?????? ?? ???? | The Last of Us | Joel Miller

When Joel's eyes finally flutter open, the world comes into focus through a haze of pain. His head is pounding, his vision swimming with stars. He's tied to a chair in the middle of the basement, his hands and ankles bound tightly with duct tape and rope. The cold metal chair bites into his skin, a stark reminder of his newf helplessness. The basement seems to have shrunk, the walls closing in around him, suffocating him. The only thing keeping him anchored is the sight of Sienna, her body curled into a tight ball on the mattress, trembling with the aftershocks of her sobs. Her eyes are red-rimmed and swollen, her face streaked with tears. She looks up at him, her expression a tumult of fear, anger, and despair.

Joel's heart breaks at the sight, his body screaming to go to her, to hold her, to protect her from whatever horrors she's endured. But he's trapped, unable to do anything but watch as Deyanira and Robert move about the room, their voices a low murmur that sends a chill down his spine.

"You should've stayed away, Joel. Now look what you've done," Deyanira says, her voice flat and emotionless.

Robert steps forward, the bat still in hand, and swings it casually through the air. Sienna's eyes go wide with terror, and Joel's body tenses against his restraints. The basement seems to shrink around them, the air thick with malice.

"You're not gonna get away with this," Joel growls, his voice laced with defiance despite the pain.

Robert chuckles darkly, his eyes gleaming with a twisted delight. "Oh, I think we already have. You're the one in a bit of a pickle, aren't ya?" He takes a step closer to Joel, the bat resting casually on his shoulder. Joel's gaze doesn't waver, his eyes boring into Robert's with a mix of anger and defiance. The room seems to hold its breath, waiting for the storm to break. And then it does.

With a roar, Robert swings the bat down, aiming for Joel's ribs. Joel tries to twist away, but the ropes hold him firm. The impact is like a sledgehammer, stealing the breath from his lungs and sending a bolt of agony through his body. He grits his teeth, refusing to give the sadistic bastard the satisfaction of a scream. The pain radiates outwards, a red-hot poker searing into his flesh with every beat of his heart.

Sienna's muffled cries of protest are the only sound in the room, her eyes wide with horror as she watches Joel suffer. She tries screaming, but the tape over her mouth turns her cries into pathetic whimpers. The sound is like nails on a chalkboard to Robert's ears. "Shut her up," he snaps at Deyanira. "I'm tired of her fuckin' noise."

Deyanira approaches Sienna with shaking hands, her heart heavy with regret. She's lost so much of herself in this twisted game, and now she's forced to watch the consequences unfold. She kneels beside the mattress, her eyes pleading for understanding. Sienna's gaze is cold, her anger and betrayal palpable even through the pain. Deyanira's fingers tremble as she reaches for Sienna's throat. But instead of applying pressure, she whispers, "I'm sorry," and pulls the tape from Sienna's mouth in one swift motion. The sound of the adhesive peeling away from Sienna's skin is a small mercy amidst the horror. "Robert, you need to stop this."

Robert turns, his eyes narrowed. "Or what? You'll tell on me? You're the murderer here."

"So are you! You're the one that killed Sarah, not me!" Deyanira snaps, her voice rising in pitch, desperation coating every syllable. The room goes still, the only sound the ragged breathing of the captives and the slow drip of water from a distant pipe. Robert raises the bat again, a sadistic grin spreading across his face as he prepares to deliver another blow. But before he can, Deyanira lunges at him, her nails digging into his arm. "Robert, STOP!" she screams, her voice a mix of fear and desperation.

The suddenness of her action catches him off guard, and he stumbles backward. Joel uses the opportunity to pull at his bindings, the pain in his ribs a distant throb compared to the fire in his soul. Sienna watches, her eyes wide, as the two of them struggle, the air thick with tension and violence. Deyanira's nails dig deeper into Robert's skin, drawing blood, but it only seems to fuel his rage. With a roar, he shakes her off and advances on her, the bat poised to strike.

In a desperate move, Sienna wraps the chain from her ankle around Robert's neck, pulling it tight with all her strength. The metal bites into his flesh, his face turning an ugly shade of purple as he chokes and gags. Joel's eyes widen in horror and admiration for Sienna's bravery. He sees the fierce determination in her eyes, a spark that hasn't been extinguished by her captivity.

Robert falls, dropping the bat in his struggle. Deyanira seizes the opportunity, snatching it from the floor with surprising agility. Her eyes are wild with a mix of fear and anger as she charges at Robert. Sienna's heart pounds in her chest, the sound drowning out the roar of the blood rushing in her ears.

With a primal scream, Deyanira swings the bat with all her might, the first blow landing squarely on Robert's shoulder. The impact echoes through the basement, the sound sickeningly satisfying. Sienna feels the chain in her hand tighten as Robert's body jerks from the hit. He rolls to the side, his hands reaching for the chain, desperate to break free.

Sienna's grip is like iron, her eyes locked onto Deyanira as she rains down blows on Robert's back. Each hit resonates through the air, a symphony of pain and rage. Robert's body writhes under the assault, his eyes bulging as he gasps for air. The chain digs into his neck, cutting off his breath as he tries to fight back. And then, with one final, desperate swing, Deyanira brings the bat down with a sickening thud, the sound of bone cracking beneath the wood. Sienna's eyes widen in horror, the reality of what's happening crashing down on her—She helped Deyanira kill someone.

"Sienna..." Joel's voice is strained, his eyes searching hers. She looks at him, her own gaze haunted by what she's just done. She's not sure how to feel, torn between the relief that Robert isn't a threat anymore and the horror of the violence she's just been a part of. "It's okay, darlin'."

"Joel," she whimpers, her voice barely audible. The weight of the situation crashes down on her, and she feels a tremor of fear run through her body.

"Don't cry, babygirl. You're alright," Joel reassures her, his voice strained against the pain.

"Sienna... I—"