Death Valley - (A Fall Out Boy Apocalypse Fanfic)

Chapter Four - A Friendly Face.

(Quick note: for all the non-youngbloods out there, Andy isn't really this cold/distant in real life. He's really sweet and kind and friendly. This is all purely fiction. Enjoy!)

Chapter Four

I woke up early the next morning, which was a new record for me. I'd had a fitful sleep, full of nightmares and shadow animals and (bugs) the wind howling.

Yawning, I stretched my arms far above my head, forgetting - like the idiot I was - that my back was "injured". A bolt of pain went up my back in lightning bolts, sending pain flaring to both of my shoulder blades and up my neck. I hissed in pain, my body tensing up from the sudden agony. For a few minutes, I was a human statue - still, barely breathing, waiting for the last bit of pain to fade away.

The pain was gone as soon as it'd come. I made a mental note to ask Davie about the wildlife around the town - any sort of wildlife that could've hurt my back.

Or maybe it was the wind, Wentz.

"Stop it," I whispered. "Stop thinking crazy thoughts."

I knelt down beside my bed, getting my backpack out from under it. I'd stashed it under my bed the night before; I didn't believe in unpacking. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I went through every single item I had and made a list:

car keys

useless junk

1 pack of gum

house keys

spare change (about $3.95)

used tissue (this I immediately tossed into the wastepaper bin beside the door)

1 rusty screwdriver

1 leather jacket

newspaper (this joined the used tissue in the bin; I'd gotten stuck in the middle of nowhere thanks to the piece of shit - if only I'd listened to Roger)

I went through all the pockets from my too-tight skinny jeans and added what I found into the pile of belongings:

phone (56% and dying and still without any service: I doubt Davie had a charger somewhere in his shack...or a cell phone tower, for that matter)

wallet

I opened this and counted the money I had left. A total of around $57. I had to be very careful of my expenditure whilst staying here; I never knew when I might desperately need the cash. A few credit cards (all useless here in the desert) and some scraps of paper. Into the bin they went. I re-packed my bag and stashed it underneath the bed.

I went out of my room, gently rolling my shoulders so as not to provoke my wound.

Davie was downstairs, smoking on his pipe and brewing some coffee. The room smelled of tobacco and something edible (I hope!). My tummy rumbled, but I had more pressing matters at hand.

He looked up when I entered and smiled. "The toilet's out back, I'm afraid. I found some clothes that outta fit ye." He nodded towards the sofa, where a small pile of clothes lay neatly folded. I was touched. "They were me nephew's. He was a little bigger than ye, but that's all I have."

He sounded apologetic, and I suddenly felt like the world's biggest asshole. Here this kind man was helping a badly-hurt man he barely knew, sharing his house and his food and water, and I hadn't stopped once to really thank him. And he was apologizing for finding clothes that were a little too big for me!

"No, Davie, that's okay! I should be thanking you - I've been such a burden. I promise I won't be around long."

Davie smiled his kindly smile. "Ye ain't got anythin' to apologize fer. It gets awful lonely aroun' here, and I'm glad to finally have someone to talk to." He got out of his armchair and trudged over to the stove, where the delicious smell was coming from. He flicked the stove's switch, turning it off, and slid a few sausages onto a plate, setting it on the table next to his worn-out kettle filled with coffee. "Ye best freshen up an' get dressed, we have a lot to do today. The storm was unforgivin' last night."