Playlist for the Apocalypse

Chapter 18: Doom And Gloom

JONATHAN

Guy was a strange sort of unpredictable. So far, the most dangerous thing about him seemed to be his rebellious, anti-establishment, punk rock attitude and maybe the fact that he could inhale a cliff bar faster than any normal person should ever consume food. The moment Jonathan had fished the bar out of the machine, Guy had pounced and devoured it like a cartoon lion. Since then, he'd been about as docile as a Bengal cat. That was to say, a little edgy like one pet too many and maybe he'd scratch but if you kept your distance, he seemed generally friendly or at least tolerant of your presence.

The more time Jonathan spent with Guy, the more he realized that Guy was an all-around walking stereotype of every tin-foil-hat-wearing, gun-toting, hermit that lived in a cabin in the woods blaming things on the government. It was almost as if he had seen it in a movie and then decided that's what he wanted to be when he grew up except for the fact that, as he frequently liked to remind Jonathan, he never watched TV so that would have been impossible.

Guy said he'd last seen Evelyn entering the Serenity Society compound in the company of one of the members and a Lost Soul but convinced him it would be no use trying to track her down in the rain. As much as Jonathan wanted to argue, he could already feel exhaustion catching up with him. He hadn't eaten since he'd first arrived in River District (had that really been just last night? So much had happened it felt like weeks ago.) Aside from a drug induced nap courtesy of Cameron Kells, he'd barely slept. He'd be no use to Evelyn in his current state if she needed rescuing, and he had no plan of action so she'd have to wait until the next morning at least.

He and Guy set up a makeshift camp, blockading themselves in the room that probably one served as a break room for the rec center's lifeguards.

"How'd you know that was there?" Guy asked, pausing his rant about Sigma being an alien virus, and the fact that he was immune because he'd been abducted in his teens, to watch as Jonathan shook loose one of the ceiling tiles and pulled out a pillowcase of extra supplies.

Jonathan shook his head as he freed a can of tomato soup from his makeshift bag, "back when I scavenged, sometimes I needed a place to lay low for a while."

"River District Scavengers don't use the sewer systems."

Jonathan stared at him blankly, "How did you know—"

Guy shrugged, dismissing the question as he took the can from Jonathan and pried it open with a pair of pliers that he produced from somewhere in the depths of his cargo shorts. "Like I said, I spend a lot of time watching. Been watching them, the Society... everyone. If the Martians are going to grant me immunity, you bet I'm going to do my job right and keep an eye on humanity for them..."

"Wait... were you watching us then?"

"Who? You and Backpack?"

Guy had rambled on about so many of his theories, that Jonathan was starting to worry that his sighting of Evelyn was just another one of the tall tales he kept telling.

"Not watching you specifically, you narcissist! It's my job. I only saw you whenever you left your little compound out there. I was thinking it was a bit curious when you didn't come back from your run in a few days. It was getting a bit boring, a guy can only watch so many supply deliveries without wanting to put a bullet in his own brain, if you know what I mean. I went to go visit those Serenity guys for a while and lucky I came back when I did 'cause I almost missed the soulless lady murdering action and all!"

Jonathan cringed remembering Martha's death. It was disturbing hearing Guy speak so cavalierly about murder but then again this was the apocalypse. As harmless as Guy seemed, it was disconcerting to say the least knowing that someone had been spying on his whole community and treating it like watching his favourite reality tv show.