The End Boxset: Postapocalyptic Visions of an Unstoppable Collapse Read Online Free Page B

taking another chip from the bag.
     
    Brian observed the different groups of high school kids sitting around the outside lunch area. There were no familiar faces. He thought of how lucky he was to have Tobias in the same lunch block. The school had two lunch blocks and they could have easily been separated. Brian imagined himself aimlessly trying to find a place to sit where he could either blend in with some acquaintance or sit noticeably alone. The thought of doing either terrified him. A group of girls gathered around a few tables ahead of them. 
     
    “You looking at them cheerleaders?” Tobias asked, noticing Brian's distracted gaze.
    Brian was locked into a trance and unresponsive. Tobias turned to face the girls, then back.
    “Tina Carradine? Yeah right! She's way out of your league.”
    Brian looked back down at his food; he still had some way to go on the pizza. But he wasn't going to throw it out and give Tobias more ammunition.
    “It's nothing. I just remember her from last year. When did she become a cheerleader?” Brian asked.
    “When she got to high school, like the rest of her clique,” Tobias replied while crumbling up his potato chip bag and flinging it into the air behind him.
    Brian was slightly bothered by the casual littering, but wanted to probe him further about Tina.
    “What are you talking about?” he asked.
    Tobias leaned in closer. “Are you that dense? Look, man, you want to get with any of those girls you have to join the football team. And you can't play football, so forget it.”
     
    Brian thought to himself then responded. “I've played football plenty of times.”
    “Playing football out in the street with like four kids is a lot different than playing varsity. That one guy, Riley Kelly, he's like as big as an ox. He'd kill you. Imagine one hundred Riley Kelly’s. What are you, 110 pounds?” Tobias laughed.
    “I never said I was going to join, it's just—“
    Suddenly another student, a senior, emerged from behind Tobias, startling Brian.
    Tobias, seeing the look on Brian's face, turned around. The kid—stocky, twice the size of either of them, and wearing a school varsity jacket, indicating his role as an influential school athlete, or jock—was not happy.
    “Did you throw this trash on the ground?” the jock asked, holding Tobias's crumbled potato chip bag. 
    Tobias and Brian looked around innocently, not responding.
    The jock's tone escalated. “Hey, I'm talking to you twerps!”
    Brian didn't know what to say. He wasn't going to take ownership. But he wasn't going to rat Tobias out either. Tobias took a deep breath and then turned to address the jock.
    “Wasn't us,” he said while turning to face Brian. The jock, further enraged, grabbed the back of Tobias's shirt.
    “I know it was you, you little punk-ass. It hit my girlfriend. I want you to apologize to her.” The jock's grip tightened on the shirt, as Tobias began to squirm.
    Things were getting intense, and within a flash, two things crossed Brian's mind: One, he didn't believe the jock, because he personally saw the crumbled bag hit the ground behind Tobias. And two, the incident was gaining the attention of all the other kids, including Tina Carradine. This was not good.
     
    The jock pulled on Tobias, placed one hand around his throat, and squeezed.
    “Apologize, now!'” he demanded.
    Tobias tried to speak, but the jock’s grip made it difficult.
    “S-sorry…,” he managed to get out.
    The jock leaned in closer, clearly enjoying himself. “What was that? Oh, I didn't hear you? Come again?” he asked with glee.
    “Sssss…,” Tobias spurted as the jock shook him. His face was getting redder with each second. Brian felt panicked. He seized up, then something inside came out that he'd wish hadn't.
    “Leave him alone!” 
    The jock turned. Brian had his attention. His grip loosened on Tobias. His glare never wavered as he approached Brian, ready to strike.
    “Ohhhhhh. I see. So it was you who