The End Boxset: Postapocalyptic Visions of an Unstoppable Collapse Read Online Free PDF Page A

threw the trash. And you were going to let your friend here take the blame?”
     
    Brian tried to stay focused on the jock lumbering towards him, but he couldn't help but notice all the people watching. In the crowd her face stood out to him. Tina was observing his every move. He noticed a look of concern on her face, but also knew that he was pretty much on his own.
    “Y-yes, my friend threw the trash, but it was an accident, so let it go,” Brian stuttered. His concentration switched between what he was going to say, what he was going to do, and how he was going control the shaking in his legs. The jock stood directly over Brian. “So I take orders from freshmen now?”  he asked, arms folded. 
    Before Brian could speak, the jock continued, “Maybe I should teach you both a lesson on how to dispose of trash properly.” He grabbed Brian's shoulders and thrust him upwards.
    “You see, trash goes in the trash can,” he lectured as he pulled Brian over to a nearby trash container. Tobias sat immobile and useless. Everything was happening too fast.
     
    Brian knew he was about to go in—the large rim of the trash can within sight. He knew what would follow: he would be called trash boy, trash can man, Garbage Pail Kid, whatever they could think of. It would never go away. He would be trash .
    Brian squirmed and thrashed. In his erratic movement, he hit the jock directly in the jaw. Shocked, the jock's let go. Brian fell to the ground. The jock stumbled and then regained his composure. Now they had everyone's attention.  The jock felt his face in utter disbelief. Brian stood up, ready to run.
    “Wow. Okay, you're a dead man now,” the jock said taking off his jacket and raising his fists.
    Brian tried to move away as the jock swung, but he wasn't fast enough. The first swing from the jock hit him directly in the forehead, causing a momentary white flash. Brian stumbled backwards, his mind telling him one thing: keep standing.
     
    Another white flash entered Brian's vision, then another. He swung into the air, barely making contact. The roar of the crowd was growing louder. Suddenly a frantic girl came out of nowhere and grabbed onto the jock, holding him back.
    “Billy, what the hell are you doing? Stop it!” she screamed.
    The jock paced back, startled and annoyed. “What? The little dipshit took a swing at me!” he exclaimed. The girl hit the jock on his chest. “Are you out of your mind? He's just a kid!”
    Brian regained his balance and felt his face. Large bumps appeared to be forming. The girl, presumably his girlfriend, took the jock to the side as they continued arguing.  
    Tobias ran to Brian. “Damn. Are you okay, man?”
    “Yeah, I think so,” Brian said rubbing his face.
    The school administrators burst onto the scene, two older men with walkie-talkies. “It's like they just wait for the fight to be over,” Tobias said. “Let’s get out of here before we get suspended.”
     
    The two boys attempted to conceal themselves and escape in the surrounding crowd, only to run right back into the jock. As they collided, enraging him, he pushed his girlfriend away and pulled Brian close by the collar of his shirt. “This isn't over, you hear me freshman? This isn't over.”
    With that, the jock pushed them aside, and walked away with his girlfriend yelling at him. The school administrators were in hot in pursuit of both parties and trying to make their way through the crowd.  
    “Let's hurry, man, they're gaining,” Tobias advised. “Shit, your face is swollen. We have to get out of here.”
     
    Their pace quickened, Tobias was pushing Brian along. Up ahead, a white-haired administrator wearing aviator sunglasses noticed the boys. “Hey, you two! Stop right there!”
    “Crap!” Tobias said while jerking Brian in the other direction.
    Another administrator blocked their path, racing towards them.
    “We're going to have to run,” Tobias said, “just follow me.”
    Tobias ran to the side