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ˏˋ°•*⁀➷boston quarantine zone
CASSIE O'MEARA HAD SACRIFICED EVERYTHING FOR THE FIREFLIES. Years ago, when there had still been a shimmer of child-like naivety within the remnants of her dim heart, she'd desperately clung to her faith within them. In the wastelands of a world that'd long ago been consumed by darkness, Cassie had been drawn toward their facade of light – like a moth to the ever-viscous flame that was their cause.
In seeking out recruitment into the fireflies ranks, she'd lost almost everything – all except for Tommy Miller. Side-by-side, as they'd promised one another they'd always would be, they'd joined the fireflies, and long had fought together in a futile battle of hope. Until the fireflies did as they do best – tearing the near inseparable pair apart, deploying them within opposite sides of a vast country
For months, Cassie had desperately clung to their few minutes of daily contact, made through a long-distance radio system set up within Boston's firefly outpost. She practically lived within the minute, mouldy room, wasting away with a bottle of liquor in hand, until the voice of the only light left within her life would erupt through the ageing, muffled speaker. But, three weeks had come to pass since the youngest Miller had made contact, abandoning Cassie to flail within an ocean of dread.
The deafening rumble of static thunders within her eardrums as she sits within the radio room, its jagged reverberation piercing through the remnants of her shattered heart, and stomping out the dying sparks of hope within her. She absentmindedly sips from a half-empty glass of moonshine, wincing each time the putrid liquid curses her tongue, Scattered across the rotting wooden desk before her are a wide array of maps, a screeching echoing from a pen as she scribbles notes upon them.
Her calloused hand trembling as it reaches for a half-empty glass of moonshine, Cassie pours the stomach-churning liquid down her throat without a second thought. Wincing, she slams the glass back down upon the scratched table-top, shifting her gaze back onto the various maps scattered across the surface. The young woman's brows knit together as an utter trance of determination consumed her, her foot tapping absentmindedly upon the creaky floorboards. Her boot taps methodically upon the chipped tiles beneath her as she leans into the work, her brows knitted with a stern determination.
Her concentrated trance is broken only when the doorway just behind Cassie is flung open, the woman offered not the warning of even a simple knock. Dark eyes snapping back, her gaze locks upon the approaching form of Marlene – leader of the fireflies, and the very woman Cassie had once been ignorant enough to admire. A concern brews within the leader's eyes as she takes in the almost frantic state of the younger woman, however, Cassie brushes this aside, instead gesturing for Marlene, "Look."
Cassie arises from her flimsy chair as the older woman stands beside her, ensuring she has a full view of the display of maps. Observing the mismatched collections of research, Marlene only briefly allows her focus to be ensnared by the maps, before turning once more to scrutinise the O'Meara girl. A deep set of bags appear to have long been settled beneath her reddened eyes, and her jittery mannerisms only further confirm Marlene's suspicions toward the woman's lack of sleep, and overall disturbance.
"If we take this route here, we could bypass any major infection zones," Cassie gestures toward specific points upon the map, moving between areas circled in big, obvious red markers, and roads highlighted with yellow. "We can stop at this outpost, refuel-"
"Cassie," The fireflies' leader interrupts the woman's ramblings, causing the gaze of Cassie to snap toward her with irritation. A sigh echoing from Marlene's lips, she pinches the bridge of her nose as she repeats the very thing she'd told Cassie many times before, "I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do."
"Bullshit!" A venom drips from Cassie's tongue as the curse claws its way into the tense atmosphere. The calloused palms of her hands slap against the table's surface, causing the unstable wood to tremble.
"We can't risk any more resources, let alone soldiers, for one man. Not even Tommy," Marlene's voice remains stable, brewing with authority, as her every word is spoken; unwavering even beneath the cold stare of the woman beside her. "Keeping the girl safe is our only priority."
"Your priority should be lookin' out for your own fuckin' people," Cassie's compsure cracks, and, from the falters in her facade, the distaste for the very people she'd joined long ago oozed out. However, she works swiftly to contain the brewing blaze of anger within herself, knowing it would only work against her efforts to get what she wants. "We can split our resources. Send a small group to Wyoming with as many supplies as we can spare, and the rest go with the girl."
"We're stretched thin as it is," Marlene denies, "I can't do that, and you know it."
"Then give me a goddamn truck and I'll go alone!"
"No! You're one of my best soldiers, I need you on this," Marlene snaps at last, her voice raised to mirror the volume of the younger woman's. "Now I need you get your ass in gear, and follow fuckin' orders."
"I'm not your soldier," Cassie spits out, her eyes glistening with utter apathy. A silence comes to pass in the wake of her words, and, as the verbal battle stills, the shield created by her anger begins to dissipate, revealing to Marlene glimpses of a young woman, terrified to lose what little she has left. Unfortunately, this terror is too easily manipulated. "He's family, I can't just leave him out there."
"I'm sorry, kid."
"You don't get to fuckin' call me that," despite the seemingly good intentions on the older woman's behalf, the nickname strikes a chord deep within the shadows of Cassie's self. Averting her eyes, an all-consuming sense of defeat becomes of the woman. "What's so important 'bout this girl anyway?"
For but a moment, Marlene had been teetering upon the edge of offering the well-needed answers, before instead responding, "I can't tell you that. It would put everything we've worked for at risk."
"We?" A scoff ricochets from Cassie's hoarse throat, shaking her head in a visible act of distaste. Her knuckles turn a sickly white as her fingers grip the edge of the table, her eyes watering with a layer of frustrated tears, though her stubbornness proves enough to stop them from descending down her flushed cheeks. Still clinging to any hope of finding Tommy, she attempts to reason one last time, "I help you get out of the city with the girl, and you give me what i need to make it to Wyoming."
A deadly silence rings throughout the room, and, within seconds, Cassie can feel the thundering of her anxious heart pound within her aching chest. Her nerves spiking with every precious second that passes them hastily by, Cassie pushes, "Deal?"
"Deal." Albeit with great reluctance, Marlene agrees to seemingly fair terms. Although Cassie knew better than to blindly trust to the word of the rebellion's leader, she was left with no other option than to, once again, put her faith entirely within the hands of the fireflies. The pair shake hands in a silent confirmation of the agreement, before Marlene turns upon her heel, wasting little time as she moves to exit the small room. However, she does pause for but a moment to utter, "Do us all a favour and get some sleep. We leave tonight."
AUTHORS NOTE ⭒❃.✮:▹. ◃:✮.❃⭒
i know this story is very much lacking in joel and ellie content, but you shall be fed with it in the next chapter 😌 i am very excited to write their dynamics.
anyway, i hope you enjoyed this chapter! please let me know what you think of this story so far. thanks for reading ! 💛
