"OOOOOOH!" Mordecai dropped his controller and raised his hands above his head as he once again beat Rigby at the video game they've been playing for nearly two hours now.
Rigby groaned and leaned back against the couch also dropping his controller. "Man, I'm done with this game."
"Yah, I know, because you're a loser." Mordecai chuckled and set his feet off the table to reach for his soda, which happened to be the last one. Rigby rolled his eyes at how happy he looked, he gets way to excited when he beats him nonstop. He also knew how upset he'd be if he finally beat him. He really wished he could, but he just wasn't that good at video games. Not that he'll ever admit that.
"Whatever man."
"You two! What are you doing? I told you guys to do the dishes!" Their boss Benson walked down the stairs and saw them, once again, slacking off. He started to turn red when he saw Rigby groan and complain. " Go do the dishes now, or your FIRED!"
With another groan Rigby got up, and followed Mordecai into the kitchen. He lazily swung his arms from side to side with every step mumbling complaints. Benson rolled his eyes and stomped back upstairs. When Rigby was sure he was out of earshot he turned to Mordecai grinning. "Let's go to the coffee shop!"
"No dude. Let's just get these dishes over with." Rigby groaned again at that. "Laaaaame!"
"I don't care if its lame. Come on, its better to just get it over with now rather than later."
"I guess… Can we at least have some cereal first?."
"Hmm… Okay. I'm sure Benson won't mind if we at least eat first." Mordecai nodded and opened the cabinet where the cereals are and picked out Captain Crunch, and then got two bowls and spoons. Rigby enthusiastically grabbed the milk out of the fridge and slammed it on the table. "Dude, be careful!"
They sat down and started eating after they made their bowls, Rigby had accidentally put too much milk in his and it would nearly spill every time he put his spoon in.
"You know what Mordecai? We need our own car."
"Yah we do. Benson doesn't let us take the cart wherever we want, we normally just have to take it without asking… But let's be realistic. We aren't good at saving money. We basically spend it all the day we earn it!" Mordecai smiled and chuckled.
"Yah, I know… Seriously though, I've always wanted a corvette! They may be small but they are so fast and cool!" Rigby smiled longingly and could only imagine how cool everyone would think he was if he had one.
"And expensive."
"Oh come on! Wouldn't it be cool?"
"Well yah, but knowing us it won't ever happen."
"One day, I will have a corvette. That's my goal, before I die I will have one. You'll see. I'll start saving my money starting next pay check." Rigby smiled and nodded determined.
Mordecai just chuckled. "Okay dude. Good luck with that."
When they were done with their cereal they had multiple staring contests, most of them Mordecai won, until Rigby blew into his eyes to make him blink. Rigby cracked up laughing until he received a punch in the arm, though he still thought it was worth it.
"Mordecai! I need you to go run an errand for me!" They both tensed up when they heard Benson's voice. Mordecai jumped up and ran to the sink and started to wash the dishes.
"Uhh sorry Benson we're not quite done yet!" Mordecai was actually relieved to have to do the dishes. It was way too hot outside and he really didn't feel like 'running an errand.' Benson walked in to see there were still a lot of dishes on the counters. "Arrggh! You're still not done!? Were you slacking off again!?"
"Uh there was no hot water!" Mordecai lied.
"Sure there wasn't. Just finish these up Mordecai. Rigby, I need you to pick up some more soda from the store." He tossed him the keys, which Rigby couldn't catch and they fell on the floor.
"What? Why do I have to go!?" Rigby pouted as he bent over to pick them up.
"Everyone else is busy, and the last time I had you do dishes alone you broke nearly all of them."
"Oh yah? What if I wreck the cart again?" He grinned.
"If you do that on purpose then I won't let you use it ever again. EVER. Now get going, or your fired!" Benson stomped off again indicating the argument was over.
"Ugggh!" Rigby groaned. "This is laaaame!"
"Haha sucker." Mordecai teased.
Rigby shot him a devious smile. "Oh don't worry, I'll get you back for this."
"Uh huh. Sure."
Rigby walked backwards out of the kitchen smiling and squinting at Mordecai the whole time. "Oh, my revenge is inevitable. I know where you sleep. I also know where Benson keeps his permanent markers."
Mordecai just rolled his eyes holding back a laugh and turned back around to finish washing the dishes.
Rigby stepped outside in the humid, hot air. There was barely even any wind much to Rigby's dismay.
UGH! Its way to hot!
He started dragging his feet to the cart and got in and sighed putting his hands on the wheel but then couldn't help but smile. He didn't drive much, it was usually Mordecai so he supposed this was a plus in having to be the one to go. Its true, he wanted an actual car of his own but this cart held a lot of precious memories. Him, Mordecai, and everyone else has been through so much with it. Rigby wasn't one known to show sappy feelings but he wouldn't trade this cart for the world. It would still be nice to have a car to himself though for when Benson refuses to let them borrow it. Plus it'd help pick up chicks. Rigby chuckled at that last thought as he put the key in the ignition and drove off.
The roads were packed today, Rigby hadn't seen so many cars in a while. He stopped when he reached a stoplight that turned red. He yawned as he watched the cars go by. Stoplights always seemed to take forever, this has always annoyed him.
Finally, after what seemed like years to Rigby, the light turned green and he and the vehicles beside him started to go again.
BANG!
Rigby whipped his head to his left in panic to see that a huge truck hadn't stopped when it's lights turned red. It rammed into the car next to him and was rapidly approaching him.
"AHHH!" Rigby could do nothing, the vehicles hit him, the cart didn't have any doors or windows, on impact Rigby was thrown out of the cart and into the other vehicle. Rigby screamed as he felt the glass break, as well as his ribs. The car then flipped over, on top of him causing him to cry out in pain again.
Rigby tried to control his breathing. He was trapped, and couldn't move. He tried to adjust his position but pain shot through his ribs and legs. "AHHH! Oh God!"
His eyes started to blur, he saw blood under him causing him to hyperventilate. He noticed his phone had fallen out and was lying right next to his only arm that wasn't trapped. He tried raising his arm to grab it, the pain was actually starting to go away, but so was the strength in his arm. He was starting to lose sense of where his arm even was. This caused him to panic even more. Somehow, he managed to grab his phone. He tried to dial Mordecai's number but he was losing consciousness. His vision was starting to darken, he couldn't even hear the screams of pain from other people around him anymore, unable to hold it up anymore he dropped his phone, not able to dial his friends number.
…I cant…
Giving up, Rigby dropped his arm and let himself fade away into the darkness.
Mordecai had finished the dishes and was now sitting on the couch bored out of his mind. He wondered why the hell Rigby wasn't back by now, Its been an hour! Plus, he could really use a soda right now.
"UGH! He better not have went off somewhere else!" He heard Benson yell. He turned to see the gumball machine pacing back and forth.
"Yah! That loser better get back here with our soda!" Muscleman said crossing his arms.
Mordecai just rolled his eyes, normally he'd defend his friend, but he was taking forever and he really wanted another soda himself as well. He turned away from the others, grabbed the remote and turned on the television.
After another half an hour Benson couldn't take it anymore. "Forget it! I'll just go buy it myself."
He went upstairs to grab his keys and then came back down and started to walk out the door. As he opened the door, the park phone rang.
"Mordecai, can you get that?" He said as he turned around but saw that he was too engrossed in the TV to hear him. Annoyed, Benson shut the door and answered the phone.
Mordecai was glued to the TV, it was a horror film about a zombie apocalypse. His favorite character was surrounded by zombies, after he had shot his gun to distract them from eating his best friend, who had previously been the one cornered. And of course, this is when it went to commercial. He groaned loudly, he hated commercials more than anything!
"…What!?" Mordecai heard Benson say urgently. The way he said it caught Mordecai's attention. He turned over to look at him, and saw his back turned to him with the phone to his ear. "We can't come over? Why not!?"
Mordecai raised an eyebrow. He sounded angry, and also in panic. What the hell is going on?
"But! I… Ok… I understand... Bye…" He hung up the phone and Mordecai hopped up off the couch and quickly walked over to him. "Hey, what's going on?"
Benson turned around and just stared at him. Mordecai just looked at him questioningly. He then simply sighed and Mordecai started to look concerned when Benson turned away from him.
"Everyone! Get in here, NOW!" Now Mordecai was really worried. He watched as Pops, Muscleman, High Five Ghost, and Thomas walked down the stairs also looking concerned. Benson looked at them and sighed again before pulling out his walkie talkie. "Skips, I need you to get over here, now."
After Skips said he'd be over right away Mordecai couldn't stand not knowing anymore. "Come on Benson! Tell us what's up!"
Benson slowly looked up at him and shook his head. "No. We are going to wait for Skips."
Annoyed, Mordecai turned around to see the commercial was over, but he no longer cared what happens in the movie at the moment so he walked over to the TV and turned it off. Something bad happened. He knows something bad happened. The way Benson was acting proved that.
"What about Rigby? Are we going to wait for him?" He asked when the thought occurred. Benson didn't even acknowledge him. He refused to talk to anyone, he realized. Muscleman was attempting to get his attention but Benson stayed where he was, looking out the window waiting for Skips.
Finally, Skips arrived and Benson let him in. "Now will you tell us what's going on?" Mordecai asked trying to hide his impatience.
Benson opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. "Come on Benson what is it? If you found out one of us did something bad, it wasn't me!" Muscleman made a struggled smile trying to lighten the tension in the room.
"… Rigby was in a car accident."
Silence.
Mordecai felt as if his heart stopped. This can't be true.
"He's in intensive care so we can't visit. They said it doesn't look good."
"So he's alive? Phew! You scared me for a second Benson! This is Rigby we're talking about! He'll be fine!" Mordecai said quickly with a big smile on his face. The others slowly looks at him with sad looks on their faces.
"Mordecai…"
"He'll be fine! Everything will be fine! We'll visit him tomorrow and he'll be awake and on the road to a full recovery. He'll be fine! He'll be fine!" Mordecai continued to say quickly and laughed the whole time. "Geez Benson, don't give us a heart attack like that!"
Still laughing Mordecai walked to the door and opened it. "I'm ganna go get a get well soon card for us to sign." He said with a bright smiled and close the door behind him. The others watched from the window as he cheerfully whistled as he walked his way out of the park.
"He can't really believe… How bad is it Benson?" Fives spoke up solemnly.
Benson swallowed. "I'm not going to lie guys… They said he probably isn't going to make it."
"Oh no bro…" Muscle man said quietly as Skips looked down tightening his eyes shut.
"You mean… Rigby is going to leave us?" Pops asked, the others looked at him, he seemed so close to tears, Thomas put a hand on his shoulder as an effort to console him. Benson couldn't say anything. He didn't want to give anyone false hope, so he looked away, unable to keep eye contact any longer.
"All we can do is hope for the best." Skips said quietly.
"I'm baaaack!" Mordecai yelled happily as he walked back into the park house.
"Boom!" He called as he threw an expensive looking get well card on the coffee table. "I already signed it so now you guys gatta!"
He threw Skips the pen first. He caught it and slowly picked up the card and signed it. He passed it onto the others, who did the same. Mordecai gave them confused looks.
"Why do you guys look so down in the dumps? Rigby will be fine! You'll see!" He said merrily. The others said nothing.
A few hours passed consisting of them all taking turns playing Mordecai's games with him. They knew that he'd need them now more than ever. Mordecai still looked so happy, seeming oblivious to the fact that the whole park has never played video games with him before. He acted as if it was like this every day. He even seemed oblivious about everyone letting him win even when they had an opportunity too.
Benson's blood ran cold when the park phone rang again.
"I'll get it!" Mordecai jumped up and ran to the phone.
"Mordecai wait!"
"Helloooo?" He said in a jolly tone when he picked it up and brought it to his ear.
Benson stood up but didn't move from his spot, followed by the others. They watched as Mordecai, still smiling nod a couple times, even though the person on the other side wouldn't know if he was or not, and then they watched the smile slowly falter.
"What do you mean he's gone? He's fine!"
No…
Benson heard the others behind him gasp. Mordecai was still smiling a little and even let out a cheerful laugh. "Mam, that's impossible. I'm sure he's fine. Hospitals are supposed to save people."
Benson watched helplessly as the smile on the blue jay's face slowly but surely diminished. "Check his pulse again, I'm sure you're mistaken."
"Mordecai…" Skips said slowly skipping up to him.
"Don't worry Skips, I'll take care of this." He said as he turned to wave the yeti away.
As he turned back around Skips put a hand on his shoulder. "That's enough Mordecai…"
"What?" Mordecai asked questioningly and turned back around to look at him.
"He's gone…"