Thick gray clouds, heavy with impending snowfall loomed above the tour bus as it inched its way down the busy highway. The roads were empty; all people with any lick of sense already snuggled up safe and sound in their warm houses. Inside the bus was as quiet and unsettled as the weather outside, the mood thick with impatience and worry.
Ashton had moved to the back of the bus an hour ago, hoping to catch up on some journaling that he had been putting off for awhile. Unfortunately, his brain and hand were not cooperating and he couldn't think of anything to write. Worry about his friend and the weather had given him a good old case of writers block.
Frustration had settled in several minutes later and he pushed himself off the leather seat, shoving his way past suitcases and clothes that had found their way to the floors and seats in the back. Moving past the bunks, he walked to the fridge at the front of the bus, hoping a snack might kickstart his creativity. The fridge door slammed loudly into the nearby cabinet as he opened it with a jerk, letting out a string of expletives as it boomeranged back into his shin.
"Fuck! Can't anything on this goddamn bus work properly," Ash grumbled under his breath. He sharply turned his head towards the couch as he heard a sad sounding whine come from underneath the blanket pile that had collected on the plush leather.
"Shit, Luke! Sorry buddy, I didn't mean to be that loud," Ash moved over to his friend. "How are you feeling?"
Luke blinked blearily in response. His face matched the gray and weary scenery outside. Luke's eyes were glossy and heavy-lidded, framed by blackened smudges. He let out another whine before burrowing back into the blankets, his whole body trembling.
"Ughhhh Ash, I don't feel so hot. Are we almost there yet?" Luke responded slowly, words drawn out as if they took all his energy to form.
"Um, we've barely made it two hours into the trip Luke so we've got a ways to go. Let me get you some water and take your temperature before I get you some more drugs. You don't look any better than before if I'm being honest," Ash walked off towards his bags in the back, rummaging through to pull out some pills and the thermometer from earlier. He made his way back to the front, where Luke was extracting himself from the still-asleep Michael.
"Here bud, stick this in your mouth," Ash shoved the thermometer back over to his friend. Luke reached out with a trembling hand and turned the device on, sticking it under his tongue. His glossy eyes tracked the clouds outside, brows furrowing as he saw sleet start to plink against the bus window. Ashton joined him a second later and followed Luke's gaze to the weather outside.
"Damn, it's starting already. There's no way we're not getting caught in this," Ashton's speech was abruptly cut off by a harsh beeping. "What's it say?"
"Mmmhmmm, 101.8," Luke sighed, resting his aching head back against the window.
"Better than before but still a fever man," Ashton handed Luke the pills and water and watched him take both before leaning back against the window. Both boys sat in silence for several minutes, the tap-tap-tapping of the sleet the only sound besides the bus engines.
Eventually a loud groan cut through their peace, causing Luke to jump and Ashton to get up from his chair and walk over to the couch.
"Hey Mike, welcome to the land of the living!" Ash's cheerful tone greeted a very bleary looking Mike as he pulled himself out of a nap.
"Ugh shut up Ash, I don't feel so good," Mike wiped a trail of drool that had made its way down his chin during his nap. "My head hurts."
Ashton looked at his friend in concern and moved his hand to Mike's forehead. "Yeah, you're feeling warm. Fucking hell, we're trapped in a storm in a germ-infested bus...damn, damn,damn," Ash cursed and moved to sit between Mike and Luke.
