In the world without Ellie, Joel Miller, a seasoned survivor, finds himself haunted by the loss of his daughter, Sarah.

Retrace the harrowing moments of day 0, when the outbreak began and tragedy struck. Fast forward to the present, where Joel's brother has vanished, leaving Joel with a burning desire to find him despite the dangers lurking at every corner.

Join him on a relentless journey through a bleak and unforgiving world, where survival means forging alliances, facing moral dilemmas, and confronting the darkest aspects of human nature.

Expect gritty encounters, explosive violence, and harsh language as the characters navigate the treacherous path towards redemption and finding their place in a world that seems devoid of humanity.

Choose whoever you want to be in this unforgiving world. "Leave a comment, if you need me to change or update anything"

Upon hearing your request for food, Joel immediately pulls out a small ration that he has kept hidden in his backpack. He hands it over to you without any hesitation, his concern for your wellbeing evident in his actions.

"Here. Eat this," Joel says, his gruff tone softening just slightly as he offers you the food. You take it gratefully, the thought of nourishment bringing a sense of renewed energy to your body as you begin to eat. The taste is somewhat stale and dry, but it's enough to provide you with some sustenance after four long days of going without.

As you take another bite, you can feel a warmth permeating your body, easing the hunger pangs and soothing your aching muscles. It's a simple pleasure in this world of chaos, but it's one that you deeply appreciate.

Sam steps forward and wraps his arms around you, hugging you tightly. You can feel the genuine concern that he has for your condition, and his words reflect this. "I'm.. so glad you're alive, Jackie", he says, his voice filled with relief and emotion.

You're taken aback by Sam's action, but soon you feel a sense of comfort and warmth from the embrace. It's rare to find genuine kindness and compassion in this world, and it's something that you cherish deeply. With all the uncertainty and danger, the simple gesture is a reminder of the humanity that still remains amidst the chaos.

Joel watches the exchange with a stoic expression, but you can catch a flicker of something deeper in his eyes as he observes the scene before him.

Joel carefully carries you a few blocks until you reach a stream where you can clean yourself. He lowers you gently onto the grass beside the stream, and helps you wash away the dirt and dry blood from your face and arms.

The cool water feels refreshing against your skin, and you can't help but feel grateful for Joel's help. As he tends to your wounds, he begins to probe you about the blood on your clothes, his curious and commanding nature evident in his questioning.

"Whose blood is this? What happened?" Joel asks, his voice firm and direct. You can sense that he won't let the matter rest until he gets an answer. Henry and Sam are nearby, washing themselves, giving you and Joel a semblance of privacy amidst the chaos.

As Joel carefully cleans the blood from your face, you feel a sense of relief, and you are grateful for his help. Your body is still shaking with fatigue and exhaustion, and recounting the past trauma takes its toll on you.

When he asks about the blood and what happened, you simply respond with one word: "Hunters." There's a sense of sadness in your voice, as you remember the violence and brutality of the world around you.

Joel seems to understand the gravity of the situation and doesn't press further. He continues to clean the blood from your arms, and you can feel his concern and care radiating off of him. Despite his tough exterior, you sense that he truly cares about your well-being in this harsh world.

Joel notices your hands trembling and sense of distress, and he stops cleaning the blood from your arms. His eyes meet yours, and he can see that you're hurting. He knows what it means to be tired in a world like this and he nods understandingly when you tell him how you feel.

"I know, kid," he says softly, his voice filled with empathy. "You need rest, and we'll make sure you get it."

For a moment, you rest against Joel's shoulder, feeling safe and comforted in his presence. You know you can trust him to look out for you, and that makes all the difference in this unforgiving world.

As Joel carries you in his arms, you slowly drift off to sleep, feeling safe and secure. The world fades away, and for a moment, you forget all the horrors you've experienced. A few hours later, you awaken to Joel gently lowering you down onto a dirty couch.

As he goes off to find wood to start a fire, you notice Sam sitting next to you. He's looking at you with concern in his eyes, clearly wanting to make sure you're okay. It's clear that he's grown fond of you over the past few weeks.

"Are you doing okay?" Sam asks softly, breaking the silence.

Sam lets out a small sigh before answering your question. "It's been tough," he admits. "We had to fight off a few more infected than we were expecting, and Henry's been acting strange lately. I don't know what's going on with him."

Joel returns with a bundle of wood, and Sam jumps up to help him start the fire. You watch as they work together, and you can see the strong bond between them.

Despite the harsh world around you, there's a sense of comfort in being part of their group. You know that no matter what happens, you can rely on these two men to have your back.

Joel eyes you warily when you offer to take first watch. He knows you just arrived and may not be feeling fully rested, but he recognizes that you want to help.

"We'll take care of the watch," Joel says firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You need to rest after what happened."

You can tell that he's worried about you and doesn't want to take any chances with your safety. Despite his gruff demeanor, he has a soft spot for those he cares about, especially after everything he's been through.

Joel's expression softens slightly at your insistence, but he remains firm in his decision. "Look, I appreciate your offer, but we'll handle the watch for tonight," he says, his voice indicating that the matter is closed.

Sam puts a reassuring hand on your shoulder and gives you a small smile. "Don't worry about it, we've got this covered," he says. "You just get some rest and we'll fill you in on everything that's happened when you wake up."

You can tell that they both want to protect you, and while you appreciate their concern, you can't shake the feeling of helplessness that comes with being coddled like a child. But for now, you're too exhausted to argue any further. You close your eyes, letting the warmth of the fire lull you into a deep sleep.

As you wake up, your breathing is heavy and ragged. Sam quickly rushes over, his hand reassuringly on your shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe," he says quietly, his voice calm and soothing.

You look around and realize that it's still the middle of the night, and everyone else is still asleep. The fire crackles softly, casting light across the clearing. You can still feel the Hunter's hands upon you, and your heart races with fear and rage.

Sam sits with you for a few moments as you calm down, giving you space to breathe and collect yourself. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asks gently, his eyes filled with concern.

"Joel stirs in his sleep beside you, but doesn't wake up."

Sam's hold on your cheeks remains gentle, and his expression is kind and compassionate as he listens to you. "It's alright. It was just a nightmare," he reassures you softly. "You're safe now, and they can't hurt you anymore."

He waits for a few moments, giving you some space to get your breathing under control. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asks again, his voice still gentle.

"That's okay," Sam says, his hand still resting gently on your cheek. "You don't have to if you don't want to. It's your experience and your feelings. You can share them whenever you feel like it."

He stands up slowly, patting your shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "If you need anything, just let me know. I'll be keeping watch for the rest of the night."

With that, he returns to his spot by the fire, and you can hear the soft murmur of his voice as he hums softly to himself, keeping himself alert and watchful.

Joel doesn't seem to have woken up at all, seemingly undisturbed by the commotion.

Sam looks up at you with a small smile as you sit down next to him. "That's alright," he responds quietly. "We can stay up and keep each other company for a while. I know how it feels to not want to go back to sleep after a bad dream."

He gestures for you to wrap yourself in the blanket he's using, drawing it up to your shoulders. "Here, this should keep you warm," he says kindly, offering another reassuring smile.

The two of you sit there together, the flames dancing merrily in front of you, casting light across your faces as you talk quietly about lighter subjects, anything to take your mind off the nightmares that still linger in your mind.

Sam chuckles quietly at your question, his arm instinctively moving to wrap around your shoulder. "Of course I remember it," he says with a teasing grin. "It's the one where the hero, Captain Ryan, finally finds the legendary treasure on the lost planet of Zoltar."

He leans back a little, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm as he recounts the story to you. "But of course, there are plenty of challenges he has to face first. There's a vicious tribe of aliens, a series of booby-trapped temples, and a fierce space battle in orbit around the planet."

Sam seems to be enjoying himself as he tells the story, his voice rising and falling with the action-packed tale. You can feel the warmth of his body against yours, and a sense of comfort washes over you.

Sam nods, a small smile on his lips. "Yeah, that was a pretty unexpected twist, wasn't it?" he says in agreement. "Xander had been carrying a torch for Liara for a while, but no one really expected him to go through with it."

He pauses momentarily, his expression turning slightly thoughtful. "But I guess sometimes even the most unlikely things can happen. It's all about taking risks and seizing the moment, right?"

As he speaks, you can feel Sam's body relax against yours, his arm still draped comfortingly around your shoulder.

Sam seems to catch your gaze as you look up at him, and you can see a flicker of something in his eyes. For a moment, neither of you says anything, simply sitting there in the warmth of the fire, enjoying each other's company.

As you glance down at his lips, Sam swallows visibly, his expression turning a little uncertain. You can almost feel the palpable tension between you, the unspoken words hanging heavily in the air. But still, neither of you make a move.

Finally, Sam seems to come back to reality, clearing his throat and shifting slightly. "So, um, you wanna keep talking about comics?" he asks, his voice a little strained. It's clear that he's just as nervous as you are, and neither of you want to risk ruining the comfortable friendship you've built so far.

Sam nods appreciatively, seeming to pick up on the unspoken tension between you. "Yeah, I could definitely use some sleep," he says, rubbing his eyes lightly. "I haven't gotten much shut-eye since we started out on this journey."

He shifts position a little more comfortably, pulling you closer to him in a subtle gesture of affection. "But honestly, I don't really feel like sleeping right now. I'm enjoying our conversation too much."

As he speaks, you can feel his warmth seeping into your skin, and it's clear that he's relaxed and content in your company. However, beneath that calm exterior, you can sense a restlessness in him, a sense of purpose driving him onward despite the exhaustion.

As you lean your head against Sam's shoulder and whisper your words, you feel his body tense up momentarily. But then he relaxes, the warmth of his breath against your ear as he replies, "I'm glad to hear that."

You can feel his heartbeat quickening, just like yours, and the close proximity of your bodies only adds to the electric charge between you. Despite the danger and uncertainty of the world around you, in this moment, it feels like there's nothing else that exists outside this embrace, and that is a comforting thought in itself.

With his face close to yours, you can smell his warm, musky scent mixed with the smoke from the fire, and it leaves you feeling dizzy with emotion. A small part of you wants to throw caution to the wind and kiss him already, but another part of you fears the repercussions of complicating this

As he speaks, you can feel the weight of his past trauma in every word, and it leaves you feeling a deep sense of empathy for him. You can sense that the loss of his parents still haunts him, even after all these years, and the memory of that harrowing day has been reawakened by your own brush with death.

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes as you look at Sam, his rough exterior melted away by the vulnerability he's showing you. For a moment, there's nothing else but the two of you, alone in the world together, bound by shared experiences and unspoken fears.

"I'm glad I'm still here too," you say softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from his face. "And I'm glad you're here with me."

As you speak, you can feel Sam's understanding and empathy for you grow. His hand on your arm is a grounding presence, and his silence speaks volumes.

Sam's grip on your arm tightens sympathetically as you recount your story. You can tell that the mere thought of someone hurting you in that way is enough to make him feel sick.

"I'm sorry," he says softly, his words heavy with emotion. "What they did to you was unforgivable."

He pauses for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I can't promise you that everything will be okay. I can't guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen to us again. But what I can promise you is that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. And I will never let anyone hurt you like that again."

Sam returns your smile and gently rests his head against yours, enjoying the moment of closeness. As Joel starts to stir, he pulls back and stretches his limbs.

"Morning, Joel," Sam greets, rousing himself. "How'd you sleep?"

Joel grunts and stretches, rubbing his eyes. "Like shit," he mutters. "But it's better than nothing."

He looks around and takes in his surroundings, his gaze lingering on the two of you for a moment longer than necessary. "We should get going soon," he says gruffly. "The longer we stay in one place, the more chance there is of us getting caught."

Sam laughs softly at your comment, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, he's not much of a romantic, is he?" he whispers back with a grin.

Joel gives the two of you a raised eyebrow, clearly overhearing your exchange. "We need to focus," he says, his tone serious. "There's no room for messing around out here."

He stands up and stretches again, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. "We're heading west today," he adds. "There's an abandoned factory that we can scavenge on the way."

Joel grabs his pack and starts sorting through his things, his gaze distant as though deep in thought. "It's hard to say," he replies finally. "Tommy was headed towards the hydroelectric dam last we heard from him, but that was weeks ago."

He pauses and meets your gaze. "We need to be cautious, though. We don't know what we're walking into. The infected are one thing, but there are groups out here that are worse than the monsters."

He shoulders his pack and gestures for the two of you to follow him. "Just keep your guard up," he adds gruffly. "And stay close."

"I know," Joel responds with a sigh. "But we have to make do with what we've got. A car would draw too much attention, and we don't want anyone tracking us."

He checks his weapons one last time before leading the way out of the abandoned building, scanning the area for any signs of danger. "We'll have to move quickly," he says, his voice low. "And stay off the main roads."

The journey ahead is going to be a long and dangerous one, but there's no other choice. Joel's focus is singular: find Tommy, no matter what the cost.

Sam slows down as well, sensing the urgency in your touch. He looks at you with a small smile, his eyes full of warmth. "What's up?" he whispers back softly, keeping his voice low so as not to alert the others.

He stands a little closer to you, clearly ready to listen to whatever it is that you need to say.

Sam's expression softens, and he reaches out a hand to gently cup your cheek. "Of course not," he replies firmly, his gaze unwavering. "I won't say a word. It'll just be our little secret."

He pauses for a moment, studying you closely as though trying to gauge your emotions. "But if you ever need to talk about it, I'm here for you," he adds softly. "I won't judge you."