Reality Checks

Abby sat at the swing in the playground and lightly pushed herself. Today was different then the usually sunny days, it was windy and cloudy. Though it was peaceful and that's why she was out there today, in that terrible weather. If the world were to end today, this is where she would be, but the world wouldn't end today. Everyone used to say that the world would end on the year 2000, and they were still there. Today was just another day, or so it seemed. Looking across the playground, she stared at the house that had a little boy that lived to be around her age. She had seen him once or twice, but she never talked to him. It was probably because she was too lazy too, or too shy.

Having been sitting indoors alongside the window sill by himself, Joey happened to take notice of a girl alone at a play ground across the road. His brown eyes slowly began to take the form of a squint and he leaned a bit closer towards the window's cold glass. What's she doing out there all by herself? He wondered curiously. Although, that question reflected on himself as well. What was he doing in here all by himself right now? This was his chance to go out and socialize with someone who was actually around his age. Slowly, the boy would rise out of the spot he was in and made his way over to the front door, the wind immediately smacking against his body. It made him shutter for a moment but the feeling quickly vanished. "Hey," He greeted to the girl once he approached her. "What're you doing all by yourself?"

Abby looked at Joey and glanced at him up and down before looking straight. "Wouldn't you like to spend the day outside if the world was ending? Not say it is, but if it was?" She sighed and extended her hand, "I'm Abby McKinley, and you are?"

Joey tilted his head at her strange question, and was about respond to it but that thought was completely changed when she had suddenly introduced herself. "Um, nice to meet you Abby," He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm Joey." He finally replied, and took her extended hand into his.

"Nice to meet you. I'm sorry if I get off subjects a lot, I have ADD and it's just kinda bleh," Abby smiled and patted the swing next to her. "Take a seat and just enjoy the weather with me? It's nice today."

Joey nodded and allowed a small smile to sneak its way onto his previously confused expression when she mentioned that she had ADD. It amused him in an odd way. After taking notice of her kind gesture, he decided to take up on it and sit down, slowly moving forward and back on the swing. "I guess you could say it's nice," He laughed. "I mean it's pretty depressing to me."

"Depressing? I guess you could say that, but storms have always made me feel comfortable. Especially sleeping through rain storms, but I'm just a kid right? I know nothing of the weather and such, but I know some and that's all that matters, right?" Abby sighed and pushed her legs out, swinging farther out. "Why live if we're all born to die? I'm sorry if I'm depressing you, I read a lot of mystery and sad books."

Joey had his gaze facing forward as she spoke of the weather furthermore. "Well yeah, I like storms n' such too but when they're over?" He shook his head and let out a small chuckle. "Everything's boring, quiet, and dull... Just black n' white y'know?" He explained, before raising a brow at her somewhat disturbing question. He'd never been asked such a thing before so, being asked now made him get into some serious momentary thought. "Well..." He began shortly. "I can't really answer that but, all I know is, I'm going to be living my life to the fullest, no matter how short that might be." He gave her a lazy grin. "And I suggest you do the same."

Abby nodded and shrugged, "Black and white doesn't bother me because that's what I'm mixed with so it's weird to say it's apart of me, you know? I bet you don't and that I'm probably annoying you when my constant rambling about completely nothing, but it could be just that I'm shy and I don't know how to hold a proper conversation, and I'm sorry." She took a deep breath and exhaled, taking Joey's advice into thought and stopped swinging. "Life gets cut too short, and if it didn't then I would live to the fullest but you never know. The world works in a weird way."

Joey shook his head at everything she had just said and began to stand up, deciding to ignore it all. It was way too difficult for him to process everything she had just said and answer every question. "Hey, you talk to much." He suddenly grumbled as if in disgust, but pulled her into an absent hug. "I can't answer every question you give me. I mean keep in mind I'm probably around the same age as you." He smirked.

"Oh," Abby mumbled and slowly embraced him back. It was awkward for her to have physical contact to another person, especially a male. "I'm sorry.. I would have suspected you were older by the way you acted," She giggled nervously and pulled away.

Joey released a small chuckle as she apologized. "It's alright, not doing me too much harm." He replied honestly, and backed away a bit once the embrace was broken. "Me? Seem older than you? Nah, I view it differently."

Abby held her hands together behind her back and rocked back forth on her heels. "I'm really not all that smart, more of an outcast really." She shrugged and sighed. "It's better to be different anyway."

Joey raised a brow at her. "Yeah but, how will you make friends if you're like that?" He wondered, deciding to sit back down but on the ground instead. "Don't you ever feel lonely?"

Abby gripped the chains to her swing and ignored his comment on making friends. "honestly, I feel lonely some times but you gotta look on the brighter things on this situation. Nothing to worry about," She smiled began swinging again.

Ember had been out for sometime loading up on a few things. Her mind indent on what she would've done with her former family though they were history now and all that mattered was getting her son, and herself out of here. It was natural instinct to leave when others stayed. "Joey!" She called for her son as she started up the car. She'd done her best to pack his own personal treasures since she didn't want him to be upset during their travel.

Joey took her words into considerable thought and gave her a gentle nod once she finished. "I get it, and I'm glad you're seeing it that way." He smiled, before hearing his mother call out to him. His head instantly snapped around in the direction of his house and he swallowed. "Ah," He grunted as he began to get to his feet. "I guess it's time for me to go. It was nice talking to you, Abby." He said lastly, and made his way back across the street.

Ember kissed his head when he returned and pat his back. "Do you have everything you need?" She asked glancing into the car to see packages full of clothing and material. "You can run inside and grab anything if needed." She said before focusing her gaze on the little girl he had been talking to and looked away.

Abby slightly frowned and began wave at goodbye to him. "Bye Joey, I hope you have fun wherever you're going!" She didn't say 'See you next time' because there wouldn't be a next time. Sighing, she leaned her head against the chains and slowly swung. "It was nice meeting you anyway."

Joey gave Abby one last wave goodbye before he was greeted with a kiss and a pat on the back by his mother. He gave her a look of confusion. "Um yeah, I guess I have everything," He started off as he now glanced at the car. "Where are we going though?" He wondered.

"We have to get out of here." Ember told him gently. "I'm sorry did you make a friend?" She knew these encounters for him were rare. She felt bad leaving the girl behind when who knew what was happening to the Earth after the quakes. She couldn't exactly take an entire family either.

Joey listened to her explanation carefully, a look of faint disbelief appearing on his face. He had to abandon his home? This news didn't settle with him well but he knew that there was no point in arguing about it. He glanced back over at Abby as she mentioned him making a friend. "Yeah, I guess." He answered. He knew the two had only just met moments ago but she was the closest thing to a friend he had for now.

"I'm sorry sweet heart." Ember sighed and opened the car door for him before getting in herself an strapping in. "Maybe wherever we go we'll have more friends to find huh? You can never doubt it."