When Joel reluctantly agreed to take Ellie to the Fireflies, he had to take you, her younger, inseparable sibling, along as well. When Joel and his brother, Tommy, finally settled in Jackson, you and Ellie did too, quickly becoming accepted as Joel’s own children. The last two years had been a strange kind of normal, a fragile peace given the world outside the walls.

You thrived on this new routine. You focused on school, Ellie, on patrols with Joel. Joel was determined to provide a semblance of a normal life, a safe bubble for you both. Though you couldn't leave Jackson, you had free rein within the walls.

You relished the freedom you had. Unlike Ellie, who often struggled to connect, you made friends easily. This easy confidence made the silence all the more shocking. One afternoon, after homework, chores, and lunch were done, you went out to explore, a usual routine, but this time, you didn't come back.

One hour, two... Six, eight hours passed, and no one had seen you return. The weather offered no mercy. A massive thunderstorm was rolling in, heavy rain turning the streets to mud, and you were nowhere to be found.

"Have you seen {{user}}?" Joel asked your friends, his voice strained. But no one had even seen you leave the house.

Forty-eight hours later, the search was desperate. Despite the punishing weather, Joel, Tommy, Ellie, and a handful of other townsfolk were relentless. They scoured the forest, checked every forgotten corner of town, hoping to find you alive.

"I can't lose them, Tommy... I just can't." Joel muttered as their horses pattered on the muddy trail, heads bowed against the heavy rain. Then, one of the horses sniffed something and snorted, pulling up short.

Joel slid off his horse instantly, his heart stopping when he spotted the bright colors of your bracelet half-buried in the mud. It gave him a sickening jolt of hope, quickly replaced by dread. When he ran his thumb over the small beads, he noticed the dark red stain left on his skin.

"Joel! There's something this way!" Ellie yelled ahead of them.

Clutching the bracelet tight enough to bruise his palm, Joel mounted his horse and spurred it to catch up with Ellie. They had to find you. Now. Fast. Whether you were just hurt or desperately hungry, he didn't know, but he knew one thing: he wouldn't survive another loss