Apocalypse [Ellie Williams]

◜chapter thirteen◞

The two girls, backpacks on their backs, followed Tess out of the firefly basecamp. Joel following along behind the three. Cassie stood on one side of the girl, blocking her from the people they walked by. both of their hoods up, Cassie taking comfort in Ellie's hoodie while they rushed through the pouring rain. Making it to their apartment complex, the two girls followed the adults into the building and up into their little flat. It was more worse for wear than Cassie's and that was saying something.

"give us a minute alright" Tess told the girls, shutting the door behind her as the two girls settled into the apartment

"what the fuck" Ellie yelled as the door slammed shut. Cassie just laughed with a shake of her head and took a seat on the worn out armchair. Ellie looked around, trying to find something entertaining whilst the adults talked. She found a large magazine, flicking through it as she walked about

"what's on your mind pretty girl" Cassie asked, her legs crossed underneath her and her elbows resting on her knees.

"what do you think this means" the girl rushed over, showing Cassie a small slip of paper. Cassie eyed it carefully

"code for something? friends outside the QZ i guess? probably something to do with smuggling" Cassie pondered, shrugging as she looked at the girl. Joel then stormed into the room, placing his bag b the end of the couch and falling backwards into the plush cushions of the couch

"so, who's bill and frank" Ellie asked the man "the radios a smuggling code right? 60's song, they dont have anything new. 70's, they got new stuff. What's 80's?" Joel then jumped up and grabbed the book of the girl, slamming it shut and placing it on the table. Cassie let out a quiet laugh, curling her knees into her chest and leaning into the arm rest of the chair she was in. Joel then laid on the sofa "what are you doing?"

"killing time" Joel told the girl

"well what are we supposed to do" Ellie scoffed

"whatever teenage girls normally fuckin do" Joel mumbled, his eyes closed as he turned away from the girl. Ellie just turned to cassie with a shocked face, the girl simply just shrugged in response. She was close to falling asleep herself and something was telling her she would need all the sleep she could get. Ellie grabbed the book back and sat on the armrest of the chair cassie was in, said girls head moving to rest on Ellies thigh instead on her palm.

It didn't take long for the girl to fall asleep, Ellie's hand tracing shapes into the skin of her shoulder (she had taken off the hoodie when they entered the room, the fabric damp and cold from the rain) and she had felt more safe than she had in a while. Joel may not have trusted the girls but Cassie put her trust in Joel.

the sky was darker when Cassie awoke, the first thing she heard was Ellie speaking to Joel. The girl in the same spot on the arm of the chair.

"ive never been on the other side of the wall, i dont know if Cassie ever has been. She never really told us much of her life when she left the school. Look how dark it is" Ellie commented, Cassie shifted slightly in the chair. Lifting her head off Ellies thigh as she shook herself awake "you guys go out there a lot?"

"i guess" Joel's gruff voice replied, Cassie's eyes focusing as she wiped them of any sleep.

"when was the last time?"

"maybe a year, what's the matter?" Joel questioned the girl

"but you know where to go" Ellie pried, Cassie knew she meant well. The girl was also worried "so were gonna be okay?"

"yeah" Joel nodded, leaning back into the sofa. The room went silent, Cassie resting her head back on Ellies thigh as said girl looked out of the window. Joel just watched them both carefully before speaking up again "so what's the deal with you both anyway, either of you some kinda bigwigs daughter or something"

"something like that" Cassie mumbled, her eyes half closed as she responded. Another somewhat awkward silence falling between the trio again

"oh the radio came on when you were sleeping" The slight hint of mischief in the girls voice was something Cassie was used to hearing

"what?" Joel seemed to be somewhat in alarm at the newly found knowledge "what was the song"

"it kept saying like, 'wake me up before you go-go'" Ellie told the man, Cassie slightly shaking her head at her tendencies

"shit" Joel mumbled, looking down into his lap as he sat up

"gotcha" Ellie grinned "80's means trouble. Code broken"

"that was mean els" Cassie chuckled, feeling slightly bad for scaring the man that was due to look after them for god knows how long

"listen-" Joel was cut off by the door opening and Tess walking in. Joel scowling at ellie who just gave him a smug smile in return

"the spot under Lancaster looks good" Tess told Joel "you both got jackets in your pack?"

"yep" Cassie nodded

"okay get it, its time to go" Cassie scrambled to pull Ellies hoodie over her head before grabbing the jacket from the bag she packed. A rather large brown leather jacket that was lined with a soft wool on the inside, slipping it on. the four where ready to leave, no one knowing the amount of shit they where about to endure.

i was listening to 'as the world caves in' writing this chapter and omg did it set the vibe lmao