58 - Phone

[ceasetoexist]

I lived through it. All of it.

I guess when I first got here I would have said that to brag, but now I guess I want to say....I dunno. That if that's their worst? It can still be beaten.

God. I don't know. I suck at being all "blah blah hope blah blah it'll be fine" since it's usually bullcrap. But I guess I'm just saying. What happened sucked, but it's not like...the most hopeless thing ever.

They're scared. That's what I think. It's why they went this far. I dunno if we're on to something but we must have done something right to make them do something that drastic.

Because you know what I think? They're demanding we be thankful? They need us to. I don't know why yet, but it's necessary for whatever system they've got going on. Think about it. The demand for conformity, the droning to what's desired if we don't. They need us to be here and act a specific way, because if we don't....well, I dunno. I think that it's that if we exist here for long enough, not doing what they want? We compromise their system. They need us to behave a certain way or something doesn't stick, or the stability of this place'll start going off, or something.

That's what I think.

Hey. Idiots. And I'm pretty sure you know which ones I'm talking to? Not that I care or anything, but call me if you can, y'know, manage to use the phone.

Comments

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[There's a pause on his end. Is he composing himself at the sound of hearing you alive and well again?

The world may never know.]

Hey ugly.

I'm coming over.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

See you there.

[It's as if he was hoping you'd say that. He'll be there whenever Pokey arrives, sitting on the steps outside.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[It'll be only a little bit later. Hell. Pokey actually bothered to run the first half, but he didn't want Slugger to see him in a hurry when he actually got there. He stops a little bit aways from the house first, thinking.

What is he supposed to say? He didn't see you die, but he did see your body and....God. Does he ask if you're okay? Does he just say hi? What does he even do?

After a moment, he finally approaches. And still quiet for a few seconds, finally says.]

I'm sorry.

That I lied to you on Sunday.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger nods in greeting and is silent as well for the first few seconds before Pokey speaks. He's not sure if he should ask some of the questions he has for you and he's equally unsure if he wants to know the answers to those questions.

In response to the apology, Slugger nods his head. After everything that happened, he's not mad about that anymore. He's just glad you came back.]

Sorry I hit you.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah it was totally uncalled for.

[He just smiles a bit. God, Slugger. He's just so happy to see you again. It may have only been a day, but with everyone else dying around him, it just felt nice to see you again.

He didn't know it was possible to miss people as much as he missed you and his brother yesterday.]

....You feeling alright?

[How are you right now? Do you still feel sick? Are you in pain? How well off are you emotionally?]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[He'll crack a smirk at that. Somehow that sarcastic, jerky attitude is reassuring, even comforting. In a silent invitation to sit with him, Slugger moves over on the steps to give Pokey more room if he chooses to sit.]

Better now. You?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey takes the seat, not yet looking over at Slugger but down at his feet. It isn't shame, so much as just...he doesn't know. He's afraid that if he looks at Slugger, he'll disappear somehow. Like he's dreaming, that it's a hallucination brought on by the radiation sickness.

It doesn't matter. If it is a dream, he's fine with it. He shrugs.]

Good as I can be.

I like your grandparents.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Me, too. [A lot, in fact.] You met them in the bunker?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey nods.]

Yeah, both of em.

You have a pretty good family, I think.

For the most part.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

For the most part. [He repeats, smirking. It's a good family save for those who are a constant source of trouble. And speaking of family...]

I met your brother.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

....I meant to tell you earlier.

Did the little nerd give you any trouble?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

No. Why? Is he like you?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Just snickering at that.]

Wow. Uh.

So I'm guessing you didn't talk to him, huh?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

I did. But he was scared.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah. He usually isn't, but when he is...

No. He isn't like me.

[He's actually a decent person, but Pokey doesn't say that part out loud.]

...I need to make sure he doesn't get hurt again.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

What happened?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[At that?

Pokey's face drops a little. There really wasn't anything he could've done. He gets that. But that doesn't....make it any easier to talk about.]

...He died. In the bunker.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Oh...

[Time for those uncomfortable questions he was saving. Slugger keeps his eyes steadily fixated on the ground. At some point after he'd gotten that bad headache, everything became a blur and he doesn't know what happened.]

Did I?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

....Yeah.

[His voice cracks for a moment, audibly cracks, but he swallows it back down. And despite swallowing? His throat is...unbelievably dry right now.]

I think.....

I think I and your grandparents were the only ones who survived.

[And he's sorry. He's so sorry. That's why he had to make sure he was alive. So you didn't have to worry about him like you did back in the bunker, so you'd know in the end that he at least had been all right, even if he thought he was the last person to deserve it.]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[The anomaly in Pokey's voice catches Slugger's attention and he can't help what he hopes is an inconspicuous glance at the boy beside him. But as Pokey goes on, his look of concern quickly morphs into one of hopeful surprise. Slugger turns toward him more fully.]

You lived??

[Finally, some good news.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey nods his head, slowly, trying to calm his breathing and catch himself. He can't let himself cry, even if he wants to. You died. Ai died. Edward and all the others there died. Picky died, even after he said he wasn't going to let that happen.]

I...

Yeah. I made it. I had to.