*PICTURE IN THE MULTIMEDIA IS DRAWN BY MY FRIEND, ARIANNA. SHE'S AWESOME. SUP, GURL?*

Chapter 79

Jeff's POV

Through the snow and dirt, I walked. Every now and then I would suddenly stumble over onto the ground but I always got back up. Things were quiet and I saw no sign of anyone or anything. It was as if the whole world went silent. I suffered from many wounds, but I'm not sure which are mild or critical. As long as I'm still breathing and walking, I'm completely fine. I hope.

I trudged and limped across the snow, leaving behind footprints. I held onto my side tightly as I was the most frail here. Probably just my broken ribs. Yeah, this is completely fine. I walked onto another street and, like all the rest, it was full of wreckage from the attack and there was no signs of life anywhere but me. My leg started acting up and I had to go off to the side and lean against a broken down car to rest. I huffed and massaged my thumbs into my leg to relieve a little bit of the pain. I hung my head and looked up at the sky, catching my breath. The sky still had a sickly color to it but at least it wasn't red anymore. Still, it made the wreckage look more morbid than it should. I stayed leaning against the car for a while to rest since I've been wandering non-stop up until this point. I stared up at the ill looking sky and let out a long sigh.

Just as soon as I had, a quick flash of red shot across the sky like lightning and a loud bang sounded. I cursed aloud in panic and stumbled down to a crouch, straining my sore legs. I looked around frantically for any enemies or any indication that I was screwed but nothing else happened. The only thing that did was the same red light flashing in other places in the sky. Where they flashed the sickly color of the sky disappeared to reveal a whiter and brighter color. Soon the whole sky was bright and white and looking how it should during winter. What's going on? Something must've happened. I stayed crouched down with my gaze turned up. Through the whiteness of the sky, I saw something falling down gracefully and gently. I held out my hand and let it fall into my palm. I took a look at it and realized that it was just a little snowflake. It soon began to melt from the warmth of my body and I felt another land on my nose. Soon it was snowing, little snowflakes dancing with each other in the air and meeting with snow down below.

I stood up straight and held out my hand to catch some more snowflakes. I stifled a small laugh and began making my way through the illuminated streets again. The snow looked much brighter than before and I was happy to have the morbid atmosphere disappear. Now things looked more...innocent. And that made me feel a lot better.

I got onto a new street and trudged through the snow, like I have done before. Snowflakes spotted my clothes and hair and every now and then I'd shake my head to get them out. I walked through silence and solitude, trying to find someone here, though I doubt any living things reside here after what happened. I definitely wouldn't give a second thought to this place.

I turned onto another street and walked through it. Then, through the stiff silence I heard a voice. I stopped dead in my tracks and listened in closely. It was a male voice. And it called my name. "Jeff...?! Is that you?! Jeff!" I slowly turned around and looked down the street. Through the falling snow I saw a figure. It definitely was a man. I kept looking at the figure as the features of the new person became clearer the closer he walks towards me. I felt relief swarm over me as soon as I recognized the man.

"Jack..." I breathed in awe and began moving towards him. I stumbled every few seconds but I kept making my way to him, feeling elation like never before. When I was almost about to reach him I fell over and he quickly scrambled to help me. I coughed and clawed at his jacket to get a firm grip. Jack got me back on my feet and held onto my arms to make sure I didn't fall over again. I looked at his mask and said, "Boy, am I glad to see you again."

"I'm glad you're still alive," he remarked and lifted my chin up as he was checking my face. "Are you okay?" I asked him. Jack nodded and said, "Are you okay? You look like you've crawled out of Hell."

"Well, I did go one-hundred miles below the Earth's surface to a terrible place, so I kind of did just go through Hell," I mentioned and Jack shook his head at me.

"Well, I'm glad you seem to be okay, though I highly doubt that," he said, "I'm sure the others will be happy to see you alive."

"They're all okay too?" I asked. Jack nodded and I sighed. Thank god. Jack still held onto my arms and asked, "Can you walk?" I nodded and he had me drape an arm over his shoulders as he helped me walk easier. We were going at a slow pace only because I would still limp and lose my balance. "Thank you," I mumbled to him, then huffed as my leg jolted with pain. He patted my back and said, "No problem. Well, at least I hope."

I chuckled and adjusted my arm around his shoulders. There was a long pause of silence between us and I was hoping that we would've conversed more. It seems like forever since I've seen him. To my relief, Jack did speak, making the silent tension go away. "Everybody is okay, save for a few wounds but nothing fatal. Slender told me to look for you since you were the only one missing besides Elizabeth. As for her, we don't have any idea where she is right now, though I'm sure she's not out of city limits."

At the mention of Ellie, I felt my heart race and I quickly turned my head towards Jack. "So, Ellie is still out there?"

"As far as we know, yes," he answered. I looked forward and thought. Everything seems to be okay now, back to normal. Does that mean that she won? Did she defeat Zalgo? It seems like it. I couldn't help but smile. She really did it. My little Sunshine did it. God, I want to just bring her into a big bear hug and congratulate her. I need to find her. It's been so long since I've seen her and now that this is all over we can finally relax and be together without anything to hold us back.

I look at Jack and state, "I need to find Ellie."

Jack turned to me and said, "I'm not so sure about that."

I frowned. "Why not?"

He shrugged and explained, "Well, look at you, man. You need medical help. It's not safe to let you roam around to find her with your injuries. Let me take you to the others and fix you up. We'll eventually go out to find her."

"I don't want to eventually find her, Jack," I said, "I want to find her now!"

"Well, Jeff, unfortunately now doesn't seem to agree with you," he said. I growled under my breath and yanked myself out of his hold. I staggered to the side and Jack said, "Jeff! What are you doing?"

"I'm going to find Elizabeth," I said and began walking forward. Jack rushed up to me and pleaded for me to stop. "Jeff, please, just be patient. We'll find her as soon as your injuries are treated!"

"I have way too many. It'll take too long," I replied.

Jack groaned, "Which is all the more reason to treat you! Jeff, come on! You'll strain your wounds and you could possibly pass out while you're searching! And with this winter cold, passing out does not seem like a very good option."

I just kept on walking. Jack groaned again and kept following me. "Jeff, please, just work with me here!"

"How about you work with me?" I said to him. "Either you let me go find Elizabeth by myself or you come along with me. And since you're so worried about me passing out in the snow, you can keep that from happening! So what's it going to be?"

"Jeff, I really don't-."

"Okay, searching alone is is then," I announced and picked up my pace, which didn't serve too well for my sore legs. Jack sighed and caught up to me. "You always have to make me work for it...," he groaned.

"Why of course, Jacky Boy," I said, "I've got standards."

Jack shook his head and sighed as he continued to walk with me.

...

To take away from the occasional silence, I had decided to tell Jack about what had happened while he had been busy with everyone else. I told him everything; from when I set out on my own up until now. Plus, the information could probably help him out with analyzing my injuries. But I mostly did this to give me some closure.

"Well, you definitely went through Hell all right," Jack remarked when I had finished telling him everything. I nodded and muttered, "As if all of this wasn't bad enough."

"I'm really sorry about your brother," Jack said. I stifled a wry laugh and said, "I'm sorry too..."

"Well," he sighed after another pause of silence, "at least this is over."

I nodded but suddenly stumbled over and fell to my knees. Jack crouched down and laid a hand on my back as I went into a coughing fit. "Jeff, as much as I want Elizabeth back too, this isn't good for you. You're lucky I decided to come along with you. At least rest for a bit," he suggested.

I shook my head, finished up my coughing fit, then muttered to him, "No.. I'm going to find Elizabeth."

"But-."

"What if she's just as damaged as I am? You're just gonna leave her out there in agony?"

"No! Of course not. I would never. But, right now, you're the only person here in need of medical treatment, and it would be best to help you since you're already with me."

"You want to help me? Then help me find Elizabeth," I said sternly. I held out my hand to Jack, waiting for him to grab it and help me up so we can move forward. He let out a long, gruff sigh and grabbed my hand. He carefully pulled me up to my feet again and wrapped my arm around his shoulders. Then we walked. I could tell that Jack wasn't too pleased with this situation. I know he's only trying to help me but right now my first priority is to find Ellie. I can't waste time.

We walked and walked and walked. Gradually my stumbling became more frequent and it would take me longer to get back up, even with Jack's help. But despite this and Jack's pleads to take me to the others to treat me, I still kept saying I wanted to find Ellie. We walked for good while, roaming new streets and passing new buildings and shops, houses and apartments. But there was one street we came onto that made us stumble for words.

"'The hell happened here...?!" I mumbled. Buildings were literally nothing but rubble and dust. The asphalt of the street was torn up in various areas. Cars were upturned, torn in half, or lodged into the more intact buildings. This area looked like it was wrecked by a billion Corrupted! Or something worse than that! Jack walked me a few feet more into the area and I noticed a lot of ash mixed into the snow. It's Corrupted ash. Maybe a billion Corrupted were here. But they're all dead now.

I heard Jack gulp and say, "This place looks like crap..." I nodded and scanned the place. I nudged Jack on his side, signaling for him to start walking with me. He understood and we made our way through the rest of the terrible wreckage. "What do you think happened here?" I asked. Jack shook his head and replied, "I don't know and I don't think I would like to..." I gulped and stayed quiet. The silence didn't bother me this time because I was too focused on our fucked up surroundings. As we walked further, I began to notice a very distinct color in the snow.

"Blood," I said and Jack turned his head to check it out. He carefully walked us closer to it and I realized that it was a blood trail. Jack leaned down, took off his right glove and touched the blood. He pinched the red stained snow between his fingers then shook it off. He got back up and told me, "It's not that fresh but it was recent."

"Who's is it," I asked.

"I have no clue," he answered as he slipped his black glove back on. I stared at the blood stained snow and suddenly wondered something terrible. "Do you think it could be Elizabeth's?" I asked, nervously. Jack turned to me and said, "I can't be sure. But try not to think like that please. It might effect your health."

I stared intently at the blood. Jack's right. Maybe it isn't Ellie's. And if it is, I'm sure this is all from a minor wound. Although minor wounds don't produce this much amount of blood. I shook my head and mentally slapped myself. Don't worry about the blood. Find Elizabeth and go home. That's what I have to set my mind on. I turned my gaze back on the trail and suggested, "We should follow the blood, just in case. Maybe we'll find someone in need of help."

"Says the man who is the one in need of help," Jack remarked and began walking with me to follow the trail of blood. I frowned at him and huffed. "If we're going to follow the trail, we'll have to hurry. The snowing is not excessive but eventually it'll cover the blood and then we'll come across a dead end," Jack explained. I nodded in understanding and kept my eye on the trail of blood.

The trail lasted for quite some time which was both surprising and relieving. It went on for many blocks and it wasn't until twenty minutes in on following it that the line began to gradually thin out. I grew worried and hoped the trail would last long enough to find the person who made it.

Jack and I eventually came to a neighborhood after thirty minutes of walking. Jack was practically carrying me now as I had grown weaker through the minutes. I looked around and felt a feeling of familiarity. Despite the houses that were burnt, broken or still burning, I recognized this neighborhood. My feeling of familiarity changed into a feeling of nervousness. This is Ellie's neighborhood!

"Jack...!" I breathed, panicked.

"Yeah, I know," he mumbled as he scanned the neighborhood, recognizing it too. I gulped and my stomach flipped. We walked onto a new street and I ended up falling over again, only this time I fell all the way to the ground instead of kneeling like all of the other times. Jack came down and turned me over onto my back. I was having a hard time catching my breath and I knew I had exceeded my limit. Jack cupped my face into his hands and said, "Come on, Jeff, stay with me. Just hold out a little longer."

I weakly clasped my hand around his wrist and squeezed. Jack must look greatly concerned behind that mask of his. I swallowed and mumbled, "Jack...I'm really sorry for letting you drag my ass around...and I'm sorry for being so stubborn..."

"It's understandable," he said and I couldn't help but chuckle, though I stopped as it wasted my breath.

"Are you going to be okay? Enough to walk again? If not, I'll carry you on my back. I don't mind," Jack offered. I shook my head and said, "I'll be fine..." I began straining to get up and Jack helped. Even though I was at my limit, something was telling me to keep going. I stood up and leaned against Jack again, though this time I was fully clinging to him for support. "Come on," Jack said and started walking me. I felt tired and utterly numb. The only way of even indicating I was alive was my breath as it showed itself visible in the cold, winter air. My head felt dizzy and I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears. To my dismay, I fell over once again, but Jack quickly got in front of me and caught me before I could hit the ground. I trembled from my frailness and couldn't even cling onto Jack.

"Jeff, please don't pass out on me," he pleaded. "I think it's time I carry you."

I shook my head but couldn't say no to him. I was too tired to speak. Jack helped me onto my feet as I had been leaning and I rest my head on his shoulder. I wheezed and through the cloud of my breath I saw something up ahead. I kept staring at it, trying to see what it was. It lay in the middle of the street, unmoving. And the blood led to it but disappeared before it could reach the object itself. I managed to muster up the strength to speak. "What is that...?" I mumbled. Jack craned his head around to look at what I was talking about and he replied, "I don't know."

"Bring me closer to it," I said. Jack nodded and helped me to start walking. My steps were shaky but I was at least moving. I kept my eyes on the figure on the ground and once the both of us walked a full two meters, I began to see the figure clearly. It took me a while to get a good look at the features but I saw it was a girl. Her back was turned as she lay on the ground, motionless, her hair a disheveled mess. I wondered who it was and then I began to recognize her clothing. It was a black, scratched up body armor suit. The one Ellie wore...

I gasped, relieved to find her yet worried of what was wrong with her. Without a second thought or warning, I yanked myself out of Jack's hold and started running towards her. Jack was caught off guard and called after me but I didn't listen. All that was on my mind was Ellie. All I could see was Ellie, in front of me. All I wanted to do was be with Ellie, no matter how weak and battered I was. I missed her so much. I love her so much.

I made it to her and fell to my knees. I panted and held my chest. I looked up and laid a hand on Ellie's shoulder. "Ellie," I breathed through gasps. I shook her a little but she didn't do anything out of response. I frowned out of confusion and shook her again. "Ellie?" Her black hair was in her face, which I could barely see. I stopped my panting and then reached to brush the hair from her face. I moved her black locks out of the way and my breath went away just as it was coming back. I stared in horror at the empty, bloody socket on the left side of her face. I shook my head and whimpered, "E-Ellie, what happened to you...?!"

I turned her onto her back and was only horrified even more at the sight of her right arm missing, producing a pool of crimson blood under it. I didn't scream. I could barely breathe. I just stared in utter silence as my lovely, little Sunshine was in shambles. Nearly in a mindless state, I brushed her bangs back and swept my hand over the side of her head. I felt something through the hair, an wet opening. I removed my hand and saw my fingers were bloody. It wasn't until I looked closely at her did I realize she had a bullet wound at the side of her head. I stared at her face which was paler than ever and beginning to turn blue from the cold. I looked to the side and finally noticed the gun she had used. More shock overwhelmed me as I recognized the gun as Maribel's. The gun Ellie used to kill her and the one she used on herself. The barrel was spattered with more blood than I remembered. Ellie's...

I looked back at Ellie and gingerly reach out for her and lifted her onto my lap. I cradled her gently, holding tightly onto her left hand and holding her head in my other. I squeezed her cold, scratched up hand and wished for her to do the same. I hovered my gaze onto her and felt tears fall down my face. I leaned over and rested my head on hers, remembering the first time we had done this. The both of us had flushed and giddy faces and now we were battered and paler than ever. My tears fell onto her skin, washing away some of the blood. I sniffled and leaned in closer to place a soft kiss on her cold, nearly blue lips. When I pulled back, I whimpered and pulled her into my embrace. I rocked back and forth, with her in my arms...for one last time.

I buried my face into the crook of her neck and sobbed quietly, squeezing her body closer to me, letting her dark, snowflaked hair brush against my face and wipe my falling tears away. "Why...?" I mumbled quietly. "Why did you...do this to yourself...? Why did this have to happen...? Please give me an answer... Please give me one last answer..."

Utter silence was all I got in reply. I sniffled and let my tears keep falling. If I had known this would happen, I would've tried harder to save her. I would've made our last moment together mean more than just a fight. I would've tried to resolve the mistakes I ever made and all of the times I ever spent thinking about her would've been used to actually be with her. I would've told her I love you to her as many times as I could until my breath ran out. And now, she's gone, and I didn't even get to say good-bye...

"You promised," I whimpered, repeating the same tome of despair as the illusion of Ellie had when I fought Liu, "...You promised..."

The sound of frantic footfall came from behind me and I heard Jack's voice. "Jeff! Jeff! Are you okay-?" I heard his breath hitch and he abruptly stopped talking. There was silence and I didn't have to turn around to know he was as horrified as I was. "Oh my god...," he said under his breath. To my relief, instead of trying to comfort me, he quickly said, "Stay here! I'm going to get the others!" and immediately ran off to find them. I was glad he left. All I want now is to be alone and mourn.

I lost the love of my life to the bearer of evil itself. I loved her and despite the blood caked on her white skin, the fatal wounds she gained and the coldness of winter and death as her aura, I still love her. She changed me. She brought light and happiness into my life and even though we made mistakes I still loved her through the tough times. When I was blinded by anger, insanity and selfishness, she stood out more than a lighthouse in the fog. Ellie was more beautiful than roses in the morning light, covered in sparkling dew. She glowed, even when she was gloomy with sadness or rage. And the sight of her beautiful, ocean blue eyes always burned into my mind deeper and deeper with each glance I took. She was my everything. I was lucky to have such a sweet girl fall in love with me: a monster, a fool, a coward. She made life worth living and me worth good. And now my beautiful little Sunshine is gone.

I trembled, and as I did, so did her small body. In a small voice, one of sadness, emptiness and nostalgia, I uttered to Elizabeth, "I love you.. Forever and always... No matter what.." And so I sat there, in the middle of the cold, deserted street, with the love of my life dead in my weak arms, wishing...just wishing for a second chance, a chance without despair, a chance without cowardice, a chance without life giving me a sinner's ending.

...

You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine

You make me happy when skies are grey

You don't know dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my Sunshine away...