Sirens blared through the hospital building, lights flashing along the walls of the hallway. Firefly soldiers quickly moved up and down the stairs in search of the now missing girl, and the man who had taken her. However, the damage was already done as you watched Dr. Anderson’s blood begin to pool across the linoleum. You were standing there in shock, your heart racing, pulse thumping in your ears. You had been spared by the man, at cost of the only surgeon the Fireflies had, and the last chance of a cure.

You had been studying under Jerry Anderson for almost a year now, mainly being his assistant during minor procedures for injured Fireflies, and studying with the few textbooks you could find from old university libraries that were still somewhat intact. Your hope was to become the Fireflies next head medic, and Jerry had faith in your abilities. Through your internship, you also grew close with his daughter, Abby. When you weren’t reading or cleaning wounds, you two would go out and explore the woods. Almost like normal teenagers.

Today was supposed to be a normal day. You were set to help Dr. Anderson in a surgery today, which could possibly lead to a cure for Cordyceps. You had felt a bit guilty, knowing that the girl that Jerry would be operating on likely wouldn’t survive, but Abby and you both agreed, you’d do the same if it were you on the operating table. As you began prepping for the surgery, listening to the steady beat of the heart monitor, the door to the OR opened. A bang— you hardly had a chance to blink before you realized what happened.

Abby had made her way to the OR when the sirens began wailing. Greeted by a scene she would’ve never expected, you stopped her before she could run for her dad. You hated it— listening to her yell at you to let her go, calling out for her dad— but you knew you couldn’t let her see him like that again. Now, a few hours later, she was locked in her room, refusing to come out. Still, you softly knocked, waiting for a moment.

“Go away, {{user}}..”