vaccination | TLV

They still do a minute of silence in Jackson, or is that more of a Boston thing?

[Ellie lets this text sit there until the last hour of the day.]

There's a part of the cemetery that's a memorial to those people lost during the early days of the outbreak. Whoever wants to can gather there. People barbecue and talk and shit like that.

[Tess counts every one of those hours.]

That's nice. Cozy.

[Boston didn't have room for graveyards. Just somber military affairs, a bit of state-driven be grateful you have us protecting you. Good ol' American bravado.]

Do anything interesting today?

No.

[She spent the whole day thinking about Joel. Thinking about the birthday dinner invitations she ignored and made excuses to not go to, because she was mad at him. He never made a big deal about his birthday but she knows it would have made him happy if she would have just fucking showed up.]

[No big surprise there.]

Want to get a drink?

What do you want to lift from me this time?

[ A pause. ]

It’s a drink, kid, not a heist.

Fine.

[She's still mad but she's also lonely as hell.]

[Attagirl.]

Good. Meet you at the lounge.

[Despite her very obvious lack of enthusiasm, Ellie is there promptly. Was she in the area? Who knows. But she's waiting, without her backpack. Just her in a sweater and jeans, looking... cozy.

She watches Tess with a slight frown. That's it, that's the greeting.]

[Tess is there shortly too, backpack over one shoulder. The first look she gives Ellie is somewhat cool, almost dispassionate, and when she gets closer, she puts on a tight little smile.]

You really need that drink, huh?

Wouldn't be here if I didn't.

[The petty part of her considers stealing something from Tess just to do it, but she won't. Sighing, she turns around to lead them in.]

Hang out with Arthur today?

[Tess follows her in.]

Nah. Today was a good day to be on my own.

Until right now.

[The first and last time she was here was to meet Arthur to get her journal back.]

Bar or somewhere else?

Yeah, well, you’re different. You wanna take drinks up to the deck or something?

Yeah. Sure.

[She doesn't love being different, but the deck? Sure, it's a wonderful escape.]

What are you having?

Rum 'n coke is fine. You been up on that warden-only part of the deck yet?

Yeah.

[Does she hide out there to avoid Tess and think about space and stars and planets? Maybe.]

You wanna go all the way up there?

Yeah. Might as well, I don't get to go up there often.

[Which strikes her as funny, considering she was the one who unlocked it first, but hey.]

Okay. Guess we'll grab and go.

[And hopefully not drink it all on the way.]

Be right back.

[Ellie hates talking to people but she will to get drinks, apparently.]

Sure.

[She’d be happy to order for herself but watching Ellie have to talk to people is funnier.]

[She hates it, but she manages, coming back with two drinks. She hands one to Tess.]

Try to make it last until we get there.

[She takes it with a touch of a grin.]

Please. I know how to pace myself.

[Ellie just gives her a look before leading the way out.]

What'd you do in Boston on this day?

Usually nothing, but last year, Joel and I tried to do the trip to our supplier and back in one day. Ended up having a freak heat wave, couldn’t push that hard. He pitched a fit about camping in the suburbs to wait out the sun. Didn’t speak to each other again until we got to Bill’s and back.

[Great story, Tess.]

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