Mankind

Chapter Three

Wind from helicopter blades batter the grass beneath them. Cassie blocks the sun from her face as she watches the vehicle touch down. It doesn't take long for half the town to congregate around the helicopter. Most of them haven't seen any since the Army left the High School. But this doesn't feel like the Army.

The helicopter looks worn and has cracked white paint sloshed on the side in letters that Cassie isn't quite sure what means. SFA. What could it be? and what exactly do they want? The blades come to a stop and the door is opened with a black leather boot. Out steps a man, glasses donned, completely blocking out his eyes.

"Joan Williamson." His voice booms over the crowd of wandering eyes. "I'm looking for Joan."

Joan starts to step forward but Cassie blocks her. She's not about to let her mom just give herself over to God knows who.

He shakes his head. "Listen, we can do this the easy or the hard way. If Joan doesn't step forward, we will be back with enough firepower to kill every single person here."

"I'm here!" Joan calls out. Cassie sighs as she pushes her way through the crowd.

"You're needed in Steelton," He says. "You will be told more on the way."

"I'm going to say goodbye first." Joan insists. If she's going with these strangers, she's at least going to tell her family bye. "C'mere, Cass."

"Mom...what's going on?" Cassie can't wrap her head around the situation. It's all too strange.

Joan pulls her into a tight hug and whispers something into her ear, "The tapes are on the bookshelf."

Cassie steps back, confused, but she doesn't show it. She doesn't want the man to know her mom just whispered something that might help her. She gives Ryan a tear-filled hug and after all is said and done, she disappears in the helicopter.

As the crowd disperses and the echoes of the helicopter's departure fade into the distance, Cassie remains rooted to the spot, her mind swirling with questions and uncertainty. The warmth of the breeze whipping her hair about offers little comfort as she stands alone, grappling with the cryptic message her mother left behind.

What did she mean about tapes? Cassie wonders aloud, her voice lost in the vastness of the desolate landscape. The word "tapes" hangs in the air like a heavy shroud, laden with ominous implications. She recalls the fleeting glimpse of confusion and fear in her mother's eyes before she was whisked away, leaving Cassie to piece together the fragments of her message.

And where did she go? The question lingers, unanswered, as Cassie stares up into the lonely sky, searching for some semblance of solace or understanding. But the vast expanse offers no answers, only the silent promise of an uncertain future.

This feeling is all too familiar. It reminds her of the early days, right after the refugee crisis and the first wave of the pox hit. She had been sitting in school, hearing of a strange sickness but she didn't think too much of it at the time. But one by one, her classmates vanished. She'd go by their homes and they'd be marked with a big spray-painted X on the doors and windows. It felt...desolate. And that same feeling is bubbling in her stomach now.

Cassie wanted to take off in full sprint to her mother's house, to scour it for the tapes but she couldn't get her legs to move, they were betraying her. And even if she did find these tapes, would she even want to listen to them?

"Hey," A voice calls out. She turns to see Jesse. He tucks his shaggy hair behind his ears and joins next to her. Ever since patrol, they hadn't really talked much.
Cassie offers Jesse a faint smile, appreciating his company amid her turmoil. "Hey," she responds softly, grateful for the distraction from her racing thoughts.
"I wish there was something I could say to make things better." Jesse sighs. Even though their friendship has taken a backseat, he can tell something is on her mind. Something troubling her. "What is it?"