A/N - Well, almost 'tomorrow' right? Anywho, I actually breached 2,000 words for this chapter, woo! (My average is generally 1,200-1,800.)
So, this will be the final chapter before the oh so anticipated 'accident'.
WARNING: I want to say this, don't put your expectations high for the accident. I have a specific plan which may seem a bit... shall we say weird? I veer off the typical things you see in every final destination fanfic – including mine. It should work, so it should be fine. As you know, I like to take risks, and this is one of many during this story. Just don't expect the usual, basically.
Finally, last word from me, if you haven't already, check out the 'Final Destination – Egyptian Heritage trailer'.
P.S. I will try my goddarn hardest to update faster! Read on!
Jeremy grunted as he heaved the bags into the back of the shiny silver Mercedes. Being a smaller than average young man, this was a lot more trouble than it was worth. Nevertheless, Jeremy managed to push the bags into the trunk.
"Thank you." Chloe said quickly. "We are going to stay at a hotel for the night, by the way. I assume that this play is quite long."
"Yes."Jeremy nodded.
"Okay, good. Right, have you got everything?"
"Yes."
"You will probably sleep without me tonight. I'll be back quite late." Chloe said as she pulled herself into the Mercedes, her 17th birthday present from her father. "And I'll be going straight after the play."
Jeremy looked aghast. "B-b-but I wanted-"
"Wanted to what?" Chloe snapped, looking to her boyfriend.
Jeremy blushed, red rising to his cheeks. "...spend some personal time together..." he murmured.
Chloe blinked slightly, her features softening, before they hardened again. "Well, I apologise. But I've arranged to meet some friends there, and I can't reschedule."
"Okay..." Jeremy nodded to himself.
"Are you coming in?" Chloe pointed to the passenger seat.
"Y-Yeah." Pulling himself in the car, Jeremy looked out the window as Chloe drove away.
XXX
Jason shivered, pulling his coat closer to his body. He was clean shaven, and looking much better than his 'episode' from before.
"Are you okay?" Jennifer asked, placing the bags into the trunk.
"Yeah. Cold." Jason patted his pockets. "Ah, damn. Where're the keys?" At the sound of clinking, Jason turned to Jennifer, who was waving the keys between her fingers. "Oh, thanks."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure of what?"
"That you're cold..."
Jason smiled, looking up to the sky, letting the rain wash over his face. "I suppose I'm nervous. Scared... worried. But I know this is what is best for me. This is what I need to do. I don't want to hurt people, and if it means two weeks out of my life trying to get better." Jason turned back down to Jennifer. "I'll handle it."
"Nice to hear." Jennifer smiled as well. "By the way, you do realise I'm going to do the same treatment as you for the two weeks."
"Huh... what?" Jason's eyes widened in surprise.
"I want to be by your side all the way. So I made arrangements to do whatever you do." Jennifer placed a hand on Jason's arm. "I am by your side, Jason. I want you to get better. You got my full support."
Jason shivered, completely unrelated to the cold or the alcohol-prevention program. He wasn't going to tell Jennifer why he shivered at her touch. They were friends, nothing more...
"I'll drive." Jason said, to take his mind off the thoughts running through his head.
"Are you sure?" Jennifer frowned.
"Yeah. It'll keep me from dwelling too much on unsavoury things."
"Well then, I suppose we should go."
"Yeah..." Now in the car with Jennifer, Jason looked to his friend. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. We just need you to get better. Perhaps we'll work on a painting in the next two weeks as a side project."
"I'd like that." James turned the ignition. "I'd like that a lot.
XXX
"Wow... I haven't been out of orphanage for a while..." Tyrone said to the groundskeeper, Jake.
"Aye." Jake nodded. "Most folks come to visit you when interested, don't they?"
"Yeah." Tyrone adjusted the uncomfortably tight seatbelt. "Mind you, I don't exactly get much traffic."
"I know what you mean. I was your age now when I had the first person interested in me. Two years later I finally found myself some loving folks. Let's hope these ones in Baltimore are right for you." Jake pulled out of the orphanage driveway in his van.
"Yeah... I hope so..." Tyrone murmured. He looked up in surprise when Jake ruffled his hair.
"Hey, Ty, keep thinking about your parents." Jake looked from under his bushy brows seriously. "You got to keep them in our heart and not give up on them. Just... keep them slightly back. Continue with your life, find people who will take care of you, but keep your real intentions in your heart. Keep searching, and I'm sure you'll find what you need to."
Tyrone looked to his feet, before looking back to the old Groundskeeper. "Yeah, thanks."
"No need to thank me. It's just I was in your position. I didn't search for my real folks until I was in my late thirties. My Dad died in a heart attack the year before, and my mother had terminal cancer. When I visited her, she just... cried... and then the cancer took over." Jake's worn hands gripped the steering wheel tight. "Listen to the old man ramble..." Jake laughed. "All I'm saying is make sure to make amends before it's too late."
"Yeah." Tyrone looked out of the window, catching a glimpse of something in the wing mirror. Focusing on the mirror, Tyrone's heart practically jumped in his chest at the sight of a red skull over his shoulder. Instinctively, Tyrone spun around, but got caught on the tight seatbelt. He started coughing violently, panicking Jake. The van careered down the road, heading straight for a lamppost. Jake stomped on the break, and the van skidded to a stop just before hitting the lamppost.
"Tyrone? Are you okay?" Jake looked to the young teen, who was clutching his shoulder in pain, where a red welt from the seatbelt was already forming.
"Ah... yes... Ow..."
"What happened? Why did you react like that?" Jake's worry showed clearly in his eyes.
"I... I don't know..." Tyrone shook his head. If he starting talking about skulls he'd just get ridiculed. "I'm just tired is all... I'm going to try to catch some sleep. Wake me up if anything happens." Shivering, Tyrone leaned on his shoulder, closing his eyes under the concerned look from Jake, who pulled back and started driving again.
XXX
"Last chance to back out."
"Haha, you're not going to make me stay that easily." Riley smiled at his sister.
She frowned, "Why are you so light hearted about this...?"
"Because it sucks to get down all the time." Riley shrugged. "Besides, I'm heading to Baltimore for a new job opportunity – thank god. I'm glad that phone call came in when you picked me up. I was having a bad day."
"I know. You were drenched to the skin."
Riley let out a small laugh. "Not because it was raining, surely. Well, if this interview goes well I can get rid of those prejudiced... people."
"One can hope."
"Hope?" Riley laughed. "I don't need hope, sis. I'll put my charms into good use."
"Assuming the interviewer doesn't think you're going to suplex him."
"Hah, that'd be an entrance."
Riley quietened down, and he and his sister stayed silent for a few moments.
"Well, I suppose you want to go. Don't let me keep you."
"Now you want to get rid of me." Riley teased, before reaching forward and pulling his younger and smaller sister into a hug. "Take care of yourself. Take care of your younger sisters, and take care of mom. When I get this job, I'll be able to buy what you all deserve."
"Go on, go!" his sister sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "You're making this more emotional than it needs to be. It's like you're not even going to come back."
Riley winced. "Hey. I'm not like dad. I'm not gonna leave you. Just you watch, I'll get this job and then I can give you the support you need. You got my word, I swear on the scars of my arm." Riley pointed to the burns on his arm.
"So you swear on your bad cooking?" His sister let out a relieved laugh.
"Hey, my cooking is not bad." Riley pulled on his helmet. "Well, I suppose I better not put it off anymore." Riley climbed onto his motorbike. "Take care sis."
"You too Riley. Make sure you come back."
"As I said, I promise." With a small salute, Riley roared off.
XXX
At the sound of the motorbike speeding past him, Lukas looked up. He watched the leather-clad large man zoom off through the wet, before looking back down to his lap.
"Come on, hlúpy" Lukas lightly massaged his forehead. "Is it that hard, Lukas?" Lukas bit his lip, looking around at the buildings of New York. "I'll miss this place... but I got to go. I need to start anew." Drawing a line down his face and dotting his chest with his finger, Lukas closed his eyes. "Bye dad. Bye mom. Rest in peace." With an anguished sigh, Lukas pulled out of roadside and started his journey to Baltimore, passing the bus station on his way.
XXX
In said bus station, Jay and Josie were walking side by side towards a large coach.
"I still can't believe you did this for me." Jay shook his head in disbelief. "The Mayor of Baltimore... I feel like its Christmas and my birthday all tied into one. This is the start, Josie, the start. From Mayor to President!"
"Let's hope, yeah?" Josie smiled. "By the way, do... you have any connection to Valentine's Day?"
"Huh? Not anything specific. Why do you ask?"
"No reason..." shaking her head, Josie climbed onto the coach with Jay, completing missing the flitter of movement behind the bus.
XXX
"This is your idea of 'First Class' tickets?" Becca hissed, prodding Sneakers in the shoulder.
"What, you got luggage... and... luggage." Sneakers grinned as he and Becca snuck around the side of the bus. "Now, no-one's looking. You first."
"No-one better see us." Becca climbed into the already packed bus, following by Sneakers. They let the compartment lid close, throwing them in darkness.
"It's dark..." Becca murmured.
"Are you all right in the dark?" Sneakers asked, concerned.
"Yes. It's just... kind of creepy when you can't see anything." Becca sighed when she felt the reassuring hand on Sneakers on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. This is your birthday present; I'm going to make sure you are happy for this trip."
Sneakers and Becca suddenly looked up at the sound of voices above them, in the coach, oddly clear.
"You're sweating."
XXX
"I am fine." Dorothy smiled, wringing her hands. "Vehicles just tend to make me nervous. I hear the engine, I feel the vibrations but not knowing where I am going makes me... I do no know, wary?"
"I can dictate the scenery as we pass, if that would help." David said with a faint sense of humor.
"That would be lovely, David, if you were any good at dictating anything. I heard you reading to your son." Dorothy placed a hand on David's arm and felt the muscles tense. "What is... oh, David, I am sorry. I forgot-"
"It's fine." David said with restraint in his voice. "That kid's long gone." The restraint quickly disappeared. "That makes it a tie. I made a faux-pas on your part with Rose's looks, so you're allowed to make one on me." David sighed. "But yeah, I can't dictate. That was always her job..."
"...'her'..." Dorothy inquired softly as the hiss of the coach signified they were about to go. The doors shut with a thud and a small rattle, before the coach pulled from the spot.
"My... uh, my wif... ex-wife." David said quietly. "If it's fine, Dorothy, I wouldn't like to talk about this right now. Perhaps... perhaps later."
"That is fine." Dorothy stroked David's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Tell me at your own pace."
"Well, away from that dreary subject, how long will we be in Baltimore?"
"I will be checking with the family to see if they still want me to teach their son. If I decide to do it, then we will stay in the apartment the owner has rented for us. I think we will stay in Baltimore for at least a week, besides. I have never been there and I can... well, 'see the sights' would be a very bad expression..." Dorothy let out a golden laugh. "...let's say 'touch, hear, smell and, uh, taste the sights."
"What, are you going to lick buildings?"
"A possibility." Dorothy shrugged playfully. "Actually, I think I won't. I'll take the option of not dying at a young age."