The Freedom Roads - Part Four

The kitchen was cold and dark but neither of them cared. They were equals, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes, only occasionally glancing at death poised in the corner.

“I used to write too.”
“What do you mean used to? We always write David.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, first of all, don’t tell me you didn’t have notebooks scattered all around your little cottage up there.”
“It isn’t really a cottage…”
“Secondly, how many stories have you boxed up in that noggin of yours? Do you see the world differently because your laptop doesn’t work? Do you stop thinking because there’s no one around to read your stuff?”
“Well what’s the point?”
“The point is that this is history in the making David. Very few people are in our current situation and if you don’t write this shit down, who are gonna know how we coped and died and loved? We’re back to scratch - back when history was made around a campfire only with fewer people!”
“I was never really any good Riley.”
“Well who do you have to compete with now? And who would care? Why do you care? Who the fuck are you to say your crap isn’t good enough by the way?”
“Yeah alright Captain.”
“Hah!”

…

“Riley?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you really dying?”
“Yes David, I’m really dying.”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
“Ah. Well that sucks.”
“… Yeah.”

…

“Where did he get you?”
“Left of the navel, below the ribs, right here”
“Did it go in far?”
“Nah but it’s become infected by now and the bastard twisted it.”
“… Did you get him?”
“Oh yeah.”

…

“Are you scared?”
“Less scared now”, Riley smiled. “Are you scared?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“It’s not that bad. I mean sure it hurts and the cold is excruciating but every breath puts a damper on it now, just a little bit. You’ve got plenty of years left in you, kid…”
“I’m scared for you asshole.”
Riley smiled. “I know.”

…

“Any regrets?”
“Let’s not talk about regret.”
“Okay Riley.”

…

David was crying. “Riley… Riley! What the fuck man, we were just talking! Riley! We were just talking! Come on man, not in the middle of a fucking sentence, Riley!”
Clutching the man’s bony frame, David was shaking as Riley’s head rolled off his shoulder and tilted back.

David buried him in the meadow, in front of the terrace Riley had built. Sweat was pouring off his naked back and he had a cigarette clamped between his teeth. The sundown colored the sky golden and amber. It was very beautiful. And fitting, David thought. He had wrapped Riley in a blue blanket and carried him outside. He looked to be sleeping in the evening glow as David lowered him into the shallow grave and covered him with dirt. I wish I had come down sooner. Goodbye my friend.