Blast the Alarm

Alex wasn't sure when, but he fell asleep. He knew he had fallen asleep because VIc was no longer by him, and another jacket was draped over him like a blanket. He scrambles to sit up. It was still dark so he hadn't been asleep to long. He rubs his eyes and looks toward the sky, finding it to be similar to how it had when he woke up. He wondered where Vic had went? Alex manages to stand up, and as if on queue Vic comes around the van, zipping his pant zipper up as he does.

"Oh, good morning Lex," Vic says, blushing lightly and instantly moving his hands away from his general croth area.

"What time is it?" Alex asks, releasing a yawn as he stretches.

"Three-ish," Vic answers, yawning as he does so.

"In the morning?" Alex groans. It wasn't uncommon for him to stay up this late, but he defintely wasn't used to waking up this early. Vic hums a cheery 'yes,' he was almost inhumanly happy for someone who had maybe slept three hours in the past day. "How are you not dead?" Alex asks, eyeing Vic carefully.

"I've been awake so long it feels like I've gotten a full night of sleep," Vic shrugs carelessly.

"Here, sleep!" Alex says, bailing out of his spot on the ground and handing VIc back one of his jackets.

"I'm fine," Vic reassures him.

"No, go to sleep." Alex urges. "You might need your energy later so you should sleep while you can. I can keep an eye on things then sleep while we're on the road. Okay?"

Vic looks at him a long time. Contemplating his options. He could easily sleep when Alex slept and just stay awake for now, but the ore he thought about sleep the more tired he became. Finally he agrees to the proposition, grabbing his jacket and climbing into the crowded van to take his well deserved nap.

Alex sits back on the ground, humming quietly to himself. The moon and stars were still out, but the sky was gradually starting to lighten. He loved this time of night. The guys always made fun of him for staying up late just to watch it, but he never minded. It was fascinating to him and he could care less if anyone else thought it was funny or weird. The door the the van suddenly sounds and Alex assumes its Vic getting up again. He jumps when Tony comes up behind him.

"God Tony," Alex laughs. "You're always so quiet." Tony sits down next to him and shoots Alex a grin.

"I guess it wouldn't kill me to speak up more," he agree playing with his hands idly.
"Or we could just put a bell around your neck." They both laugh, quiet laughs, but they were true.

"What happened to that can?" Tony asks curiously, pointing toward the practically slaughtered can Vic had opened earlier.

Alex thinks a moment, almost not remembering what had happened. "Vic showed me how to open cans using concrete."

Tony giggles. "Really?" Alex nods. "Wow, he could have just asked me. I have a church key on my key ring."

"I don't think he realized that," Alex says dismissively.

"I think he was just trying to show off," Tony decides. "He can be like that some times. Little man syndrome or something I guess." Tony looks at his feet awkwardly.

"Yeah . . ." Alex trails off looking back toward the stars and the moon. He glances over once and finds Tony doing the same thing. Alex stay silent on the matter, he liked seeing Tony look up and smile it was a far shot from his usual looking every but up.

Finally Tony breaks the comfortable silence. "I can't wait to get home," he says, his voice barely a whisper.

"Neither can," Alex agrees. Home seemed like the only place to go from here.

Tony drops his legs from the ball he had curled himself into and stretches out into a more comfortable sitting position. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his ipod to check the time. It was only 3:30, he could easily go back to sleep now but he doesn't get up from his spot. He types in his password and puts the volume all the way up so his music can play. He figured it was going to die eventually anyway and he might not get the chance to charge it againf or a long time, so if he was going to waste it's battery there as no better time than now.

There is no noise other than the quiet sound of Tony's ipod and the breathing of the two. And neither of them wished to change how peaceful that moment felt.

-

Joe's breathing is heavy as he continues to run. He had stopped hearing the sound of dogs over a mile ago, but you can never be to safe. He runs a few yards more before ducking behind a tree to check that he still had everything. He opens his bag and begins to take stock.

Laptop. Check.
Flash drive. Check.
Back up flash drive. Check.
Camera. Check.

And so on and so forth. He dares to let a grin break across his face when he finds that everything is there. Just like it was supposed to be. He thought momentarily about taking out his phone to see where he was. But she changes his mind, he was sure he was on the right route to meeting Pete at the state line. He'd come to know the damned state somewhat well in the past two years he had spent here. Not well enough to stop the disaster, but well enough he could escape now.

Joe slings the backpack back on his shoulder and starts of again at a considerably slower pace. He was in energy conservation mode now, and God knows he’d need it.

Notes

Shorter than most chapters, but stuff is starting to happen. I already have the next chapter pretty much written too.

xoxo
Dewey