Wildflower Wildfire, Ellie Williams.

𝟎𝟎𝟒. the world is empty

"Look," Ellie mutters in Alaska's direction, pointing to something in the distance.

Alaska squints her eyes a bit, following Ellie's finger before spotting a cabin. It's covered in snow, made of dark wood and lit dimly by golden lights. She finds it quite ironic, how cozy the cabin looks, seeing as it may wield some unknown danger.

Alaska turns to Ellie, "You think they're in there?" she asks with her eyebrows curled together in worry.

Ellie lets out a sigh, "Only one way to find out."

They quicken their paces on their horses and near the cabin. Tommy and Joel are going to be okay, Alaska wants to say. She wants to assure Ellie. But she's not sure if she even believes that herself. She hates that she doesn't believe it. She wishes she did.

Alaska can hear her own heartbeat as she jumps off her horse. Ellie does the same, following closely behind with her gun glued to her chest. There's an eerie silence that fills the cabin once they enter. It's a foreboding silence— a silence that keeps Alaska's legs moving without her will. Alaska is scared of what'll happen as she travels deeper and deeper into the cabin.

Her breath seems to catch in her throat and all Alaska can hear is her breathing. She feels something inside of her shake with fear, though her gun stays steady in her hands. Her hands never shake. That had been one of the first lessons she had learned from Billy back when she lived with the Fireflies.

"Joel?" Ellie whispers into the cabin, her voice echoing through the quiet atmosphere. "Tommy?"

Nothing but silence follows. The more the silence lingers, the more that unsettling feeling grows in the pit of Alaska's stomach. She feels sick. She feels it in her bones, in her veins, deep in her soul— something bad is about to happen and it could potentially change everything.

Then, as if some higher entity had been mocking her, the sound of someone screaming in agony emerges from the depths of the cabin. Alaska and Ellie jump at the muffled sound, turning their heads to find any voice that matched it, anxiety rushing through their veins.

Still, not a single person in sight.

  "Fuck." Ellie mutters to herself.

"Where's that coming from?" Alaska whispers in Ellie's direction, pointing her gun in the air.

As they wander around the cabin, Ellie comes across a short flight of stairs leading down. Alaska stays closely behind as Ellie goes down the stairs, eventually facing a closed door. The screams of pure pain become louder, leaving Alaska and Ellie entirely impatient and equally terrified. Alaska's breath shakes with the irreplaceable and all-consuming fear.

  With one short glance into Alaska's eyes, Ellie opens the door and peaks in. Ellie's eyes narrow as she tries to comprehend whatever she's witnessing. Alaska still can't see anything besides Ellie's back.

  Ellie instantly launches herself forward, pointing her gun up when she sees the unfamiliar faces torturing Joel. His body is limp on the floor, barely in any condition to get up and defend himself. His face is beaten and bloodied. He doesn't look like himself.

  Alaska jumps in when she notices that Ellie had begun to panic. There, she notices Joel's state. And she sees Tommy several feel away, entirely unconscious.