Apocalypse [Ellie Williams]

◜chapter nine◞

The one stop Cassie needed to make was actually FEDRA military school, using her normal way in, the girl clambered through the window and let out a sigh. Her tears had subsided as if she had none left, she sat down on Ellie's bed, threw her backpack beside her and looked around. Marlene was on the ground waiting for her so Cassie knew she had to hurry. She grabbed a singular poster from the girls room and folded it into her bag.

She then grabbed a few things she had hidden around the room such as a spare pocket knife (her prettier one that she had scavenged and had pink engravings on) as well as a framed picture of the trio from when they where ten. They all went into her bag before she scaled her way down the building and set off with Marlene

"i know you dont want to be a firefly but you have a place with us if you need someone okay? Even if its just for the night" The woman told the teenager, the two staying out of light as they walked the paths of the QZ.

"i appreciate it Marlene but ill be okay" Cassie nodded in appreciation as the two walked the stairs of Cassie's building. Stopping in front of a door "this is me but thanks, you know, for talking me out of that"

"anytime kid, try and get some sleep" Marlene bid her goodbyes as Cassie entered her room. Still dark from earlier, her heart heavy as she looked over at the spot Riley was sat in. Deciding she wasnt going to mope, the girl emptied her bag, putting everything in their respective places before taking a cold shower (warm water was rare) then changing into her pyjamas. Old shorts that where worn down and a sport bra, Cassie then slid Ellie's jumper back on and sat on the single armchair.

She switched the radio on, the soft tunes from the 90's playing as the girl curled into herself. Cassie brought the jumper up over the bottom half of her face and hugged her knees to her chest. Her eyes eventually fluttered shut and the remainder of the night was filled with dreams of her best friends.

It had been three days since the events in the mall and Cassie had refused to wallow. Instead, she was out in the streets going by exactly how she did before. Stealing things for strangers and flirting her way into new stuff. It was three day later when she reconnected with Marlene, the woman was waiting by Cassie's door after she came back from her daily walk.

"pack a bag Cassie, you need to come with me" Marlene instructed, Cassie's eyebrows raised as she unlocked the door and walked inside. Holding the door open for the lady.

"why" The girl asked, her arms crossed over her chest. A habit she had picked up to seem more in control of the situation, Cassie was a curious person, sure. But she didn't trust Marlene fully, she didn't know the woman.

"cassie, for your own sake. I need you to come with me" Marlene told her, Cassie just sighed. Riley trusted Marlene, she would be okay. So, she grabbed her backpack and whilst conversing with Marlene, she packed her bag. The woman told her essentials only, underwear and a spare pair of clothes as well as defensive weapons, bottled water and any tinned food she had.

The girl was confused, Marlene clearly expecting her to up and leave her apartment but she didn't know for what reason. The only reason why she went is because she had fuck all to loose. Her best friends where gone, she had no family and no one to care for, maybe going with Marlene was a bad idea but nothing could have been worse than the life she was living.

The two females made their way to firefly basecamp, Marlene leading her to an empty room. Literally, it was bare. The walls empty with the paint peeling away and the radiator rusted, the window was likely painted shut and a thin mattress was on the floor pressed into the corner of the room with a worn out blanket placed precariously on top

"its temporary" Marlene promised, leaving the girl to settle into her new, supposedly temporary, room. Cassie just scoffed, dropping her bag onto the floor as she walked over to the window. Leaning her elbows on the window sill as she looked out to the dim alleyway.

She was dressed in distressed black baggy jeans and a black vest top she had tucked into it. A black hoodie, the same black hoodie that Ellie had given her, tied around her waist and her usual black boots where on her feet. Her curly hair was pulled back into a bun, baby hairs falling from it and framing her face. Cassie's face still showed the remnants of days prior, cuts littering her exposed skin and a small bruise on her forehead that was thankfully fading.

She thanked whatever was out there that her own injuries were only scaring and not life threatening but she also cursed that same whatever for taking her best friends from her when they each had so long left to live.

The girl was so distracted with her thoughts that she didn't even hear the door open behind her, she didn't hear Marlene calling out her name or some other firefly entering the room and screwing a metal chain the the pole of the radiator.

Cassie was in her own little world; her own little world where Riley and Ellie was still alive, her own little world that had Ellie holding her hand as they walked the post apocalyptic streets, her own little world where her best friend became something more, where she didn't live in a restricted and rule-ridden quarantine zone with a forever worry of an infected coming in and taking the lives of many. Her own little world where her, Ellie and Riley lived their lives in harmony in a small farmhouse surrounded by nothing but fields and animals.

im sad (1k reads on apocalypse though!! i love you guys)

Bubble gum by Clairo and i wanna be your girlfriend by girl in red are also Cassie and Ellie's songs because i said so!