Believing Lies|| The Last of Us fanfic

Chapter 5

FALL

As the fall season rolled in, the weather was getting colder and colder each day, so they all made a change of clothes to keep warm along the way. They made their way in Jackson County as they saw a sign declaring so.

"Jackson County, that means we're close to Jackson City right?" Ellie asked Joel

"Shouldn't be too far." He answered.

"You ready to see your brother?" Devyn walked up beside him.

"Well, I just want to get there. It shouldn't take us long."

Ellie looked over at him "You nervous?"

"I don't know what I'm feelin. Let's just get to it."

"Right." She sighed a bit and started walking.

As they walked the path, they came up to a dead end at a cliff and down was the river.

"Well, so much for taking this dead end road." Devyn sighed.

"We'll just follow the river. It'll take us straight to Tommy's" Joel said and turned to walk the way the river flowed.

"What happened the last time you two were together?" Ellie asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you two aren't together, so clearly something went down right?"

"Ellie.." Devyn nudged her.

"No it's fine. We just had.. a disagreement. He saw the world one way and I saw it the other."

"Dang, must have been hard." Devyn said as she was pulled up the cliff by Joel.

"How was it the last time you saw him?" She asked.

"I believe his last words to me were "I don't ever want to see your god damned face again." pretty sure they were exact."

"Is he gonna help us?" Ellie looked at him

Joel looked at both Devyn and Ellie as they walked "Guess we'll find out."

Devyn kicked a rock as she had her head down watching her feet and Joel looked over at her. He didn't know whether to say something or not so he cleared his throat and rubbed his neck.

"So,"

"Hm?" She looked up at him

"Why did you tag along? Surely you have some other reason to find the Fireflies other than your classified reason."

Devyn shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. Usually I would be by myself right now, but when I started goin around with you two, I realized that I just really needed company. I've spent thirty-two years traveling alone and losing people on the way, and I never realized what it was like to have friends again."

"You were stuck, huh?"

"Yea, I mean, I won't get close to either of you and I'll live up to it. That's the only downside."

"And why's that?"

Devyn sighed and ran a hand through her long brown hair "Joel, I'm nothing but a walking disaster. Everyone who travels with me, ends up getting infected or killed. That's why I can't get close. I'm just... bad luck."

"Now Devyn, I'm sure that ain't true. I mean we're still walkin with you, and we'll stick together as long as we have to. And, Ellie has warmed up to you quite a bit."

She smiled. "I noticed." She stopped and looked at him, her green eyes gained a bit more color than they had before. "Thank you, and even if your brother helps us or not, we'll get to the Fireflies one way or another."

Joel showed a small smile and nodded, patting her shoulder a bit. "Yea, we will."

"Alright you two, less chit chat and more walking." Ellie interrupted as she walked by them, causing them to chuckle and they continued on.

After walking a little more they came upon a power plant and Ellie was the first to speak as she looked at it.

"Hey, what is that?"

"A hydroelectric power plant." Devyn answered. "I haven't seen one of these in years."

"A what?" Ellie asked, not understanding.

"It uses the river's movement and turns it into electricity." Joel explained and went up a staircase to turn the wheel to create a bridge with the metal platforms.

"Wait.. we're using that to get across?" Ellie asked with nervousness in her voice.

"It's our only option. I'll swim around and turn the other one." Devyn said and jumped in the water, swimming over to the other side and climbed out, turning the other wheel. "Okay! Come across." She waved to them.

They both nodded and walked across, and Ellie gave Devyn a high-five as she stepped down.

Devyn smiled and continued to walk the rest of the way, unfortunately her stomach growling was distracting her. The same happened to Ellie and she groaned as Joel listened.

"Aughh, I'm so hungry"

"I know I am too." He called out to her.

"Next squirrel I see, I'm totally shooting it." Ellie said as she caught up with Joel and Devyn.

"Um, I hope you share that squirrel missy" Devyn joked and chuckled.

"Alright you two, let's get passed this place, then we'll find some food okay?"

"Okay" They both whined and followed him to the front of the gate and Devyn felt something off.

"Uh, Joel, something doesn't feel right."

"Are we gonna have to go in?" Ellie asked.

"There ain't no way around. We'll have to cut through."

Devyn didn't like the sound of that. Her gut grew more and more tighter as she watched Joel pulling at the gate handle. Her gaze led up to seeing guns pointing right at the three of them, and Ellie swiftly pull out her gun.

"Tell the girl to drop her weapon!" a woman shouted as she looked at Joel.

Joel put his hand in front of Ellie and Devyn as he kept his eyes up at the strangers.

"Ellie, do what the lady says."

"Okay." She put her hands up.

Devyn moved behind Joel as her body shook and she rubbed her arm. 

"Please tell me you're lost." the woman asked

"Look, we didn't know this place was occupied. We're all just tryin' to make our way through." Joel explained, trying to stay calm.

"Through to where?"

"They're alright." A male voice was heard as the gate started to open.

"You know these people?"

"I know him." The gate opened and a man that was younger than Joel stepped out with a rifle in his hand. "He's my goddamn brother."

Devyn looked at him, seeing that he looked like he was in his early forties, and realized that he too looked familiar. The same man who was with Joel that same night.