The Beginning of the End (Peterick)

Chapter 6

-Patrick-

"Dance like you're disappointed in the woooorld." I sang as I walked back home through the ash, snow landing softly on my face.

I remember when the snow use to glimmer white on the ground, but now its just a light gray from mixing with the ash in the atmosphere. Everything is gray now. I see other colors everywhere. In buildings, in cars, in pictures, but gray is everywhere. On the ground, in the sky, in the cars, in the building, and in the pictures. It takes to color away from everything else and turns the world gray. Like some really bad 1950's sitcom.

I brushed ash off the sidewalk leading to my front door with my weathered boots. I really should get new ones. I could probably just pick them up in a store because I'm about 84.56% sure that there aren't a high demand for boots at the moment.

Still singing and pondering the transportation issue, I unlocked the front door to to be greeted by the barley noticeable warmth of a dying fire and an empty home. Pete and Bronx must have went to find food. I turned around to close the door and saw what use to be my neighbor's car in the street.

"WHY IN THE ACTUAL FUCK DID I NOT THINK OF THAT." I scolded myself.

I threw the bag of food onto the bed and ran to the garage, only to see my car tire deep in ash. This was going to be a lot if work. Grabbing a broom leaning against the wall, I started to carelessly sweep the ash away from the car and towards the walls of the garage, causing ash to fly into the air. I couched, and sneezed, and it got harder the breathe.

I left the garage and went to the living room to catch my breath and felt the cold bite at my bones, so I threw wood into the pile of warm ash.

"Hey Patrick." I heard Pete and Bronx walk in and greet me as I was bent over the fireplace, trying to make myself warm again.

"Hey." I said, then I heard him mumble something under his breath.

"What?" I asked. I didn't hear what he said.

"What?" He asked.

"You did it again!"

"Did what again?"

"You mumble under your breath and then act like you never said anything."

"Honestly Patrick, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Whatever. Wait here. I have fun something for us to do!" I got up and ran to the broom closet and pulled another broom and ran back to Pete.

"What's this?" Pete asked.

"Our ride South." I said sarcastically, getting an annoyed look from Pete. "Its a fucking broom. We have some cleaning to do!" I said with false excitement.

"That isn't as fun as you're making it sound." Bronx said from my bed.

"Bronx is right. This is going to be boring."

"Hush." I said grabbing his wrist. "Come with me. Bronx should stay here." I dragged him to the garage.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a fucking car?!" Pete asked excitedly.

"I forgot I had one."

"How do you forget about having a car?!"

"When is the last time I needed to drive it?" I asked, with no response. "Exactly. So help me get it unburried, or we aren't going anywhere." I said sweeping more ash to the side.

"Yes sir!" Pete said said sarcastically as I opened the garage door to let in light.

We swept. And swept. And swept. No matter how much we swept, it seemed there was always more. Neither of us said anything. Maybe because there was nothing to say, or perhaps neither of us knew what to say. What can you say to a stranger that you decided to travel across the country with? I didn't know anything about Pete and am only keeping him around for company and mutual benefit.

After an hour of sweeping, we finally got the car exposed enough to hopefully drive it out onto the streets.

"A Honda Civic Patrick? Really?"

"Hey, this was brand new before The Accident and it ran great so suck my ass." I defended.

"You have a lot of sass for such a little man."

"Yes yes, I know." I said walking away to grab the keys from my kitchen.

"What color is this? Or was?" Pete asked pointing to the car as I walked back in.

"It was black." I said wiping ash off with my hand revealing the former color. I climbed into the drivers side with Pete in the passenger seat and started the engine. The soft rumble of the motor filled my ears and relief escaped in a sigh. The gas tank was full and it sounded like it would run just fine.

Until the engine slowed and stopped. I took the keys out.

"FUCK ME SIDEWAYS!" I yelled then I heard Pete mumble again.

"What?!"

"Nothing! I think you need antifreeze for the engine. Its been so cold and its just been sitting here for the longest time."

"You're right. Can you to get it? Its in the trunk." I said.

"Sure." He said before he got out and went to the back of the car, and to the front. I opened the hood for him and he poured it in and closed the hood, and climbed back into the car.

"Try again." Pete commanded.

I turned the keys again and the engine started again, but this time it didn't die.

"Yes! Fucking yes!" I said excitedly.

"So... About fucking you sideways..." Pete said, being all slick and shit.

"Not today Wentz." I almost agreed to it.

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I rewrote this chapter like 3 times and that's why it took so long. Oops.