The drive back to Aaron's is quiet, with no more attempts on Phineas' behalf to engage Aaron in conversation.
When they arrive at his address Phineas speaks, the only words he's said since they'd gotten back in the car. He turns to Aaron, grins big, and says "I'll be in touch, Aaron. You rest up."
Then he closes the door and the car pulls away, takes a left, and is gone.
Aaron stood on the sidewalk, looking at the sky and feeling the cool night air wash over him. Slowly he turned and began to walk up to his apartment, wobbling slightly on his feet. Sleep sounded like an exalted fantasy, something so mysterious and unreachable not even the mind’s eye could picture it. He felt completely drained, like a walking void, one which simply existed because it had no energy to actually extinguish. His feet moved methodically up the steps and suddenly he was inside his apartment. He couldn’t remember walking the rest of the way upstairs or even finding his hide-a-key. Looking down he could see it, but not feel it, clutched in his hand. It was like looking through a mannequin’s eyes and seeing its flesh hand enfolded around his key. He seemed to glide forward into his home, finally knowing the meaning of walking dead. The key went on the coffee table, his coat hit the floor, and a moment later he fell onto the bed. In the space before a breath his mind had floated free from his consciousness, enfolded in suspended black…Beautiful oblivion…
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