Those Who Saw The Fall

Chapter 4: The Band is Back Together

Milo Dorwood
Belmont, New York
20 days after the fall

"At least the drive is pretty!" I shout over the music in the car. None of the other three boys reply to me. I look over at Toby in the passenger seat, "Do you want me to switch the music? Here you can pick what we listen to."

"Milo we want you to address what Chris did." Ezra chimes in from the back. Toby gives me a worried look and quickly grabs the case of CD's.

"What about me? I did what I had to do. So what I stole a gallon of gas big deal. The camp was abandoned anyway." Chris argues.

"We don't know that. Hey, Toby, man come on! I know for a fact you think what he did was wrong. Help me out! Milo isn't listening." Ezra pleas. Toby doesn't say a word instead he fiddles with a CD disk.

"I am listening Ezra, and I don't think what Chris did was right but it did get us out of the hoard of the things. I don't like it either. I just think we should stop fighting." I explain

"The only one picking a fight is Ezra!" Chris yells.

Ezra open his mouth to argue but I chime in before he can, "That's not true, he's just saying what you did was wrong and it was, I agree. But you're saying stealing was necessary, which I also agree with. Both of you are right and wrong so let's stop fighting." What was suppose to be pacifying words sparks a even bigger uproar between Ezra and Chris. They yell over each other the both getting louder and louder. The car is filled to the brim with there endless screaming until they are brought to a halt by a third voice.

"SHUT UP!!! STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT STOP IT, STOP IT!!!" Toby, covering his ears, shrieks in the now silent car. I slam the brakes alarmed. I've never even heard him yell before, and I knew him in grade school.

Ezra reaches out to the shaken man. "Toby I-"

"JUST SHUT UP!" Toby yells. The shaken man swiftly exits the car and walks over to a tree in the side of the road. Chris, Ezra, and I slowly exit and follow. He leans on the tree calming his breath. "Sorry dude, I just couldn't take it."

"It's all good Toby. We understand. I'm sorry man. God, how did this never happen on the road before. I mean we've been traveling on the road as a band since we were 18. That's five years without a legit fight...well until now." Ezra says.

"Well that was when we were a stoner band, before we were, you know, in the apocalypse." Toby replies. Our band, The Spiked Sparrows, has traveled about the US for a while now playing at bars and small festivals...well I mean we did before all this. I being the lead singer and guitarist, Toby on bass, Ezra on keyboard, and Chris on the drums. I met Ezra and Chris junior year of high school, while I grew up with Toby. Toby is probably the most musically talented person I know. The total band geek in school, but what he lacks in socially he makes up for musically....Which gives me an idea!

"Hey Toby, are you good enough to get back in the car." I say gently.

"Yeah I'm good." He replies. The three make there way back to the van while I make a pit stop to the trunk. I open it, and grab the little case, and head back to the drivers seat.

"Here, got you a present." I announce to Toby.

He gives me a weak laugh, taking the case from me. "The ukulele, thanks Milo." He opens the case and starts looking dejected. "You know this isn't medication. I can't hold up on playing music forever. We need to find a pharmacy because I need antidepressants, anxiety pills, something. Did you not just see my breakdown? I couldn't even handle a bit of screaming, dude I'm sick. Not that I don't appreciate this." He softly tells me.