A Hybrid's Retribution (Old)

Pleasant Conversations

"In case you haven't noticed we just kicked a very fucking big hornet nest and stole the queen, do you know what happens next?"

"I am aware of our problem, Cass! It's just one of many, But last I checked we're on our own, here!" Lyra whisper-shouted back at her sister, resisting the urge to climb over the table, reach up and slap her. Just to take some frustration out on something. Anything.

Cassandra shoveled another cracker into her maw and nodded, taking her own frustrations out on the bland food as she chomped. She wasn't an idiot, she understood the things going on around her. But her sister didn't seem to think so, not with her talking down to her. Even when she was four inches taller!

"Look," she fumbled with her radio and set it on the table. "When this goes off, that means problems are breathing down our necks! We can't risk any half measures, or rely on chance."

"Yeah?"

"So we're running out of time."

"How about you pull your head out of your ass and figure it out! Instead of always falling back to me for everything! You've clearly got plenty to say, so don't let me stop you!"

She responded angrily, no longer whispering.

"The freak upstairs! The little psycho is a breathing map of the abandoned areas the fleshbags left behind! We use our GPS, follow the leader, and take a nice vacation with it," she accentuated every scathing word she spat with an overzealous paw movement. "Besides, the scrawny shit wants to go there anyway."

"We'd be sitting ducks in the open. Dad has literal eyes in the sky! You want to get caught in one of them?"

"Hiding is your plan, then?! Sitting and praying to whoever's above that he won't find us?"

"I don't know! Fuck!" Lyra's head fell as she slammed a fist against the crumbling wood, ignoring the slight throbbing pain as her eyes welled up.

Cassandra watched the single tear trace down her snout. A pang of regret came through her as she grimaced. She dug through her bag and produced a bottle of water, gently rolling it over the table to stop under her sister's snout. She mumbled something, shook her head and cleared her throat, trying again.

"Here, uh... Drink this. Get your head straight."

Lyra snatched the bottle and tore the top half of the bottle right off, dumping the rest down her throat and gasping slightly. She gulped and took a breath.

"Lyra, look, we can't stay here. We'll be out of their jurisdiction, at least for the initial search parties. It's a stupid plan, but it will work. For a while anyway."

Lyra nodded shakily, the empty bottle falling from her loose grip. "Y-Yeah. You're right."

The two leaned against either side of the table for lack of chairs, not a word exchanged between them. Cassandra finished her ration, noting her sister hadn't touched her own since giving some to whatever was upstairs. Awkward silence filled the air between them, thick like humidity.

"Let's try to get some rest. Tomorrow will be a damn long day and we've got too much distance to cover."

Cassandra took the lead up the stairs. Lyra followed behind her, stopping just shy.

"I'll stay. It's my turn anyways." She offered, holding out a closed fist out.

Cassandra gave her a fist bump and continued onward up the stairs back into her room. She didn't bother checking on the freak; odds were it was still out cold. The ragged mat she called a sore excuse for a bed was calling to her, and it was welcomingly uncomfortable.