[ Joel snaps his gun up at the sudden movement, recognizing the animal for what it is just in time and barely stopping himself from blowing its head off. He swears quietly, heart hammering as he drops his gun. ]
Shit.
[ Even with the sudden shock, it's a whisper. He shakes his head, closing his eyes, then opens them again to glance at Ellie. You all right? he asks, silently, with an upward quirk of his eyebrows. When she nods, he nods in response, and carries on up the stairs.
The raccoon, it appears, hadn't come with friends. What they do find is the remains of its meal. Joel enters the first doorway cautiously, ears straining for any sound, but what hits him first is the smell.
The woman had been lucky. She'd died in bed, peacefully as far as he can tell, and uninfected. How long she'd been there before the raccoon had found her he couldn't say, but he wouldn't have described her as fresh. He gags, immediately holding an arm up to block Ellie's view and gesturing back to the hallway. ]
no subject
Shit.
[ Even with the sudden shock, it's a whisper. He shakes his head, closing his eyes, then opens them again to glance at Ellie. You all right? he asks, silently, with an upward quirk of his eyebrows. When she nods, he nods in response, and carries on up the stairs.
The raccoon, it appears, hadn't come with friends. What they do find is the remains of its meal. Joel enters the first doorway cautiously, ears straining for any sound, but what hits him first is the smell.
The woman had been lucky. She'd died in bed, peacefully as far as he can tell, and uninfected. How long she'd been there before the raccoon had found her he couldn't say, but he wouldn't have described her as fresh. He gags, immediately holding an arm up to block Ellie's view and gesturing back to the hallway. ]
Out, get on out.