Runners Chronicles
Three
Ryan’s eyes barely flutter open before Brendon jumps on him.
“You’re awake!” he cries, and wraps his arms around Ryan. “You had me scared, don’t do that again!”
Ryan blinks, confused. He doesn’t actually remember what happened. He thinks some people approached him and Brendon. He might have got hit on the head too. That had to be it, seeing as his mind is fuzzy. Not to mention there is a dull throb shaking inside of his skull. Nonetheless, Ryan hugs Brendon back. Brendon pulls away with a shy smile, letting Ryan sit up finally. He turns and points to two men behind him.
Ryan nearly jumps out of his skin and has a heart attack. He reaches for Brendon’s arm, mind trying to race out of its sleepy-state. He pulls Brendon close, his breath heavy in his ears, while the rest of the night around them is dark.
“It’s okay,” Brendon whispers into Ryan’s ear. “They saved us.”
Ryan closes his eyes, the pounding in his head getting heavier. He tightens his grip on Brendon, and hisses, “What?”
Brendon gives Ryan this crooked smile. “They saved us from those…” He turns to the two men, asking, “What were they called?”
One of the men, who has bandanas of all shapes, sizes, and colors laced up and down his pants, gives Brendon a small smile. He tucks his long, brown hair behind his ears and says, “Killjoys.”
“Right!” Brendon beams. He turns to Ryan again. “See these two, Santi and Snake, they happened to stumble upon us a little after you passed out. I was holding up my own, but I don’t think I could have beat them all and protected you if they didn’t show up.”
Ryan puts his hands in his face, and rubs his temples. “Santi and Snake?”
Brendon points to the man with the bandanas. “That’s Santi.” He points to the man next to Santi, who’s wearing bright purple and green clothes. “That’s Snake.”
Ryan leans into Brendon, his mind still turning. “How long have I been out?”
Santi informs, “For a couple hours. You needed it though. Head trauma out here that goes untreated is a fast ticket to death. Consider yourself lucky.”
“So, you helped us?” Ryan asks. “Like, saved Brendon and me?” The man nods his head, and Ryan gives him a grateful nod. “Thank you.”
The man waves his hand dismissively. “There’s no need, it’s a part of our job. We’re here to keep Zone One out of trouble. You two looked like you needed help.”
Ryan wants to keep asking this guy questions, get all the information he can out of the man and his companion. However, his head is really starting to distract him and he can’t keep a good focus.
Brendon takes his hand in concern. “You okay?” he asks. “You look pale.”
Ryan darts his eyes to Santi, then looks at Brendon. “My head just hurts again.”
Santi looks at the stars. “We can stay until sunrise, so you can rest again.”
Brendon leans back onto the dirt and pulls Ryan down with him. Ryan sighs as Brendon curls into his side, and he lets Brendon push his face into his shoulder. He wraps his arm around his friend, letting his fingers brush Brendon’s arm.
Brendon mutters, “Close your eyes,” and Ryan does.
“You’re awake!” he cries, and wraps his arms around Ryan. “You had me scared, don’t do that again!”
Ryan blinks, confused. He doesn’t actually remember what happened. He thinks some people approached him and Brendon. He might have got hit on the head too. That had to be it, seeing as his mind is fuzzy. Not to mention there is a dull throb shaking inside of his skull. Nonetheless, Ryan hugs Brendon back. Brendon pulls away with a shy smile, letting Ryan sit up finally. He turns and points to two men behind him.
Ryan nearly jumps out of his skin and has a heart attack. He reaches for Brendon’s arm, mind trying to race out of its sleepy-state. He pulls Brendon close, his breath heavy in his ears, while the rest of the night around them is dark.
“It’s okay,” Brendon whispers into Ryan’s ear. “They saved us.”
Ryan closes his eyes, the pounding in his head getting heavier. He tightens his grip on Brendon, and hisses, “What?”
Brendon gives Ryan this crooked smile. “They saved us from those…” He turns to the two men, asking, “What were they called?”
One of the men, who has bandanas of all shapes, sizes, and colors laced up and down his pants, gives Brendon a small smile. He tucks his long, brown hair behind his ears and says, “Killjoys.”
“Right!” Brendon beams. He turns to Ryan again. “See these two, Santi and Snake, they happened to stumble upon us a little after you passed out. I was holding up my own, but I don’t think I could have beat them all and protected you if they didn’t show up.”
Ryan puts his hands in his face, and rubs his temples. “Santi and Snake?”
Brendon points to the man with the bandanas. “That’s Santi.” He points to the man next to Santi, who’s wearing bright purple and green clothes. “That’s Snake.”
Ryan leans into Brendon, his mind still turning. “How long have I been out?”
Santi informs, “For a couple hours. You needed it though. Head trauma out here that goes untreated is a fast ticket to death. Consider yourself lucky.”
“So, you helped us?” Ryan asks. “Like, saved Brendon and me?” The man nods his head, and Ryan gives him a grateful nod. “Thank you.”
The man waves his hand dismissively. “There’s no need, it’s a part of our job. We’re here to keep Zone One out of trouble. You two looked like you needed help.”
Ryan wants to keep asking this guy questions, get all the information he can out of the man and his companion. However, his head is really starting to distract him and he can’t keep a good focus.
Brendon takes his hand in concern. “You okay?” he asks. “You look pale.”
Ryan darts his eyes to Santi, then looks at Brendon. “My head just hurts again.”
Santi looks at the stars. “We can stay until sunrise, so you can rest again.”
Brendon leans back onto the dirt and pulls Ryan down with him. Ryan sighs as Brendon curls into his side, and he lets Brendon push his face into his shoulder. He wraps his arm around his friend, letting his fingers brush Brendon’s arm.
Brendon mutters, “Close your eyes,” and Ryan does.
