The Prelude is the last playable major area of the game, and the second-to-last area visited by the player. The Prelude is connected to the Autumn region via multiple caves to-and-from the Prelude's first sub-region.
In the Prelude, Alex Churchland obtains a Trauma Kit to treat Joel Miller's broken bones from Cormack Rex.
Sublocations
Purple Turn
The Purple Turn is the first area in the Prelude, a large outcrop of rock accessed via tunnel. A darkening orange sky hangs over the reddish soil of this area, and remnants of infrastructure jut from the outcrops of the area, with multiple pipes continuing from the Cave to Purple Turn and a steel box present in the area. A single scrawling from the Conspiracist can be found on a ledge which can be accessed by traversing the overhead rope bridge to the left and dropping down to the entrance to the Return Tunnel, and then walking off this ledge to the right.
Going right on the aforementioned rope bridge will take the player to the Misty Evening.
Return Tunnel
The Return Tunnel is a small tunnel accessed from the Purple Turn whose most significant feature is the presence of rigged dynamite, ready to detonate. Detonating the dynamite will create a hole in the Autumn region, to the right of Grouse Cave where Joel is residing; this new passageway serving as a quick way for the player to return to Joel after retrieving the Trauma Kit. Additionally, there is another scrawling from the Conspiracist in this cave.
Misty Evening
The Misty Evening is a flat space of land home to Cormack Rex, his pet dog Muffin, and his meager farm. To the right of the area, the ground begins to raise as the player progresses towards the next area, the Dim Road.
Black Shed
The Black Shed is the interior of Cormack Rex's shack. A lone Trauma Kit is inside on the table, as well as a cardboard box, and the shed's owner.
Once Alex returns to Joel after obtaining the Trauma Kit, Joel will enter the shed and presumably bare witness to the corpses of Cormack and his dog. Joel will exit the shed, but will not question Alex or his motives.
Dim Road
The Dim Road is an uneven stretch of precarious ground. Based on the presence of an abandoned car and dilapidated infrastructure, it is presumed that the Dim Road was once a road. Multiple travelers can be seen advancing towards the east, bringing their possessions along with them. These travelers include Tok Bim and Frisko Benson.
Multiple cave entrances can be found in the area; the first leads into the tunnel that the player can use to reach the Melting Village. The second entrance is used to enter the Industrial Underground, the second-to-last playable sub-region of the game.
Melting Village
The Melting Village is an abandoned town whose sole inhabitants are its leader, Silvester de Maistre, and the lone drifter Prizmik. As the name of the area suggests, the village is constructed out of a substance similar to mud whose semi-fluid nature makes it seem as though the huts are 'melting'. At the top of the village is the Ruined Church, as well as Silvester. Silvester will explain to the player that Jason Pike managed to convince his people to join him on the trip to the City that he planned on taking. Below the Church is a tunnel that leads to the start of the cave to the Melting Village.
The tunnel leading into the Melting Village is home to numerous Shadowy Figures who dance around the cave, attacking the player if they collide; there are also several chalk writings from the Conspiracist in the cave. At the bottom of the cave are deserters of the Melting Village; Boy Trent, Pete Harper, Mathew Harper, and Risky Richmond.
Laser and Gin
Laser and Gin is one of the homes in the Melting Village, named for its former owners, the couple Laser Eye Guy and Gin Hanks. The duo's Champion's Belt can be looted from the house, as well as a few Mud Pies.
House Garnet
House Garnet is another home in the Melting Village -- the only objects of note are a stove filled with Mud Pies and a drawing of a family on the walls.
Ruined Church
The Ruined Church is the last sub-location of the Melting Village, whose only notably contents is a pouch with a Diet Cocola Cola.
Industrial Underground
The Industrial Underground is the final area of the Prelude, home to Jason Pike and those he managed to persuade to accompany him on his travels; Laser Eye Guy, Gin Hanks, Tok Bim, Loyd Basilisk, Rusty Davidson, Shurik Caukaz, and upon finding the area, Alex Churchland and Joel Miller. Jason Pike will greet Alex and Joel warmly, and invite them to rest at his campfire.
In reality, Jason Pike is being relentlessly pursued by a former associate Hugo Leopardi who can be seen several times throughout the game. After having been wronged by Jason in the past, Hugo feels as though that Jason owes him something -- it is not known what specifically, nor is it known how Jason managed to cross him, but it is known that Hugo intimidates Jason with his violent tendencies to the point where Jason feels the need to amass as many people as possible for protection; furthermore, Jason only promised his followers that they would travel to the City in order to entice them to stay with him.
Resting in this area's campfire will trigger a cut-scene. Alex will awaken to Hugo walking over him and Joel in order to approach Jason. Hugo will turn around to the awakened Alex, and deliver an uppercut which knocks him unconscious. Alex will reawaken to Hugo telling Jason that "you did it, you can take it back." Jason will assert that, whatever it is, it is all on Hugo, and try to tell Hugo that he "can't expect me to fix YOUR problems" -- but then, Hugo interrupts Jason with a choice: "It is either that, or your friends here die." This brings up a choice box similar to those usually delivered to the player, but the player will find that they actually are not in control of what response is chosen -- it is Jason's choice. Jason has two options: "Fine, you win.", or "Whatever, sicko."; the latter is selected. Hugo, in response, then approaches Alex who yells at Hugo to "Back off!", but Hugo disregards Alex's command and squats over him, brandishing a scalpel. Hugo will then proceed to methodically stab Alex many times until Joel wakes up and draws his weapon on Hugo. Joel attempts to stop Hugo, telling him to drop his scalpel, but Hugo turns to Joel and informs him that "You will not harm me." Joel attempts to fire, but finds that he neglected to load his bullet into the gun.
After Joel wakes up and tries to shoot Hugo, the latter will turn to Jason and say that "This time, you will not elude me", and walks off. Joel urges Jason, who once was a midwife, to help him bandage up Alex who is near death. Eventually, Joel and Jason succeed in bandaging Alex so that he can survive until he receives more effective medical treatment, and in the process, Jason loots the Pink Pill from his body. Afterwards, the duo follow Jason to the bus that goes to the City.
The player is given the option to either trust Jason's 'shortcut' to the bus stop, or to navigate the labyrinthine tunnels of the underground themselves. Jason's shortcut actually works, but walls in the tunnel reveal the leering eyes of many Shadowy Figures. Regardless of the choice, Alex and Joel will exit the underground, and proceed into the last area of the game: the Epilogue.