Prologue
The one sure way you can tell when a man has reached his breaking point is when he's standing on the roof of a building with full intention of becoming road kill. Although another reason could've been that he was wearing a yellow suit that made him look like a gay banana. Either way you go, it was obvious to everyone who saw him on top of the Pawtucket Brewery, that Carter Pewterschmidt, one of the richest men in town, had reached a breaking point.
There was a reason why Carter looked like a gay banana. His wife, Babs, had accidentally ruined all of his suits in the laundry one evening thanks to a rouge red wine stained shirt that had gotten mixed in unknowingly. This was Carter's last suit, a relic from the 1970's, a dark and rather interesting period in his life, full of experimental drugs, a good bit of sex, and a weapons trade gone horribly wrong. But the suit, in all of its ugliness, was not the reason why Carter was on the roof of the brewery, although it would've made for a damn good story.
"I'm goanna jump" Carter said to himself as he looked down, a small mass of people gathered below, shouting words he couldn't hear.
"This is it, the end of my life. Goodbye world."
The door to the roof opened, revealing Bonnie Swanson, her entrance causing Carter to turn around and for a moment loose his balance. Bonnie did nothing and simply pulled out a cigarette, causally waiting for Carter to make his move.
"Are you going to be long?" Bonnie asked, almost impatiently, "I've got problems of my own."
Carter raised his eyebrows curiously, for he assumed that Bonnie was there to try and stop him. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Bonnie slowly approached Carter and laughed, for she didn't notice the suit when she first laid eyes on him, now it had become plain as day.
"That makes sense" Bonnie continued, "I'd kill myself too if I had to wear that thing."
Carter rolled his eyes and huffed, "That's not why I'm up here" he defended, "It's complicated."
Bonnie nodded casually and swayed back and forth looking around aimlessly to give herself something to do while she waited. Looking at Carter's feet she noticed that he was standing on a ladder on the corner of the building. One end of the ladder was placed firmly on the roof, and other on the edge of a diagonal flagpole that jutted out at the perfect angle, forming something of a makeshift bridge.
"Really?" Bonnie said in her usual soft voice, "Mine's complicated too. So, tell me, what's your story?"
Carter shook his head, the longer he stood there the more he began to have second thoughts. His hands began to sweat and his knees were starting to shake.
"I can't" Carter said, half stammering, "I can't do it. Help me off this thing please!"
Bonnie stepped forward and stretched out her hand as far as it would reach. Carter meanwhile, inched himself towards the building. When he was within reaching distance of Bonnie, he lunged himself onto the roof, Bonnie catching him in the process just as the ladder slid off the flagpole and fell to the ground below.
"Well that was fun" Bonnie declared sarcastically, "You could've died."
Carter smiled and shook it off.
"Yeah" he replied, "I could've."
A slight pause. The only thing that could be heard was the win as it softly roared through the air. Carter, in an attempt to continue conversation, started uncomfortably.
"So, tell me, what were you doing up here?"
Bonnie shrugged indifferently and gave a small smile, almost as if she knew that on the inside Carter knew the answer.
"Jumping" Bonnie answered directly, "Same as you. I can't stand my husband anymore, I figure this was the best way to get back at him."
Carter wanted to say something but didn't, for he found himself in no position to judge given the situation and that Bonnie had, for the moment at least, saved his life.
"Me?" Carter began, deciding to cut to the chase, "It's quite simple. My company is bankrupt, my respect is gone and my wife hates me. Forced me to wear this by God!"
Carter gestured to himself, causing Bonnie to laugh a bit. At that moment, another figure appeared at the door, it was Jillian Russell, recent widow of Derek Wilcox. Carter and Bonnie turned towards the door, at seeing her they could only think of one possible conclusion-she too, was suicidal. Jillian, at seeing them, tears down her face, ran towards the edge of the building. Just as she was about to pass Carter, the yellow suited man grabbed her, pinning her down to the roof.
"Just calm down" Carter exclaimed, "Everything's going to be okay."
Jillian shook her head in disagreement as she struggled to break free. Carter immediately got off, once Jillian was on her feet, Bonnie began comforting her to the best of her ability.
"Don't be afraid" she said, "We're all in the same boat."
Jillian looked around tearfully, finally landing on Carter.
"You're all going to do it then?" Jillian asked, "Jump?"
Carter nodded, "That's the plan. But…it's not that simple."
Jillian laughed and shook her head, for nothing was ever that simple. It was then that she noticed Carter's suit.
"Any particular reason why you look like a gay banana?" Jillian asked curiously, "What you want to go out with a few laughs is that it?"
Carter rolled his eyes, as Jillian, quickly followed by Bonnie, began laughing uncontrollably. Part of him wanted to jump right then and there, just to be away from them and to stop the laughing. But Carter, a man of dignity, was not about to die over a horrible suit.
After some time, about twenty minutes later with no one doing anything, the three looked out over the town and smiled. Content that this was to be the last hour of their lives, as the sun went down over the horizon and the moon began to rise.
To keep conversation going and to prevent anyone from jumping prematurely, Bonnie started her attempt at small talk.
"So Jillian, what brings you up here? What's your reason?"
Jillian sighed, it was deep and confused. It was one that spoke of many things, things that only Jillian understood. Bonnie knew immediately that the answer was painful, in part due to "women's intuition" and because she gave the same sigh many times before.
"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to" Bonnie continued, "We understand. We know pain too."
Jillian smiled meekly and shrugged, "What the hell?" she replied, "I mean you've told me your problems. Might as well be fair."
Carter closed his ears, he didn't want to hear Jillian's problem, for in his mind, Jillian was too young to be thinking such thoughts, she had her whole life ahead of her and here she was, fully prepared to throw it all away.
"I've got some family issues" Jillian explained, "Everyone thinks I'm dumb, that I'm not good for anything. You can only hear something so many times before you start believing it."
Bonnie was surprised to hear Jillian speak so fluently and without interruption, for she knew her to be scatter-brained and dim-witted to the core. Either this was a front the entire time or Jillian had gotten a lot of education in a short time. Those were the only options that Bonnie could see that made anything in the way of sense, for now, even without an explanation, it would be enough.
A crash from the corner of the rooftop. Carter, Bonnie and Jillian turned around to face a small group of crates.
"Alright come on out" Carter said authoritatively yet with an air of calmness, "We know you're there. Don't worry, you're safe, we're all friends here."
A shifting of movement, a slight groan of pain and a wheeze came from the crates, or more accurately, behind the crates. Slowly but surely, the figure in charge of the noises emerged from the dark corner out from the boxes. It stopped short of the light above the roof door, keeping to the shadows, the only thing that could be seen of it was its silhouette.
"Who are you?" Jillian asked, "What do you want?"
The figure laughed indifferently and looked up at the sky.
"What reason can you think of besides suicide and maintenance could someone have for being on a roof of a building this high at this time of night?" it asked in a slightly condescending, gruff male voice, "I'm here for the same reason you're here."
Bonnie slowly began uneasy, for protection she got behind Carter, Jillian slowly followed suit.
"Carter" Bonnie whispered, "Do something?"
"Me?" Carter exclaimed, "Why me? What just because I'm a man that means I have to do something? Typical. You're just like my wife!"
Bonnie hissed annoyingly, "Well someone's got to do it!" she chastised, "And it sure as hell ain't going to be me!"
Carter rolled his eyes, yet again. Still, Bonnie did have a point.
"You know it isn't nice to talk about people when they're right in front of you" the figure replied, "Do you really want to leave the world on a bad note?"
Carter stepped forward, his suit unnaturally glowing as it reached the light cast on the roof.
"Nice suit" the figure commented, "If you're going for the gay banana look. Personally I always found yellow to be a complementing color but some disagree. It works on you though, you should keep it. That, and it'll be funny as hell when you jump."
Carter pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it.
"Got a lighter?" the shadow continued, "Mine's broken."
Carter searched through his pockets finally finding his lighter in the inside right suit pocket. Handing both the pack and the lighter over, the faint glow of the cigarette revealed the silhouette to be Brian Griffin.
"Brian!" Jillian said, obvious surprise in her voice.
Brian took a drag and casually smiled in her direction.
"The one and only" Brian answered, "Now, you mind telling me what you and Laffy Taffy Man over here are doing?"
Jillian folded her arms defensively, for Brian's tone was off, almost as if he wasn't in the same mind set as the others. Brian, reading this in her eyes, raised his paws gently into the air, the cigarette hanging loosely in his mouth and let out a calm laugh.
"I've got problems just like the rest of you" Brian declared, "Look I even came prepared."
Brian pulled out a video camera, set up and ready to record. There was already ten minutes worth of footage, his goodbye message to the family, including a motive and where he was going to be. To be sure that it was picked up Brian told Peter to come to the roof of the building in two hours' time, giving him a decent window to do the deed.
"I don't believe you" Jillian exclaimed, "You're here to bring us down aren't you? Trying to talk us out of it!"
Brian shook his head, for she couldn't have been further from the truth. He had as good as reason as anyone to go, perhaps the best reason, and part of it was staring him back in the face. With tears in his eyes Brian slowly approached the edge of the roof, no one moved to stop him.
"It's funny" Brian said, "I have every reason to, and yet, I find myself…unwilling."
All of them stopped and looked at the moon, it was high, around midnight. Looking down, Carter noticed that the crowd had dispersed, having lost interest and gone home to do better, more interesting things, like watch Channel 5 News or the newest episode of Gossip Girl. Surprisingly, most of them ending doing the later.
Brian stepped back from the edge, to the relative safety of the roof. Looking at the others, this time noticing that Bonnie was among them as well, Brian shook his head sadly, almost in disbelief.
"Something's wrong" the dog declared, "Something's very wrong."
Bonnie laughed, "Well obviously" she answered, "Why else would you be here?"
Brian and Carter laughed in turn, noting and admiring Bonnie's sarcastic brand of humor.
"That's not exactly what I meant" Brian said, his voice lighter than before, "But good point. Why else would I be here if everything was okay? No, I mean something's wrong. I'm getting the feeling that tonight isn't right."
Carter shook his head in disagreement. He had already risked media exposure, for earlier there were a good amount of news vans around the brewery, if he didn't go through with it, the repercussions could be disastrous.
"No" Carter began sternly, "We've come this far, might as well see it through."
Jillian, Bonnie and Brian couldn't help but agree with him there, but still, the fear of going through such an ordeal alone was more terrifying than living another day. Better, they thought, if they all went down together. Just as they were about to approach the edge of the roof and jump, the sky opened up into an unrelenting downpour, forcing them all through the roof door into the brewery. No sooner did they pass through the door did lightning strike the very spot they were standing in moments before. It was a sign.
Soaking wet and dripping, the four of them, standing in the stairwell leading up to the roof, all said nothing, each of them going inside of themselves for a few moments, trying to decide if their hearts were still in the jump.
"It doesn't look like anyone's going tonight" Brian said looking back towards the door, his eyes regretful and wet with subtle tears which he immediately wiped away.
Carter nodded in silent agreement, it was obvious that tonight simply wasn't the night. Bonnie said nothing and began to descend the stairs, fully intent on going home, where it was dry, where it was safe.
Jillian's eyes suddenly lit up, running down the stairs, she screamed Bonnie's name, begging her to stop. She didn't get very far to begin with, but Jillian didn't care, she was too excited to stay calm.
"That's it!" she exclaimed, "The answer to our problems!"
Brian and Carter, who followed her down, shook their heads, for if it was something Jillian could figure out in five seconds it was very unlikely that it would solve their problems.
"Nothing that simple will solve my problems Jill" Brian said softly, "It's just better if I'm gone. It's not dying that scares me, it's dying alone with no one who understands."
Jillian nodded, "Exactly" she replied, "We're all scared to do it alone. So let's do it together. All of us!"
Carter huffed approvingly, it wasn't exactly how he planned to go out, for he wanted to go alone. But then again, why should he? If he was going to die, why not die with people who understood? With friends?
"We're all in agreement then?" Carter began
Bonnie smiled and nodded, "I'm game if you are Carter."
Carter turned to Brian.
"Sure" Brian replied, "Suicide pact it is."
Jillian jumped up excitedly, she was absolutely thrilled that she wasn't going to have to do this alone, it made things easier.
"Now we have to make it official" Jillian continued, "And we have to pick a date and it has to be in the same spot in the same way."
All of them nodded in agreement. To make it official they decided to write it down. Bonnie offered a pen, Brian, a piece of paper. Handing both to Jillian, she began to write the pact.
"We four do solemnly swear that we are up to no good" she began, speaking aloud what she wrote.
Carter recognized the phrase from Harry Potter, personally he found it hilarious, for suicide definitely wasn't something that was smiled on in most communities and cultures.
"That we shall not shall kill ourselves before-"
Jillian stopped and looked around, they needed an agreement on the day. They all knew that it couldn't be an ordinary day, no, it had to be something special, something that people would notice.
"How about Valentine's Day?" Carter suggested, "It's only a few weeks away and we know that it's going to suck. Why go through it again?"
Jillian and Brian had to agree, Valentine's Day for both of them was easily the worst day of the year, and this year in particular for it was the day of the Heart Festival, a new initiative by Mayor West in an attempt to spread love throughout the cold hearted citizens of the community, about the only sensible thing the mayor did in his entire career.
"Works for me" Jillian and Brian said in unison. Bonnie did not answer, she appeared hesitant.
"Bonnie?" Carter said slowly, trying to be as calming as possible, "You are still going to do it aren't you?"
Bonnie nodded, "Yeah, it's not that" she replied, "It's just I don't want any publicity over this. I mean the festival's going to be covered on every news station in the state."
Brian leaned in towards Jillian, "Camera shy" he whispered disrespectfully.
"I'm not camera shy!" Bonnie defended, "I just don't want Joe finding out is all. It's better if he's in the dark. Still, it would be the perfect day to get back at him for all he's done to me. So I'm in."
Jillian continued writing the pact.
"That we shall not kill ourselves before Valentine's Day."
After that the pact was passed to each person to sign their name, Jillian first, then Brian, then Bonnie and finally Carter. Looking the pact over, Carter could see some writing on back, turning it over, Carter read a suicide note.
"Brian?" Carter exclaimed, "Did we write a pact not to kill ourselves on a suicide note?"
Brian smiled meekly, shrugging his shoulders at the same time.
"In case the video camera got messed up or something" he admitted, "That and I guess I'm old school."
It was all too ironic for them to simply leave it alone. Without warning they began laughing yet again, this time louder than before, harder than before. For a single moment, on that stairwell in Pawtucket Brewery, they were closer to life than ever, for a moment, the world and its troubles didn't matter. That moment quickly passed, as the reality of the situation slowly came forward. They did not have second thoughts, for now the only thing they thought was the pact and what it meant. Each of them deciding that they would hold the others to it, make sure that no one killed themselves early or in a different way. After a few moments, they headed down the stairs to the parking lot.