Lately I've been thinking

[Devlin Quayle]

The thing was, when his stability was even slightly threatened, Devlin didn't take too well to it. Mom said it was because he was a soft soul, so he didn't know how he managed to live with two people who were so... not. Either way, he defiantly and vehemently abhorred it when people 1. tried to bully or boss him around, 2. threatened him or his things or his status in life, and 3. cared little for his feelings. He lived long enough and on his own enough to know when it was time to move on. When the people in his life that were supposed to be his protectors only ended up being more bullies? He had no tolerance for it.

Impulse decisions were also part of his problem, of course. Devlin had always has poor impulse control but once something was set in his mind, it was decided. Mom tried to help but Devlin didn't trust doctors and he didn't sit still long enough for them to do anything to him. And therapists? Hah... He wasn't telling them anything. He had nothing to say to people close in his life, let alone people he didn't know. What did they want, his whole sordid backstory? They could find out some other way. Newspapers maybe. But he doubted his disappearance had ever been documented.

Whatever. His low tolerance for traitors and his high impulsivity pushed him to not come home and he meant it. Even as he said it over text, he thought he would do it--go to Washington. He was already on a bus out of Hazleton. But he didn't know where he planned to go from there. He looked over at the dude sitting next to him, looking out the window and pretending Devlin didn't exist.

But--he didn't have headphones on!

"Hey," Devlin said. "Where are you headed from here?"

RholyR

[Mark Thackary]

Mark was out of it, zoned at this point he lost count of how many pills he took. He could drive himself so he was on the bus. He had no idea where the bus was going. Almost in slow motion, he looked over to the voice he thought he heard.

"I don't know." His words barely came out his eyes glazed over he tried and to focus on who he was talking to.

Short back story Mark is lonely and thinks he's alone in the world so he takes way to many drugs to make the feeling go away. The loneliness was too deep today so he just kept pushing.

"Are you really here, Big Guy I think left me I was a bad friend to him," Mark reached out and pocked the guy in the face. He felt like he was there blinking a few times.

Once he realized he was real he sat up and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Sometimes I think people are there and they aren't." Why did he just say that? "I'm okay sorry just ignore me." Waving his hands in a very unsteady manner. The poor guy probably wished he didn't say a word to him. Mark sure wished he didn't say what he did but he probably won't remember anyways.

[Devlin Quayle]

Yeah, me either, he said silently. He had no idea where he was going, either. Just... out. Out of town, out of sight, maybe once he was out of sight, he'd be out of mind, too. The last words that his brother sent to him before he blocked him still stung. If that was really how he felt... What a jerk!

"Big guy...?" Who was he talking to? Not to him. Sure, Devlin was tall but big guy was kind of a stretch, given the way he hunched over and slouched so much, trying to make himself smaller, less of a target. Even now, he was leaning forward, one thumbnail in his mouth, worrying the end of it as he looked over at his seat mate. His eyes ticked, once. Twice. They did that when he was under a lot of stress.

This guy looked like he was under... something. Stress, maybe. Or something else. Devlin reached up to rub at his ticking eye but before he could, he was leaning back as a finger came at him and poked him nearly between the eyes.

"I'm here," he said, wondering if he was still Big Guy or if Big Guy was somebody else. Or if Big Guy was somebody else but this guy THOUGHT he was seeing him right now.

"N-no way. Nothing to be sorry for. Sometimes I don't think things are real either....." He pulled his thumb from his mouth and slid both hands between his knees, pressing them hard against the backs of his hands.

"I'm Devlin," he said. "And I don't know where I'm going either..."

[Mark Thackary]

Before he had got on the bus and before he popped all the pills he was going through his phone looking for anyone to talk to anyone to tell him he hurt inside and he didn't want to fight anymore he wondered here thinking he wouldn't be alone he even had someone sitting bt him but he still felt alone.

Big Guy was this dude that came and went he was kinda a weird one but he was like looking out for Mark, or at least he felt that way. He would always pop up when he felt alone and they would have random conversations. He didn't feel judged by Big Guy. Or alone.

Mark didn't notice the tick this time but he did feel he was real. That would be weird to have some random tatted dude poke you but they both seemed to be okay with it. "I won't bite I'm just alone and when I'm alone things just don't seem real. I'm happy you are real. I feel less alone." At this point he tried to pull himself together he didn't need to pass out on his new friend.

See he got Mark the two had this wave link someone that didn't make him feel crazy. "I'm Mark and I like your name its cool Devlin." It's not like Mark to let the paranoia go bat he was so tired of thinking everyone was out to get him he just wanted to know there was someone good out there good people did exist right?.

Mark was a dealer of death but of the sober people understood the pain, they would let them have the drugs. Why is the world so evil and bad.

"I'll help you find where you are going if you'll let me."

[Devlin Quayle]

"Oh." He let out a little soft laugh of relief. Not a laugh at anybody, except maybe himself? Devlin felt a little odd about everything and he wasn't sure what he was doing, either. So it was kinda... funny that he would be sitting next to somebody with the same problem.

Did anybody really know? Where they were going? Really... in all his life, Devlin didn't have a plan. And even if there was a plan, it never worked because Devlin couldn't stick to any plan. He just... lived life as it came for him. A reactionary liver. Was that a thing? A liver, not the body part. A person that lives. He rubbed at his eye again.

He smiled, though, despite himself. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Thanks. It's all I got left of my old life."

Not many people liked it. He used to get bullied over it. Devlin the Devil. It was a stupid name. Devlin was nothing like a demon. But kids were mean. And Devlin was soft.

"Okay. Honestly, I just got on this bus. Was thinking Washington but who knows. This bus just goes into Portland but from there..." He put out his hands. "Lots of places from there."

[Mark Thackary]

Mark didn't believe in fate or destiny this was just an odd coincidence that he and Devlin couldn't explain. How is that he hates people but can't feel whole without human contact? Mark wondered this often and he was pondering on it now.

He felt comfort in knowing someone else was running blindly like he was. Sometimes he enjoyed his life and what he did he felt like his buyers were his friends and they cared about him. He waited for payday so he could see everyone.

They never stayed long and always had to go at some point so he was left alone in his apartment with his thoughts and it drove him out tonight. The fat sack of cash had a mission now. He and Devlin going somewhere. He didn't know how long he would aide his new friend before running back to his life and responsibilities he was just a dealer he had higher-ups to pay.

"I used to live in Portland so I mean I can show you around as we make a plan. I know a hotel we can stay close to the bus depot." It was still hard for Mark to keep focus his eyes just wanted to shut but he knew he was talking to someone so it was a slight struggle.

"And I hear the underground music is lit in Washington, you like music?" Music helped tune out the quite thoughts so music was a comfort to Mark.

[Devlin Quayle]

Oh, wow. Well, it sounded like Devlin lucked out. He sat next to somebody that actually knew something about running away. It made him feel a little more secure. At least he wouldn't be left floundering alone, not sure where or what to do. This guy knew the area, too, it seemed. Devlin relaxed a little, feeling somewhat relieved.

"Of course," he said to the question of whether he liked music. "Who doesn't like music?"

He cracked a little grin as he added, "I don't trust people who say they don't like music."

It was like they weren't people or something. Music was the universal language. His eye ticked again and he rubbed it tiredly. The tics acted up when he was tired, too, that was the problem. Okay, so there were a lot of problems on his end but at least he was taking his life into his own hands now. He was about to ask the guy about what kind of music scene Washington had when he noticed that the bus was slowing to a halt.

Devlin sat up, squinting out the window in confusion. "When did it get so foggy?"

The driver pulled over to the side of the road and made an announcement over the intercom, letting them know that the road conditions were too dangerous to continue and that they would move forward once the fog had passed through.

How long would that be, though? Devlin jiggled his leg up and down, lifting a thumbnail to his mouth.

"Hey," somebody said from behind him, startling Devlin. He looked up to see a dark haired guy a little older than him. "Your brother says to tell you he's sorry."

Devlin stared at him. Then his left eye twitched. What was he supposed to say to THAT? And who was this guy, to know his brother? Devlin nodded, because he didn't know what else to say or do, and then he turned away with a twitchy shrug.

A few moments later, the guy was back. Devlin looked up at him.

"Now your brother is asking you to unblock him."

Of course he was. Devlin didn't know if he was ready to talk to him, though. And the second he unblocked him, he was just going to get an earful. Probably more crap talk, too. Devlin shrugged and turned away.

"So is that a no?"

Devlin didn't look up.

[Mark Thackary]

Mrk must have blacked out for a moment. That was not a good thing to be doing in front of people. He blinked his eyes a few times and looked around Devlin was talking to a dark-haired guy. The bus was stopped at this point and fog had engulfed them.  He didn't feel right or something didn't feel right.

Devlin didn't look okay, you know when you just look at someone and you can tell somethings wrong? Well, he had that look on his face.

"It's a NO, so get the fuck outta here, before I beat your ass!" Mark tried to get up and intimidate the guy. He was in no state to fight but to feel anything was better than nothing. Picking fights with a random stranger to protect his new friend. One that could just be in his head like many other things.

Leaning over Devlin like an overprotective mama bear he dared this fool to pick a fight. Just then the bus driver called out to them to sit down and clam down. Mark stood his ground waiting for the pussy to back off.  Poor Devlin, what did he get himself into sitting next to Mark on one of his off days.

The world was so cold and lonely. Mark was willing to do anything to make his life less lonely.

[Devlin Quayle]

Devlin couldn't help it; he ducked his head down to hide a smile as Mark told the other guy off. Not many people came to Devlin's rescue. If he was honest, most people just bullied him. High school was insufferable and it was part of the reason Devlin had no desire to continue school with a higher education. Besides, what the hell would he even study if he did? Devlin had no real ambitions to be anything that school could teach him to be. He was fine just being a handyman.

And he could be a handyman somewhere else. It didn't take anything but an application and a resume to be a handyman.

The guy who had been bothering them put up his hands and moved back, saying okay a couple of times before he found his seat, behind them a few rows. Devlin looked up at Mark, his smile a little crooked.

"Thanks."