Men Are All The Same ||Peterick||

Men Are All The Same

Pete had always been useless. Thats how he felt anyway. He had just gotten out of a long relationship with his boyfrierd, Patrick, who had been cheating on him. Pete sat in his new bedroom, the bare mattress beneath him, asking himself what the point of all this was. A new house, a new street, a new world. New is supposed to mean exciting, but this was one of the saddest, most nostalgic days he had ever experienced.

It was unusual to sit in such a quiet room. He caught sight of himself in the mirror that sat proudly on his dressing table. He looked horrible. His black, straightened fringe was overgown, covering his smudgily lined eyes. His skin tight clothes were dusty from trying to unpack the neglected boxes in the sitting room. He thought about the town he was in. There was lots of people talking about some dumb, "magical" taxi that brought people where they needed to be, not wanted.

But as his hazel eyes focused again, he began to think about how good for him that could be. After Patrick left him he struggled to find a purpose. He heard a dull beep from outside and slowly pried back his curtains to peek out. He scoffed quietly. Bloody magic.

Pete found himself dragging his feet down the squeaky stairs. He squinted in the light of the early morning sun outside his front door. He saw the taxi sitting innocently across the street. He felt an invisible tug pulling him over. What had he got to lose? He gripped the cold handle and slowly opened the back door and got in. He wouldn't bother saying his destination, knowing it wouldn't matter and yet, he found Patrick's address spitting itself out.

The world started to spin wildly. Pete closed his eyes, bile rising in his throat. He winced as his feet hit the hard pavement. He felt his knees buckle and gravity pull him down. He let out a groan and lifted his heavy head. He looked around and frowned, the taxi had just.. spit him back out?

But as he rubbed his head and stood there like an idiot he watched his front door open and frowned as he himself emerged.

"Confused?" A familiar voice asked.
Pete quickly scrambled up and dusted himself off.
"Patrick?" He asked in disbelief.
"I knew they'd send someone easy."
Pete spluttered in offence.  "Im not-"
"Easy to work with," Patrick smirked.

Pete scowled and watched himself cross the street.
"Whats going on?"
"You cant get in that taxi."
"But I already have."
"The taxis wrong, you don't understand. By getting in that taxi you're setting off a chain of events that'll end the world."

Pete felt his eyes widen with disbelief. He wondered how Patrick could possibly know such information. He found himself also wondering if Patrick still thought about him, but pushed that memory back.

He bit his lip, glancing between himself and Patrick. He thought about all the ways Patrick had lied to him before. He stared at Patricks face, he had to believe him, the world depend on it.

"Alright." Pete mumbled. "Text me."

Patrick pulled out his phone, texting Pete. The Pete crossing the road pulled out his phone, freezing in the middle of the road.

"You still love me."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement, a statement that Patrick said with an air of pride. Pete cast his eyes to the pavement. "I miss not being alone." Pete balled his fists at his side
"You miss me."
"You're a ba-"
"Now you'll pay the price."
Petes eyes snapped up to meet Patrick's
"Youve always been naive."

"Patrick, what're you talking about?" Pete stuttered out.
"You're an idiot." Patrick stared bluntly. "I don't understand- "
"You never do."
Pete fell silent. He hadn't got a clue what was happening. He heard tires screeching and looked up just in time to see himself get hit, too absorbed in Patrick's text.

Pete gasped, his hands flying over his mouth in shock. He quickly looked around for the taxi, watching as it disappeared over the horizon with a new passenger.

"Patrick! Help! What do we do?!" Pete heard Patrick groan loudly. Pete made a move forward to help himself but Patrick's words rooted him to the spot.

"Dont you get it yet?! You shouldn't have trusted me! I lied! By getting in that taxi you were stopping the chain of events that lead to the end of the world."
"But, why would you-"
"You ask like you'll understand the answer." Patrick scoffed.

Pete has had enough. Enough of Patrick, enough of love. He turned to argue, to say all the things he had bottled up but Patrick was gone.

Pete let out a sharp breath, watching the hot air rising from his mouth. Everything was suddenly so still. The sky was turning red. He casted his hot whiskey eyes towards the knocked out version of himself in the middle of the road. The darkness was decending quickly. The leaves, once green, row fiery red crackled underfoot as Pete made his way forward.

A thick fog obscured his vision and Petes head felt light. He had to get to himself, he had to help himself. He had to figure out what the hell just happened. He could feel his body falling and he remembered what his mother once told him; 'Men Are All The Same.'