Generation Nothing
Chapter nineteen
We had taken the two cars, needing the extra space with three more people than usual. Frank, Gracie, the Doc, and myself were in my Trans Am, leading the way. Behind us, the green camero was chasing us, Mikey, Lady, Jet Star and Show Pony within it. It took us little time to reach the tree, and I couldn't help but smile as Gracie and the Doc spotted the tree.
'Party Poison,' the Doc breathed, his eyes glued to the twisting shape as it gently moved with the breeze.
'A tree! It's a tree, Party.' Grace bounced up and down in her spot.
'Damn right it's a tree. Probably the last one out here, and you're the lucky ones who get to enjoy it.' I told her, as I brought the car to a halt. Grace quickly flipped open the door and shot out of the car, headed straight for the tree. Frank got out and followed her, as I waited for the others to pull up beside me. As they did so, I pushed open my door and stepped out, the smiles on their faces making my chest ache slightly. Lady popped the boot for me, and I walked around to pull out the Doc's wheelchair. The others began to filter out of the car as I pushed the heavy machine over to the Doc's side of the car, helping him into it. Once he was settled in, he turned his gaze to me. The others had all gone to join Gracie. Frank, Show Pony and Grace were all in the tree, laughing.
'How'd you find this?' He asked me, as we started towards the tree.
'Remember when I told you I didn't want to fight any more and ran off?' He nodded, 'Then.' I suddenly remembered the picnic basket that Frank had left in the car. I turned on my heels and ran back to the car, opening the passengers door and sticking my head in. As my hand went for the handle of the basket on the floor, as my eyes lingered on Frank's jacket, which lay strewn on the seat. Out of one of the pockets sat a yellowed tip of a piece of paper. Curiously, I pulled the paper out, and began to read the first few lines. As I realized what was sitting in my hands, I almost crumpled the paper in my hand. I refrained, folding it back up and slipping it into my pocket. I grabbed the basket and backed out of the car, slamming the door and walking back up to the tree. I dropped the basket on the floor, kneeling down beside it as I flipped the lid open and began to pull out the sheet. Lady sat down beside me, her eyes peering quizzically at me.
'Party Poison? Are you alright?' She asked softly, touching my shoulder. I sniffed, nodding my head quickly.
'Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about life before all of...this.' I said, waving my hand about my head. She nodded, standing up and moving back to Mikey's side. I continued to set up the picnic, trying my hardest to block out the laughter of everyone else. When I had laid out the food I had made this morning, I sat down on the checkered blanket, pulling my legs up underneath me as I stared off into the horizon. The others eventually grew bored or hungry, and climbed down from the tree, joining me at the blanket. Frank sat down beside me, gently placing his hand over mine. I looked over at him, frowning slightly. It took everything in me not to snap at him. This was meant to be a fun day, we were meant to be ignoring the reality around us and just having fun. I could put my own needs behind those of the others for a few hours. I hoped.
'Hey, you alright?' Frank whispered, his face near mine. I nodded.
'Yeah, just feeling a little sick, y'know?' Frank nodded, and I pulled my hand away from him as I reached out to grab a sandwich. This was going to be a long day.
'Party Poison,' the Doc breathed, his eyes glued to the twisting shape as it gently moved with the breeze.
'A tree! It's a tree, Party.' Grace bounced up and down in her spot.
'Damn right it's a tree. Probably the last one out here, and you're the lucky ones who get to enjoy it.' I told her, as I brought the car to a halt. Grace quickly flipped open the door and shot out of the car, headed straight for the tree. Frank got out and followed her, as I waited for the others to pull up beside me. As they did so, I pushed open my door and stepped out, the smiles on their faces making my chest ache slightly. Lady popped the boot for me, and I walked around to pull out the Doc's wheelchair. The others began to filter out of the car as I pushed the heavy machine over to the Doc's side of the car, helping him into it. Once he was settled in, he turned his gaze to me. The others had all gone to join Gracie. Frank, Show Pony and Grace were all in the tree, laughing.
'How'd you find this?' He asked me, as we started towards the tree.
'Remember when I told you I didn't want to fight any more and ran off?' He nodded, 'Then.' I suddenly remembered the picnic basket that Frank had left in the car. I turned on my heels and ran back to the car, opening the passengers door and sticking my head in. As my hand went for the handle of the basket on the floor, as my eyes lingered on Frank's jacket, which lay strewn on the seat. Out of one of the pockets sat a yellowed tip of a piece of paper. Curiously, I pulled the paper out, and began to read the first few lines. As I realized what was sitting in my hands, I almost crumpled the paper in my hand. I refrained, folding it back up and slipping it into my pocket. I grabbed the basket and backed out of the car, slamming the door and walking back up to the tree. I dropped the basket on the floor, kneeling down beside it as I flipped the lid open and began to pull out the sheet. Lady sat down beside me, her eyes peering quizzically at me.
'Party Poison? Are you alright?' She asked softly, touching my shoulder. I sniffed, nodding my head quickly.
'Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about life before all of...this.' I said, waving my hand about my head. She nodded, standing up and moving back to Mikey's side. I continued to set up the picnic, trying my hardest to block out the laughter of everyone else. When I had laid out the food I had made this morning, I sat down on the checkered blanket, pulling my legs up underneath me as I stared off into the horizon. The others eventually grew bored or hungry, and climbed down from the tree, joining me at the blanket. Frank sat down beside me, gently placing his hand over mine. I looked over at him, frowning slightly. It took everything in me not to snap at him. This was meant to be a fun day, we were meant to be ignoring the reality around us and just having fun. I could put my own needs behind those of the others for a few hours. I hoped.
'Hey, you alright?' Frank whispered, his face near mine. I nodded.
'Yeah, just feeling a little sick, y'know?' Frank nodded, and I pulled my hand away from him as I reached out to grab a sandwich. This was going to be a long day.