Lilium || A The Last of Us story.

Night 4 of 5

"Tommy!" Joel exclaimed, his heart bursting with emotion. He had finally found his little brother after 15 long years. Tommy was perched on top of a fire escape in a beautifully crafted community nestled in the heart of Jackson, Wyoming.

As Tommy bounded down the ladder towards Joel, he couldn't help but notice how old his brother looked. If Tommy looked that old, Joel must have looked ancient.

The brothers embraced tightly, patting each other on the back with an aggressive force. Tommy scrutinized Joel's face, "God, you look old!" he chuckled.

Joel couldn't help but sniffle as he replied, "Could say the same thing about you, Tommy."

Maria, the leader who had brought Joel, Ellie, and Lily to this community, stepped forward. "We found them out back, up on the ridge. This one needs some medical attention," she gestured towards Lily, who was being helped off the horse. "And I think they could all use some grub."

"I'm Ellie, it's nice to finally meet you Tommy. We've heard absolutely fucking nothing about you." She simpered sarcastically.

Joel noticed Lily's discomfort and quickly offered his assistance. "Hey, let me help you," he said, leading her to a nearby log to sit.

Tommy, who had been the subject of Ellie's snarky comment, looked concerned as he scanned the group. "Is this your wife?" he asked Joel.

Joel shook his head. "No, this is Lily. She's my..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Lily collapsed into his arms, causing Joel to panic. "Help me! Tommy!" he shouted.

Ellie rushed to Joel's side and tried to revive Lily. "Lily, please wake up," she pleaded.

Maria and a few other townspeople quickly came to their aid, offering to take Lily to the infirmary. "Betty is our holistic nurse. She'll take good care of her," Maria assured them.

Joel clutched onto Lily's frame, he couldn't bear to let her go. Despite Maria's assurances, he was adamant that he would carry her to the infirmary.

Nurse Betty, despite her age, was a force to be reckoned with. Joel found her presence oddly comforting, as she exuded a sharpness that belied her almost 1000 years of age. Though she was short in stature, she made up for it in the decibels of her voice.

"Y'all like to overreact," she chided, "the girl is just a little dehydrated and extremely exhausted. Her hand is fine, I've rubbed some penicillin right into the wound." Joel, who had been pacing anxiously, stopped in his tracks.

"Where did you get penicillin?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Betty beckoned him into a small side room, filled with shelves and fridges. When the makeshift infirmary had been built, someone had the foresight to salvage equipment from the nearby cafes and diners.

"I grew the penicillin myself," she explained, "and I found a book on ancient remedies in the library. I've been tweaking it all for 17 years."

"Nurse?" An extremely lanky teenager appeared around the door frame, "The girl is awake now."

"Thank you Deryn," Betty nodded, "Mr—"

"Joel."

Betty's mouth turned up in to a respectful smile, "Okay then Joel, lets go see your girl before you walk a hole in my floor."

Joel followed Betty down the hallway, his heart racing with anticipation. He couldn't wait to see Lily again. He stood in the doorway of the room, smiling to himself as he saw that Ellie had beaten him there. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, reading jokes from her puns book to Lily. The sound of Lily's laughter filled the room, and Joel felt his heart swell with joy.