Dangerous Fellows

OUR STORY | 002

Before the Apocalypse
|Gray|

The over loaded key ring and Motorola radio made my belt droop from all the weight. Set to a self-made pin hole, chiseled out last week buy a pen and a rubber mallet, my handy work on the tired leather wasn't going to help me this time. I gave my shorts one last tug into position and off I went.

The morning air brushed over my exposed shoulders and forehead, tingling my skin and causing the fine hairs to prickle to life. It was invigorating, the way the breezy stole the heat from me. Pine trees and earthworms were the perfume Mother Nature chose for the day. A perfect concoction for this country side campus, on a sleepy Monday.

My shift started late today, noon to be exact. A welcomed change of pace, compared to my six in the morning start time. I've always been a morning person, ever since I was little. Mornings were meant for leisure activities, ones to get the body moving. That's my motto. Being subjected to a race for punctuality, always had a way of making my blood pressure rise.

My mind continued to wander, my body moving about its directed path on auto pilot. First task of the day, remove the garbage from the testing center. Most students have arrived on campus this past weekend. Their mandatory twenty-four-hour quarantine is no doubt up by now. I believe the anticipated number was close to nine hundred tests today. That's a lot of trash.

I came to the end of the sidewalk beside a crosswalk light. The amount of traffic this afternoon was typical. Large eighteen wheelers roared as they towed their haul over the white painted lines. The exhaust plumes burned my nose as I stepped to the edge. A single person stood beside me. The hood of their navy blue sweatshirt was pulled over their head, masking their appearance. I assumed they'd pushed the button already, as I continued to wait silently beside them. A group of rowdy college students pattered down the sidewalk behind us. They seemed excited about something as their hollers turned into screams of excitement. Something about a new video game.

There was a break in the traffic. The sign, still illuminated with a hand, signaling for us to stay put. So, why didn't he stay put? When I looked to the person beside me, his body had stepped onto the pavement. A red truck, blazing ahead, trying to make it through the crosswalk before he'd be forced to stop by the students.

Behind me, a collective gasp rang out from the group of students, no longer interested in their conversation. One girl even screamed. An ear piercing sound, forcing me forward as my body moved on it's own. This individual was easily a foot taller than me and seemed to be walking with the steadfast determination of a chicken trying to cross the road. I'd need a miracle to pull them away from the blood red truck. Please, someone, let me have a miracle!

I threw myself at their side, grabbing hold of their right arm. One hand under the arm, slightly over the shoulder, the other, hooked around his elbow. The fabric was thick, warm, and the limb underneath was more solid than I expected. I used that to my advantage as I reeled back, pulling with confidence I wouldn't bruise him in the process.

His head shot downwards, driving him to my level, desperately trying to force his body to follow mine. The strength of the pull caused his hood to fall from his head. A pair of Purelysound noise canceling head phones hid underneath, as well as, a striking head of hair that rivaled the white fluffiness of clouds on a perfect summers day. He was wide-eyed, confusion painted all over his face, as I took three steps diagonally, out of hams way. My stride was exaggerated, much longer steps than I was used to. My ankle screamed at the exertion. I ignored it as I continued to throw what little weight I had around. It must've been enough.

Our bodies crashed onto the dirt. Half on the sidewalk, half not. His body fell onto me. The side of his head came down on mine, as the sting from the plastic headphones cut into my forehead. My face mask, fell away, and my radio was as hard as a brick, pressing deep into my lower back, like an over sized Lego. Ouch!