Mixtape For The End of the World

1. Gabe's mom makes grilled cheese sandwiches.

1. Gabe's mom makes grilled cheese sandwiches. 

Six days after our high school graduation, and one day after my eighteenth birthday, an intergalactic cobra told my best friend Gabe that his purpose in life was to write the song that would play while the world ended. At least, that was what he told Brendon and I.

"What drugs were you on when this happened, and more importantly, where can I get some?" Brendon asked. It struck me as a very Brendon thing to say. He couldn't see life as having any greater purpose than singing for tips at that smoothie shop that he worked at and perhaps chasing after Dallon Weekes.

"I was completely sober," Gabe answered as he leaned back against the park bench. When Gabe called me that morning and asked me to meet him at Central Shermer Park, this was not what I was expecting. I adjusted my black jacket, hoping that this was all an elaborate joke as I watched a group of small children go down a slide.

"I don't believe you," Brendon said, and I couldn't help but agree with him.

"Let's start from the top," I said. "What exactly happened?"

"Pete, I thought that you would at least believe me," Gabe said. He sighed and said, "It was around two o'clock in the morning. This strange hissing noise woke me up, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that there was a snake floating over my bed.

"'Gabe, the end is coming,' the snake said.

"I, of course, couldn't believe what was happening. 'You can talk?' I asked.

"The cobra went on to explain that it was from another galaxy, and it was there to tell me of my true purpose in life. That was when the visions came. It was like my life was flashing before my eyes. I saw everything that's going to happen up until I die in an explosion, with my voice singing in the background as Shermer burns. It was honestly terrifying - I couldn't sleep after that."

"Gabe, this just sounds like a bad dream," I said.

"That's what I thought too, but then the first vision came true," Gabe said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The first thing that I saw was my mom serving me grilled cheese sandwiches," Gabe said. "She made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch today."

"That just sounds like a coincidence," Brendon said.

"I doubt it," Gabe said. "I think that the cobra was right. All of those visions really will come true, and I have to write a song before the world ends!"

Both Brendon and I rolled our eyes. "Let's change the subject," Brendon said. "Pete, are we still going into the city tomorrow?"

"Of course," I said. "My dad's even letting me borrow the car."

Brendon was practically bouncing up and down as he heard this. "I can't wait!" he exclaimed.

Even Gabe smiled as we started discussing the plans for our graduation trip. "We should go to the Art Institute," he said.

"I don't care where we go, as long as I get my popcorn," Brendon said.

"I want pizza," I said.

"Pete, you literally work at a pizzeria," Brendon said. "Why would you want more pizza?"

"There's no such thing as too much pizza," I insisted.

"We can get pizza," Gabe said. "This is going to be fun. I've always wanted to cruise around Chicago in Pete's car."

"It's technically my dad's," I said. "Besides, Chicago is so two years ago."

"Well, for tomorrow, the car is yours, and we should take advantage of that," Gabe said. I grinned as he ruffled my jet black hair and said, "Come on, those little kids over there finally left. We can go on the slides."