The Leavers

3 (2)

"I feel like this is an obvious question but, you're close with Peter?" Jon asks, crammed in the back of Lee's car.

Lee sits in the driver's seat, cigarette in one hand, other on the wheel. The other seat beside him sinks under a mound of ambiguous boxes and items of clothing. Fake vines are stuck lazily and loosely around the ceiling and window ledges, some hanging down over Jon's head as he sits, claustrophobic, sandwiched between magazines and more clothes in the back.

"Well not crazy close. The band, we work with him 'n all, but that's about it. Been to his place a few times so it's your lucky day." Lee responds as he turns down the music playing on the car radio.

The traffic is at a standstill. They've been in this car for..a while. Jon feels a slight headache come on and his mind begins to clear. Memories of last night start to piece together the puzzle.

They stay sat there, sewn into the thick threads of traffic for another 10 minutes, awkwardly enjoying the music on the radio.

The journey to Peter's is a long one, however the sights of New York City make up for it. Towering buildings casting strict shadows upon the floods of civilians and cars going about their lives below. The sun is out, blasting blinding rays of light onto the windows, illuminating the city in a warm glow. They pass small areas of grassland and garden on the journey, a tickle of green to wash out the grey.

noon

They make it to Peter's...eventually. Another building like the last. A skyscraper, shyly tall, head to toe with apartments. Lee swivels the car into the parking lot, squeezing tightly into the only empty space.
"Alright, Jon, if you're still awake, we're here. I'll take you up to Peter's." Lee says as he crams out of the car, cautiously swerving out of the small gap.
Jon yawns, throat tight with fatigue as he makes his way out of the car.

"He's on the 9th floor, we're better off taking the elevator. Hope your friend..what's his name-"
"Jimmy"
"Hope Jimmy's there. I'm no help if he ain't."
The bottom floor of the apartment block is cast in a cool blue light, the fluorescent bulbs flickering faintly. It's completely barren down there, not a sign of life, so the two make their way to the left elevator, Lee calling it down.