Everything for Nothin'
Written by HKMonter
"You're a real clever bastard, aren't you?" Chris said to himself. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other in his pocket. 'Let's get this over with.' He sighed and pulled his neighbors car into an empty parking spot close to the entrance of a local McDonalds. He put his hand over the clip of his seat belt only for it to be smacked away by his unruly companion. "April Fools!" Johnny shouted next to Chris. Johnny was Mr. and Mrs. Moklin' Son. The neighbors usually try to leave Chris alone and Johnny away from him. There was no way they could avoid a 10-day business trip to Norway, so they decided drop him off with Chris at last minute. The keys under their door mat that had a fairly decent visual of a little girl frolicking in a sun flower field, and an envelope with 300 dollars in it. A letter had been attached to it that Chris decided was worth reading. He thought very little on why they would do it on such short notice but he didn't care. He had another 300 bucks to blow. Chris adapted to living in his small Tennessee apartment, despite it nearly being empty. He could care less about how he looked, or how people perceived him. He had better things to do. Despite Johnny and a couple bad neighbors, Chris wouldn't dare move out. For 600 bucks, he wasn't complaining about the rent. Anything more though and his sorry ass would be on the streets.. Again. 'Not this month.' He thought. He shook his head with a grin as he shifted gears into park and killed the engine. He opened the old side window and flicked his dying joint out that had barely a glow of life left in it. It went straight into an old Friskies cat food can. He opened the rusty old door, Instantly feeling the chill of the early November night air brush on his face and arms. It was around late afternoon and the sun was descending quickly. 'I need a jacket.. And some gloves.' His mind was roaming while he picked lint out of his old burned green biker vest and making sure his mothers rosary was secure on his neck. He had on his white and orange short-sleeved Rush shirt underneath and a pair of gray jeans and black work boots.He was a stocky, 5 '10, aggressive looking young man with an odd triangular scar on his right bicep and right eyebrow. When he wasn't out looking for a job, he was smoking pot or drinking with his 'friends'. Not like he had the money for anything better anyway. On his 17th birthday he had barely gotten away with a flaming, silver tongue tatted on his right palm and a gilded Yin-Yang on his left. That was 4 years ago, and all of his summer job money. He had short, unkempt and always seeming dirty, spiky light golden-brown hair. Hardly looked friendly, but he knew his limits. Him and his ex girlfriend were thrown out of his old Kentucky home 2 years back by his pissed off Uncle. He was forced to drift and take odd jobs, though it was hardly anyone else's fault but his own. He knew when it was, and he'd never deny it. Johnny let out a scream of joy and rushed to get up and out of the old 92' BMW. 'Forgot to strap the damn kid in.. Again..' Chris thought. He looked at Johnny. The boy was simple as all hell. Had a few loose screws, but nothing Chris really cared for. Sometimes it just got way too out of control though. He sighed and said "Alright Johnny listen here, we ain't gonna stay here forever and I know just as well as you do that we got a whole load of stuff to do later. Let's make it quick, yeah?" The boy nodded and saluted Chris. Chris thought about how he used to act around his old step dad. 'Just like your step Father, Chris. Almost a damn bum now, but not quite there.. Yet,' Johnny stared at him wide eyed and stood erect with a salute and a goofy smile. "Got it Uncle Chris!" Johnny slurred and nearly spit out. 'Holy shit their better not be a long line..' He ignored the gesture and walked up to the entrance. He never wasted time caring if the kid followed along him whenever they walked around, it was only a matter of time. Chris grabbed the door handle and stopped. He decided it was worth it to turn around. "You comin' or what?!" He shouted at the boy. Johnny quickly snapped around. "There was purple light's!" Johnny said while pointing at a tree-line. Chris ignored him until he heard loud steps behind him as he opened the door. Johnny would've smashed into him if Chris hadn't side stepped inside. Johnny went crashing straight through the front door and nearly into a tall man that looked like the manager. 'The agility of a lion, the eye's of an eagle.. And the strength of a retard' Chris thought and chuckled to himself while stepping aside to get a good look around him. He almost automatically noticed the peering eyes around him. He was long used to getting attention, but he still didn't like it. Chris shrugged off the looks and took a step forward but stopped short when he noticed an empty cup and puddle of juice on the floor. He looked up and realized how close he came to knocking into the back of the taller man. He realized what Johnny just did. The man turned around and he looked pissed. Chris was glaring at Johnny, trying not to look at the man in hopes of not being noticed. It didn't work. "Excuse me, Sir." The man said, trying his hardest not to lash out at Chris. Chris looked up at him and his eyes widened. "Watch what you're- " He stopped as their eyes met. He took a step back and took in a quick breath "Chris? That you?" The tall man asked. Chris grinned when he noticed that he was the manager. "Been in and out of all sorts of shit, Danny." Daniel was Chris' older brother and Chris really missed the guy. "You workin' McDonalds now, eh? That what you're trying to do to get your fix?" Chris said smugly. The older brother shook his head and put on a wicked smile. "Times have changed, Chris. Ol' Danny here ain't got no money or time to deal with-" His voice lowered "Bullshit." Danny was the older than Chris by 3 years, making him 24. He was the occasional trouble maker and always has been since they were little boys. He was different from Chris in that he was terrible liar and thief. Honesty wasn't a concept he could fathom. There was a major similarity between them that Chris admired. They both always try to get over on everything. Together they did pretty well, for a little while. He could still see it in his brothers eyes, a deep pit of nothing but pure greed. In the end, heroin ripped Daniel apart slowly, starting with his family and then his body. He stopped when he realized he wouldn't have enough money to keep his apartment and the local authorities got suspicious. He vowed he'd rather die than end up in prison or on the streets again. Chris was shocked when he realized that his brother was doing better than he was, but who wasn't? He was jerked out of his thoughts when Johnny started calling his name. He turned to his left and down. He locked eyes with the boy. Johnny wasn't much for looks. He had long, unkempt hair. He was Roughly 5 6' and he just looked like a problem. Anyone would've just guessed him to be Chris younger brother, or son. But the kid seemed to look up to Chris like a second father. The kid was also very strong for a 15 year old. He sure as hell didn't look it though. Chris smiled "What'cha want, boy?" Johnny returned the smile and said with pride "A number 2 with.." He took a sharp breath, "an ORANGE soda!!" Chris and his brother flinched and lowered their heads. "Jesus Christ, calm the hell down!" They said in unison.. They both looked at each other for a good second or so before breaking into all out laughter. "Good God, man! What is that? Your slave? You ina' lil' boys now, huh!? I knew you were too stupid to have a son." He sized up his brother. "You're too damn scared to try too!" Danny remarked. Chris shot Johnny a look and smiled awkwardly then returned his gaze to his brother. "Same goes for you, Dirt bag. I try to stay smart, something you have difficulty doing." Chris retorted with a grin. "Won't be surprised if 3 lil' Mexican boy's don't come runnin' on in here screaming 'Papa! Papa! ¿dónde está mamá?!'" Chris shouted with his hands in the air. The B'Lenard Brothers are going at it again. They both finished their laughs and realized they had other stuff to do. Danny gave Chris a real strong hug, almost a bear hug. They had the biggest smiles on their face. "Well, you gotta' tell me how in the hell you go from Canada all the way back down here, T.V run out of oil?" He said with a quick laugh that sounded more like a bark. "I'll save you that story for another time, Asshole. But I got work to do and a fine girl to get on back to later tonight. I can't have you on my mind or else shit's gonna' get weird." He said with a matching bark of his own. They had their fair share of slugs at each other when they were a little younger but they grew up.. Danny had 3 years on Chris while Chris had sheer strength. In the end they would both be in a beaten pile and, if their pops didn't come in and beat them silly for causing a mess, usually help each other up and let out a fit of laughs over whatever dumb shit they fought about that day. True brothers in the end. "Oh really now?" Chris said with mock concern in his voice. "Well I got work to do as well. It involves making your life hell." Chris took on a serious look. "Would you kindly get this boy a number 2.. with an ORANGE soda!" The whole place got quiet and people started staring again. The trio looked around and the Brothers eyes met again. "With some fries. Mother fucker." The whole place wasn't very packed, but it was filled with the sound of over a dozen different laughs. It was all but one that was under the radar. She was quite interested in them and her smile lasted only a few seconds before it was instantly cut off and she now donned a occupied look as if someone just called her phone. Chris eyed her, grin still on his face. 'Man she's lookin' funny.' His smile quickly faded and was replaced by one of complete confusion and he could swear that he saw a feather in her hat glow with a pink and purple hue. She was then snapped from her trance and locked eyes with Chris for a good second. He did a double take. She was gone. "What?!" He shook his head. 'I'm really out of it..' His brother turned around and seemed to pick up on his confusion "Hey man, what're yo- " His eye's met the seat that the lady was once sitting. "Hey.. where'd that lady go?" Chris looked at him, then back at the empty seat all the way at the back of the fast food joint. "I.. Don't know." Right in that instant the 3 of them felt a very, sudden cool breeze brush over the side of their faces. Chris' ear twitched and he quickly turned his head to his right but nothing was there. Johnny looked at the two of them. It got a little quieter as the activity seemed to die down and everyone went on with their business. A small young man, probably in his teens, came out of the back and up to the cash register with a small white bag. "Excuse me, Sir." Chris flinched and stood still, looking at the seat. "Sir!" The young man said with a little more annoyance in his voice. Chris snapped out of it "Yeah.. Yeah What?" Chris said cracking his neck and approaching the cash register with a fake smile on his face. "You ordered a Number 2 with a small fries... and an orange soda right?" He questioned rather rudely while eyeing at the receipt in his hand. Chris took the receipt, almost snatching it. "You're a smart one." Chris said while the smile began to falter. "Yes I believe I did." He turned to Johnny and then back to his brother. Chris and his brother stared at each other for a good minute while the man went around back to get the food. Daniel grinned a little and with his low, rough voice. "Just this once, Man. Only this once." Chris responded with a wicked grin and his heart began to thump at his chest like a hammer. Chris noted that Johnny was close to the exit door. The man came back and Chris looked straight in his eyes. "Will you marry me?" The man was completely shocked and he quickly composed himself. The bag was still in his hand. "What the hell ar-" The cashier was thrown off as Chris swiped the food from his hands. With one fluid motion he turned around and pointed to the door. "Come on, Johnny! Let's go!" They both gunned straight towards the exit and Johnny arrived first. Time seemed to slow down as he looked to his left with a smile on his face. His heart was going crazy as the adrenaline pumped through his body. As he took in the view, he saw the lady with glowing feather, sitting at her seat with a look of confusion. She was staring straight at him. His smile disappeared and before he could register what was happening, Johnny was pulling him on. "Go! Go!" Chris lingered for a moment longer but broke out of his trance. They ran straight down the parking lot and Johnny got in the car. Before he got in the car though he looked through the window at the seat. She was gone. He looked straight at his brother. They both smiled and put an open palm on their chest, right over the heart. Chris turned and hurried into the car. He shifted gears and started speeding out of the lot, and onto the street. The road seemed to stretch out infinitely before them with the setting sun. There was an low, orange and purple glow over the fields and outlets. The sight was breath taking but Chris didn't look for too long as he was focusing on the road now. "Chris! Look it' the horsey!!" Johnny was bouncing up and down in his seat while. The engine roared as he shifted gears again. "Why do you keep bringing this up? For the last time, there ain't no damn horses. They ain't following you or me so stop! Pass me the fries and eat up. You got school in the mornin'," Chris thought that it has to be the haze'. 'Can't keep smoking around this kid..' Johnny looked at the bag of food and then back up and out of the window, staring in awe at the large, white winged form in the nearby clouds. He took a cheese burger out of the bag and tried to stuff the thing is his mouth while grinning at the thing. The ominous figure continued to fly along the clouds and stare right at him. A small smile forming along her lips.
