Nepenthe | Sapnap |

The Best Way to Make a Friend?

August 31, 2015

"So, you're Fireflies?" I asked Phil...? I think that's his name. Well, that's at least his nickname. I don't know if he's got a full name, he's British. That's all I definitely know. He's got a British accent.

The Fireflies were a revolutionary militia group that revolted against military oppression in many quarantine zones around the country, intending and hoping to restore government control. They typically wear yellow, green, and brown clothing to symbolize the glow of a real firefly. There weren't any known Fireflies in Pittsburgh, but word of them existing had definitely reached us. Any affiliation to the group resulted in immediate execution. Soldiers were constantly on the lookout for anyone who wore their signature pendants.

"Yes, we are," he smiled down at me. He had kind eyes. After everything that happened back in Pittsburgh, I couldn't help but feel safe with him around.

He said we're heading to Chicago to meet up with the other half of his group and then make our way to Wyoming where he and his wife along with a couple other fireflies are making a permanent settlement.

Jackson, I think he called it?

I lowered my voice and gestured my head in the direction of the guy walking a few paces in front of us. "Isn't he a bit young to be a Firefly?"

"Techno?" Phil followed my gaze. "He's sixteen. Yeah, he might be young, but we've recruited younger."

Techno was the guy who saved me from getting a bullet in the head. He busted through right when Jon cocked his gun. Techno pulled the trigger to his own pistol and got three perfect shots to the spine. Jon was dead before he hit the ground.

Phil followed through the door with a couple other fireflies and tried to get the rest of the people in the room but it's not surprising when a couple got away. Phil and Techno were devastated to find only me left; they heard the shots while walking by but were unable to completely locate where they were coming from with all the other commotion going on in the zone.

"You're going to keep being Fireflies when we get to Jackson?" I felt no shame in asking all my questions and Phil didn't seem to mind answering them. He actually seemed happy to have someone to talk to. I guess Techno isn't that talkative.

Phil shook his head, "No, Techno, my wife, and I are leaving the Fireflies. We kind of already left but we're still gonna be allies and always offer support just not like official members anymore."

"Where's your wife?"

"Kate!" My mom scolded from behind me.

She looked exhausted. Her hair was a rat's nest and her skin was paler than usual. My uncle and some other people we were able to get out of the QZ were quietly talking and broke into smaller groups, sticking to the people they know themselves.

"What?" I asked, throwing my arms out and shrugging.

"It's okay, miss." Phil gave her a smile and a shake of his head. "I don't mind the questions. It's nice to meet and talk to someone so curious."

Mom twisted her mouth but waved me on.

She pretty much kept to herself for the past couple days of travel, only really talking to Mike and myself. It's like she was constant watching around and jumping at every noise. She's had to keep me on a tight leash since for some reason I have been bouncing off of everything and never losing energy.

I haven't been able to close my eyes at all, and I have been needing to constantly talk to someone to keep myself busy. Unfortunately, not many people seem to be in a conversation kind of mood.