The next year, you didn't want to celebrate. You didn't want to even think about the days as the seasons changed, the leaves turning from brown to green and the rain evaporating from the ground from the summer heat. You knew it was coming, but you didn't want to stomach it.
Nothing would be the same. Not even with your new family, the group dubbed 'Operation Bitemark'. You would never celebrate with your family again, never even see them again. At least they're all in the same place now.
~ ~ ~
'Wow, would you look at that,' Warren remarks as she looks at the screen above you. You were all waiting for Citizen Z to appear, to find your location and update you on your situation.
'What is it?' Vasquez asks, curiousity evident in his voice. Warren beckons for us all to come closer and look up at the screen.
On the screen, it says (day before your birthday) 2020. The group gasps in shock, but you stay silent, your eyes widening.
'Holy cow. We've reached the future already,' Doc says with amazement.
Murphy scoffs. 'So where are all the flying cars, huh? The future sucks.'
'It's been so long,' Addy says, her voice soft. She stares at the screen for another moment before turning away to the wall, thinking.
10k goes to say something, but the still screen flickers to life, Citizen Z appearing. At first he's fuzzy, then the screen gets clearer, showing the smile on his face.
'Good news, Operation Bitemark! I have new coordinates,' He says, flipping through a stack of stapled papers. Murphy groans.
'Don't tell me that we have to travel across the country again. I'm tired.' Warren nudges his side with her elbow sharply, which makes Murphy yelp.
Citizen Z puts the papers down, folding over to the right page. The smile turns into a grin. He puts his face up to the microphone in front of him.
'Don't worry about that, Mr Murphy. Here are the coordinates,' Citizen Z says, before reading them out. Then he says the place, which makes Warren and Vasquez gasp with excitement.
'That's about two days away!' Warren declares excitedly. The group cheers in relief, but you're too sucked into your thoughts to notice.
How could you cope tomorrow without your family? Can you keep it together?
You're lost in your thoughts until someone nudges you back into reality. You blink a few times, before your eyes flicker up to see 10k looking at you with concern.
'Hey, are you okay?' He asks. You nod, plastering a weak smile on your face.
'Yeah. Just tired. Let's go!'
Back in the truck, the group won't stop buzzing about how close you all are to your destination. Close to creating the cure to save humankind. The cure that would change everything.
'Would you still be friends with me after all this?' Addy asks, looking at you expectantly. You look at her, blinking.
'Sure, why wouldn't I be?'
'Well, there's gonna be a lot of new people after the cure. You might want to forget me,' She says jokingly, nudging you with a smile.
You smile weakly. 'I could never forget you.'
Addy looks at you for a few seconds, before turning to Doc, talking quietly to him. You rest your head against the back of the truck, staring at the landscape in front of you. It's beautiful and stretches on for miles. Even when humanity is fading, the earth is still wonderful.
Birthday!
Start from the beginning
