Fort Mikey
The One Shot
The thick, warm air lazily moved around the enclosed space, the smell of chips and cherry coke clinging to it.
They were insulated, but light managed to penetrate their pink walls sending a brightly colored glow onto the men’s flesh as they waited.
Bob let out a yawn, showing off his teeth as his mouth doubled in size. He was exhausted – he was used to being pulled out of bed at random times in the night and has woken up in some pretty weird places, but this he thought, this takes the biscuit.
With something not short of a miracle, he found the energy to move his heavy head, studying the 4 other men who were accompanying him in their quest.
Ray lay on his stomach, his hands tightly grasping the yellow game boy as he tried to save Princess Peach from Bowser in a doomed rescue mission. Behind him, two bodies were sitting closely together, heads so close that they were almost becoming one. If Bob listened hard enough he could probably make out the hushed whispers that were being exchanged between them, but it just wasn’t a done thing. Besides which, Frank and Gerard weren’t the sanest of people and deciphering the meanings of their conversations may just send him off into a deep sleep, which was admittedly tempting, but not an option.
And the reason was sitting opposite Bob, his long, thin fingers curled around the pages of the latest Punk Rock Confidential. Mikey Fuckin’ Way all right.
In fairness to the man, it had originally been Frank’s idea, but it had been Mikey who had laughed at the guitarist’s offer, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
So here Bob found himself, stuffed in Ray’s living room with a mixture of varied blankets and pillows around and over him. It had taken almost an hour and a half to get the construction right, three times they had had it collapse on top of them, much to the delight of their youngest member as he burst out into high pitched giggles.
When they had finally finished, Bob had to admit, it looked pretty damn good – and so Fort Mikey was created.
Filling their fort with supplies took longer than expected, they had to be extra careful not to knock any of the supporting walls of cushions down or spill any of the food. Game consoles, instruments, magazines and a portable DVD player had been among the countless items that were piled up, but they were now scattered around the carpeted floor.
The excitement had dulled down after almost five hours in Fort Mikey, each of the band members splitting off to do their own thing until it was time.
Glancing at the neon lights of the alarm clock, Bob noticed that their waiting was almost over, just ten minutes to go.
”Hey guys?” his voice was rough and scratchy, but it caught their attention all the same. He didn’t bother wasting his voice again; he just nodded his head in the direction of the clock.
At once the lethargic atmosphere melted away, Gerard and Frank untangled themselves and moved closer to the clock while Ray and Mikey put down their entertainment with a rustle and a click, joining their band members.
Bob crawled over to the circle of friends, looking at each face one by one.
”So. This is it?” Gerard asked unsure, his hand wrapped around Frank’s who was grinning excitedly.
”Seems so… 9 minutes to go.” Ray noted.
Nervously, Mikey asked,
”Are we going to die?” His eyes wide.
”No, that’s what this fort is for.” Frank spoke now; he couldn’t contain his energy and began tapping a beat onto his shoe with his spare hand.
Mikey looked around apprehensively, he’d only been 28 for a few hours and he really didn’t want to die on his birthday. Especially not in a room made of pink and lilac pillows, he thought with a grimace.
”8 minutes.”
”If we do die though… it’s been fun. Right?” Gerard’s voice held a smile as he looked around at his band members. He had gotten friends from this, brothers for life, and even a lover.
”A blast.”
They all had a smile on their face now, remembering the good times, the fun times and the best times.
”6 minutes.”
They shifted closer, grabbing onto each others hands, forming a proper circle.
”I never thought I might live to see the Armageddon” Ray thought allowed.
”We’re gunna live thorough it! This fort has enough supplies to last us for as least a week!”
Nobody had the heart to mention to Frank that a wall of pillows wasn’t exactly going to help them, nor would a weeks worth of food.
”Besides, if all else fails David will save us!”
”Frank… how many times have we gone through this?” Gerard tried to sound frustrated. But it was ruined by the smile that was stuck on his features.
”What?”
”Doctor Who is fiction.”
”That’s what you think!” Frank laughed, his eyes lighting up as he rubbed his face against Gerard’s shoulder.
”Three minutes.”
They fell silent again, but not letting go of each other.
The red neon flickered to a different position again and they seemed to collectively inhale.
”Two minutes.”
An anxious mood invaded the happy fort, and Bob could almost here the grains of time falling away.
”One minute.”
”It’s the final countdown, do do do do”
”Frank!”
”Sorry…”
It was seconds away, all of their hopes and dreams may be about to be taken away, their reality destroyed, hands became sweaty and minds became busy. What if it goes wrong? What if this really was their last moment? What if…
BEEP. BEEP BEEP BEEP.
The alarm made them all jump; Mikey let out a squeak and shut his eyes as tight as he could.
Silence.
No one dared to breath as they listened curiously.
Nothing.
Minutes passed, but still nothing, no screams, no panic. Just nothing.
”I guess we’re okay.” Bob was the first to speak this time, watching as his friends visibly relaxed.
”Aww… but I wanted a black hole.” Frank whined, turning to look at Gerard who put his arm around him sympathetically.
”Maybe next time.”
Mikey was all smiles, they had avoided the end of the world, which to be honest sounded much more fun than being destroyed by a black hole.
What better present could he have asked for than to save the world?
A glitter of mischief returned to Gerard’s eyes and he whispered something in Frank’s ear, earning him an enthusiastic nod.
Mikey watched as his older brother crawled over to the corner of Fort Mikey and pulled out a plastic bag.
He actually laughed out loud when the bag was ripped off.
Gerard was carrying a birthday cake, with a little icing version of Fort Mikey on top and five little figures next to it. And in his other hand was a t-shirt. Black in colour with white writing on it, which read, “I survived the black hole!”
”Happy Birthday to you… happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Mikey! Happy birthday to you!”
And as he laughed along with Frank, Gerard, Ray and Bob, he realized that the best birthday present he could have asked for had already came true.
To stay with his friends until the end of the world.
They were insulated, but light managed to penetrate their pink walls sending a brightly colored glow onto the men’s flesh as they waited.
Bob let out a yawn, showing off his teeth as his mouth doubled in size. He was exhausted – he was used to being pulled out of bed at random times in the night and has woken up in some pretty weird places, but this he thought, this takes the biscuit.
With something not short of a miracle, he found the energy to move his heavy head, studying the 4 other men who were accompanying him in their quest.
Ray lay on his stomach, his hands tightly grasping the yellow game boy as he tried to save Princess Peach from Bowser in a doomed rescue mission. Behind him, two bodies were sitting closely together, heads so close that they were almost becoming one. If Bob listened hard enough he could probably make out the hushed whispers that were being exchanged between them, but it just wasn’t a done thing. Besides which, Frank and Gerard weren’t the sanest of people and deciphering the meanings of their conversations may just send him off into a deep sleep, which was admittedly tempting, but not an option.
And the reason was sitting opposite Bob, his long, thin fingers curled around the pages of the latest Punk Rock Confidential. Mikey Fuckin’ Way all right.
In fairness to the man, it had originally been Frank’s idea, but it had been Mikey who had laughed at the guitarist’s offer, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
So here Bob found himself, stuffed in Ray’s living room with a mixture of varied blankets and pillows around and over him. It had taken almost an hour and a half to get the construction right, three times they had had it collapse on top of them, much to the delight of their youngest member as he burst out into high pitched giggles.
When they had finally finished, Bob had to admit, it looked pretty damn good – and so Fort Mikey was created.
Filling their fort with supplies took longer than expected, they had to be extra careful not to knock any of the supporting walls of cushions down or spill any of the food. Game consoles, instruments, magazines and a portable DVD player had been among the countless items that were piled up, but they were now scattered around the carpeted floor.
The excitement had dulled down after almost five hours in Fort Mikey, each of the band members splitting off to do their own thing until it was time.
Glancing at the neon lights of the alarm clock, Bob noticed that their waiting was almost over, just ten minutes to go.
”Hey guys?” his voice was rough and scratchy, but it caught their attention all the same. He didn’t bother wasting his voice again; he just nodded his head in the direction of the clock.
At once the lethargic atmosphere melted away, Gerard and Frank untangled themselves and moved closer to the clock while Ray and Mikey put down their entertainment with a rustle and a click, joining their band members.
Bob crawled over to the circle of friends, looking at each face one by one.
”So. This is it?” Gerard asked unsure, his hand wrapped around Frank’s who was grinning excitedly.
”Seems so… 9 minutes to go.” Ray noted.
Nervously, Mikey asked,
”Are we going to die?” His eyes wide.
”No, that’s what this fort is for.” Frank spoke now; he couldn’t contain his energy and began tapping a beat onto his shoe with his spare hand.
Mikey looked around apprehensively, he’d only been 28 for a few hours and he really didn’t want to die on his birthday. Especially not in a room made of pink and lilac pillows, he thought with a grimace.
”8 minutes.”
”If we do die though… it’s been fun. Right?” Gerard’s voice held a smile as he looked around at his band members. He had gotten friends from this, brothers for life, and even a lover.
”A blast.”
They all had a smile on their face now, remembering the good times, the fun times and the best times.
”6 minutes.”
They shifted closer, grabbing onto each others hands, forming a proper circle.
”I never thought I might live to see the Armageddon” Ray thought allowed.
”We’re gunna live thorough it! This fort has enough supplies to last us for as least a week!”
Nobody had the heart to mention to Frank that a wall of pillows wasn’t exactly going to help them, nor would a weeks worth of food.
”Besides, if all else fails David will save us!”
”Frank… how many times have we gone through this?” Gerard tried to sound frustrated. But it was ruined by the smile that was stuck on his features.
”What?”
”Doctor Who is fiction.”
”That’s what you think!” Frank laughed, his eyes lighting up as he rubbed his face against Gerard’s shoulder.
”Three minutes.”
They fell silent again, but not letting go of each other.
The red neon flickered to a different position again and they seemed to collectively inhale.
”Two minutes.”
An anxious mood invaded the happy fort, and Bob could almost here the grains of time falling away.
”One minute.”
”It’s the final countdown, do do do do”
”Frank!”
”Sorry…”
It was seconds away, all of their hopes and dreams may be about to be taken away, their reality destroyed, hands became sweaty and minds became busy. What if it goes wrong? What if this really was their last moment? What if…
BEEP. BEEP BEEP BEEP.
The alarm made them all jump; Mikey let out a squeak and shut his eyes as tight as he could.
Silence.
No one dared to breath as they listened curiously.
Nothing.
Minutes passed, but still nothing, no screams, no panic. Just nothing.
”I guess we’re okay.” Bob was the first to speak this time, watching as his friends visibly relaxed.
”Aww… but I wanted a black hole.” Frank whined, turning to look at Gerard who put his arm around him sympathetically.
”Maybe next time.”
Mikey was all smiles, they had avoided the end of the world, which to be honest sounded much more fun than being destroyed by a black hole.
What better present could he have asked for than to save the world?
A glitter of mischief returned to Gerard’s eyes and he whispered something in Frank’s ear, earning him an enthusiastic nod.
Mikey watched as his older brother crawled over to the corner of Fort Mikey and pulled out a plastic bag.
He actually laughed out loud when the bag was ripped off.
Gerard was carrying a birthday cake, with a little icing version of Fort Mikey on top and five little figures next to it. And in his other hand was a t-shirt. Black in colour with white writing on it, which read, “I survived the black hole!”
”Happy Birthday to you… happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Mikey! Happy birthday to you!”
And as he laughed along with Frank, Gerard, Ray and Bob, he realized that the best birthday present he could have asked for had already came true.
To stay with his friends until the end of the world.
♠ ♠ ♠
Happy 28th Birthday Mike's!Keep on Rocking!