Boulder stood in the center of the large group of kids as they all discussed their personal experiences after the blast and stood around the red sedan as Scott attempted to start it. He listened in on their conversations and wondered if they were all that remained. His hope slowly slipped away from him as the thought of survival dwindled. He thought of the moments just before the blast and how everything moved so quickly. One minute he was sluffing and smoking a joint behind the bleachers, the next he was speeding through town and avoiding all traffic as panicked radio hosts warned him of imminent doom.
He had hoped that there were more survivors but he wished for older more experienced ones. Looking around he realized that the only survivors for miles were a bunch of kids who could barely tell their dicks from their elbows.
"You okay big guy?" Ashure asked, tapping him on the back.
"Huh? Oh, yeah todo está bien," He responded startled for a moment.
"Just, thinking about the next steps," He continued.
"Survive, the same thing we've been doin'," Scott interrupted, yanking the plastic cover off from under the steering wheel and exposing the wires beneath.
"I mean we can't stay here, from experience, I know it isn't gon' be long before these vines swallow the whole town," Boulder said, pointing toward the pulsating vines. Ashure looked up toward the buildings, seeing the bricks crack under the pressure.
"We don't have long," He said, nervously.
"We need to find answers and quick," Boulder said, diverting his attention back to the group.
"We need to move out quickly, there isn't much time before the vines take the city below," Boulder announced, interrupting all conversation happening around him. The group got quiet for a moment as the others looked around.
"I agree with the big one, we need to leave," Scott said, stripping two wires and revealing the copper underneath.
"Okay, hold on a minute. We are waiting for Miles and Amanda to get back," Beck said, sternly.
"They're better off than us they have the...Thicket thing," He replied.
"Okay, what about Abel, if he makes his way back he'll be heading through here," She said.
"You mean if he's even alive, I don't know about all of you but I'm not risking my life over someone we don't even know is alive," He scoffed.
"Fuck sake Scott, you really can't just be a decent person for two seconds can you?" Ace asked, rolling his eyes and removing himself from the car.
"I don't have to be a good person, I want to be alive long enough to see how this all ends," He snarled, throwing the wires down frustrated.
"That doesn't mean that other people need to die," Eden said.
"We need to wait, if we wait for them then we all have Thicket, and we'll get out of here faster," Boulder said, stepping toward Scott.
"Fine this is still technically a democracy so, all in favor of waiting here, raise your hand," Scott said, balling his fist firmly at his side. Swiftly and with little deliberation all six other hands raised to the sky.
"If I die, I'm going to kill all of you," Scott said, kicking the tire of the car that didn't so much as hum as he tapped the wires together, and sat on the curb.
"If you die, the clouds will go white again," Ace said, turning his attention to Beck.
"Do you have a fuckin problem, Monohan?" He barked, standing from the curb and stomping toward him.
"I don't like assholes," Ace said, standing his ground.
"I don't know man, you seem like the kind of guy to...enjoy the backdoor," Scott said, chuckling.
"Oh fuck you, go ask your dad about the backdoor you fuckin toad," Ace snarled, before turning back to Beck. Scott balled his fists angrily before shoving him from behind making him fall flat to the ground. Before Ace could react Scott was on top of him pounding his face brutally. Boulder attempted to pull him off to no avail he was relentless. Ace blocked his head as he searched around for anything he could use to diffuse the situation.
Ace fumbled his splintered hand along the cold blacktop as he shielded his head with the other. Then he felt a good-sized rock, he gripped it in his hand and smacked Scott across the face with it knocking him to the ground.
"C'mon then, been waiting to give you the ass-beating you deserve for a long time," he said, jumping to his feet as blood dripped from his eyebrow and his left eye swelled. Scott stared at him with an evil glare and a large gash across one side of his face, before charging at him. He grabbed him by the legs and ran with him toward the red car. He slammed both fists into Scott's back and sides before being slammed onto the hood of the car. Scott cocked his fist back and went to slam it into his head.
Ace ducked his head out of the way and Scott put a large dent in the hood of the car. Then swiftly and as hard as he could Ace headbutted him and he staggered backward. Seeing his opportunity he swung as hard as he could getting as many hooks and jabs in as he could. Before Scott finally fell to the ground.
"Are you finished?" He asked, trying to catch his breath.
"Fuck you," Scott replied, throwing a handful of pebbles at his chest.
"C'mon, get up," He said, extending a helping hand. Scott looked at his purple hand before slapping it away and jumping to his feet.
"You got lucky," He said, pushing through the rest of the group who stared on in disbelief.
"Whatever," Ace uttered, sitting on the sidewalk and breathing heavily. The others stood silent for a moment not knowing what to do or say. They looked at Ace as his face grew more swollen and purple as he rested. Then over to Scott who was black and blue with cuts and gashes all over his face. Beck walked to Ace followed closely by Selena, Ashure, and Boulder. Eden stayed for a moment looking back and forth before sighing sadly and walking to Scott.
"You okay?" They said, sitting beside him.
"I'm fine," He said, angrily.
"It's okay if you aren't," They said, smiling pitifully.
"Dad's given me worse, this isn't shit," He said, turning away in an attempt to hide the tears in his eyes.
"I...I'm sorry you had to do that," They said, placing their head on his shoulder.
"Whatever," He mumbled.
"Jesus dude, you look rough," Ashure said, kneeling to get a closer look at Ace's face.
"You should see the other guy," He chuckled.
"What the hell is wrong with men?" Selena asked, rolling her eyes.
"Girl, I've been asking that for years," Beck said, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"He started it, I wasn't just going to sit there and take it," He said, shrugging and wiping blood from his brow.
"We didn't expect you to, I just don't understand why everything is a goddamned pissing contest," Selena said.
"As I said, I don't like assholes," He finished. The smell of rain began to creep through the air as the red clouds bunched together. The group sat separately as the small droplets of water began to fall. They seemed to twinkle even with very little light shining through them. Once they touched the ground they exploded with a bright blue color.
Is...is the rain glowing?" Ashure asked, watching the droplets splash.
"I think they are," Beck said, excitedly. Slowly they all stood up and made their way to the center of the parking lot while Scott watched from a distance.
"C'mon Scott, it's raining and it's beautiful," Eden said, waving for him to follow them.
"I'm good kid, have fun," He said, staring back down at the now-wet blacktop. For a moment their problems seemed to wash away. They all spun and twirled in the glowing rain. Laughing and dancing around as they splashed each other playfully. Everything seemed peaceful again even for just a moment, the world seemed quiet. The sound of the droplets crashing against the buildings and the feeling of their sopping hair sticking to each of their faces.
For the first time in days, they were able to smile and enjoy the world again.