Sam was enjoying the car ride back with Puck. His friend finally seemed to be acting like himself again. Of course he was acting a little high which only added to Sam's amusement. Puck was singing along with the radio and talking about how one day he was going to leave Lima behind.
"Can't wait to leave this shit town and never come back." Puck said gazing out the window watching the trees woosh by.
"Oh come on man you can't mean that, at least the never coming back part. Lima's not bad, and what about your mother and sister? Just going to leave them behind ad never look back? What about your friends? You really gonna leave all that behind?" Sam questioned wondering just how serious Puck was.
" I'm not leaving Sarah behind. I'll take her with me, just need to save up enough money. As for my mother she can come if she wants, but I think its too late for her. I know its too late for her. As for friends, they can always come and visit me. Need to be free." Puck said looking stoic as if this converstation was draining the life out of him.
"Ok man, yea I get the feeling of wanting to be free." Sam said when back by how serious their converstation had become. He really had no clue what to say to Puck. Sam had never in his life felt like he wasn't free. So he really just couldn't grasp the concept.
"I never know trees could move so fast. Woosh. Woosh." Puck said staring out the window.
"Puck they are not moving we are, and for God's sake stop undoing your seatbelt. You don't need to add death to the number of injuries you have if we get into a car accident!" Sam yelled at Puck addressing him as if he was a two year old.
"I wish I could fly and magically appear and disappear, I wish I could fly, I'd fly far away from here. If I could fly I'd be free. I could disappear from everyone. The voices, him, you,… myself. Just fade away from it all. Puck said now looking down at the floor of his truck.
Sam could see a certain kind of sadness in Puck then. The boy sitting beside him looked like a former shell of himself. Something had changed in Puck and Sam didn't like the change. He also couldn't help but feel like the change in Puck would never go away. Sam was determined to figure out what had happened to his friend. Was this all really the result of getting mugged or was it something more. All he knew was that he had to help Puck.
"Stop! Stop the car now!" Puck yelled interrupting Sam from his internal thoughts.
Sam stopped the truck immeditaly obeying Puck's command thinking maybe he was going to be sick.
Puck jumped out of the truck and ran across the street to a gas station. He was nearly hit by a red Colbot in the process but luckily made it across without getting seriously harmed.
Sam couldn't figure out what Puck was doing. To avoid another incident of almost road kill he pulled into the gas station. After sitting there for 10 minutes he was about to go in when Puck came jogging back to the truck with a very large plastic bag,
"What's in the bag? What's with the sudden stop? You could have told me where you needed to go. I would of pulled in so you didn't have to cross the street. Jeeze dude do you know how lucky you were not killed?" Sam yelled at Puck, he was just so concerned.
Puck didn't say anything for a long while. He just stared down at the dash, the silence was slowly growing awkward. Puck looked as if he was a kicked puppy. Sam couldn't stand it any longer. He couldn't stand to see anyone look so upset.
"Puck listen, im sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you like you're a two year old. You just scared me, that's all. Your whole personalily is sort of freaking me out today. Are you sure you don't want to talk about what happened?" Sam stated hoping Puck would speak again.
"I'm fine, and no I don't want to talk about it. I'm not a chick who needs gossip." Puck said while keeping his eyes glued to the dash.
"Ok man, but I'm here." Sam said while starting to back up the truck.
" I know. Just my dad wanted me to get groceries. I almost forgot and I don't want to get yelled at again." Puck said looking anxious.
The rest of the car ride was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Not even the radio seemed to break it. Soon they pulled into Puck's driveway.
"I'll see you later" Sam said walking away from Puck's house.
"Yea ok, Golden boy" Puck said smiling and waving at Sam before entering his house.
"Golden boy?" Sam shrugged. He sort of felt like he was getting whiplash with Puck today.
Puck slowly entered his house and jumped when he saw his father sitting in the living room chair glaring at him.
"Um Hi there creeper." Puck giggled
" You get my stuff." Puck's father grunted.
"yea right here" Puck said holding out his arm with the plastic bag.
"you seem to be in a good mood, you been drinking my beer." Puck's father growled at him.
"No I just got happy pills from the doctor." Puck said looking amused.
" You didn't tell him where you got those injuries did you? Puck's father asked.
"No, not stupid." Puck said shaking his head like a rattle.
"Good boy, why don't you have a beer. Since you were so good, then we can have some fun. Puck's father said with a wicked grin spread across his face.