Two G's in a Pod

Two G’s in a Pod

Chapter 9: Retoxication

By: Stillmatic and Lucius Seneca

Cherry picking has always been a rather deadbeat business. This isn't to say that it doesn't bring in any profit, but rather that it doesn't bring in a sizable profit. Whether it is simply because cherries don't grow well in arid climates or the fact that workers despise the job itself remains unknown. For Don and Will, the self-dubbed "Dynamic Duo", the job was exactly what they had expected. Long hours, low wage, exposure to a blazing desert sun, and constant exhaustion. Will barely managed to stumble through the day without throwing in the proverbial towel time and time again.

Don, however, seemed to enjoy the hard work and had made friends with many of the other, burly workers who roamed around the orchards, removing the cherries from the trees before sending them off to conveyer belts and mills. Currently the two humans were situated in the northeastern corner of the orchard picking as they always did. Their current tree, a large and obviously older one, was swarming with thick, bulbous and hairy ants that constantly nipped the exposed hands at the tore the ripened fruit away. Will let out an irritated "Fuck" as yet another ant dug its mandibles into the flesh of his palm.

Don smacked one from his shoulder, "Bastards."

A shower of them rained down from a branch as it swung backwards, handful of cherries ripped from the branch. Will threw himself backwards, clawing at his eyes, "Fuck! Dick smacking motherfuckers!"

Don too was brushing the ugly insects from his hair and face in a frenzy of humor filled fear. Soon both men were rid of their annoying pests and decided it was better to move off to another section where the trees weren't crawling with ants as thick as a pinky finger. Break time would be in another hour or so judging by the angle of the sun. Will yawned loudly and hefted the woven basket of fruit before propping himself up against a tree, catching the red and yellow rain as Don shook and pulled the branches from a foldable ladder.

Both men had been invited into town later that night for drinks with a few of the town's cuter mares. Normally they wouldn't mingle with a different species, but they didn't want to lounge around in their rented rooms for any longer than needed. It seemed that every insect imaginable roamed the town. Spiders, ants, beetles, all hairy and oversized for life in a desert wasteland. Will had briefly mentioned getting another gun, but after a little asking around, and many confused faces from random citizens, both he and Don had abandoned the possibility.

Don sipped at his drink, trying to displace the dirty taste from his mouth. Then again, it was probably a bad idea to do so with the drink that gave you that taste in the first place. He pushed away the glass and shuddered, with the bartender taking notice.

Lila Tequila, a light-purple bartending mare, rolled her eyes playfully, "I take it you don't like the kick?"

"Not really. Got any Patron?"

He received a blank look, "Uh, what..?"

"Something smoother?"

Lila nodded, moving towards other mixing agents to make another drink, "Smooth, you got it."

Don looked at Will, who was having quite the friendly conversation with a light-green mare in a dress. While he wasn't against fraternizing with another species, due to it being necessary to actually get any sort of food around this place, he did find it odd how easily the ponies seemed to trust them after word spread that they were humans. Maybe it was certain air of mystery, the whole "enigmatic travelers" thing, or even the looks neither knew how were translated to the brains of ponies. It was truly mystifying to see how nonchalant it was to be in a situation where you were having harmless drinks with another species.

He was about to ask Will something regarding the glow on the Moon medallion before someone tapped his shoulder twice. While he would normally ignore such a thing in favor of fulfilling his own curiosity first, the gentleness of the touch forced him to turn around. Don's face, he found, was abnormally close to that of a pony he didn't recognize. He backed up slowly, seeing the smile move away from him and look away with slight embarrassment.

"I'm sorry for that, hon', but I was just wondering if you two were the humans everypony was talking about."

Don looked around, finding nothing even remotely close to himself in looks other than Will, "Yeah, we are. How'd you know?"

He took a good look at the mare, finding her relatively interesting when compared to the more drab looking Equestrians around him. Her mane was done in a far more lavish fashion, curling at certain points and held by a cherry-embroidered headband. A pale, yellow coat covered her, with a pink ascot meeting at her neck, tied off in a knot. Green eyes darted from the floor back up to his own before flickering away. Don tried leaning inconspicuously to the left and glanced at her Cutie Mark, finding a pair of plump, red cherries on her flanks. When he looked back at her, she was blushing, eventually making him realize what he did wrong.

"Shit..." He muttered, barely audible, "Sorry, didn't mean any disrespect."

His drink came, sliding into his hands as she placed a comforting hoof on his arm, "Oh no, no taken, hon'! I suppose I'd be curious too if I were human walking around among ponies. Can't blame you for not knowing these kinds of things, darlin’."

Don felt a sense of extreme nostalgia at that very moment. The mannerisms, the voice, the accent, the colors and looks, were all too familiar for some reason.

He nodded his head, "Would you happen to be related to a 'Cherry Wine', by any chance?"

She gasped, putting two hooves to her mouth in glee, "Oh, you mean Nana Wine! Well, she's my grandma!"

"I noticed the resemblance. Can you play poker like her too?"

"I take it you lost?" She said with a sly smile.

"She demolished me. Bad. So now I'm working for you guys to get it back."

"I've been noticing things too, hon'... And you and your friend working over at our farm happen to be one of them."

"Huh, so we probably should have met by now then, right?" He held out his right hand, setting down his drink, "Don."

"Cherry Jubilee, darlin’. Mighty proud to be an acquaintance of you."

Don shook his head, laughing, "Nah, no reason to. And besides, I'd consider us friends already."

Her face turned to one of a mix of surprise and poorly-hidden giddiness, "Really, now? I like the way that sounds, darlin’."

"Here, let me buy your drinks, least I can do."

Cherry placed a hoof on his shoulder, looking grateful, "No, no, no, darling, I won't accept something like that from a nice stallion I just met."

"Really, it's fine. Besides, I have a job because of you and your grandma, so why not? A small way of repaying you back."

She moved away some hair that covered her face, blocking a smile, "I suppose I could have a drink or two..."

Don nodded to the bartender, "Get the lady whatever she wants, on me."

Lila quickly took the order and set out to make another drink, "Roger that, playcolt."

While Don didn't immediately know what that meant, it became obvious once he saw the redness on Cherry Jubilee's face. He shrugged, dismissing it as a teasing comment.

Don took another sip, tongue tingling at the tangy taste, "So... how did you and your family get into the cherry business..?"

Across the room, seated a small table meant for two, Will was talking with a lion-like grin, listening intently to a mare who had asked him out personally, telling her human date to call her Minty Mare which was, as Will assumed, her name. They leaned their heads in close and continued talking in relaxed manners, Will's right hand holding a glass of the so called Survivalist's Brew he had come to appreciate despite its raw texture and ultimately bitter taste.

He smiled in response to Minty's latest question, "Do I like being human? Let me answer that with another question: Do you like being the prettiest girl around?"

A blush, crimson red and contrasting with the light green coat, swept over Minty's exposed cheeks and she laughed nervously, "Well, I..."

Her voice faded off as the medallion around Will's neck, despite being hidden beneath his shirt, began blowing brightly. He looked down in surprise and laughed it off, pulling on his jacket to cover the throbbing glow. He felt his pocket vibrate, indicating another otherworldly text message, but he refrained from reaching for it, instead turning his attention back to his date.

"Sorry about that." Will said with a playful smile. "A trinket I picked up on the road."

Minty smiled and sipped her martini, "So you're a traveller? Ever been to Las Pegasus?"

Again Will wondered at the referential names, but played it off, "Not yet. Don and I, my buddy at the bar, just walk from place to place. Don't even have a plan!"

"That sounds dangerous!" Minty bit her lip. "I like dangerous."

Maybe it was the subtle sexual hints, the alcohol, or the heat against his chest, courtesy of the medallion, but Will was feeling fairly dangerous himself. It wasn't like him to be acting this way. He wasn't socially inept or lacking with skills regarding the opposite sex, but he wasn't much of a flirter unless he needed to be.

Minty tapped her hooves on the table, changing the subject after reading the thoughtful face of her date, "I live in Manehatten myself! I'm here visiting family. You probably guessed from the accent though."

Truthfully, Will hadn't noticed an accent at all. He was feeling odd, almost not himself. This wasn't his scene. This drinking and flirting. This wasn't him. Nevertheless, not being one for disappointing others, he smiled and spoke carelessly, "I had my suspicions. Manehatten though? Sounds awfully nice. Maybe I’ll come visit."

"Oh, please do." Minty said with yet another coy smile.

Will grinned and downed his drink which he refilled with the bottle provided, "Maybe, maybe! We're just here until we earn the money that Don lost playing poker."

Minty nodded understandably, "That tends to happen when you play against the Cherry family. So how long until you go? I'd really like to see you again."

"A couple weeks. Plenty enough time for another few dates." Will said with an unconcerned tone.

The phone vibrated again, indicating the message waiting, and Will excused himself to the bathroom, needing to see what other "achievement" he had earned. As soon as he was out of side, he leaned against the bathroom door and whipped the phone open, reading the message.

"Achievement Unlocked - Pony Person: You've come to terms with the fact you may never return home, and as a result, have accepted your place in a new society that is nearly entirely equine. Ponies consider you one of their own and treat you as so, making you feel welcome and liked. You also seem to have gotten over certain personal barriers regarding ponies as well."

There was no doubt that Don had received the same message. Will shook his head and shoved the phone away before stepping back out and into the crowded bar.

It was abnormally dark within the room, and the old sound was the slight rustling of work from outside. The thick, red shades were pulled down, letting no light in but an eerie glow. Congested air floated about, choking the room with its staleness. In the corner lied a large, lavish bed, complete with a canopy and designed to fit the theme of cherries. A table nearby held a single glass of water.

Lying on the soft, comfortable bed was Don, but he nowhere close to that comfort currently. Groaning out in pain, he had finally woken up and felt how parched he was. The human reached for the glass, weakly lifting to his mouth for a sip. It was emptied quickly and was unfortunately dropped onto the wooden floor before he was able to place it back. He muttered several curses before curling back under the smooth, silky sheets.

All in all, Don felt as though his body was on fire, specifically the pit of his stomach. It ached horribly, as if it were being torn apart by muscle contractions. He prevented himself from tossing and turning, only to stop himself from being wracked by further pain, and lied where he was, occasionally making his discomfort vocal and loud. The doorknob turned suddenly, shutting as quickly as it opened. Still, the harsh light hurt his eyes before a short-lived comfort came and ended.

Cherry Jubilee trotted to him, carrying a tray full of cherry-based products. Luckily, water had been in the cup instead of some thick juice. He didn't think he could stomach anything like that at the moment. She slowly put it down on the table, taking note of the broken glass beside the bed. There was a deep frown etched on her face as she stood there for several seconds, looking at the floor.

"W-What the hell is wrong with me? Why so much pain?"

She looked back up, surprised he was able to speak in his condition, "I don't know, hon'. I already sent for Doctor Snake Oil, so he'll be able to tell you." The mare traced a hoof along the floor, "I'm sorry for this happening to you, but I don't know what caused it."

Don forced a smile, despite the intense stinging sensation it gave off, "No problem... Happens all the time..."

He began considering something as he watched her look away in concern. Memories of the night before came back, along with his own worry. Don distinctly remembered leaving the bar at the latest possible time, being kicked out a few hours before Will and his friend left. He recalled leaving the place alongside Cherry Jubilee, who, like him, was thoroughly inebriated. His heartbeat rapidly increased along with some pain, forcing him to gasp and wince.

Cherry was by his side in an instant, "What's wrong? Is it hurting too much?" She placed a hoof on his forehead and held it there before pulling it back, "Darling, you're burning up!"

"I-I need to know something. Last night... Did anything happen? Between us?"

As a mare, she didn't know whether to be touched or insulted, mainly due to his context being quite vague. As a friend, she knew it was only right to tell the truth.

"If by 'anything', you mean something intimate, then no hon', not much happened other than a little playing." She smiled a little, "We did, uh... hmm... 'interact' a little bit. Just a teensy bit though, nothing too serious."

Don swallowed, feeling especially anxious right now, "L-Like what?"

Cherry gave him a peck on the cheek, "Just a bit of kissing, no harm at all."

He did especially well to hide feelings towards having any sort of romantic actions with anything that wasn't human, "Oh, okay. What happened? How did I end up like this?"

"Well, darling, we were fooling around on the porch until you just fell over and didn't get up. I thought you couldn't handle your drinks anymore, so I just lied you on the bed." She sighed, "Then a few hours later you started screaming, yelling about pain. It took a while, but I calmed you down enough to fall asleep."

"I don't remember much about last night, but thanks. Really."

"Anything, hon'."

It was quiet for a few moments until the door opened again, closing quickly. A pale, white stallion with long, brown sideburns and a mane covered by a brown Stetson stepped inside, setting down a bag by the bed. He flashed a soothing smile and opened his bag, taking out a headlamp and a tongue depressant.

"Doctor Snake Oil, at'cher severice, young fella. When Miss Jubilee told me her friend was sick, I rushed right over." He scratched the back of his head in thought, "Would'a been able to come sooner if that darn door didn't get stuck." Snake Oil looked at Don with a smile, "Anyways, enough about myself. So, I hear you're the human 'round these parts, huh?" Don nodded. "Welp, can't say I know humans all that well, mainly 'cause I never listened to that hoo- hah in school, but I can try my best to fix what ails ya."

Cherry Jubilee put a hoof on the bed pleadingly, "Please, doctor, make him better."

Don sat up, biting his lip as spikes of pain ran from his stomach, "Tell me doc, how long do I have left?"

She looked mortified, while the doctor simply chuckled, "Hopefully I won't come to that, young'n. Now, say 'ah'." Don did so, opening his mouth. "Interesting set of choppers here... Kinda remind me of a dog's..." He pulled away the depressor and went on to do several other tests, all proving nothing. The doctor frowned, "I have just one question, fella. Wherever yer from, do ya have magic?"

"Magic?" Don asked incredulously, "No way. I know you guys can do that stuff, but it doesn't exist in our world."

Snake Oil frowned, "I was afraid of that." He cleared his throat, "You see young'n, when a creature, no matter what, isn't around magic or in an environment with magic around, it isn't adapted to bein' able to take it into its body. Understand what I'm saying?"

"So... Because I was never exposed to magic, my body isn't able to adapt to the magic in this world?"

"Exactly, right on the spot."

"What does that mean for me, though?"

Snake Oil frowned, "I 'spose it means yer body can't handle it anymore and yer overdosin' on magic at the moment. This sometimes happens with dogs, but seein' as I've never diagnosed a human before, I can only think of one conclusion. Where have ya been exposed to magic? Background magic like ya'd get from walkin' around ain't gonna do nothing to ya, but direct magic in ya is gonna mess ya up something fierce."

"How fierce we talking?"

"Death, son. Yer organs will fail if the magic isn't taken out of you. Where did it happen in the first place?"

"I was having drinks, magic-infused drinks, for the past month or so."

Snake Oil clicked his tongue, "Shoulda figured... Easiest way for a sore son of a gun to get an overdose."

"So? Can you get it out of me before I die?"

“Sorry, feller, but it ain’t that easy. Only place that has somethin’ fer that and is nearby is Stalliongrad, and I don’t think you’d make the trip.”

“So I wait and die, pretty much...” Don, looking forlorn, turned to Cherry Jubilee, who looked as though she were on the verge of tears, “Can you go get my friend, Will? The other human? Tell him to bring my backpack with him. I need some percs if I’m going to be in this much pain.”

The mare nodded and left the room, closing the door before wiping away a few forming tears from her eyes. She promptly cleared her throat and left the house, heading to find the other human, who she hoped knew a way to save her new friend.

Across town, sprawled out under a plaid duvet, Will was fast asleep with a certain, light green mare behind him. It wasn't long before he awoke with a slight start and peeled two very bloodshot eyes open. He stifled the hungover groan and crawled out from under the covers, totally nude except for a single sock. Will climbed to his feet and felt the crawling, sick feeling emerge in his stomach that often signified vomiting. He clambered into the bathroom and slammed the door shut before blessing the porcelain bowl with a liquid mix of whiskey, cactus juice, and probably Minty's saliva. Now leaning against the wall and on his knees, Will watched as a cockroach skittered around the back of the toilet and looked at him. He stared back and the brownish insect scurried away. The human lacked the strength to kill the little bastard anyway.

Will slowly raised himself to the mirror and, knowing he wouldn't be looking good at all, he peeked out from the hands covering his own face. He could have easily passed for a rapist, homeless man or both. His hair was soaked with sweat and was slicked down to his skull. The two brown eyes had circles of pure darkness beneath and rough stubble, unusual for most sixteen year olds, was starting to sprout out of skin that had turned deeply tanned and moist from sweat. Will clicked his tongue in surprise and splashed a handful of water on his face from the rusty faucet. The slight blast of cold water pulled him another inch or two away from a total hangover, but if his headache and upset stomach were anything to judge by, it was gonna be a long while before he ever recovered from that particular night. He flushed the toilet and left.

It wasn't until he stepped back outside and into the bedroom that he realized that Minty was still asleep in his bed. For a second it didn't register in his sleepy mind, but when it did, it hit hard. Will twisted his face into a look that might have been approval mixed with a touch of shattered dreams, disbelief, and skepticism. The human searched for his clothes and found them scattered all over the room. His usual casual clothes, supplied by yet another suspiciously handy tailor, were strewn about like a bomb had detonated. Khakis hanging from the ceiling fan, shirt twisted in a knot around the bedpost, and a pair of boxer briefs clutched in Minty's hooves.

Will muttered dark words about his current predicament and snatched the boxers from Minty's slumbering grip. He was quickly dressed, but the blinking green light of his phone caught his attention from nightstand. He snatched it and watched as the text read across the screen.

"Achievement Unlocked - A Man of Exotica: You never thought you'd see the day where you'd wake up with a sleeping pony next to you. That morning has finally arrived and you have this achievement to remember it. From now on, your willingness to "diversify" has given you an increased knowledge of equestrian anatomy and what to do when fooling around with them."

Will's face went deadpan and he pointed an accusing finger at the screen, "No. Nope. No."

He set the phone down with an angry hand and pulled his medallion out of the drawer of his nightstand. At least he had been sober enough to remember to put that particular item in a safe place. Minty stirred and awoke with a sleepy, seductive, cat-like smile. Will fought hard to not smile back, but failed. He shouldn't have been happy in the current situation, but he was alive. That was something.

Minty propped her head up with a hoof, "Well, well. Look who's awake! Ready for some morning fun?"

Will let out a loud breath and was about to reply when a frantic knocking came from the door. He turned and pulled it open, wincing from the slew of country words mixed with a country accent that babbled on about mixed drinks and someone who had gotten mixed up and now had to be un-mixed. Will groaned and waved a hand.

"Alright! Relax for fucks sakes." He looked over the figure of Cherry Jubilee. "Hey, you were that chick with Don. He isn't here. Go look at Taco Bell or some shit."

Cherry Jubilee shook her head, "No hon'. He's gone and gotten himself into a mix up. He's real sick."

Will snapped at her, "Enough with the mixing!" He ran a hand over his neck and held it there. "Christ...What's wrong with Teflon Don? Is it serious or does he just want some of the percs?"

"He wants you to come visit. And he said something about them percs too."

The human waved a hand, "Alright, alright. He's at your place? I'll meet you there."

Cherry Jubilee took off at a gallop, trying to be as ladylike as possible. Will left the door open and watched her descend down the stairs and into the bar. He shook his head and grabbed the backpack lying in the far corner, ignoring Minty's protests. Steeling himself, Will ducked back into the room and kissed her hard before darting out, ignoring the embarrassed blush he had caused her. The bar was populated by Dusty Dunes only and she winked at the human, telling him to "Keep it down next time though!" before handing him a bottle of Brew which he had apparently paid for the night before, but had been too busy with Minty to grab it. Will took the bottle and made his way onto the street, cursing at the sun above as he pulled the cork from the plain green glass bottle and drank.

He must have looked like a proper alcoholic. Something jabbed at him from within his pants pocket and he pulled out the offending object. A pack of cigarettes appeared and Will chewed his lip. Dare he, he thought to himself. Soon his was smoking a mint-flavored cigarette and between coughs he quite enjoyed the taste. He paused briefly in the street to pop two percs into his system before carrying on. Don was tough. He'd be fine. It wasn't long before Will was being escorted down the hallways of the Cherry household and into the room where Don lay in obvious agony.

Will was at his side in an instant, "Jesus...What happened?"

Don sat up, ignoring the protests of his body, “Don’t talk to me like I’m on my deathbed, motherfucker. I’m not gone just yet.”

"You look like you're on your deathbed. Was it the guy at Taco Bell? Did he do this? The whole fuse-ripping event? Was it him?"

He chuckled, feeling his ribs ache, “Nah, it was all me. I’m overdosing on magic from those drinks. You lucky bastard, you were having the cactus ones the whole time, so you aren’t like me right now. Gimme some pills, man.”

“Thanks.” Don swallowed them, but opted to drink some water instead, knowing full well how alcohol and percocets reacted together. “What I need you to do is get me something.” He pulled out his phone and handed it to Will, “Check that message.”

On the phone, it read: “Achievement Unlocked - Artifact Hunter: Both of you have scoured areas and come across Artifacts in your journey. These mystical objects hold powers you now begin to understand, though you mainly choose to be a good-Samaritan and sell them to Sir Silver Tongue and his museum to further the knowledge on these curiosities. You can't complain though, he does pay sums that are quite tidy. Your shared skill in retrieving these objects is well-developed and you can now sense when you're in the vague proximity of them.”

The same message popped up on Will's phone and he read it with a strange frown, "Artifacts? I didn't know we were treasure hunters."

Don smiled, pulling out a from next to him, “I’ve been looking and doing a bit of researching with the help of the doc.”

“We think we got ourselves a solution fer yer pal here, sonny.” Snake Oil added.

“Go back a few centuries, and you’ll find something called a ‘Life Siphon’. The Equestrians back then thought it drained your life because it would steal the magic from your body, making you feel tired if you had a good amount in you. I need you to find this thing. Book says it’s somewhere at a canyon nearby called ‘Nightmare’s Tongue.’ I need this man. Do me a small favor.”

Will ran his hands down his face, "Yeah sure, Nightmare's Tongue! Sounds like a fuckin' fine place to vacation." Will sighed. "Okay, yeah, fine. I'll go. Give me the .38."

“Take the entire backpack, just leave some percs for me. I’m counting on you, nigga. Don’t let me down.

"Nigga, what are we?"

“The Dynamic Duo, bitch.”

"Goddamn right. I'm out for a bit." Will looked at the Doc. "You got maps or..?"

The doctor handed Will a single sheaf, "All in here, sonny."

“Go get it, tiger.” Don gave him a strange look, “Yo, you smell... Minty?”

Will stood up, "Don't even ask. Catch you in a bit."

“Wait!” Will had already left by that time, “Damn... That smelled like... Hmm... Nah, he wouldn’t...” Don considered it, “Or would he? Fuck it, I’m in no place to judge.”

Cherry Jubilee smiled at him, “Feeling any better, hon’?”

He smiled back, “Loads.”

“Good, now I know you’re going to need some rest, so we’ll leave you alone now.”

“But--”

“She’s right, fella,” Snake Oil added, “Ya need to rest up. Not much I can do now, though, so I’m gonna head back to the clinic and see if anypony’s waitin’ on me. Stay alive, ya hear?”

“Gotcha.” The doctor left, leaving him alone with Cherry Jubilee.

“Well, I’ll get out of your mane now.” She replied, forcing a smile.

Don watched as she trotted slowly to the door, her flank swaying slightly. At that very moment, he wanted to punch himself in the face for even looking. Of course, he couldn’t stop until he saw that her head was turned to him, blushing brightly.

“Something the matter, darlin’?”

Don, much to his credit, forced himself with all his strength to prevent a nod, though it proved in vain, “Uh... I’d like some company, if you don’t mind. I’d feel kind of...” He bit his tongue, unsure if he should continue, “lonely, so I was wondering if- You know, you wouldn’t mind...”

She stepped toward him and smiled, “Of course not. I’m pretty bushed anyway, so I could use a nap.”

“Well, I’m sort of freezing right now, so I kind of need some warmth. Really, I feel like I’m on top of ice cubes right now.”

“That’s probably just a side-effect, but I don’t mind.”

Don scooted over, making room for her. Cherry got onto the bed and under the covers, turned to the door. She felt an arm drape over her, resting in front of her chest. There was a vibration nearby, but it seemed that Don ignored it as he fell asleep, too tired to continue. Though, he knew one of the only reasons he asked for her to lie in bed with him was that it would definitely calm him down as opposed to panicking. After all, panicking tended to lead to quicker deaths, no matter the situation.

He simply muttered, “Thanks,” and went out like a light.

Cherry Jubilee sighed, scooting back towards him just a little bit. Quickly, she too was asleep, content and smiling. Despite the threat of impending death, Don was going to make every last minute count that he was awake, though he wanted to just relax for now. He thought to himself he earned it for having survived this long. And despite it all, he too fell asleep a bit happier than he did the yesterday. Besides, what was life if death didn’t loom over you at every moment? Things went quiet in the room. Though, a mix of vomit and blood inside of Don’s mouth were already an indication of what was to come.