Mixtape For The End of the World

5. Pete's boss gives him helpful life advice at a bookstore.

5. Pete's boss gives him helpful life advice at a bookstore.

When I woke up the next day, I immediately put my headphones on and let Andrew Eldritch's voice fill my ears and comfort me.

Everything will be alright

Everything will turn out fine

Some nights I still can't sleep

And the voices pass with time

I tried to believe the words blaring into my ears, and after the third or fourth time listening to the song on repeat, I finally did. The image of Gabe dying in an explosion still wouldn't leave my head, but as I listened to "No Time To Cry," I managed to convince myself that everything would, in fact, turn out fine. As long as I didn't go to any bookstores, there was nothing to worry about.

I ate my breakfast and spent a few hours playing Super Mario Bros., not even bothering to change out of my pajamas. I was being thoroughly unproductive and I definitely knew it, but it was the summer, after all. I deserved a break after four years of high school.

Later that morning, the phone rang. I ignored it, but after I died in Super Mario Bros., I knew that I had no excuse not to pick up the phone. "Hello?" I said.

"Hey Pete," Gabe said.

"What's up, Gabe?" I asked.

"I've been up all night working on my book, and I need to show it to you," Gabe said. "I think it's really good. Maybe it could even be published when it's done."

"What's it about?" I asked. I knew that Gabe had been working on a novel, but so far, I hadn't read it or heard much else about it.

"You'll see when you read it," Gabe said. "It's a political thriller."

"Have you come up with a title yet?" I asked.

"It's called The Cobra Factor," Gabe said. His title could definitely be worse, I thought. "We should hang out today. I can show you my book then."

"That sounds good," I said. "Just make sure that we don't go to any bookstores."

Gabe laughed and said, "That's easy enough. Why don't we meet at the music store near your house?"

"Sounds great," I said. "I'll meet you there."

"Actually, I might need you to pick me up," Gabe said. "Could you do that?"

"Of course, Gabe," I said.

I turned off the NES, changed into my typical dark black wardrobe, and spent far too long straightening and teasing my hair until it looked just right. Once I was ready to go, I picked Gabe up and then drove the DeLorean to the music store. I used to be a regular customer there, but I had stopped going when a new music store with better selection opened up near Fall Out Bros.

When I arrived at the store, Gabe immediately headed toward the door, but he suddenly froze before he opened it. "There's a problem, Pete," he said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"This is a bookstore, not a music store!" Gabe shouted. He gestured toward a sign that read "Irresistible Books: Grand Opening!"

"The music store must have gone out of business," I said. "We'll just go to my house or something."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Gabe said. The two of us got into the car, but when I put the key into the ignition, the car wouldn't start.

"I'll call my dad from a pay phone, but I think we're stuck here for a while," I said.

Gabe and I sat in the car, chatting about nothing and everything all at once, but before long, it became too hot to remain in the car. It was ninety two degrees, and I was wearing black - it wasn't exactly the best combination. "The bookstore's air conditioned, isn't it?" I said.