Reborn in Boston

Elliot had never faced great challenges. His life went on without major disruptions: a normal guy, with a comfortable routine, video games as his greatest passion, and a constant effort to be a good person. All of that changed the day the world ended.

January 1, 2025, marked the beginning of the end. The Third World War erupted with unprecedented ferocity. The great powers, in a desperate display of hatred, unleashed as many nuclear bombs as possible, annihilating entire nations within hours.

Elliot was in his small apartment, unaware of the impending disaster, until the sky lit up with a flash that announced death. As the world collapsed around him, he allowed himself a moment of reflection. Had he lived a good life? Yes, he thought. He had enjoyed his favorite video games, experienced a romantic relationship, and maintained a good relationship with his parents. He wasn't a hero or a villain, just an ordinary person who had accepted his place in the world.

When the bomb fell, there was no time for fear. Everything vanished in a fraction of a second. The searing heat consumed his building, his city, his existence. His final thought was a list of gratitude: Cyberpunk 2077, GTA IV, Red Dead Redemption 2, Metal Gear, Death Stranding, and, of course, The Last of Us Part 1 and 2. Games that had accompanied him in his quiet life and now seemed like a comfort amid the end.

Then, the void. Elliot felt his life fade away, his consciousness slipping… but not entirely. Why was he still thinking? Why was he aware? He had read theories about rebirth after death but had never taken them seriously. Now, trapped in infinite silence, he couldn't stop wondering if he was condemned to this eternal limbo.

Then something impossible happened. He felt a pull, as if an invisible force were dragging him backward. First slowly, then with dizzying speed that defied all logic. The void around him turned into a whirlwind, and Elliot screamed—not out of fear but from the overwhelming sensation of being stripped of everything.

Suddenly, the darkness disappeared. His mind, confused and exhausted, tried to process what was happening. And then, he opened his eyes.

-x.X.x-

Elliot's eyes snapped open, gasping as if waking from a nightmare. His body was covered in a cold sweat, and his mind took a moment to adjust. Instinctively, he brought his hands to his face, feeling his cheeks and arms. Everything seemed real, yet not quite. The memories of his previous life were there, vivid and recent, but they felt like fragments of a confusing dream.

As his mind cleared, a growing sense of unease took hold. Something was very wrong.

He sat up slowly, but in doing so, he bumped his head against something. "Damn it!" he muttered, rubbing his forehead. He looked around, blinking to adjust to the dim light, and realized he was in a bunk bed. This wasn't his old double bed, nor his tidy, familiar room.

"What the hell...?" he murmured, his gaze scanning the room. Though poorly lit, he could see the space was much smaller than his previous bedroom. It was completely disorganized: black military boots scattered randomly, blue uniforms hanging carelessly, and two old desks, each with an outdated laptop on top. Everything looked worn, aged by time, as if the place had been abandoned for years.

None of it made sense.

"What's going on?" he whispered, trying to calm his breathing, when a voice interrupted him.

"Go back to sleep, man. We've got training with Lieutenant Stroud tomorrow," said someone from the top bunk. It was the voice of a young guy, muttering disdainfully before turning over and settling back to sleep.

Training? Lieutenant Stroud? The words echoed in his head, completely out of place. He looked at the blue uniform hanging beside the bunk. With trembling hands, he grabbed it and examined it under the faint light. Though old and somewhat worn, it was still in decent condition. But what caught his attention was a detail on the chest: a badge with a single word stamped over the heart.

FEDRA.

The name was too familiar, sending a chill down his spine. "This can't be..." he whispered, as he inspected the rest of the room. Every corner seemed to tell the same story: old, battered military gear, all bearing the same emblem: FEDRA.

As he rummaged through the mess, his gaze landed on a wall. A calendar hung there. When he read the date, his heart stopped for a moment. 2013.

"This is impossible," he murmured, bringing his hands to his head. "No… this can't be real."

His breathing quickened, and panic began to take hold. He had read fantasy stories where people were reborn in other worlds, but this...? This was beyond any logic. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, but the pieces started to fit together in a terrifying way. FEDRA, 2013, worn-out uniforms...

Suddenly, a thought struck him like lightning. "The Last of Us."

Elliot sat back down on the bunk, still holding the uniform in his hands. "I'm in The Last of Us," he murmured, his voice trembling. The world he had admired as just a video game now surrounded him. And this world was not a place anyone would want to live.

Elliot slowly walked to the only window in the room, the sound of rain tapping against the glass filling the air with a steady rhythm. The darkness outside seemed to absorb everything. When he pulled aside the tattered curtain, his eyes met a devastating sight.

There, beyond the walls of the quarantine zone, lay the city of Boston... or what was left of it.

Collapsed buildings stood like skeletons in the dim light, silent monuments to a fallen civilization. There were no lights, no sounds of life, only shadows. The streets were littered with debris, and the echo of the wind carried an air of desolation. The only glow in the night came from the faint lights on FEDRA's watchtowers around the quarantine zone.

Elliot swallowed hard, feeling reality hit him with full force. This wasn't a bad dream. This was real.

He stood still, staring, as fragments of memory began to flood his mind. They weren't memories of his past life; those remained intact. Instead, they were memories of this new life that, somehow, now belonged to him.

He was Elliot. A young man born in Boston's quarantine zone. He remembered his childhood within the oppressive walls of a military regime, where every day was a struggle to survive. At 16, FEDRA had enrolled him in their educational program, one designed not to teach but to indoctrinate. Now, at 18, he had officially been recruited as a soldier. Not out of patriotism or loyalty, but out of necessity. A roof, a bed, and three meals a day.

The memories came with disturbing clarity: the endless lines at communal dining halls, the mandatory cleaning shifts, and the constant watch of soldiers. Boston was one of the few quarantine zones FEDRA still controlled entirely, and their control was absolute. Joining meant surviving.

Just two weeks ago, he had been officially assigned. His training had begun: basic weapons handling, patrol tactics, and absolute obedience. He remembered the instructors' shouts, the pain in his muscles after endless hours of drills, and the commanding voice of Lieutenant Stroud, who insisted that strength was the only way to survive.

Two weeks. Just two weeks, and he already felt the weight of the world crushing his shoulders.

Elliot turned away from the window and collapsed onto the bunk, the creak of the old mattress accompanying his thoughts. "This is real," he murmured to himself. "I'm trapped in this world." His breathing quickened, and for a moment, he wished to return to the comfort of his old life, to the days of video games and peace. But that was no longer possible.

Outside, the rain kept falling. From his bunk, he could hear the murmurs of his sleeping companions. "They have no idea who I really am, or that I shouldn't be here." He thought about what he would do next. FEDRA wasn't known for compassion, and this world wasn't a place for the weak.

Suddenly, a knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. It was firm, authoritative.

"Get up! Formation in five minutes," a voice called from the other side.

Elliot jumped up, feeling a knot in his stomach. This was just the beginning.

End of Chapter 1