ONLY HUMAN [ROSITA ESPINOSA]

Chapter 31

The world seemed to be flashing beyond his eyes.

Flashback: Pre-Apocalypse

Sawyer was staying up late catching up for his junior year finals. Meanwhile, his roommate and best friend Miles Zink was out partying. The young man was just polishing up his final draft just before he felt his phone ringing. Out of the corner of his eyes, he knew it was none, then the other Miles.

“Hey man. “ called his friend, his voice sounded not only slurred but buzzed at the sametime.

“Yeah what’s up?” Sawyer answered.

“Can you pick me up? I might have had one too many drinks and can’t drive my dumb ass home.” chuckled his friend. Sawyer couldn’t help but wince as he listened to Miles throwing up on the phone, but it didn’t take long before Sawyer gathered his things to go pick him up. The least thing he needed was another late phone call from Miles in jail.

Luckily for him, Sawyer didn’t need the address as he and Miles both knew the place very well. Their buddy Rocky often held parties, or it would often just be a couple of their friends smoking pot and / or  meth in which Sawyer often got from Merle’s drug dealing buddies.

After a few turns, stop lights and stop signs, Sawyer soon finds himself parking his Volkswagen beetle outside of  Rocky’s, leaning up against the old car. It wasn’t Sawyer’s ideal car, no, but it would do for now. It wasn’t like it was Merle’s bike, the one he had often tried to buy off his older brother. But Merele himself had stated the only way Sawyer would inherit the bike was if Merle was dead and six feet under. Despite it was Sawyer who had spent his entire summer’s savings and his 16th summer fixing it for him.

Sawyer couldn’t help but smile lightly as he saw Mike being led outside by Samantha Parker, one of their good friends in Toxicology class. “Shawty my boy. It’s so good to see ya,  have you been? “Mike questioned as he wrapped an arm around Sawyer. Mike was the worst when he was drunk. He wouldn’t remember anything and was always considered a party animal, but he would never get in any trouble.

“You saw me this morning, Mikey.” Sawyer claimed, sounding somewhat a bit annoyed though he had mouthed to Samantha, asking how much he had to drink. Only for Sawyer to not like her answer.

“But it’s been forever maaaan. “ sang Mike, and the next thing Sawyer knew, vomit flung all over his shoes.

“Aww man, these cost me a fortune. “ Sawyer as he looked down at his feet in disappointment. Meanwhile, Samanatha had made a beeline for the yard in order to avoid the collision.

“Yeah from five below. “ taunted Mike.

“Let's just get ya back to the dorms. “ Sawyer claimed to be a bit annoyed as he helped his friend into his vehicle before driving them both back to the dorms where he would help Mike inside and help run a shower.

“There. Now, don't come out until you're sober.I’ll order us some take-out.” demanded Sawyer as he then plopped onto his bed, pulling out his phone and ordered takeout.

By the time Mike had gotten out of the shower, their food had arrived. It wasn’t much, just Subway. But Sawyer knew that it was what Mike normally likes having after a huge hangover. “Man, is that what I think it is?” asked Mike as he plopped onto his bed on the opposite side of the room. Sawyer had tossed him his sandwich.

“Ah! If I were gay, I would gay marry you right now, man. “ claimed Mike as he chomped down on his sandwich. Sawyer only scoffed a small laugh as he went through his messages on his phone. Only to be met with a crumbled paper in his face.