Us and Them

Chapter 2 - Nous et Eus(Us and Them):

Bower Apartment, 5:24 AM/Friday/April 14th/2011

Room 412, Brien's small apartment room

 Bright rays of the sun burst through the large window, which has a cloth curtain over it. Where the shiny rays land on the sweet sleeping face of Sarah, who is now alone in Brien's bed. Not far from the bed in the kitchen, another small room with nice clean wooden counters and tiled floors, Brien is making coffee with his Keurig. The simple machine's black and silver color complementing the light wood making up the counters. Normally Brien makes only coffee for himself before a nice early morning jog, but this time he makes enough for two. He finds himself searching his organized drawers under the counters for a pen and paper. Once he finds this paper he thinks for a second about what exactly to write. 

Suddenly the lead begins to shed on the paper reading out, "I will be back soon. Going on a run. Made coffee, milk is in the fridge. - Brien."

Before leaving the room Brien leaves the note right next to the Keurig, then he exits, locking the door behind him. He walks to the elevator, clicks the lobby button, and slowly descends to the bottom floor. After arriving at the lobby floor he begins to walk to the front door.

"Leaving without me huh, O'Brien?" a mysterious man with medium-length swept-over straight brunette hair wearing a red and white Boston University Varsity Jacket.

Then Brien, who is holding his hands inside the pockets of his gray zip-up jacket and with his hair in a bun, "thought I'd be meeting ya' outside like usual, Ken."

Slowly Kenny North, a handsome kid, walks towards Brien while saying "Had me waiting for what? 30 minutes?"

"Yep, Ken. T'was 30 minutes," Brien states, "was just gettin' ready."

Instantly a slight grin grows on Ken's face, "just bustin' your chops. But seriously let's go before we turn 80, yeah?"

"Yeah let's get ta' movin'," Brien says.

Right after their brief conversation the two boys walk out the Bower's doors and begin to run down the not too crowded Boston street. Passing by only a handful of people in suits going to work or class. Silence stays across the two boys as they take in the chilly spring air of Massachusetts. Noticeably Brien had grown stubble overnight, but Ken had a baby face with a nice jawline. Signs at the edges of all the streets they pass have stickers peeling off of them and the brick walls are covered in masterful graffiti left by great artists. Morning sun lightly floats down on the two boys as they run along the sidewalk until they reach a small café called Mike & Patty's, a family-owned café. 

While breathing slightly heavy Kenny asks "wanna stop here… get something to eat?"

"Sure," then Brien reaches for his wallet, "I forgot my wallet in my room, you mind covering me?"

Recognizably a smirk summons on the face of Kenny as he asks "First you make me wait? Now I gotta pay for your food? You're bustin' ma' balls here, O'Brien."

Confused by Kenny's joking, Brien apologizes "ey', I won't get anything it's-."

"You've known me for a year and you still can't tell if I'm jokin' or not?" Kenny snickers, "You can be really fuckin' stupid for a smart guy some time, y'know that O'Brien."

Now laughing at Kenny's joke "Oh let's just get some food then, you pain the arse."

Both laughing friends enter the small café and scan the room for a place to sit before they order any food. Finally, they notice a small booth near the window at the edge of the cozy cabin feeling the café gives them.

While taking his seat, Kenny asks "You know this place?"

"Of course, it's a big one 'round here," the Boston native Brien responds, "I could've sworn we been here together before, no?"

Confused, the New York native Kenny responds "Don't think so," then he grabs a small menu from a little condiment holder on the right side of the table.

"You don't need that, just order the Fancy," Brien informs Kenny, "it's their main grinder here."

In a joking and confused tone, Kenny asks "You just call a hero… a damn grinder?"

"Well that's what I've been calling sandwiches my entire life," Brien looks oddly at Kenny, "did you just call a grinder a hero?"

"It's a New York thing," Kenny looks disgusted at the Boston-er, "You are weird y'know that."

"Well grinder is a Boston thing," then he looks to the front of the café, "ya' wanna order?"

"Yeah," Kenny responds.

As Brien stands up he asks, "Can I have 12 bucks??"

Slowly Kenny pulls his wallet out, "here take this," he takes out a ten-dollar bill with a second five, "give 'em a tip too."

While walking towards the front of the empty café, Brien nods while holding the cash Kenny has given him. Now waiting at the counter where you make your order, Brien notices a light screech coming from the back. Slight confusion comes to Brien as he waits almost a full two minutes, still listening to this human-like scratchy sound, before he rings the bell. Slowly he turns to look over at Kenny, then back in front of him where he notices a red puddle growing on the floor. Not hesitating, Brien rushes over to Kenny.

"Call 911!" Brien says frantically.

Perplexed and in a daze, Kenny rips his phone out of his pocket to dial the number. Meanwhile, fearlessly Brien rushes to the back where he sees the puddle of blood. But in the corner of the kitchen, standing behind a stove is a gray-skinned old man with red eyes and black veins. 

"Sir?" worriedly Brien says.

Noises incomprehensible leave the man's mouth instead as he saunters towards Brien while chomping his mouth up and down. Fearfully confused, Brien begins to back up out of the kitchen. And as he exits a police officer bursts in through the door, wearing an odd hazmat style uniform.

"Back away now!" says the officer.

In response, Brien hops over the counter where he watches as the officer draws his gun and shoots the bloody old man. Shocked by what he's viewing, Brien begins to back up slowly and shakily towards Kenny.

After laying the old man to rest, the officer turns to Brien and asks "Did he bite you?"

"No… no, no. I stayed away from him," a frightened Brien responds, "what happened?"

This officer, covered by layers of heavy-duty clothing, tells Brien and Kenny "Nothing for citizens to be concerned about, but I recommend getting home. There's an announcement set to be at noon, sharp," slowly the officer walks outside while thinking, "know what just to be safe… I'll give you two kids a ride, where do you two civies reside?"

"Both of us leave down at Bower," responds Kenny, standing in front of a frozen Brien.

"Follow me," then the soldier-like officer marches out of the building as Kenny follows quickly behind, but Brien stares at the body for a couple of seconds feeling compassion and utter confusion from the brash approach from the inhumane officer. 

Once Brien walks outside, the officer sternly points to the café, and two hazmat-suited workers rush over with boards, buckets of nails, and a set of tools. Swiftly and only from a couple of feet away the men begin to cover the small restaurant. Watching this confusing process, Brien slowly sits down in the backseat. Cruising through this city the boys see soldiers, cops, and other forms of authority patrolling the streets that were empty what felt like a couple of minutes ago. 

Suddenly the tires screech, the car stops, and Brien stares out his window, where the Bower is standing tall above him. While slowly exiting the vehicle, he looks around seeing blockades and other forms of protection getting put around the large tower-like apartment.

"Now hurry to your rooms the announcement is going to be broadcast soon," the officer says in a deep ordering voice.

Then the strict-officer drives off towards a green tent set up along the road in the opposite direction of where they are.

Kenny walks unto the building and tells Brien "Look, I know all this shit going on is serious. But I want you to come to a party throwin' tomorrow night. See you tomorrow, O'Brien," then he starts walking up the stairs to the first floor where he lives.

Brien on the other hand walks through the marble lobby, with sleek wooden decorations, towards the steel elevated with a still somewhat shocked look on his face as he clicks the button to his floor. Whilst he waits for the elevator to get to his floor soothing music crawls through his ears. This time he goes up to his room, someone is waiting for him, worried and confused.

Creakily the old door opens to Sarah sitting in a defensive position on Brien's bed with a kitchen knife.

"Woah, hey are ye' okay," Brien frantically asks.

Now looking at the knife after a slow pan down to it, Sarah responds "Um yeah… I was just worried."

Then they both stare at each other in silence, but they may not be communicating with words. Instead, they speak through their eyes sharing traumatic events with each other while blinking fiercely, yet terrified at the same time.