Work Text:
The twister had been a surprise to all of them, they had talked about it, hoped for it to come but when it did nobody was sure what they wanted to do with it
“Have you heard?” Baker asked him, fulfilling his part in the grapevine theory “‘Bout the twister”
Garraty had heard there was nobody who hadn't heard already, the kid up ahead whos batteries somehow hadn’t died already, even though they had been walking since three lifetimes ago, the weather report on his portable radio had stated a twister would be coming
“Do you really believe that?” But Garraty had lived in Main long enough to know the weather reports were never to be trusted, and wouldn't it be too miraculous too convenient for a twister to come and save them, them specifically them, when it hasn't happened in, never, probably he didn't know, maybe it had, Stebbins would know, Garraty didn't know how but he was sure Stebbins would, Garraty wasn't sure why he was always thinking about things like that.
“Why not?” McVries approached them “We have already seen hail, rain, scorching sun, wind” He said counting with his fingers “Why not this too? It would be the last nail in the coffin”
“What do we do if that happens?” Garraty asked, when McVries said it could actually happen, the possibility suddenly got bigger, he felt vulnerable now, what do you do when a twister comes, his father had probably told him years ago, he didn't remember anything anymore.
“Keep walking” He heard Stebbins voice behind him, he turned around but when he did there was nobody there.
“What do you think Garraty?” McVries asked him, sardonic smile in his face, Garraty looked at the ground, ashamed, then raised his eyes back up, he didn't want to look at his feet either.
“Maine is really the worst state in all the” He heard Parker yelling at the sky in front of them.
“The 51. We know you have been repeating it all morning.”
“Ya wanna fight Garraty?”
“No Parker.”
“Let's not fight Garraty” Abraham said a grimace in his face.
“Let's not fight Parker, Ray” Baker told him, he sounded like his mom.
“No Mom” Him and McVries said at the time, McVries burst out laughing, he did too, he didn't know how exactly they found the strength to do that, it was something in the brain, he began to understand that.
They kept walking the wind was getting stronger, kids were still dropping beside them but Garraty thought the rate had slowed down, maybe everybody was deciding to stay alive, just a little longer, just to see if the twister would come or not.
“Ha!” He heard McVries laugh.
“What is it Pete?”
“Look at that” McVries pointed with his thumb to something behind them, the bright yellow rain hat of Barkovich's had been blown away with the wind.
Garraty hid his face lower on his jacket, leaves and branches were starting to come down as well.
“Shut the Hell Up Scarface.”
“No U.”
Garraty stopped laughing “Pete, Look out” Garraty told him, McVries brought his hoodie up.
“Do you think the twister is coming now?” Baker asked them.
“Why do you want the twister to come, Art? What do we do if it does?”
“We could...” Baker choked on his own words, he looked to the side of the road, they didn't need words to explain that.
“Do you really?” Garraty looked to the side too, his hair was starting to get in his eyes.
“Shh” McVries said to the both of them “Did you forget?” Garraty shook his head “Look at them” McVries murmured, nodding his head to the soldiers.
Garraty felt like the soldiers were staring straight at them, through them, like they could see a timer on them, and were simply counting down to where they would have to stand up and shoot them. The umbrella they had set up earlier was being blown off by the wind.
Garraty was never religious but he thought if signals by God existed, this had to be it.
“Pete, Art” Both of them looked back at him, taller side by side, they all looked like children right now “If we can, we have to try.”
McVries and Baker shared a look, then McVries spoke for the both of them
“Yes, Ray.”
They kept walking, waiting to face it.
“Ah!” Garraty lost balance, the wind pushed him too strong, he had tried to stand his ground, but the force on his feet had been too much, he felt them throbbing now.
“Ray!” McVries seemed to be ready to run, Baker besides him, but he had stopped, he had stopped for him.
“Go! Pete! Go!” He gripped one hand on his leg, trying to get it to work again, he felt like he was kicking a TV to get it out of the static.
“Ray!” McVries was in front of him now, grabbing his sides, as if he were trying to carry him with his own two hands.
“Pete! No!”
“McVries! Come!” He could barely recognize Baker’s voice through the wind, they were barely avoiding it, what if it caught them, would The Major chase a twister to continue his Long Walk, Garraty was awfully sure he would.
“But Ray!” Garraty didn't know if McVries was speaking to him, or to Baker.
“Art take him!” Garraty could only look on as Baker wrapped both arms around McVries waist and took him away, could only look on as Baker’s face filled with sweat and redness, teeth clenched as he did both of them the favor of their lives, could only look on as McVries screamed out his name, hands reaching out to the air.
The twister was getting closer, flying the trucks and the soldiers out of the way, the rest of The Walkers disappeared down the woods, Garraty wished them the best of luck. His leg still wasn’t working.
“Garraty out of my way!” He heard a voice shouting, he closed his eyes as he heard a bullet ring, he wondered just who would have gotten a ticket in a time like this, his ticket, no it couldn't be, the bullet didn't touch him, the soldiers never got it wrong, and then a soldier fell in front of him, his faceplate opened, his eyes red, looking like they were about to pop out his skull.
“Garraty out of my way!” The voice again, he stepped forward, his legs finally worked, a flash of a green sweater, then he blacked out.
Garraty felt a throbbing in his head, his eyes opened up slightly, the sun was scorching his eyes.
He groaned, tried to stand up, his legs were ready to give up underneath him, but he had walked for three days he could walk a little more.
Garraty gazed at his surroundings, the deep parts of the forest, he heard birds gawking in the sky, he was familiar with the trees and the forest, he had grown up here, he wondered if he would ever feel that comfortable and calm again.
He gave a few steps ahead, his feet didn't feel like his own, and there he was.
Stebbins resting against a fallen tree trunk, a soldier's shotgun beside him, he looked like he had fallen asleep in the middle of camping.
That brought him back to reality, there had been a twister, he had escaped somehow, McVries and Baker weren't here now, and his feet hurt so goddam much.
He left out a muffled scream as he fell down, Stebbins shot awake, the shotgun on his hand, holding it like a true expert, against the air where Garraty had stood seconds ago.
“It’s me! Don't shoot” He put his hands defensively in front of his face, as if he could catch a bullet.
“Garraty” Stebbins sounded rather breathless himself, he sat down again, they were eye level now “You are awake”
“Yeah”
“When did I fall asleep?”
“I don't know. The same time as me?” Garraty tried to answer him, but Stebbins seemed to be speaking more to himself than anything.
“No” Stebbins didn't look at him in the eyes, he was staring at his shotgun.
“Ummm Okay” Garraty didn't know what to answer at that, he looked around to see if the rest were there, they weren't “Do you know where the others are at?”
“No” He raised the shotgun, as if leveling its weight.
“No?” Stebbins didn't look at him, it was starting to piss Garraty off “No idea at all?”
“Somewhere. I suppose”
Garraty decided there was no point in scuffling with him, he grabbed the trunk, right besides Stebbins's leg and stood himself up, his legs quivered but he kept trying.
“What are you doing?” Stebbins asked, staring at his hand, he didn't remember it being this full of veins at the beginning.
“Standing up” Garraty was starting to remember why he didn't speak to Stebbins usually, he only knew how to take him in doses too much of someone like Stebbins could get to anybody, he didn't know what he would do if Stebbins got to him.
“I had forgotten you were stupid Garraty” He propulsed himself back up.
“Hey!” Garraty wasn’t going to try to fight him, he had a shotgun, but still.
“Why are you standing up? Your feet are going to break.”
“I gotta go look for Pete.”
“You don't” It stung Garraty because technically it was true, he didn't have to, but he needed to, he needed to know that he was okay, that he was safe somewhere, that he was alive, he needed to, it wasn't like water or air, he wouldn't die without it, but he couldn't live without it.
“I do” Stebbins tilted his head at that, Garraty felt questioned “I need to see if they are alive too.”
“If they are alive, I can assure you they are taking a break.”
“So what? Do we just sit around here doing nothing?”
“Until you can walk without your legs collapsing underneath you, yes, I would advice so.”
“And do your legs not give up underneath you?” Garraty asked back at him, but he sat down.
He felt taller and bigger looking down at Stebbins now, both him and McVries had thought Stebbins was made of something else, that he hadn't changed at all during The Walk, but now that they were both sitting down, now that he could truly look at him, Garraty realized he had.
Stebbins was definitely skinnier now, he could see his cheekbones now, the stains of sweat were still present on his clothes, and if the invincible Stebbins looked like this, Garraty could only imagine how he must have looked like.
“Stop staring” Stebbins said turning his gaze to one of the trees.
“Sorry” Garraty sighed as he allowed himself to fall back entirely on the trunk.
Garraty watched the sun go down slowly, didn't dare move his feet any longer.
“What happened?” He asked out loud almost to nobody, expecting no answer.
“A twister.”
He grimaced at that, he couldn't tell how much of Stebbins was his true personality, and how much of it was meant to bother him, but he didn't mind right now, he was too tired to mind, he was happy just having him by his side
“I mean; Why do you have a gun, why are we here, why I was unconscious on the floor?”
“Some soldiers got taken away by the twister, I picked up the shotgun from there” Stebbins looked to the ground the shadows of the leaves were dancing on his face, he was so pale “I got us here.”
“You brought me here” Garraty pointed to himself, he felt his voice getting thinner.
“Why do you care?”
“I!” Garraty sighed, he really didn't want to fight with Stebbins right now “Thank you.”
Stebbins looked up as if these were the most shocking news he had ever heard “Thank me?”
“Yes, thank you for bringing me here, and for not letting me die.”
“Why are you thanking me?”
“I'm telling you, for saving me, you didn't have to but you chose to.”
“I see” Stebbins looked down again, his eyes slightly wide. Garraty wondered just how weird a thanks could be
“And why did you shoot that soldier?”
“So you do remember.”
“Kinda."
“Then why are you asking?”
“I said, kinda, I don't know why you shot him.”
“He was shooting… you” He looked back up “Stop asking and staring.”
He laughed, he kept looking.
“Stop it Garraty” He didn't “Do you like me Ray, is that it?”
Garraty sucked in his breath.
“Heard you perverts liked the willowy type.”
“Oh shut up” He hit Stebbins softly in the arm.
“Hey” Stebbins held his arm, where Garraty had made contact.
“Are you calling yourself the willowy type?”
“Piss off Garraty”
“I would love to but...” He reached for Stebbins's leg.
“Ahhh!”
“As it seems, you can't go either.”
“What's wrong with you?”
“I needed to see if you were okay, and you weren't going to tell me, right?”
“That's so out of character! Why do you even care if I'm okay?”
“We can't go if you can't walk either.”
“We?”
“You brought me here, I can't leave without you now.”
“You can”.
“But I won't” In reality Stebbins was right he could do it, he would probably be better off doing it, but he didn't want to and he knew that if the time came, he wouldn't, he just wouldn't, maybe he was becoming kinda weird, but after that who exactly could blame him
“You are weird.”
“You too.”
Garraty didn't say anything after that. The sun was starting to really come down.
“Can we sleep here?” Garraty asked him.
“We already did.”
“Won't we get caught?”
“Probably” Stebbins leaned towards him, one hand on his leg “We can't go anywhere now. I will fall, or you will fall, and if you fall, I can't help you get up, you are too heavy.”
“And if you fall I willl fall with you” Garraty finished “Guess we will have to sleep here again.”
Garraty reclined against the trunk.
“How can you sleep here?”
“I'm from here, I'm used to the forest, you have already slept here too.”
“I passed out here, but you can sleep here?”
“What? The forest too much for you?”
“Shut up Garraty” Stebbins got himself against the trunk too, but Garraty could tell he was very uncomfortable, he wasn't going to be able to sleep like this either.
“Hey” Stebbins only opened one eye at him “Want to lean on me?”
“Uh?”
Garraty showed him his shoulder, without looking at him in the eye “If you are squirming around all night, I can't sleep either.”
“I don't squirm.”
“You do” He placed his hand awkwardly on the back of his neck “Just do it, so we can both sleep.”
Stebbins looked at him for a second, as if to decide whether he was going to pounce at him or not the moment he left his guard down, he moved a little closer to him, Garraty didn't budge at all, then slowly, Stebbins lowered his face to Garraty’s shoulder.
Garraty thought Stebbins was really like a wild animal, whenever he got too close, Stebbins snapped at him, but if he just calmly waited like this, things were fine between them.
None of them turned to look at each other, Garraty felt the seconds ticking down at him, now that he was conscious of them he felt like running, avoiding a ticket and a bullet, and everything that now lived inside of him, running away from something he could never outrun, but then he felt Stebbins soft breathing on his nape, it was ticklish, and warm, and calming, and grounding, and alive, he was so grateful for that.
He allowed himself one look, Stebbins had both eyes closed but in that funny way little kids did, where it looked like their eyes were half-lidded, his eyelashes seemed so long right now, he let his own head rest on top of Stebbins, breathing softly, in and out, until he finally fell asleep too.
Garraty woke up again, back against the trunk, he worriedly looked around, Stebbins wasn't in immediate sight range, and that was worrisome.
“God, Don't do that” Garraty said to Stebbins, who was sitting on a low branch on one of the near trees, almost camouflaging in the shadows.
“Do what?”
“Disappear like that.”
“I didn't disappear.”
He sighed he should have expected it “Fine, whatever, just don't get too far away, okay?” Garraty looked up at him.
“I won't.”
“Thanks” He stretched as much as he could, all his bones popping while he did “How did you even get up there? Can you walk?”
“A little” This reminded Garraty, that they were all screwed, but of all of them, Stebbins was the least “Do you think you can walk now?”
“Want me to try?” Garraty didn't want to try, but he knew he had to at some point, and the sooner the better.
“Wait” Garraty held on, as Stebbins slowly got himself off the tree.
“What are you made of?”
Stebbins tilted his head “Flesh and blood like you, Garraty.”
“It's a saying, what I mean is, does that really not hurt?”
“It does, but so does breathing.”
“Touché.”
Stebbins stood in front of him, offered Garraty his hand “You are going to need it.”
“Yeah” Garraty grabbed Stebbins's hand, it was cold and soft, it wasn't what one would call comforting, but it was there, and that's what mattered.
He tried to stand up, and immediately went down, Stebbins groaned trying to keep the both of them up.
“Let me try again” Garraty grabbed his hand with more strength, Stebbins brought him up, they stood like that for interminable seconds, waiting to see when one of them would fall, Garraty had his eyes shut close, he slowly opened one up.
“I’m standing.”
“Yes you are”.
“I want to sit down.”
“So do I.”
Garraty brought Stebbins down with him, he didn't let go of his hand, both them breathed raggedly, as if they had just run a marathon.
“I gotta try again right?”
“We have to walk out of here someday, Garraty.”
“Yes” He allowed himself one big mouthful of air “Here I go again” He got Stebbins up with him again, they kept each other up, longer this time.
“Garraty!” Stebbins's knee gave up underneath him, Garraty quickly put one arm behind him, stopping Stebbins from hitting the ground.
“Down?” He asked him.
“Yes.”
They got back on the grass, the sun was so merciless in them, they probably hadn't been up for more than one minute. When did life get so hard?.
They waited for what could have been hours, Garraty was waiting for some kind of sign by Stebbins that he was willing to try again, because Lord knew, he wasn't willing to try on his own, Stebbins squeezed his hand.
“Again?” Garraty said, almost whispering it to him.
“Yes.”
“I think, I can stay up long enough now” Garraty told Stebbins, he had been counting the seconds in his head, he was sure that couldn't be healthy.
“I think so too” Stebbins lasted up far more than he did, but the moment he went down he couldn't get back up in hours.
“So what now?” Garraty said, looking as Stebbins went to pick up his shotgun from the trunk.
Stebbins loaded it with practical ease, Garraty wasn't sure he wanted to know how Stebbins was so good, and casual about it.
“We need food” They had been feeding off the old tubes they both still had, but they were basically empty by now.
“Where are we going to get it?” Garraty said, eyes fixated on the shotgun.
“There must be houses somewhere around here.”
“Your plan is to rob a house?”
“Do you have a better plan Ray. because I'm all ears.”
“We are going to get caught if we do that.”
“And if we don't too, and if we don't do it and don’t get caught, we will starve to death.”
Garraty had to admit that all was true, somehow this made him miss McVries and Baker more than he had on the last days, and that was a lot.
“And if you were thinking about what your friends would do, they have probably already done the same.”
“How did you?”
“Because I do” He readjusted the shotgun “Let's get going, they will probably have a first aid kit.”
“And we could really do with one” Garraty finished the thought, Stebbins was right, they better get going before the both of them reach their limits.
“Okay” Garraty grabbed Stebbins hand, it had become second nature now, a basic security measure, Stebbins looked at their hands then up at him “I know this state like the back of my hand, I know where the closest houses are at.”
Stebbins swung their hands back and forth “Lead the way Garraty” and he did.
“There it is” Both him and Stebbins kneeled down, they had finally found a house that wasn't surrounded by other houses or completely empty.
“Get behind me” Stebbins let go of his hand, grabbing the shotgun with both hands now, he looked far too trained about this whole situation.
They sneaked until the picture window of the house.
“It seems empty” Stebbins stated “Let's kick the door open.”
“Uh?”
“It's easier and faster, or did you want me to shoot the window Ray?”
“No...” He looked to the side, slightly embarrassed, they hurried to the front door “But do you wanna kick anything?”
“Wrong word, let's tackle it. Quick” Stebbing told him “Do it”
“Wait, Me?”
“Yes, You Ray, you are stronger and bigger, it's easier if you do it.”
He looked at Stebbins “Yeah you are right.”
He slowly stepped back from the door, they looked side to side, nobody was near, then he slammed himself against the door, it opened.
Stebbins ran in front of him, shotgun pointed, they waited for a second but heard no movement, Garraty let out his breath.
“Seems we got lucky.”
“Thank goodness.”
Stebbins lowered the shotgun, they walked further in.
“Here's the kitchen” Garraty lead them down.
“The Kitchen” Stebbins repeated.
Garraty opened up the fridge, Stebbins let the shotgun fall to the ground.
“Stebbins, they have a steak.”
“A steak.”
“Yes.”
“Can we eat it as it is?”
“Pete ate raw hamburgers, we can do this.”
Stebbing sat himself down in the kitchen “Let’s eat it like this”
Garraty quickly looked for a knife in the drawers and parted it in half. He sat down too.
“Your half” Stebbins grabbed it and began nibbling at it “Calm down you are gonna throw up” But he was eating as fast as he could too.
They ate in silence until there was nothing left.
“Who's going to stand up for the first aid kit?” Garraty asked.
Stebbins grabbed his abdomen, and showed the closest to a true pain face Garraty had ever seen in him.
“I will” He held himself up, all his bones cracked, Garraty cringed at that.
Stebbins moved around the kitchen.
“It's probably on the top shelves” He saw as Stebbins looked up with an awkward grimace “Do you need me to help you up, Stebbins?”
“I can still hit you Ray, I'm not as short as Barkovich.”
Garraty drowned a laugh “That's not saying a lot is it?”
“Oh, Piss off Ray, You are like five centimeters taller than me” Garraty had come to realize Stebbins only called him by his first name when he was mad, that was usually the other way around.
“Stop doing that.”
“Getting the first aid kit? With pleasure.”
“No” Garraty looked up at him “Calling me Ray when you are mad.”
“Okay Ray.”
“Stebbins” He groaned “Don't.”
“Why?”
“Because it bothers me” He suddenly realized he knew next to nothing about Stebbins, didn't even know his first name “Stebbins?”
“What, Ray?” He wanted to laugh, Stebbins could be such a brat.
“What's your first name?” Stebbins looked down at him, a questioning look in his eyes “I'm not asking anything big out of you, I just want to know your name”
“Why?”
“Because you are here, and that's kinda the norm.”
“You know my last name, isn't that enough?”
“No” Garraty was surprised hearing himself, no it wasn't enough, nothing with Stebbins was ever enough.
“Why not?”
“Because you are my...” What was Stebbins of his? Nothing probably, everything as of late actually “My… Friend.”
“Ah” Stebbins got his eyes back, he sounded disappointed somehow “If I get this down, maybe I will give it to you later”.
“So never then.”
“Shut it Ray.”
Stebbins breathed in and out, held himself up in the kitchens counter and got to his tiptoes, he held himself onto the open drawer, and got the kit out, then he fell down.
Stebbins held the kit to his chest, Garraty could only phantom the pain.
“Let's do it in the bathroom” Stebbins said “But I need more time first.”
“Okay” Garraty moved closer to him, Stebbins placed his head on his shoulder, almost like it was normal.
They listened to their own ragged breathing, Garraty counted the seconds until Stebbins's softened.
Garraty muttered to him “Ready?”
Stebbins grabbed his hand he squeezed it as if trying to give himself strength “Yes”
They stood each other up, Garraty with the first aid kit, Stebbins with the shotgun.
“Why is the bathroom upstairs?” Stebbins asked, he sounded defeated and Garraty didn't like the sound of that in his voice at all.
“Don't worry, we will get up there” They stopped in front of the first step “You first.”
“Why?”
“So if you fall I can catch you” Stebbins looked at him, his pale face was so red.
He took the first step and Garraty went up behind him, quivering each time Stebbins's knees trembled.
“It's the first door” Stebbins said, as Garraty took the last step.
“Thank God.”
They opened up the door, they had a bathtub, the both of them thanked God for it, Stebbings let the shotgun besides the door, Garraty lowered the kit on the floor in front of the tub.
“We need warm water” Garraty said, Stebbins nodded as Garraty opened up one of the faucets.
“I don't want to take off my shoes” Stebbins said, he sounded so young and vulnerable.
“Me neither... but we have to.”
“Are we going to sit inside the tub with the clothes on?” Stebbins said.
“Do you want to take your clothes off?”
“Not the time, Ray.”
“For real. What do you want?”
“Let's take our shoes off” Garraty nodded they leaned against the filling tube as they took off their shoes, Garraty gulped down as he slid off the shoe, and went for the sockets, Stebbins expression had become unreadable again.
Their feet were purple, calloused and swollen, getting redder and bruised everywhere, the inside of the nails seemed to be melting away.
Stebbins was retching, Garraty wanted to offer him his help, but he had nothing to give, not even to himself.
Stebbins stood up in one go, and threw himself in front of the toilet, Garraty wanted to cover his ears as he heard the steak they had just eaten, going down the drain but he didn't, he had heard far worse things already.
Garraty closed the faucet and waited for Stebbins to finish throwing up whatever he had left to throw up
“We need to put our feet in there” He offered Stebbins his hand, Stebbins took it.
They slowly got on the tube, Stebbins sucked in air through his teeth, as his feet touched the water, his face looked horrified, Garraty was sure he must have looked far worse.
Garraty squeezed his hand, he couldn't find air or words to say, but he could do that much for the both of them.
Stebbins squeezed back.
They spent an eternity squealing in the water, until it finally seemed bearable, they had only stared at each others eyes, no brave enough to look at their silhouettes in the water, not wanting look away at all.
The water was getting grey and red.
“We have to get out and put whatever it's on the kit on.”
Stebbins sighed “...Ray” He grabbed the sides of the tub and got up, he slowly lowered himself to the ground, Garraty followed.
Stebbins reached up for two towels, he offered one to Garraty.
They dried off their feet, wincing each time.
Garraty felt like something was going to pop in his feet but he kept going, their feet were going to be malfunctioning, and broken, and disfigured their whole lives, but at the very least they were going to be there, Garraty convinced himself of that.
Stebbins opened up the kit, it seemed to be filled with more than the necessary, Garraty didn't know how he had gotten this lucky
“Do we treat this as a bruise?” Stebbins said.
“I think we should treat the cuts first” Their feet were full of little red cuts all over, God may know, when they had gotten there.
“Let’s” Stebbins said grabbing the oxygenated water from the kit, Garraty bit his lip, and closed his eyes, he didn't want to see while this took place.
“Ah!” He let out a choked scream as the water made contact with his foot, he raised his fist and hit the ground underneath him, he felt Stebbins pull back at that.
“So-Sorry” He could barely speak through the burning.
“It's okay, Ray, I’m almost done” Garraty closed his eyes again and offered his other foot, he felt like he could pass out, but somehow, he didn't.
“Your turn now” He told Stebbins, still having difficulties to breath.
“Be careful Ray,”
“I will.”
Stebbins stopped a beat, but finally he gave in.
Now, there wasn't the comfort of darkness and feign ignorance, he had his eyes wide open, being careful just like he had promised, directly staring at the destroyed feet, blisters full of puss that looked ready to give out, white stuff and oil coming out of the cuts, broken nails and the smell of dead that no bathtub could take off.
Stebbins whimpered but he didn't close his eyes, he didn't hit anything, he bit his lips harder, he made them bleed.
“I'm about to finish.” That was the biggest comfort Garraty could offer him right now.
“Hurry Ray” Stebbins licked the blood off his lips.
“I'm gonna put ice on it” Garraty said, reaching for the ice packs on the kit, he left one rest on Stebbins's foot, he put the other one on his own.
“There are only two?” Stebbins said
“Yeah” They kept interchanging until it began melting, and causing no effect.
“Should we put cream on it?” Garraty asked.
“I would say, yes.”
“Here it is” Garraty held the bottle up to the both of them, they slowly applied it.
“Let's bandage them now” Stebbins said.
“Okay” Stebbins grabbed the bandages, they little by little worked the bandages against their feet, they knew they had to put real strength on it, no matter how much they hated it, and they did, their life kept on being a test of endurance, and somehow they keep passing it.
“We should raise our feet.” Stebbins said
“What?”
“It keeps swelling down, and we can't let this get any worse” Garraty looked at his Stebbins's face searching for a trace of sarcasm, he found none.
He grumbled “How do we do that?”
They re-accommodated, Stebbins's legs were facing the tub, Garraty’s the door, their heads touching, feet up.
Now that the biggest part of the pain was gone, Garraty could finally allow himself to think about McVries, and Baker, and Parker, and Barkovitch and everybody else, could finally allow himself to think about how he was here, and they weren't.
He made his choice, he needed them here a much as he needed Stebbins, differently but as much.
“Stebbins?”
“Yes?”
“After we can stand up, we are going to go look for Pete, and the rest.”
“We?”
“Yes. We.”
“I'm not going to help you find your boyfriend.”
Garratty hissed “That's not what this is about, Pete is my friend and I can't leave you, and I can't leave him or any of the others, so you are coming with.”
“Thank you for informing me of your decision, Ray.”
“I don't want to force you to come, Stebbins.”
“So you proceed to force me to come.”
“Am not” Garraty reached his hand to Stebbins, and he hoped with all his might he would take it, he felt such immense relief when he did “We both don't have anywhere else to go or anybody else to go to.”
“They are your friends, not mine, Ray.”
“They could be your friends too, being honest, they are all as weird as you.”
Stebbins chuckled “That's not true.”
“It is. Why don't you think so, Stebbins?”
“I'm not the most sociable person, Ray.”
“Neither am I.”
“It's different.”
“Only a little” Garraty looked at their hands intertwined “C’mon Stebbins, don’t leave me.”
Stebbins didn't say anything, the silence engulfed them, then he squeezed their hands tighter
“Fine, Let's go look for your friends” That was everything he needed to hear, he needed to know Stebbin was coming with, he could finally breathe.
“Thank you Stebbins, oh and by the way, you still owe me a first name.”
“That, when we find your friends, Ray.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Maybe, Ray” And that was the closes they could get to a promise, and for them that was alright.