Jeff and Mark both are focused on the road, Mark had turned on the radio and was whistling along with the song that was playing.
It was a oldie, one that Jeff was not familiar with at all. "Do you know this song?." He asks turning to Mark.
Mark turns away from the road for a second, to glance over towards Jeff "..I've heard it a few times. I'm sure it's not your style of music. I can turn the station, if you want?."
Jeff shakes his head "No, I like it. It's catchy." He replies while drumming his fingers on-top of the dashboard.
Mark smiles before turning his attention back to driving.
After several minutes, Jeff pats Mark on the leg. "So are you gonna bury Zeus today?. If you want I could come along. Keep you company."
Mark slows the Jeep down and looks at Jeff "I would like that. But remind me to call your brother, so he'll now where your at."
"Alright, I'll remember." Jeff whispers.
Jeff feel asleep near the end of the journey to Mark's house. He had forgotten how far out it was from town.
"Wake up, we're here." Mark says as he shakes Jeff gently.
Jeff opens his eyes and yawns "Did I fall asleep again?." He asks groggy.
"Yes, you did. But it's okay." Mark replies.
Jeff opens the passenger door and jumps out of it, he could hear the pebbles that made up Mark's driveway crunch underneath his weight. He had always enjoyed hearing that sound, of rocks and gravel underneath someone's moving feet. He never did understand why.
"Could you help me here?." Mark asks as he opens the truck of the Jeep. Going into reach for the box that contained Zeus' remains.
"Yep, I'm right behind you." Jeff replies as he hurries over to stand next to Mark. He grabs the one end of the box and walks it until they get up towards the porch, where Mark motions to sit it down at.
"I'm gonna go get the shovel. How about you go find a blanket. There should be some in the living room." Mark asks as he walks over to the back of the house.
Jeff shrugs his shoulders. He slowly opens the door to the house. Jeff found it surprising that Mark didn't even bother to lock the doors. But I guess it being so far out from anything, he figured no-one would be around to break in. What would they find anyways.
He goes and slowly walks into the living room area, it was right off from the hall-way and the hall-way began from the front door.
Jeff glances at the old sofa, and the old nick-knacks. there was a small vintage desk. Jeff supposed it was meant to be at the end of a couch, probably from a set of furniture. It was really small. It only had enough room to fit a small sized lamp, which was the color red.
Jeff sighted a picture that had caught his eye. He walks up closer to it. It was positioned on the wall. Right near the small window, the only window on this side of the living area. There was another window the same size but it was in the front of the living room.
Jeff looks at the picture, it was of a woman and man. It was an old black and white photo. Jeff thought that it must have been Mark's great-grandparents or something because to him it looked to have been taken from the early 1900's.
Jeff then remembers why he came in here for in the first place and that was to get a blanket so he turns around and looks for one.
He finds one hanging off the couch. He grabs it and walks out the door into the fading day-light.
He goes around to the back of the house, he calls for Mark when he see's a old shed far off in the back. He walks up to it expecting Mark to be in there.
"Mark, you in here?" He whispers walking in the darkness.
Mark over-hears him and walks over to the shed. "Jeff!"
Jeff sticks his head out the door "Hey, I thought you were in there." Jeff laughs and walks out in the day. He rubs his clothes off, for fear of having walked into spider webs.
"Do I have anything on me?." Jeff asks.
Jeff walks up to Mark and turns around. Mark looks and then walks to where he could check out Jeff's back. "No, I don't see anything." He says as he wipes Jeff's shoulders and back, just to be sure that he didn't just miss anything.
Jeff smiles and thanks Mark. "Where were you?." He asks.
"Over there." Mark replies as he points over to the tree in the distance. Mark had already moved Zeus over there.
"I only was able to find this one, I hope it's okay." Jeff says as he grabs the blanket and shows it to Mark.
"That's fine. Let's hurry up, I don't want to be doing this in the pitch dark."
Jeff and Mark stand around Zeus' box. Mark grabs a pocket-knife out of his jacket.
He slowly cuts the plastic tape and opens the box, revealing Zeus' still body.
Jeff closes his eyes while Mark gently lifts the dead dog out of the box and gently lays him down in the waiting hole.
Mark asks for the blanket. He places it over the body and then stands upright, folding his hands and placing them in-front of himself.
"Would you like to say anything?." Mark asks as he looks down.
Jeff shakes his head "No." He whispers, his eyes filling up with tears. He hated funerals, just hated them.
Mark was much more in control of his emotions this time around then he was earlier, Jeff noticed.
"Well, I guess I need to say something. You were a good dog Zeus and I'll miss you. Your brothers and sister's will too." Mark kneels down at the ground and grabs a handful of dirt from the pile and slowly drops it in the grave. He then grabs the shovel and starts to fill the grave up with the dirt.
"You can wait in the house if you want." Mark whispers as he lifts the shovel up once again.
When Mark comes indoors, he washes his hands and then takes a seat near the kitchen table. "Who are those people in the old black and white photo?." Jeff asks.
Mark stands up and grabs himself a cup and places it under the faucet to get some water. "..Oh, that was just some old relatives. I can't really remember. On my dad's side I think." Mark shrugs his shoulders as he sits back down on the chair. He then takes a big gulp of his water.
Jeff nods. "I guess I can call Matt now, tell him I'll be coming home soon."
"Yeah, let me get the phone. It's upstairs." Mark says as he sits up from the chair and walks over into the hallway and up the creaky stairs.
Jeff sits down, fumbling with his fingers on top of the kitchen table. He exhales deeply.
As Mark goes to grab the phone off his nightstand, he focuses his vision on the photo. The only photo that he still has hanging around of his parents, and of his little brother Glenn. He tried to bypass it, he didn't want to stare at it. He knew that if he did, he'd start feeling depressed and he didn't need that today. He rushes away from the photo, and begins walking back downstairs to find the kitchen empty.
"Jeff?."
Jeff was outside, playing with the remaining dogs. Mark looks out the side-door. He smiles.
"How about you help me feed them, and then we can get to taking you home." Mark asks.
"Sure, I'd like to help."
When Jeff and Mark get through feeding the dogs, they hop back into the Jeep.
"Oh, yeah. We forgot to call Matthew." Jeff whispers.
Mark turns the radio's volume down and flips his headlights on. "Oh, I'm sure it'll be okay. It won't be long and we're be there." He explains.
"And if he does get mad, then I'll just take the blame." Mark whispers with a smile.
Jeff smiles back. "Thanks."
When Jeff walks into the apartment, he notices Matthew sitting half on, half off the couch. He was fast asleep.
"I'll just let myself out, I'll come back by and see you. Maybe I can pick you from school tomorrow?." Mark whispers.
"I'd like that." Jeff whispers back.
Mark stands in the door way. Jeff walks up to him and hugs him and places his lips to Mark's cheek. He was afraid he'd upset Mark by doing that but he couldn't help himself. He did it without thinking.
Mark doesn't seem to be too upset by it, a little surprised maybe but not mad. He smiles at Jeff and says his good-nights, good-byes and walks out the door.
Jeff closes the door afterwards and wanders into the kitchen, he opens the fridge to grab himself a soda when turning around he runs into Matt who was standing there cross-armed and looking angry.
"Where were you Jeffrey, you told me you wouldn't be gone long. You told me you'd call." He seethes.
"Oh come on Matt, I wasn't gone that long. Don't make such a big deal out of it." Jeff stats, his arm flaring upwards. The same arm that held his drink.
"Your gonna shake up your soda, Jeff.." Matt whispers while unfolding his arms. "And besides it is a big deal, I'm responsible for you now. I need to know where you are. and I need to be able to know that what you say is something that I can trust. You did promise me." Matt explains sternly.
"Oh stop it, Matthew. I'm home now. Okay. Get over it. And anyways, I'm not the one who promised you anything. Mark said that we wouldn't be gone long, and I don't recall anyone actually saying that they'd call you. I did think about it because I thought you'd be worried but I had forgotten about it by the time we got through feeding Mark's dogs." Jeff explains.
Jeff begins to walk away and sit down at the table when Matt grabs his arm stopping him. " You were at his house?."
Jeff nods.
"You wouldn't ever act this way with dad."
Jeff is now the one with his arms crossed. "You don't act like dad." Jeff whispers.
Matt begins to speak, and then stops himself. He stares at Jeff. Jeff rolls his eyes "Let go of me, Matthew."
"Maybe I should start acting like that?." Matthew whispers coldly.
Jeff stares at Matthew, his mouth open and his arms slowly falling back to his sides. "If you ever treat me like that, I'll leave."
Jeff slaps Matt's hand away from off his elbow. "And you won't ever have to worry about where I am, because you won't be responsible for me anymore." Jeff yells as he goes to his room, to slam the door aggressively.
Matt didn't know why he had said that. He would never intentionally hurt his brother, at-least not like their father did. He just assumed it was because of all the stress. He had to call the mortuary tomorrow while Jeff was at school and not only that, but he had to stop by and find out if they had that plot by their mother's available. Then he needed to get a headstone ordered, come up with some money to pay for the funeral costs, Matt had thought of selling their station-wagon. They wouldn't get but a few hundred bucks at the most for it but it was a few hundred bucks that he didn't have but needed. He also still as of yet, hadn't decided on what coffin to get, he wanted a nice one but he didn't have but so much money to spend. He just had too much on his plate. And to have to take care of Jeff on top of all that was a added stress that he really didn't need. It was difficult, more then difficult. It was too much for Matthew. He just wished that there was someone, someone he could turn too for help, but there wasn't anyone.
It could get anyone stressed out and I have been stressed way before now so it makes me a little bit more on edge then I usually am. I keep thinking on what I had said to Jeff, how cruel and cold-hearted I sounded. Jeff had to know that I didn't mean it any of it. I have to remember to apologize to him tomorrow before he goes off to school in the morning. Thinks Matthew.
TBC