Rattlebones (bxbxb)

Epilogue

There was something archaic about being paraded around a stage and forced to receive a piece of paper from a grinning adult in the middle of a crowd. 

It felt so meaningless, to perform such a charade. The diploma wouldn't guarantee us good jobs in the future, or even that we would live past forty before dying of a heart attack in an office somewhere.

But maybe it was these moments that made being human special. 

Maybe the insignificant things were the most important things of all and we just didn't know it.

I graduate at the bottom of my class, unsurprisingly. Between missing days of school and scrawling, "Down with the system," On every assignment that came my way, it was bound to happen. Still, it's as if high school was giving me one last, giant fuck you before they let me loose into the world like an unstoppable plague.

The sun is shining, blisteringly hot and once the events are over and our class song is roaring in the background, we're all allowed to drive off into the sunset. 

Of course, some of us choose to stick around.

"What are you going to do after high school, Darcy?" Iggy asks me as we stand outside the parking lot, he's in his cap, gown, and black converse. This seemed to be the topic of the day among our peers and teachers. What were our plans for the future? Would we work boring jobs for the next few years? Die trying to climb a mountain or something ridiculous?

"I'm not sure," I say easily, and we both wait for Eugene to show up after sending us a mysterious text to wait for him after we all got our vouchers to participate in adult activities. 

"Really?" Iggy reaches for my hand and we intertwine our fingers. "I figured you of all people would know what you wanted before anyone."

I shrug a little and then I look down at my sneakers. "Well, I did..." I admit. But I had been burdened with glorious purpose and was currently anticipating taking over the throne in Hell. It wouldn't be easy, but I was willing to put on the crown and do what I had to do.

"Maybe I'll work an office job. Something simple," I tell Iggy, and then I look over at him.

I smile my best smile.

Iggy squints a little at me. I realize that he can see right through me, he always had been able to. "No, seriously, what's your plan?" He questions. "You're up to something, aren't you?"

I open my mouth to reply and then we both hear a loud honk erupt from one side of the parking lot. And something glorious happens.

Eugene Wilder pulls up in a shiny, black hearse and he beeps the horn again.

It was the most beautiful car that I had ever seen. Straight out of 1958, a wicked grill that seemed to be glaring, silver and white trim accents. And a large, lengthy space for a dead corpse and a coffin to lay in the back seat.

"Hey, assholes!" Eugene calls to us, his arm hanging out of the window when he rolls it down. "You getting in or not!?"

Iggy and I run to jump inside with him, our caps flying off when we slide inside. The leather seats are surprisingly plush, though there's a strong odor of tobacco and flowers filling the interior. 

"How the hell did you find a hearse, Wilder?" Iggy demands from where he sits beside me. "This shit is wicked!"

"I kind of pulled some strings," Eugene replies, and then he grins at us in the mirror. "The funeral home that almost buried me let me buy it off of them after my dad threatened to sue. I think they wanted to patch things up between us." 

"I can't believe it! This is like a dream come true..." I breathe. "Where are we going now?" I ask, and I peer out the window, smiling the widest that I had smiled in my entire life. 

"Well, we gotta go look for an apartment near the college Iggy and I are going to." Eugene puts the hearse into drive. "You want to come with us, Brown? You're gonna be living with us, too."

I was? 

I choke up a little and then I nod my head. And for once in my life? I don't think of death. 

Eugene starts out of the parking lot, he hits the gas, and then someone cuts in front of the car. It happens so fast that none of us can react, but there's a series of thumps beneath us and a scream.

"Oh my God!" Iggy yells and he holds onto the front seat. "You just fucking ran over someone!"

"No, I didn't!" Eugene protests. "What the hell was that thing, a dog!?"

"Stop the car!" I shout at him, and he quickly stops the car so that we can all get out and look. There's a moment where I don't know what the hell is going on, I see someone sprawled out in the middle of the parking lot, sequins glittering, shiny pink boots poking up from where they lay.

We all approach him and stand around his dead body. It's Rainbow Lewis, perfectly pastel hair spread out around his head like a halo. Squashed like a bug by Eugene's new hearse. 

"Is he dead?" Iggy questions timidly, his voice breaking the silence. 

"I believe you smashed his internal organs," I reply, "The odds of living after a car runs over you are surprisingly low. Oh, and his stomach looks like a pancake." I point out.

"Oh yeah?" Eugene throws in, "So why are his arms twitching like that?" 

Rainbow takes a sharp breath all of the sudden, we all scream and jump back.

Then he bolts upright.