children of the apocalypse, tlou

00. heres to the end of the f*cking world.

prologue

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Years before Outbreak Day

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"I'M SO SORRY ABOUT YOU'RE SISTER, MRS. GILBERT." the nurse said, to the middle aged brown haired woman who stood before her in the waiting room.

The look on her face was one of devastation, her blonde haired husband who stood next to her had his hand on his shoulder trying to bring her a form of comfort though deep inside he knew nothing could.

"What happened again?" he asked the nurse as he told, "A helicopter incident." as the woman said, "Emma, she told me her and Andrew would be going out for a ride for their anniversary, said it was the most romantic thing he had done for her yet." as she let out a tiny chuckle in the midst of her tears.

"It was tragic indeed, electrical malfunction." as James went to one of the tables to give his wife Michelle a tissue, she wiped around her eyes.

"I would like to inform you however, that you're niece did survive." as Michelle looked up with hope at the nurse. "Stephanie, she was on the helicopter?"

"Yes in the opposite seat from her parents, it was nothing but a miracle." as James asked, "Is she alright?"

"She suffered from blunt force trauma, some bone fracture to her lower leg, but other than those two things she's ok. She's in Room 103, whenever you're ready to see her."

The nurse went to walk away before Michelle asked, "Wait, where will Stevie go?" The nurse turned around, "From what I know, you're your sister only living relative am I correct?"

"Yes, my parents are dead, my dad had a boat accident and financial stress took so much out of my mother she suffered a heart attack, five years later." as she nodded, "That means as appointed by the court you are Stevie's legal guardian and are responsible for her."

"A testamentary guardian?" James asked as the nurse nodded to the couple yet again.

Michelle wiped her eyes again before making her way to Stevie's room, James following after.

Her heart was beating fast, her sister had just passed away and along with that so did her brother in law and the last remaining piece of the two was her niece who she hadn't seen in years.

She opened the door, and looked to see Stevie, she laid in the hospital bed, dressed in the blue gown as her forehead was bandaged. Their were so many sounds in that one room. The buzzing of the fluorescent lights in the ceiling above, the sighing of the ventilator that forced air into her lungs, the beeping of her heart monitor that thankful was at a good rate, the hum of the fan and the faint "drip" noise from the transfusion that pumped serum into her arm.

Michelle carefully walked towards her, James had appeared behind her, "Good god, are you sure she's alright?" as Michelle ran her hand over the left side of her forehead.

"Stephanie?" she asked her softly, with that brush of a hand, Stevie awoke with a jolt, her chest rose up and down as she hyperdetailed, because the last thing she had seen was the ground quickly rushing towards her.

The EKG machine started to beep profoundly, with her heart rate increasing.

"Stephanie sweetie it's ok." her aunt told her hoping to clam her down, but it didn't work.

She didn't feel at ease, she was in a hospital, and her parents weren't with her, she did noticed the ventilator on her mouth and it only made her panic even more, the nurses rushed in to only help her.

"Send more nurses we're gonna need some help."  the nurse said already with five other nurses, "Ok Stephanie we're gonna need you to clam down ok." as Stevie screamed out, "WHERE MY MOM AND DAD?!" as Michelle said, "Honey, please-" as Stevie said, "They were just with me, where are they aunt Michelle?"

When she didn't respond, Stevie eyes went to her Uncle, and when he was also lost for words, she knew. Tears raced down her eyes, she kicked the blanket off of her and started to pull at her tubes and wires, causing the marks where they were located to draw bloodl, the doctors had to restrain her and hold her down.

She screamed, "NO IT'S NOT TRUE! YOU'RE ALL LYING! WHERE ARE MY PARENTS! GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" as she ripped the ventilator off, as she took in a deep breathe, as the EKG went off as well.

"Stephanie please" as the doctor went away only to come back and with a needle, "I'm going to put her to sleep, she needs to stay clam!" as Michelle said, "W-Wait, what?" as Stevie saw the needle coming towards her.

"I need you to help us hold her down." as her Uncle held her arm, though she squirm around much to anyone else's want.

Stevie looked to her aunt and yelled, "I WANT MY MOM! I WANT MY DAD! PLEASE!" Michelle held her down from escaping as the doctors put the needle in her neck, "NO! NO!" she yelled but before long, darkness consumed her.

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Stevie stood at the edge of the grave, tears streamed down her face, the sky was dove gray and the air bitter cold, gust of winds slapped her teary face as she stood as downpour fell from the sky.

Her black long sleeve dress was soaked too, and the half up half down style her aunt had down on her hair had become frizzy from the rain, the ground so wet, her flats were basically sinking into the soft earth beneath her.

The two coffins were lowered into the ground, the first shove of dirt hitting them made Stevie's heart break, she knew death was a thing and that one day her parents would die but it shouldn't have been now, it should have been when she was older, with kids of her own, but no it was now.

The minister began to speak, but Stevie tuned him out, her mind lost in memories, a ringing filling her ear.

It struck her that the last time she had seen her mother and father was when she was making fun of them for kissing and being romantic while they were flying in the air and her father shaking up her hair and calling her "Peanut." and her mother kissing her forehead and squeezing her cheeks.

The minister's voice brought her back to the present, and she tuned into his words.  "We are gather here to say goodbye to a woman and a man who were taken from her us too soon."

Stevie let her tears fall as she listened to the minister eulogize her mother and father, when he was finish, and everyone had came to the casket to say their respect, it was only Stevie left.

She didn't want to leave even when she knew she had too, her aunt came up to her wrapping her arms around her, following was her uncle as they turned away from the grave.

Standing next to her car was her three cousins, Liam, who stood tall wearing his little black vest and matching shorts, next was Mason who wore his suit, and Lily, her blonde pigtails up as she held her Nemo stuffed animal, she saw Stevie and ran towards her. "Stevie!"

She tackled Stevie's legs hugging her tightly, Stevie jolted, she didn't embrace her but still looked down at her. "You've gotten so tall." as she showed her teeth, a small gap in between.

If not for this situation she would have smiled. "Lily, come on let's get in the car sweetie, it's pouring."

They all went inside the family car, it was a black minivan, her uncle buckled Lily into her car seat, before they all pulled off.

Stevie sat in the seat in the middle by herself, she didn't say anything, she just looked out the window watching the rain fall, her aunt noticed her silence.

She spoke up to her, "Stephanie?" it made Stevie ask, "Huh?" as her aunt added, "We aren't that far from the house, and I've already sent up you're room, and enrolled you in school, it was hard since it was the middle of the school year but knowing how smart you are I'll know you'll catch up."

Stevie grimaced, she wasn't smart, she was a average C student, whenever she got a B her parents would reward her trip to the mall for a new pair of shoes or out for her favorite Banana Split from Carol's.

"We wanted it to feel at home, we got some stuff from you're old room too." as her aunt added, "Lily helped us decorate."

"It's got pink everywhere!" she told her with a smile, as Stevie nodded to her. "Anyone hungry?" her aunt asked as Mason said, "Yeah mom." as her uncle asked, "What would you like to eat Stephanie?"

"Um-" as Lily blurted, "MCDONALDS!" it made Mason and Liam laugh at her, as her uncle said, "Lily, Stephanie our guest let her pick what we eat."

"Awe, yes daddy." she said her eyes lowering as Stevie muttered, "Um, McDonalds is fine." "Are you sure?" as Stevie nodded.

"Ok then, McDonalds it is." as Lily cheered, "Yay!" along with her older brothers, Stevie sighed before resting back into her seat.

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Stevie made her way into the house, after stopping at McDonalds, they arrived at the house. It was a brown color and a tall Oak tree stood next to it, it was a two story with white fence, James's other car in the garage.

Her aunt's garden was to the side, filled with daisies, roses and lavenders, with a tire swing on one of the branches of the tree that Mason and Liam went running to.

Her uncle got her suitcase from the side, as her aunt got Lily out her car seat, all Stevie was holding was her cassette player that right now her earbuds connected to, playing Green Day and the whole album "Father of All Mother F*ckers."

It wasn't her usual music but she had grown to like it, she found that it matched her mood. Her usual music was Taylor Swift, she had practically memorized her new album.

In the other hand was her MacDonald's bag holding her Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese and fries with her Sprite and McFlurry she didn't want it but her aunt got it to make her feel better.

Lily had scrambled down the seat and ran to Stevie and tugged on her arm, it made her take her earbud out.

"Come on, Come on Stevie, let's see you're room!" as she bounced up and down.

Her aunt shook her head at her uncle, he gave a guilty smile she knew giving her a M&M McFlurry was a bad idea plus the happy meal.

Lily tugged her to the house, as her mother opened the door. The inside felt cozy with warm amber lights, a gray couch, family photos and baby pictures with two doors leading to the kitchen and a TV.

"You're room up here honey." as Stevie nodded following up her upstairs, her room was the last one, she opened it and looked around.

It was a pink and white, with brown wooden floor, white sheets with pink pillows a brow teddy bear with a pink bow and dress, she saw the desktop with a record player and her closet with her TV and bookstand.

She titled her head at the Finding Nemo Poster, her aunt noticed, "I'm sorry, we had the kids pick something to help make you feel at home, Mason was the Bike, Liam's was the record player and Lily was-"

"The fish on the wall." as Michelle folded her arms, "Don't let her hear you say that. she's obsessed with the movie, it's addiction, we've rented it at least ten times."

She nodded, "You like it!" she said bouncy on her toes as she raced towards her, "Um yeah, Lily it's cute." as Lily said, "Yeah! Now let's go watch it!"

"Ok, honey not now, let Stephanie settle in first." as Lily said, "Awe." with a pout.

"She'll come down when she's ready." as she picked her. "Come on, sweetie." as her Lily leaned her head on her shoulder before she left, she muttered to her, "Make yourself at home" with a smile, as she closed the door.

Stevie sighed before she put her cassette player down on the nightstand before sitting down on the bed, her feet rocking back and forth as she placed her food down before grabbing the teddy bear and fidgeting with it.

She looked around at her surroundings, the blank white ceiling stared down at her. She was in a new place, a new environment, she was now a little girl without her parents.

She sniffled remembering the voice of her parents and their smiles, her eyes filling with tears before she forced her earbuds back in her ears turned up her music to it's max volume before closing her eyes and shaking her leg she had dangling outside the bed.

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Stevie had came downstairs, since her aunt had called her for dinner. Stevie walked inside to notice her aunt setting the dinner table. "Hi honey, dinner ready. It's roast and rice with rolls on the side."

"I'm not hungry." she said to her as her aunt sighed, "Stephanie honey, you haven't eaten since the McDonalds's you had earlier, I know you're hungry hon."

"I'm fine, ok, I don't want anything-" as Her aunt Michelle said, "Ste-" as Stevie yelled out, "I don't want anything!"

Her tone had shocked her aunt who held a blue plate to her chest before saying, "Stephanie, I do not enjoy that tone!" as Stevie yelled back, "I don't care what you like, what about what I like? what I want?" as her aunt asked, "What could you possible want?"

"My parents! To not be stuck in the middle of nowhere!" as her aunt yelled, "You think I enjoy this either, to you she was you're mother, but she was my big sister!"

"Sister, mother, who cares, she's gone now and it's all my fault." she cried out as her aunt looked at her, "Stephanie, no honey, it's not you're fault." as she walked towards her, holding her cheeks letting her cry out into her chest.

"I know, it's scary. This whole thing really f*cking sucks, and I'm so sorry. I'm sorry it had to be you're parents."

Stevie was shocked because it was the first time she heard her sweet aunt Michelle say "f*ck".

Stevie said, "Why mine?" as her aunt said, "I don't know, I wish I could tell you." as she brought Stevie to the table to sit down.

"I know change is scary, I know it's hard to get use too. We both lost somebody important to us, but I can promise you something, I'll always be here for you. We can get through it together."

Stevie nodded to her, wiping her eyes off which is when her uncle and her cousins came through, Stevie rose from her seat drying her eyes off. "Hey, everything ok?" as her aunt said, "Yes, everything ok. Me and Stephanie just had a talk."

"A good one I hope." he said giving me a smile as Stevie gave a fake one back.

"Cool, mom cook roast!" Mason said on his tip toes to look inside the pot. "I did, I hope everyone ready for dinner." as Liam said, "I am." pushing his glasses up on his face.

"Ok go, set everyone." as her uncle carried Lily and brought Mason and Liam to the table.

Stevie turned to see her aunt, she nodded and Stevie nodded back.

She help bring the bowl of rice towards the table and silverware it caused her aunt to smile at her brightly before wiping her own eyes and bringing the plates to the table.

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Stevie was laying on the couch, full of roast flipping through channels, with a blanket over her legs. The rest of her family was upstairs, she had landed on the news channel, and watched it briefly.

Before that she noticed Lily who had walked downstairs with her Finding Nemo blanket and the DVD in her hand. "Stevie?" she asked her as Stevie rose up from slouching with a tiny sigh, "Yeah what's up Lils?"

"Wanna watch Finding Nemo with me?" as Stevie cleared her throat saying, "Sure, whatever." as Lily bounced her toes up and down before going to the DVD player and popping the CD in, she had raced back to the couch trying to climb up only failing to, so Stevie brought her up.

She had a bag of gummy bears in her hand before holding them out to Stevie, "Want some?" she asked with a lisp.

"Ok." as she dig her hand into the bag before grabbing some and eating, Lily was into it, Stevie just watched hand pressed into a fist holding her chin up, Lily asked, "Are you ok?"

"I-I" she thought to herself, she thought how to explain her emotions to a four year old. "I'm just sad, really sad." "Why?" she asked her big blue eyes looking back at Stevie.

"You know how you get sad when Marlin loses Nemo, and they get separated." as Lily nodded, "Yeah, that's how I feel, I got separated from my parents and now I'm really sad."

"Auntie Emma and Uncle Andrew." as Stevie nodded, "Yeah." as Lily said, "I'd be really sad too."

Stevie said, "Yeah it's sucks." as Lily noticed Stevie grew teary eyed after a couple of seconds, of her starting to sob, Lily wrapped her arms around Stevie and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry Stevie." as Stevie sighed, "Thanks Lils." as Lily nodded to her before looking back up at her, she snuggled up on the couch with her watching the movie.

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Outbreak Day

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"Sh*t Aunt Michelle I can't find my gown." Stevie said rushing down the stairs of the house, which was currently chaotic as is. It had been years after the death of her parents, she had survived, or the term most used "gotten through it one day at a time."

She had passed all her classes and had made it through all the hardships, the homework, the mean girls, the teachers, everything.

It was finally the day every senior looked forward too, gradation day. The best day of the school year. The graduation was for 7 and it was currently 6:30.

She had slept in due to spending her night yesterday editing through her scholarships, since she had gotten a full ride. Plus her aunt slept in late too, due to the fact she spent her night trying to get everything ready.

"Stephanie honey, no bad words in the house." as she closed the door to the hall closet, as Stevie ran into her. She was wearing a red puff sleeve dress with white heels, her hair in a updo as she was putting her earrings in.

"Oh honey, look at you're hair, it's coming undone." as Stevie said, "It's fine, Aunt Michelle." when she felt the back of her hair, it was in fact not fine, her hair was practically frizzing.

"And you're makeup." she told her. She was wearing a sliver sparkly gown with heels and a low bun and a blood red lip.

Her aunt went over and began to fix her hair. Liam who had gotten much taller said, "Mom I can't find my tie!" he yelled across the room, he was wearing a brown plaid suit.

"Look in the bathroom honey." which is when her Uncle came rushing past asking, "Hey, did you set up the reservation at the buffet?"  as her aunt sighed, "Yes, everything's ok, I did it yesterday."

"Good." he said dressed in a fancy red shirt with black dress pants and shoes. "Ow!" Stevie said after her aunt had pulled her hair too tight. "Sorry." she told her.

Mason who stood in the doorway, unlike his older brother who went for pants he went for shorts and his suit was gray instead of brown. "Damn Stevie you look like a princess." as her aunt said, "Mason Gilbert, language." as Stevie chuckled, "Don't get any ideas I still can kick you're ass." as her aunt said, "Stephanie!"

"Go get the tickets now." as Mason rolled his eyes at his mother before walking away from the two.

"You really need to watch you're lanuage around them Stephanie for christsake." her aunt told her after fixing her hair, as Stephanie said, "I'll add that on my list of things not to remmember." as her aunt gave her a look before Stephanie walked off.

After getting through the sea of chaos, she found herself in her bedroom, she opened the door and walked inside on the wall was new pictures of not only herself but also her family including several family picinis, family pool days, and family camping.

She went to her bed before sitting down on it as she looked around, she recalled that same little girl who stepped inside this room for the very first time hating who she was and what had happened to her, wishing to be home and wishing for her dead mother and father,  and the girl who hated everyone around her and who sercetly wished she was deadly as well.

She compared that girl to the girl she was now, grown up, mature, and as of right now ready for the future ahead, She heard a gently knock on her door before seeing it was Lily.

"Hey Lily." Stevie said with a bright smile, the now six year old was wearing a light blue puff sleevle polka dot dress with white stockings, and white dress shoes a butterfly pearl baracelt with butterfly earrings, her hair was in a messy side part with pigtails, her now pigtails now long enough to touch her neck.

Lily made her way towards Stevie, she tried to climb on her bed, failing to about three times, even trying the one leg up first trick before Stevie just picked her up herself and placed her down.

"Are you ready for today?" Stevie asked her as Lily nodded to her, "I'm going to be the loudest person there was!" she said loudly standing on Stevie's bed as Stevie smiled at her brightly, "You're not gonna leave us forever are you?" as Stevie sighed to herself.

She hadn't yet know how to explain to Lily about her exit. She wasn't going to leave for college until until early Octuber, so she technically had a good 3 weeks with her family.

"You know Lily, I do have to leave for college soon, but it's not now, we still have a while together." as Lily said sadly, with her blue eyes dropping, "Why do you have to leave, why can't you stay?"

Stevie sighed before she brought Lily to her lap rubbing her back. "Because, college is gonna help me out. Help me make some friends. Learn some responsibility. But I can promise you this." as Lily turn to her older cousin before she told her, "Every single night, where gonna have some us time and we can do whatever you want."

"A sleepover?" Lily told her cousin, her mouth  forming a grin as Stevie nodded, "Yeah sure." as Lily bounced on her toes hopping down from her cousin's lap.

"Yay, we can pop popcorn, paint eachother's nails, bake cookies, pillow fight and stargaze?" as Stevie said tetting on her knees, "And we can watch Finding Nemo every night."

Saying that only made the six year old got more excited and more ready for that time to come.

Liam knocked on the door before saying, "Stevie, Lily, come on were late." as Stevie checked her phone before saying, "Shit." rising to her feet, "Okay let's go." as Liam left the room, Stevie about to do the same, before Lily said, "Wait Stevie?"

"What's wrong Lil's?" as Lily said, "I wanna give you this." as she went into her dress pocket before pulling out a small Nemo pin. Stevie smiled at it as Lily placed it in her hand.

"Thank you Lily, I'm going to wear it tonight." as she pinned it on her dress as Lily smiled which is when "Let's go ok." as Lily grabbed her coat before leaving the room, Stevie doing the same before she turned again to her room taking in a sigh before turning off the light and shuting the door.

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Outbreak Day

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Stevie thought she looked formal in her cap and gown, It was black, along with her cap.

Stevie looked to the left, there she saw a huge crowd sitting on the bleachers. It was hard to spot her aunt and uncle, along with cousins at first, but after squinting her eyes and telling one of her classmates to move their head, she found them.

They were on the sixth row.

Her uncle had binoculars in on hand and a blow horn in the other.

Her aunt already had her camera in hand ready to record every single moment.

Liam was sitting next to her micromanaging the younger ones, like telling Mason to stop brothering Lily giving the fact she was in charge of holding her flower bouquet and ballons.

She just stuck her tongue out at him making Mason do the same, my aunt just scolded both of them, telling them to "ssh"

She shook my head; they were always this silly but she loved them. To her right were the principals, guidance counselors and all the other school faculty.

Since her last name was Gilbert, and they were doing things in alphabetical order by last name row by row from leftmost seat towards the center, She was sat right in the middle with my classmates.

The Class of 2003 the future engineers of this country. She smiled at the thought.

Even if she got to the school year so late, It wasn't hard for her to adjust to things, she meet a close knit group of people, had small exchange never had anything like best friends per say, but people proud enough to say "Hey yeah! I know her."

And they wouldn't make fun of her either, when she had to be called fourth due to her honor status. She was a solid A and B student so there's that.

Soon enough, the cermoney started, the lights dimed and a spotlight was placed along the class and the stage, parents wipped out their phones, cameras and videotablets so fast.

The ceremony staff asked the graduates to stand, file out of their seating row and move towards the stage.

Stevie followed the instructions to a tea, got in line and everything, she noticed her aunt zoom in with her camera to foucs on her and only her, she smiled at that.

Stevie took her graduate presentation card with them. The card  handed to her by the presenter at the lectern.

After the principal greeted everyone, we were asked to stand for our names to be called. Stevie stood tall.

About five mintues later, Stevie named was call. "Stephanie Gilbert." it was meet with claps by the crowd and then it erupted with cheers by her family like whistling and them yelling "Go Stephanie!" she smiled at them from afar, but it was Lily that made her almost cry.

She asked her dad to hold her on her she put her hands high in the air before she yelled "Go Stevie!" before clapping loudly.

Stevie could have swore her aunt had caught her sniffling at least once or twice.

Her principal presented me with a temporary card. She walked across the stage, shaking hands with the school faculty.

She pose for a quick picture with her principal, she smiled brightly

"That's my niece!" her Uncle shouted and even said to the family next to them which he was meeted with a hand shake and pat on the back, they announced her GPA, and the college she was attending which would be "The University of Colorado Denver"

Their was of course some mishappens including some people tripping on their way to stage and a couple of  authority figure mispronouncing a name.

Next she shook hands with a couple of people who are handing out the diplomas, she even got  additional academic tassels that she had earned, and even a stash for honors, before she sat down.

When everyone had gotten their diploma, They all had move our tassels to the other side.

The aledictorian and someone other people including student president gave some speeches.

Some of the kids around Stevie got emotional to where they had to take a moment to get their words together, and every joke got a laugh even if they were lame as hell.

The Chancellor  then confered the awards by saying, "On the certification of the President of the Academic Board, I confer the respective degrees, diplomas and certificates on the candidates...On behalf of the Board, I offer my congratulations to you all."

With that Stevie along with the rest of her classmates cheered along with everyone in the bleachers tossed their caps into the air, hugged their friends and even shed a few tears.

Stevie smiled as her family cheered and clapped, she raised a thumb to them, her aunt had stopped recording at this point and placed her hand over her heart and wiped some tears from her eyes.

They had come a long way too, their relationship was far from perfect there were plently of times both of them wanted to literally kill one another, but they made it through and their love for one another never stop.

When Pomp and Circumstance started to play again, the graduates marched out, but as they did they all turned to the exit door noticing that the incoming nosie of a vehicle was approaching quickly, and before long it turned out to be a truck, one of the male student's yelled "Everyone move!"

With that the vehicle crashed inside, it was of course, it caused people to yell and hurry out of the way it bumped into the stage causing some of the decorations on the stage to knock down, before it came crashing into the fire alarm sitting it off, as it blarred loudly awakening chaos withing the bleachers, such as babies crying and kids screaming for their mothers.

They all waited to see the driver emerge from the seat, Stevie wasn't too close, far enough to where she was safe but close to see and hear, but when the door did open, a man fell out of it.

Once they expected him, he started to cough up blood and shake vionetly, a gut wound on his stomach and glass stuck in his elbow, his driver hat had fallen off his head, the most clear things noticable was a bite mark on his wrist.

"What the hel-" her uncle tried to get out when suddenly a group of peple came running inside but really they weren't people.

They were covered in blood, some had discolored skin accompanied with lesions, and bloodshot eyes. What caused most people to panic is one jumped on the principal and bite him feasting.

"Oh shit." one of the kids said before he took off running and so did everyone else, the lights were off and nobody could see, the people on the bleachers rushed to get off of them tripping and knocking over other's so they could get closer to the front doors to leave.

The group of people jumped on the one's too slow to get away, feeding on them, their screams echoed in the place.

"Stevie!" her aunt yelled to her in the midst of the chaos, Stevie had fallen to the ground after being knocked down onto the floor by one of the older students hearing her aunt is what got her back to reality.

She turned only to see the sight of a woman fest upon one of her classmates, the blood on her face and her classmates's dead cold eyes stared back at her, she stood frozen in fear, before the woman noticed her, jumping onto her.

She tried to push her off, but failed, this woman was at least 50, she couldn't even began to understand how she was overpowering her.

"Get off of me!" Stevie screamed tears in her hand, she grabbed a fallen camera before she hit it in the head many times before being able to knock it off course getting to her feet, kicking the woman in the face before backing away and making a run for the door.

Once she got out the took in deep panicked breathes, her eyes were stunned. She saw people in choas, and traffic blocking pretty much everything, the same infected people who were inside were running all along the streets festing on other's and chasing those without a car down.

Stevie just stared, before she heard a loud horn honk, and she turned to see her uncle, aunt and cousins in the car. "Stephanie get inside now!" her aunt said to her, her voice horase, her hair was undo and you culd see a bit of blood staining her clothes.

Stevie didn't want, she hoped inside the car shutting the door quickly, behind her.

She looked on the faces of her cousins, they were filled with fear, clenching to one another tightly, Lily was sobbing, her blue dress was covered in blood snot and tears rolled their her cheeks and eyes.

"It's ok, it's going to be ok." Stevie told them, but she didn't even know if she believed that, her younger cousins looked at her, as Stevie tried to show them to steady their breathing and to remain calm.

"James, were not going to get through this crowd, we have to go!" she shouted to him, "I know, I know!" he said back. The horns honked vionently, people desperate to make it out.

Her uncle turned the wheel, before backing up, taking the long country road instead, there they still saw chaos.

Stevie looked out the window, she saw builiding's on fire, cars tipped over, people running and screaming, and those who weren't human anymore running after them.

"Mommy I'm scared." Mason sobbed to her, being held in the arms of his big brother who also let Lily cry into his chest, her thumb in her mouth as she did.

"I know, honey mommy's scared too, but It's ok, we're going to get out of here, everything's going to be ok."

Their were also police, military everyone and even FBI and every other high authority to to hold in and get people to safety.

When they came upon a pile of dead body, she saw her cousins peeked, Lily let out a tiny yell, alerting her uncle and aunt to look, her aunt put her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Don't look!" Stevie said covering their eyes for them, the carnage only causing Lily to cry louder and higher.

"It's alright, we're getting home, we're gonna lock all the doors, nobody goes out of this house!" her uncle said in a loud tone to the others, his eyes briefly going off the road.

Just for a second..

Her aunt looked and saw a military car that was losing control and racing to them. "JAMES!" her aunt wailed, her uncle turned quickly, al of them screamed before they crashed into the vehicle.

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Outbreak Day

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Stevie let out tiny huffs, her vision was blurry and she was pretty sure something was broken, she had new brusies and blood was pouring down her forehead. She looked around, the hood was crumpled, glass shattered and the smell of burnt tire filled her nose.

She turned to her side, trying her best because of her stiff neck, she saw her cousins, Mason was out of the window, on the ground, on his back, his cold dead eyes stared back at Stevie making her heart sink.

Liam was still in the car, but when Stevie looked at him she noticed a big shard of glass was stuck in his neck, piercing it causing blood to run down.

"No, no, no." Stevie said partically in tears as she sobbed, her sobs turning into grunts and whimpers of pain at the glass stuck in her palms, and legs.

"Aunt Michelle? Uncle James?" she got no responses. She heard sobs before turned to see a alive Lily, she coughed up blood, her arm was daggling outside of the window.

Stevie eyes glimmered. "Lily!" she said. "Stevie" Lily cried to her, it looked like one of her teeth cut down on her lip, causing it appeared busted and bruisd "Stay, there, stay there!" Stevie ordered to her, seeing the tangled mess the six year old was in.

The seatbelt had somehow wrapped around her neck chocking her, plus Liam's legs were caught on her's.

Lily turned to look at her older brother. "Lily no!-" Stevie told but it was too late, Lily glimsped at her brother before she screamed loudly, that when Stevie heard a noise, and turned to noticed one of the infencted a older man around 30 making his way towards the car.

His skin like the others a sickly green, his eyes a pale yellow, his movment was jagged.

Lily looked out the window noticing, "Lily!" Stevie yelled before the man came at them in a quick pace, Stevie groaned while fixing herself out of the seat making her way to Lily, climbing over Liam's legs as she did.

She looked in the rearview to see her uncle. He was dead. His body laid slump in the seat.

The infencted men made his way towards Mason before he began to feast on his body it made Stevie shut her eyes to hide her own tears and grow a bit nauseous, having to stop herself from puking.

Lilily sobbed causing the man to raise his eyes up at her, before quickly making his way towards Lily. Lily let out a ear pricing scream.

"No!" Stevie yelled before she hurried and grab Lily, but the infected men grabbed ahold of her leg pulling Lily turned him.

It was like tug-of war.

"Stevie don't let me go!" Lily yelled and cried. Stevie groaned and whimpered it wasn't like her body was doing the best physical, she was hurting, but in that moment, Lily was all that mattered.

Lily let out a tiny yell as Stevie did the same before Stevie pulled Lily towards her, and crawl out of the car on her knees, she picked Lily up in her arms and ran.

She held Lily close to her, not letting her go, as of right now, Lily was the only family she had left and she wasn't going to lose her, she brifely looked back to her family, before catching a glimpse of her aunt.

If Lily and heer weren't running for their lives she would have fell to her arms and cried. Her aunt was thrown face-first into the dashboard, busting the glass windshield.

Lily looked as Stevie covered her eyes. "Focus on me, Lils don't look." Stevie cried.

The infencted men ran after them, causing Lily to scream and cry, there house was only a couple of miles ahead.

Her heels were slowing her done, before she kicked them off and went inside. She locked all the house doors and took in deep breathes, putting Lily on the ground as she did as Lily crawled up bringing her knees to her chest.

She went to her aunt and Uncle's bedroom, before pulling out the serect gun her uncle had hidden in a shoebox under one of the floor boards.

She came back into the living room, before she clocked the gun as she held Lily close to her, protecting her as she stood by the door.

"What's going on?" Lily asked as Stevie said, "I don't think Lils, I don't know, it's ok, It's going to be ok."

Her eyes stayed on the door, and they didn't leave, if her eyes closed for even a second, she would put her and Lily at risked.

She let Lily set down on the couch, and she sat down carrying the gun in her hand, she checked the phone, no connection the radio was repeating the same thing all night, the news talking about the outbreak and to stay indoors.

She huffed to herself, her lips were dry, her stomach clenched, her eyes were teary, her makeup were running down her cheeks, she wiped her eyes before noticing Lily who stared at her, her sniffling had filled the room.

"Stevie?" she asked her. "Yeah Lils, what's wrong?" as she asked, "Are mom, dad, Liam and Mason dead?"

Stevie looked to her, Lily wasn't a little girl like she was, she knew about death, or her own understanding about it.

"Yeah, Lily, it's just me and you." as Lily asked, "Are we going to die?" as Stevie turned to her, "No. No were going to make it out of here, once all this clears up, I'm going to get us someplace safe."

Lily snuggled herself on the couch, before she broke down into tears, "I miss momma." Stevie let herself get to her knees before she went to Lily kneeling in front of her.

"I'm going to miss her too, I'm sorry you had to see all that, you're too young Lils, I'm going to take care of you I promise, you're going to be ok." as she cleaned Lily's stained cheeks.

Lily looked to her, before Lily said, "Stevie?" as Stevie said, "Yeah?" as Lily said, "My leg hurts." as Stevie looked down at Lily's leg seeing what was causing her pain.

Stevie proped up Lily's leg on her knee as rolled her stocking up causing Lily to whimper to herself in pain, as Stevie apoglized as she did.

Her white stocking was strached and running down her leg was blood when Stevie gently smudge some of it to the side, she noticed a bite mark on her leg.

She thought back to Lily's yell, she had been bite. Stevie took in a deep breathe. "Am I gonna turn into a monster?" she sobbed to her older cousin.

Stevie rolled her stocking down. She didn't want to lie. She had seen movies,read books, the lore she knew if you got bite, it was the end, but maybe this wasn't that, maybe Lily could make it through.

The small flame in Stevie's heart lit agian at the glimmer of hope.

"No, you're ok. You're going to be ok." holding Lily's cheek in her hand before she let the two touch forehead's.

"Promise?" she asked gently as Stevie let tears run down her eyes, "I promise."

Lily shifted in her seat trying to get more comfortable, before Stevie lowered her gun asking, "Hey, you know what I told you eariler?" as Lily nodded, as Stevie added, "About how me and you were going to watch Finding Nemo everynight." as Lily said, "Yeah."

"Let's start it tonight." as Lily asked, "Really?" her face was a sickly green and she was sweating, but even under all that, when Stevie brought up "Nemo" she found the strength to smile.

Stevie rose up to her feet before she placed the gun on the table, and made her way into the kitchen before she went into the cabinet and grab a bag of popcorn, before putting in in the microwave and setting the timer.

She went into one of the drawer to pull out the CD of Finding Nemo, before going back to the popcorn as she grabbed it and placed the CD in the DVD Player and let herself rest she looked back at Lily, the glimmer in her eyes even if they started to drop from exhuastion shine.

Stevie took in a deep breathe, listening to the ocean sounds and the voice of Nemo, Dory and Martin filling her eyes, she noticed Lily take tiny pieces of the popcorn in her mouth and laughing and giggling at her favorite scenes.

She watched the movie with Lily, though it was only a 1hour and 40m, she wanted it all to last and she wanted this night for Lily if it was her last... to be one of her best.

Stevie let tears fall down her eyes, the world was burning around her, but witnessing the "light" to the side of her, made it all seem fine, she was right where she was the happiest surronding by the light, her happiness, her Lily.

────────────

Stevie woke up with a startle, she had fallen alseep on the couch, wrapped in the blanket that was normally drapped over the couch.

The gentle sunshine hit her in the eyes and made her skin glow, she saw the empty popcorn bowl on the table, and she looked to the TV that was stuck on the Title Screen of Finding Nemo with the three words on the screen "Play" "Repeat" or "Rewind."

She noticed the front door open, she picked herself off of the couch, she noticed Lily wasn't with her, she wasn't in the house at all.

She careful picked up the gun on the table before slowing making her way outside, she saw the damage, the air smelled "sickly" and the envrionment was off, the tire swing that once was the certain of great family pinic's was rocking back and forth slowly.

Her aunt's garden had died, the roses, tulip's and pansy had withered from the air, Stevie let out a sickly cough as she said, "Lily!" as she search for the six year old, that's when she went to the back of the house.

And when she did, she let her jaw drop and she let out a heartbreaking cry before falling to her knees her hand over her mouth dropping the gun on the ground.

In front of her lied Lily, expect now it really wasn't. Her skin was discolored, along with lesions, plus her eyes were bloodshot, she snarled at Steve, and growled at her, though Stevie looked to notice that she was tied up by a rope, she was tied up by a broken jump-rope to a chair.

Lily had tied herself up.

Tears flowed down Stevie's face like a river, as she looked to notice a note being held down by a big rick right in front of Lily.

Stevie carefully walked in front of her, being carefully not to trigger any sudden movement by Lily, because even if she was tied up, Stevie didn't want to risk it.

She put the rock to the side and picked up the note, it was written in blue crayon, Lily's favorite color and a old journal that had a purple haired mermaid on the side.

Stevie read it to herself.

"Dear Stevie,

I know that you lied and I know that I would become a monster.

I don't want to be a monster that hurts people, that hurts you, that's why I tied myself up, and I want you to keep me like this, so nobody that comes by me will become like me, I'm a friendly monster like Capser :)

I love you Stevie, and I'm sorry, I'm sorry you have to be alone, please don't forget me, I hope once day we see eachother again.

P.S. I'll alawys be you're loudest person ♡

From Lily"

Stevie cried to herself and sobbed letting the note becoming stained with her tears, she just sat down crying watching as Lily hissed and growled at her.

"Lily I'm so sorry." she cried to herself as she let out a tiny yell of frusate, "I'll never forget you Lils, I'll alawys carry you with me." Stevie said placing her hand on the pin that Lily gave her.

"I love you Lils." as Lily growled at her and snarled trying to get to her, Stevie rose to her feet and looked down at her cousin, she picked up her gun before aiming at her body.

She didn't want Lily to suffer like this, to be stuck like this forever, she was about to clock the gun when she let her arm fall and look Lily in the eyes, her once baby blue eyes were stained in Stevie's memory, before she turned around and walked away to leave her there.

Once she made it back to the house, Stevie placed the gun on the table and then went to the bathroom before she began to get undress and getting out of her blood-stained clothes and took a shower.

She stepped inside and ran her hair through the water, and wipped her eyes and eyeslids off and wipped her body with a towel.

She made her way out of the shower after a couple of mintues and dried herself off and damped her hair before she began to get dress. 

She put on a black long sleevle shirt with black jeans as she put on a brown plaid flannel overneath with socks as she laced up some old combat boots she had.

She packed herself a bag full of everything she would need including the last remaning food in the fridge, which included some water, a flashlight, some kitchen knives, her handgun and some snacks to get her through the week, along with other things that would come in handy.

She went into her bedroom before grabbing her old cassette player, and a old baseball hat that Liam had gifted her years ago, that still fit snug on her head, as she put her hair in a ponytail as she reached into one of her old drawer to pull out some leather gloves, as she thought back to the matching Halloween costume her and Mason did of bikers, as she smiled at the memory as she slipped them on to ther hands.

Her aunt's necklace that they had matched, Steve drapped on her neck as she reached into her Uncle's floorboard in order to get his hunting knife as Stevie recalled the memory on when he took her hunting for the first time and he took them all out for Diary Queen for some classic Blizzards.

She lasted went into the living room in order to pin The Nemo Pin Lily had gave her on her jacket and she smudged off some stains of blood from the night before.

She took some cash and folded it over some ziploc bags time and time again as she stuffed it down low in her bag as she walked towards the main door, looking back at the house one more time in order to grab a small family portait before making her way outside to her uncle's old red 1970's ford f100 pickup truck as she placed her hands on the wheel and placed the key's inside.

She looked in the rear view mirror only to notice a brand new mark she had gotten from the crash right above her lip, she knew that would leave a mark, she had wrapped her open wounds.

She sighed looking back at her family's house, she shut her eyes letting her memories go, and like that she let herself go alawys before her eyes foucsed back on the upcoming road ahead.

She turned on the A/C and the radio as she let herself drown out in the music before she turned the wheel and speed down the abandoned Denver roads..

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a/n: i'm starting to think this had to be the saddest chapter, i've ever written in my career for wattpad, like the emotions the depth, like r-reading this makes me cry, my poor stevie and how i put her through some much pain and the fact that it's not even over with yet...

but anyway as you can see this chapter was mainly stevie's backstory, i wanted to make it unqiue so stevie could have her own depth as a oc and her own story in the last of us universe, for stevie it really hurts me, because my baby really is all alone, no mom, no dad, no cousins, no aunt and no uncle, it's just her the last living of her blood-line and really stevie leaving the house was her leaving her humanity behind and this is also a introduction into steve's new personality now and her cold personality in the future.

next chapter is going to be alice's backstory and the last proglue before we dive into the full last of us show, i can't wait to have alice and stevie meet and better yet have stevie, alice and sophia meet so they can be one little family (and soon joel and ellie) too,

i have so much in store for theses characters and i can't wait for you guys to meet them fully and i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and thank you all for reading!!

love you my fellow demigods and see you soon!!! ❤️

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