apocalypse, the answer

5.

survival of the fittest

i said goodbye and i took my last shower
my family asked me where i was going
i lied
i said i would be back soon with the answer

everyone knew that this wasn't true

but they were too afraid to find it

still they gave me money and food
the tightened my backpack straps
and into the bunker they went
with a hug and a kiss
they said they'd be right there waiting for me
if i ever was to need it

i smiled even though i did not feel it

I opened my front door, ready for the world or what was left of it
and there he was

i was confused to see it
but i still got inside his black car
i was surprised and somehow delighted to see
it wasn't on fire yet

"why me?" i asked. he was smoking again. a bottle of vodka strapped to his hip like a weapon.

"you're cool people," he answered. "being with you doesn't suck." he explained it like it actually made sense.

i shrugged while looking over at him leaning inside his window. I guess ill get in.

i guess he was cool too.

in another world; the good one, he's called eyebrows to me. he is always squinting, furrowing them, making this funny face. i never got the time to look at him in this way.

i was too preoccupied with the fact that the world was ending i guess.

"where are we going?" i asked.

"the basement," he said.

"a basement isn't going to help. my family is safer-"

"then why did you get in?" he stopped the car, slamming on the breaks.

"i'm looking for the answer," i said, chest heaving, breathless. i was kind of scared.

before he could process anything i'd said, a brick flew into his driver side window.

instinctively he covered me and not him.

somehow it felt romantic.

"what the fuck?" he shouted. he sped off in a hurry, swearing over and over again.

"hey," for the first time i touched him. i wiped the glass away from his cheek. though he seemed angry, he didn't shout at me. "where is this basement?"

he relaxed, "we're all going to die, you know that right?"

i sighed, i sometimes believed that maybe we wouldn't. i just frowned and looked away. "this place im taking you, it's my tomb. i'm going to die there, but you?" he said. eyebrows again.

"you're going to find the answer," he said almost mockingly. "and save us all." he took another swig of his weapon.

I didn't know what to say.

"you still have hope. keep having it. it's cute," laughed, nudging my elbow on his middle console.

i laughed and gasped, a piece of the glass pushed into my skin when he did this.

there was glass everywhere.

"shit!" he punched his steering wheel.

he was a weird guy.

he gave me a band aid, and wiped the glass away, while glass shards were still bleeding in his face.

maybe he wasn't a killer after all.

"if i ever hurt you like this again," he said muffled from the vape hanging out of his mouth. "i owe you one kid."

"i like flowers," i suggested.

he rolled his eyes and laughed at me, not with. "i am not getting you flowers," he quickly finished patching up my arm. he said it like he was convincing himself of it. very cold and clear.

so i laughed at him, not with. "i never told you to get me flowers. i can get my own. but damn, hurts to know that when i die you won't get me any."

"if you die first i'm going to be pissed," he said. "and fine, I just won't hurt you again."

"that's what everyone says, but you will. and when it happens you will..." i looked at him to finish.

"god damn it ill get you flowers," he punched his steering wheel. again. "just one though!"

i smiled, but i didn't let him see. he fell for it. "just one," i nodded.

"chrysanthemums if you're wondering," i said.

"what the fuck is that?" he laughed. and i laughed with.

i almost forgot the world was ending just for a second.

he wouldn't have enough time to get me a flower anyways, soon they would all be dead.

but at least we had made our very last friend.

this is the beginning of the end.