Firefly

Fifteen

Summer 2023

"Are you fucking crazy?" I asked, Marlene. She had just shown me the arm of a girl, she was bitten on her right arm. "She hasn't turned yet. I think she might be immune." I let out a sarcastic laugh, "nobody is immune." She pointed to the door that the girl was behind. "She is. It's been almost a week since I found her."

"You've had her for that long?! You really are fucking crazy!" I ran my hand down my face. "Is there a reason you're telling me this? I'm not a firefly. How do you know I'm not going to run to FEDRA about this?" I asked. "Because, you hate them just as much as we do." She wasn't wrong there. "I just need you to watch her for me. Have her do the test to make sure she's not going to turn, give her meals. That's what I want you to do."

"Why me?" I asked. "Because, I trusted Tommy and Tommy trusted so I trust you. I've also seen you with other kids. If she doesn't turn in the next couple weeks I plan to take her out west. They're working on a cure. Don't roll your eyes at me. She could save humanity."

"Humanity." I laughed and shook my head. "Humanity was already fucked before Cordyceps, Marlene. I'll watch her. Take care of her. But if I see one twitch…I swear to god I will not hesitate to shoot her." She handed me the keys to the room she was in, "thank you. I'm going out to help start gathering supplies and making sure things are on track." She left after that.

I grabbed my bag and some food and went to the door where the girl was behind and unlocked the door. My hand was on my gun as I slowly opened the door. Knowing my luck she turned and I'll get attacked. I walked in and there sat a girl with shoulder length brown hair, handcuffed to a pipe. She looked up at me and scowled. "Who the fuck are you?" I raised my eyebrows. "I'm someone you don't want to fucking piss off."

"I brought you something to eat. And we need to do that test bullshit. So stand up, arms out, and count to ten." She didn't budge at first and I sighed, closing my eyes, and pinching the bridge of my nose. "Move it! Now!" She jiggled the handcuffs and I sighed. "If you even try to attack me I will shoot you!" I told her. "Okay, jeez." I walked over to her, uncuffed her and stepped back. "Arms out, palms face down, and count to ten…slowly." She stood up and did as I told her, arms out, palms up and started counting.

"One…

"Two…

"Three…

"Four…

"Five…

She stopped and I gestured for her to keep going. "Don't stop." She rolled her eyes at me and continued counting.

"Six…

"Seven…

"Eight…

"Nine…

"Ten…see not turning into a fucking monster," she sassed. "That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble." I grabbed the sandwich and water from the table by the door and walked over, handing it to her. "Thanks," she mumbled, taking it from me. "Is this chicken?" She asked. I hummed and watched her take a bite. I went back to the table and leaned back on it. "What's your name?" I asked. She looked up at me, "what do you care?" She asked.

I crossed my arms over my chest, squinting my eyes at her. I licked my bottom lip and clicked my tongue. "I don't. But seeing as I'm the one who's going to be feeding you and making sure you don't do anything stupid or fucking turn…I think I deserve to know." I raised my brows at her and waited. "You first," she said. I rolled my eyes, "Jesus fucking Christ. Fine…I'm yn. Now, it's your turn."

"Ellie," she said. I nodded my head and looked around the room. "How'd you get bit, Ellie?" I asked. "None of your damn business that's how." Oh I really wanted to slap this little girl. I walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. "Look, Ellie, I get it, okay? I'm just another adult who is telling you what to do. But if you keep smart mouthing me I will fucking slap the absolute fuck out of you. I don't give a shit that you're a kid."

"Why should I trust you? You're just another firefly asshole." I laughed and shook my head. "Not a firefly," I told her. She gave me a skeptical look and I shrugged. "Let me see your arm," I said. I stood up and went over where I dropped my bag and brought it back over to her. "Why?" She asked, holding it close to her chest. "Let me fucking see it." I started pulling out a first aid kit and she lowered her arm, rolling her sleeve up. I sucked in a deep breath when I looked at it. "How'd it happen?" I asked again.

"I was in the mall." I looked up from her arm to her face. "That place is crawling with the infected!" She shook her head, "I thought it was clear." I cleaned her arm and wrapped it. "What were you doing in there anyway?" She didn't answer me and I had a feeling she didn't want to talk about it so I let it go. "Finish eating." I started to put my stuff away and stood up. "So why are you with the fireflies if you're not one?" Ellie asked, taking another bite of her sandwich.

"A friend of mine used to be one and when I needed a place to stay he talked to Marlene. I made an agreement with her that I'd help smuggle things for her if she gave me a place to stay. I told her there was no way in hell I'd join her little anti-militia bullshit. Don't get me wrong though because I hate FEDRA just as much."

Two Week Later

"Okay, sunshine, time to do your little bullshit test," I said, walking into the room. Ellie rolled her eyes and stood up, arms out, palms down and counted to ten. "This is such shit! I haven't turned yet so I doubt I fucking will!" I turned to look at the two fireflies behind me. "You can fuck off now, thanks." I shoved them out the door and shut it.

"This is so stupid! It's been three weeks!" I walked over to her and sat down beside her. "I know. They're getting ready to smuggle you across the country." I pulled my bag in front of me and pulled out two sandwiches. I handed one to Ellie and she took it but then reached towards me, grabbing my necklace. "What kind of bug is that?" She asked. I looked down at the necklace, the one he gave me all those years ago.

"So… funny story… My nickname is firefly," I said. "Shut the fuck up! No it's not." I nodded my head, "yup. My Nonna gave it to me when I was little. My parents died in a car accident when I was five. She and my grandfather got custody of me. She said I used to love going outside during the summer and chasing after them. She'd help me catch them in a jar, we let them go of course, and then after my grandfather passed away I became her firefly. Meaning that I was the little flashing light in her darkness."

"Did she give you this?" She asked. I shook my head. "No, someone else did…someone I haven't seen in a very long time," I told her. "This is moonstone. So, when the light hits it just right it makes it look like it's glowing." I tucked it back under my shirt and cleared my throat. I never took the necklace off after me and…it's not that I didn't love him because I do. "How old were you when Cordyceps happened?"

"Nineteen. I was in college, avoiding some guy who couldn't take a hint."

Spending time with Sarah.

"What about your Nonna? Did she come to Boston with you?" Ellie asked. I shook my head, "no. She and a few of her friends went to Atlantic City that morning. I only got out because of my neighbor and his brother." I stood up when I heard gun fire. "Stay here!" I told Ellie and ran out the door, gun in hand.