kept you unaware of this pre-winter weather. You soon realized it was a wonder you weren’t sick, since you’d completely forgotten about a jacket or coat during your midnight escape.
After what felt like an eternity of pondering, Ellie finally returned with a lit candle in hand. She glanced at the setting sun behind you, before motioning for you to come in.
“I don’t know what you’re used to, but there’s no electricity. And the original fireplace is dismantled.”
You nodded in acknowledgment and followed her into the cabin, you stopped in front of the couch and you heard the girl shut the front door behind you. You turned towards her before making an attempt to take off your backpack.
“I figured. I have some non-perishables, that are still intact. We could just heat that up in here. If you have a portable stove.”
She nodded and began to walk through the living room, and into the kitchen on the far left of the cabin. You settled your backpack on the floor next to you and plopped yourself on the couch. A small sigh escaped you as you lifted a hand to brush over your facial injuries. You couldn’t deny that Ellie could throw a good punch, but you noticed she had marks on her from your fight, too.
When she returned she had her coat and portable stove in hand. You assume she left her backpack in the kitchen. She comes around the table and settles the stove on the coffee table. Before shuffling towards a coat rack and hanging her jacket onto it. Her shoes scuffed against the hardwood floors as she walked back to the table.
You leaned forward and took hold of your backpack, unzipped it and rummaged through it until you revealed a can of beans. The same second you pull it from your bag, she plops a box of matches on the table alongside the stove.
“You know, you look really rough.”
She interrupts the heavy silence with her unexpected words, you notice her shift her weight onto one leg as she scans your hunched over form.
You scoff, raising your hand to place the canned beans onto the table. Afterwards sitting back and straight. Your elbows rest on your mid thighs, palms resting on the edge of your knees.
“It’s hardly your place to say anything about looks.”
You retaliate, scanning her face for her reaction.
Ellie smirks, before turning to fetch something from the kitchen. Before you know it, she returns with a can opener. Her hand reaches for the beans and she soon works to open it.
You take initiative to light the portable stove with the lighter she provided. Eventually she brought a pot and the beans are being heated up.
Ellie soon found herself plopped on the other side of the couch, stretching her arms. She rolls up her sleeves and settles comfortably against the back of the couch. Her eyes scanning over you.
“Thanks for offering the food.”
You glance over once she speaks, you can see it in her eyes that she’s conflicted on what else to say. Her brows are furrowed before she nods and stands up from the couch.
“I’ll be back in a second.”
You nodded as she walked away, watching her disappear from your view and into the room across from the living room. You took a second for yourself, sitting back soaking in the reality of this—and your injury. You could admit she was probably a good shot, but damn did it hurt.
You traced your fingers along the edges of the bandage on your bicep. With a sigh you relaxed a little in your seat. Despite feeling like you were calm, you also felt it was immensely hard to wrap your head around the quick course of events. Especially since one moment you were sleeping after a long, draining day, and not even 24 hours later you were fighting a stranger. And now you were in their makeshift home.
Soon enough, Ellie emerged from the room she escaped into. Noticing the beans boiling, she moved into the kitchen to grab two bowls and spoons. She brought them to the table and settled one in front of you, before extinguishing the stove.
You watched the fire cease and followed the movement of her hands working to evenly divide the makeshift meal. Once she was finished, she sat back and began eating in a rather animalistic way.
You too felt hungry the more you thought about it. You picked up your own bowl with your left hand, before beginning to stuff down the beans.
˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗ ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ ˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗˗
Quicker than either of you could expect, it had become nightfall. Ellie had done most of the cleaning up, quietly acknowledging the shot to the arm you took. Feeling an ounce of sympathy since her firing at you was deemed to be useless.
Soon enough, you decided to stand and gather your things. You figured now that the two of you had eaten, and that both promises were fulfilled, that it would be time for you to take your leave.
Though, you felt mildly stunned when Ellie quietly stood from her seat, seeming like she had intentions to stop you.
You looked over her expression, you could detect a glint of worry in her eye. Even the way she stood it seemed like she was aiming to be more inviting.
“I figured I should leave, we finished our exchange. And I should find a place for the night.”
The girl looked to be at a loss for words, her body weight shifting onto one leg as she fiddled with her fingertips. Eventually a thought formed that she intended to act on.
“It wouldn’t hurt to stay the night. You can sleep on the couch, it’s hard to find shelter this time of night. Plus, I don’t have anything I’m worried about you taking that wouldn’t be at my side.”
You nodded hesitantly yourself, accepting the offer and standing up straight.
“I appreciate that then. I’ll probably be gone first thing in the morning though.”
She nodded in agreement as well, a small smile on her face as she took a step back. Letting her hands drop to her jean pant pockets where she caressed the hem of her right pocket.
“I’ll probably head to bed then. But before you leave, I’ve got a map you can have if you don’t already have one. This area can be tricky, especially in seasons like these.”
You returned a small smile, feeling a little more at ease despite the dispute between the two of you only a couple hours prior. You then moved to shrug off your coat, preparing to sleep.
“Right. Good night then.”
𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹
Take this as an apology for me not feeling like writing the other chapters rn… I hope my vocab doesn’t agitate y’all 😭
