The Leaning Tower of Pizza
"Sumthin' wrong Nick?"
"No."
"Then why ya not sleepin'?"
"Not tired."
"Well what d'ya want ta talk 'bout?"
"I don't want to talk about anything Overalls. Go back to sleep."
"Am not tired either Nick."
"If you don't shut up you'll end up waking Coach and Ro."
"But am bored."
Nick sighed heavily. The damned hick just couldn't stop talking. Not even at night. Not for one, single forsaken second.
"Nick."
The hick whispered his name again, his drawl invading Nick's ears.
"What now?"
"Yew know any games we can play?"
"No. Go to sleep. Long day tomorrow."
"But am not tired."
"Then shut your mouth and at least pretend to sleep."
"But am bored."
Nick clenched his jaw in frustration. All he wanted was a little peace and quiet, away from the flesh eating hordes outside that bright red door. Why couldn't he get it?
"Nick."
No response.
"Nick."
Again no response.
"A know yer jus' preten'in ta be asleep. A ain't stupid ya know."
"Prove it to me."
"Alright. How?"
"That's up to you."
"Okay, umm, well…"
"Exactly my point."
"Am jus' thinkin'."
"I'm waiting."
"Well, a bet yew didn't know tha' there's this place, an' it's called the leanin' tower of pizza, and it's like it's 'bout ta fall over cause it looks like it is, but it doesn't."
Nick let out a slow whistle.
"And as if to prove my point."
"What is it?"
"It's Pisa, you idiot, not pizza."
"What?"
"I said it's not pizza it's Pisa."
A temporal silence ensued. Nick almost thought he had finally quietened the irritating hick, but he should have been so lucky. Just as Nick began to drift off, he was brought back to lucidity by giggling from the bed beside him.
"Christ overalls, what's so funny now?"
"It's jus'… It's jus' a always thought it was pizza."
He descended into another bout of quiet laughing, much to Nick's thinly veiled resenting.
"Yew know, that reminds me of the time Keith an' me tried to call the pizza guy, but Keith called the wrong number an' he ended up ordering-"
"I'm going to say this one more time. And I'll say it slowly so it gets inside your thick, redneck skull. I. don't. Want. To. Know. Is that understood?"
"But am jus' tryin' ta point out that if yew-"
"Is that understood?"
"Yew don't gotta be so moany all tha' time ya know."
"Maybe I wouldn't be if you would just let me go to sleep."
More silence. Nick was again fooled into believing his friend had stopped talking. But again he should have known better.
"Nick."
"Jesus Christ Ellis can I please sleep?"
"Am thirsty."
Nick was exasperated.
"Then get out of bed and get yourself a bottle of water. And then go to sleep."
"Your closer. Can yew throw me a bottle?"
"You want a drink, you can get the bottle."
"But your closer."
He was ignored.
"Please?"
Nick groaned in resignation.
"Fine. If it'll shut you up."
"Thanks Nick."
Nick got out of bed and slowly sidled up to the table on which their supplies were laid out. He picked up a cold bottle of water and weighed it in his hand to ensure it was full. He turned and headed back to his bed. He tossed the bottle of icy water to the sprawled form beside his bed.
"Thanks again Nick."
"Don't mention it. Now please give me peace and let me sleep."
He lay back down in bed, snuggling under the covers. As much as he tried, he was unable to find the comfortable position he was in before he got up. Damned hick.
"Nick."
"I swear Ellis, if you say my name one more time."
"I was jus' gonna ask if yew wanted a sip."
"No. I don't. But what I do want is some sleep."
"Okay."
They both drifted off into sleep at last. Ellis dreamt of horses, Nick dreamed of how he once almost conned his way into sleeping with one of the Royal family. Nick found it nice to dream, to pretend he was away from the living nightmare that was being awake. And it wasn't just the ravenous zombies that made being awake such hell. It was that irritating, noisy, unjustifiably cheerful-
"Nick."
He stirred in his sleep.
"Nick."
His eyes flickered open.
"Nick."
His mind registered who was calling his name again.
"Ni-"
"Ellis. I am one nerve away from coming over there and making you shut up!"
He was barely whispering anymore.
"But Nick, a need a leak."
"You cannot be serious."
"Am desperate Nick. Can yew make sure no one comes in?"
"Just…go, overalls."
"Thanks Nick."
Ellis crawled off his bed.
"Well come on, Nick."
"Do it in the bottle."
If Nick had a pillow, his face would be buried in it.
"It's not empty."
"Christ, you do top up easily, don't you?"
Ellis blushed.
"Give me a minute."
"But a need ta go now, Nick"
Nick grunted an affirmative, and hauled himself out of bed, resigning himself to sleep deprivation at the hands of this annoying hick. As the two made their way through to the run down bathroom, Ellis had another question for Nick.
"So Nick, I've been thinkin'. Yew know when we get ta safety an' all, can yew take me ta see the leanin' tower of Pisa?" He placed emphasis on the last word, pleased he had gotten in correct.
"Cause a don't really know anyone else to go with, seein' how you're all a got left."
That statement caused Nick to pause. Did Ellis, the irritating hick he loved to hate really consider him all he had left?
"Absolutely not. And I thought you were desperate."
Ellis tiptoed into the bathroom, not wanting to make too much noise. He closed the door behind him, but to his horror, realised there was no lock on the door.
"Hey, Nick."
"Problem?"
"There's no lock."
"If you were expecting one, why did you invite me along?"
"A jus' like the company is all."
"Taking a leak isn't exactly supposed to be made a social convention, overalls."
"D'ya promise not ta come in?"
"Sure."
Without a further word, Ellis pulled down the front of his boxers and began to relieve himself. But, now awake, Nick couldn't resist but to annoy the hick.
He took hold of the door handle, making sure Ellis couldn't hear him, and suddenly thrust the door open.
Ellis turned like he had heard a gunshot, with a look of complete horror written on his face. The shock entrance caused him to jump, causing him to splash urine down his legs. Coveralls dampened with his own urine, and embarrassed by accidentally showing his private parts to Nick, Ellis turned bright red, and quickly walked past Nick back to bed without a word. Nick was clearly proud of himself, grinning from ear to ear, his smile threatening to split his face. As he headed back to bed after the younger man, he couldn't help but tease.
"So overalls, going for a number two now?"
"Shut up, Nick."
"You certainly looked like you just did back there."
"That wasn't fair what yew done."
"Embarrassed? Maybe just a little?"
"Yew promised Nick."
"I lied. Did you expect better?"
"A think yew should apologise ta me."
"And why the hell would I do that?"
"Cause yew broke your promise."
"If I had a dollar for every time I heard that…"
"What yew did wasn't nice Nick."
He actually sounded…sad. Genuinely sad. It wasn't Nick's intent to properly upset him, just get his own back for being woken up.
"Okay. I'm sorry I lied."
Ellis sniffled.
"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you. Come on Ellis, it was only a joke."
Another sniffle.
"Ellis? Talk to me."
"It's not jus' that. Your always bein' nasty ta me. Yew always say things and call me names that am not. A can't change tha way a talk, and am really sorry for everythin' a 've done wrong."
Nick felt the regret hit him like a freight train. He had never meant to upset the younger man; he just assumed he'd take it in good faith with a light heart like he always appeared to. But if Nick had really hurt him, he was sorry.
"Hey Ellis, you know that stuff I've been saying? I didn't mean it, okay?"
"No, Nick. Ya did."
Nick slowly and quietly pulled the covers off himself and moved beside Ellis' bed.
He put a hand on his friend's shoulders. It was supposed to be a reassuring gesture but Ellis shrugged it off. He didn't say a word, just failed to suppress another little sniffle. With a sigh, Nick lay down on his side beside Ellis.
The hick was facing away from him, so Nick couldn't see his reaction, but he didn't protest so Nick assumed he wasn't being too invasive.
"Ellis, if you really want to go to see the leaning tower of Pisa, then I'll take you."
Ellis turned around and looked into Nick's eyes. The latter saw his friend had red, puffy eyes, certainly from crying. He smiled slightly.
"Really?"
"If you want to."
"Yew promise?"
"For real this time."
Nick was caught off guard by a sudden hug. He was pulled into Ellis' chest with surprising strength. After taking a moment to register what was happening, Nick put his own arms around the hick's back, and returned a gentler hug.
"Thanks Nick."
"Don't mention it. Maybe we can even stop off at the Eiffel Tower on the way home."
"Where's that?"
"Doesn't matter. You should get some sleep. Now I'd better get back to my bed, lest Coach and Ro be getting the wrong idea should they wake up first."
"A don't care. Yew should stay, Nick."
Nick sighed, with a slight smile of his own.
"I guess if that's what you want."
As they began to fall asleep in each other's arms, Ellis dreamt of seeing the leaning tower of Pisa with Nick, and Nick dreamed of-
"Nick. Am bored."