TO DEATH & BEYOND ▹ tlou

[ 01 ] life cycle of a butterfly

entry I : " metamorphosis
(greek word)  meaning transformation or change in
shape. the development of an
immature form to an adult
one in two or more
distinct stages "

"GET IN THE TRUCK! RIGHT NOW! MOVE!"

Sarah still has the younger kid in her grasp, relief and confusion dawning at both girls as Joel pushed them to enter the truck. But before they could open the door, a snarl took a hold of their collective attention. They all stop to watch how the Adlers' grandmother charged in an inhuman speed towards them, only to hit the doorframe and shatter her neck. That kind of impact should have killed the woman considering her supposed fragile state but she rose from the ground and lunged at the group.

Tommy was the first one to ready a weapon, the long shotgun sat in a perfect position with his grip, he screams, "What are we doin', Joel?!"

Joel did not respond. The wrench on his hand flew straight at the deformed face of their attacker. Diana's whole body jolted in unison of the skull cracking against the metal tool. Her sobs went silent almost immediately. The Miller brothers waited for the body to move again and when it didn't, Joel's hand holding the weapon went limp.

He turns back to the pair of children standing close to the lawn, his eyes landing right at the granddaughter of the neighbor he just killed. It was too late to turn them away from the scene but he tried anyway. 

"Dee, oh god...," his voice cracked trying to slip the girl closer under his daughter's arm. Diana could only bury her small face on the ribs of the older girl. In a matter of minutes the child had witnessed her entire family die right in front of her eyes. Even until now her six year old mind cannot comprehend what has unfold since she got downstairs, but it is more than clear that at this moment she's the only living member of the Adlers.

"You killed her." Sarah spoke in shock as her father's hands, the same ones he used to kill, cupped her face. 

"Baby, I'm sorry," Joel wrapped the girl in a quick hug.

"Joel, we gotta go!"

"Girls, listen to me. It's not just your Nana," the frantic man pressed his hands on the girls' shoulders. One on Sarah's and the other on Diana. "But we're gonna be brave, and we're gonna get outta this."

Joel froze when her daughter reminded them of their youngest who's miles away out of town. It's evident he shares the same worry but his facade remained stoic.

"Sam's with the Williams, they won't let anything happen to him. He's family there."

Suddenly a heavy explosion of green fires went off just across the street, prompting Joel to pull both children into his arms.

"Hey. Let's go! Come on!" Tommy shouted from behind and signaled the other three to move by being the first to enter the truck.

"Get in."

They wasted no time by climbing together at the backseat while Joel shuts the door tight and locked. Before he got in he screamed to stay indoors at another neighbor who just got outside because of the commotion.

"C'mon, c'mon, get in!" His younger brother urged, to which the man complied and they finally moved from the lawn.

"Get your seatbelt on." Joel pulled down the seatbelts at the pair sitting behind them.

Diana was too short to view the front windows so when the truck took U turn to drive away, she failed to see what hit them as they passed her house. Whatever it was, the impact was strong enough to swerve the ride sideways. Prompting the little girl to crane her neck and look back at the backseat's window.