Geric - The Golden Edna

End of the Line

Eric sighed. This time, he tried something different, instead opting to not use oxygen. It was a mistake. All throughout this, he thought about how it felt to be young and in love. The joy that Gerald gave him. Replaced with misery. Sorrow. An addiction to browsing the Argos catalogue even though he knew he wouldn't buy anything but he wanted to see the deals anyway and it was a complete waste of time but he couldn't stop but his family wanted a turn but he was only a few hundred pages in and he hadn't made it to the technology section yet and everyone was screaming and Sheila was unconscious and Eric was crying and Argos hadn't even existed yet. Many emotions.

The friendly stench of the sewer water struck his nostrils and Eric took a deep whiff. Smelled like home. As he basked in the forbidden glory of the rat home, he noticed something in the corner of his eye.

A white sign. An arrow, pointing forwards.

"That's it!" Eric yelled, his voice echoing in the stony caverns.

Horseman raced to the naughty boat wheel and stamped on the accelerator; the wooden ship revving to life. They launched forwards, drifting around corners and dodging all the mice with snorkels. Their sail scraped the ceiling behind them. For the first time in months, Eric felt giddy. This could be it.

But it also might not be. He couldn't let himself get his hopes up. Not after the last time, where he thought he saw Gerald at the petrol station bathrooms, but it was just an ordinary himbo. Heartbreaking.

Horseman chirruped in anticipation. They both noticed how the scenery had changed. The mossy stones had turned dank and wooden. The water stream had thinned, becoming shallower and bumpier as they approached land. An orange glow slinked around corners; its gentle dim growing stronger, the light at the end of their tunnel.

Both of them jerked forwards as the ship stopped.

"No more water." Eric whispered. "End of the line." He glanced at Horseman, a manic glint in his eyes.