Chapter 5: Season 4 ~ 30 Days Without an Accident

289 13 3
                                    

On my last night on earth, I want to look to the sky
Just breathe in the air and blink in the light
On my last night on earth, I'll pay a high price
To have no regrets and be done with my life

L. I. F. E. G. O. E. S. O. N.

You've got more than money and sense, my friend
You've got heart and you're going your own way

L. I. F. E. G. O. E. S. O. N.

What you don't have now will come back again
You've got heart and you're going your own way...

==================================

Despite last night's cold it was much warmer by the morning. Before the breakfast rush began, Jasper and Patrick were asked by Ms. Peletier to go around the courtyard harvesting herbs from the various potted plants dotted around so they could make jerky. Jasper had a song in his head. He harvested to its beat, stepped to its beat — his own heartbeat was probably beating to its beat.

"I'm gonna thank Mr. Dixon today," Patrick said across a coriander pot. "For bringing you back here."

"Pat, please, no."

"Why not? I've been meaning to thank him and Michonne for months, but she's still away and he's always busy."

"Mio Dio."

"They saved your life. I owe them. Plus, Mr. Dixon's great."

"Your crush on him is imbarazzante."

His brother laughed because he was confident in his sexuality. Jasper, on the other hand, laughed because he was not.

Patrick waved when Mr. Grimes headed across the courtyard. Mr. Grimes waved back, then went to the fence and splashed his face in a rain barrel before heading on down towards the gardens, plugging in his MP3 headphones to drown out the shrieking walkers while he farmed.

Carl came by a little while later, which was unusual because he and his father typically went to farm together in the morning. He stopped at the cafeteria on his way down and Jasper pretended not to notice him until Carl called out his name across the kitchen. Jasper turned to look at him from the vegetables he was chopping and saw Carl holding out his beanie.

"Figured you'd want it back. Don't worry. No spiders."

Despite the blazing Georgian heat, Jasper did want it back. He felt almost naked without it on his head. He hurried over, barely not snatching it, and with a quick, awkward nod, went back to chopping. Carl hovered only for a second before he left to go farm with his dad.

During the last stretch of the breakfast rush, Mr. Dixon came along. People greeted him good morning and thanked him for yesterday's venison. The praise for him wasn't rare but he still always looked taken aback by it. Jasper suspected it was why Mr. Dixon tended to drop off his game before the cafeteria was open, to avoid too much attention.

Mr. Dixon stepped aside to let the line go by so that he could talk to Ms. Peletier and stand and eat his breakfast at the same time, and Jasper's heart sank as Patrick stepped away from washing dishes to hover. The adults were distracted, though, chatting about the clusters, with their worried eyes watching the swaying fences, and then Ms. Peletier held out the prongs and asked, "Patrick, you wanna take over?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Patrick glanced briefly at Jasper, ignoring the firm glare he gave him across the kitchen space. Grinning menacingly, Patrick turned back to Mr. Dixon.

"Uh, Mr. Dixon?"

Mr. Dixon had been facing away so that only the back of his waistcoat's embroidered angel wings were facing the kitchen, but he turned around at Patrick's voice, squinting. Unable to witness this, Jasper turned his back. He could already feel himself shrivelling up like a raisin.

Sweet Tooth (Twd x Male Oc)Where stories live. Discover now