But I Adore Them So I Persist - Blog Posts

When Hannah had grabbed the jacket and left in a blur of pink, Ellie could only blink. It took a moment for her mind to catch up, sharing a confused look with a stunned Maria before the teen ran out after Hannah. Jesus, she was fast - Ellie had to take a minute to catch her breath once Hannah finally stopped running.

" Holy shit, " was all Ellie could muster at first, listening to Hannah's story. She'd seen a lot in her life, in the QZ and on her journey will Joel, but falling off a cliff? That was insane! If the brunette hadn't seen people survive intense scenarios before, she'd have found it hard to believe that Hannah could go through that and still be standing here.

" So... Beth, she saved you? From the cliff? " Ellie tread carefully, not wanting to upset Hannah further. But she wasn't an idiot, she understood the implications. Hannah was here now, Beth wasn't. The jacket was special because it belonged to Hannah's sister. " That's why the jacket means so much. "

The teen's hand dipped into her pocket, fingers smoothing over the handle of her pocket knife. The one that had been with her since birth - all she had of her mother. " I get how that feels – having something that belonged to someone special. That losing it would... "

She sighs. Hand rubs her neck, antsy. " I don't think Maria meant to upset you. But don't worry, I've had my moments with her too. I'm sure if you explain to her, she won't touch the jacket again without permission or whatever - but washing it would probably be a good idea, right? "

@fracturals asked: ❛ do you want to share this? ❜ ( ellie )

The way she reacted when Maria had picked up her jacket, with the simple intention of getting it cleaned, one would have thought they were about to throw a baby into the dirty laundry. Hannah had ran out after - still, still that damn habit of running out - holding the jacket, the pink jacket, Beth's jacket, too embarrassed to explain why she had freaked out. But when Ellie had reached her, she had felt slightly better. Slightly.

"It was my sister's." It was all she had been able to say until that question.

"It was the... it was the last thing she gave me... I had a bad night..." That's one way to put it, but she doesn't have the courage to discuss the prank now. She had been so stupid. "And I ran outside, in the snow... like I did now, but without a jacket. She followed me... she gave me this jacket..." she repeats, holding it tightly. Squeezing her eyes closed, she tries to erase the image of Beth's body. "Her name was Beth... she was my twin, actually, but she was... so much prettier and awesome... and brave... and then I slipped off a cliff. And she grabbed me and wouldn't let me go..." she should have.