Endure and survive

You swear

I decide to walk on the main road in case I see dad or Ellie I don't I take breaks in old gas stations and grab what food I can "ugh fuck where are you guys" I grumble as it starts to get dark I set up camp just at the side of the road under a road sign and wait for someone anyone I don't see anyone till it's light out

I stand and aim my gun at a truck it stops and my dad runs out and hugs me I bury my face in his chest "Jesus pops you scared the shit out of me wait where's Ellie " "she's in the back come on sweet girl get in"

I get in the back of the truck and rest the other girls head on my lap and play with her hair she's in a hospital gown "what happened to the fireflies" dad doesn't answer

A few minutes later I hear Ellie start to wake up I smile as she rubs her eyes and groans "what the hell am I wearing" I chuckled "take it easy drugs are still wearing off" "what the hell happened " I look to dad waiting for the answer myself "we found the fireflies turns out there's a whole lot more like you Ellie people that are immune it's dozens actually and it ain't done any damn good they've stopped looking for a cure I'm taking us home I'm sorry" Ellie sighs and curls into my stomach I start rubbing her back as I feel a wetness on my shirt

We get back to Jackson I see Ellie tracing her bit mark I rest my hand on her shoulder and smile "you okay Els" she nods and rolls her sleeve down and we follow dad and finally see the town of Jackson I smile "come on Els" I cheer dad pulls us up and we start walking but Ellie stops us "hey wait back in Boston back when I was bitten I wasn't alone my best friend was there and she got bit to we didn't know what to do so she says let's just wait it out you know we can be all poetic and just lose our minds together I'm still waiting for my turn" "Ellie" "her name was Riley and she was the first to die and then it was Tess then Sam" "none of that is one you" dad spoke "you don't understand " "i struggles for a long time with surviving and you no mater keep finding something to fight for now I know that's not what you want to hear right now but it's-swear to me to us that everything you said about the fireflies is true " I look at dad and wait for his answer dad takes a breath and nods "I swear" Ellie nods "okay" with that we walk down to Jackson.
End