0 0 1 ━ [ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 ]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟼: 𝚃𝚠𝚘 𝙱𝚒𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎

After they reached the tip of Florida, One and James had decided to follow the coast until they came across the Mississippi River. This became their map as they traversed the dead land. The two had followed the Mississippi all the way up to St. Louis, where they made a pit stop at the Gateway Arch.

One and James were sitting on the grass looking up at the wondrous monument when loud explosions began to ricochet through the air. One's head shot up from where it had been laying on James' lap and her hands instinctively lit up bright blue.

"What the bloody hell is that?" James shouted over the noise.

"I don't know, but it can't be good," One answered, scanning the surrounding landscape. The bangs were followed by the pained screeches and roars of nearby monsters. "They don't like it either."

"Look!" James exclaimed, pointing up at the sky. They watched a faint rocket of light shoot up into the air and explode into an array of colorful sparks. Shortly after the one went off, another followed.

"Fireworks," One said in awe. The word just came to her, along with a memory of watching a similar spectacle from lawn chairs set up in the backyard of the brown house they had left behind ages ago. "It must be the Fourth of July."

"What is the 'Fourth of July'?" James asked.

"It's a holiday," One began to explain. "I don't really know what it's about but people celebrate with fireworks and barbecues and parades."

She was surprised at how much of this was coming back to her. They had been away from Dr. Brenner and his mind-erasing drugs for so long that the long-term effects must have been starting to wear off. She still couldn't remember her family, however.

"Sounds like a good time," James nodded along.

They watched for a while longer, trying to ignore the continuous screeching that was coming from around them.