#nicjd writing

[suunsetcurve]

I would just like to apologise in advance 😩

1995 

Alex died on a Saturday night.

Slowly and then all at once the air around him swallowed him whole. There was something so absolute about the darkness.

He was drowning, gasping for air as the darkness enveloped and the only thing he could think of was staying afloat. His brothers beside him limp and lifeless, the light that shone from them snuffed before it could even be set alight.

They woke that morning with a buzz in the air. The Orpheum. A dream most up and coming artists would die for and boy did it deliver. 

“We’re playing The Orpheum!” Luke said, his grin stretched from ear to ear. He bounced his knees, excitement vibrated through his very being. “I can’t even count how many bands have played here and ended up being huge.”

Alex couldn’t believe how far they’d come, his band, his brothers, were almost there, the taste of success was on the tip of his tongue.

“Eat up boys, because after tonight, everything changes.”

“That’s a new flavour,” Alex chimed, as he held back a cough. Definitely a new flavour.

“Chill man, street dogs haven’t killed us yet.” Reggie dismissed. 

Luke stopped for a minute; his sweat licked upper lip trembled before he took another bite. 

Something wasn’t right.

Dread sat low in the pit of his stomach, swirling, grabbing onto everything it could. Bile rose in his throat before he quickly gulped it down. He let the food roll from his hand before he heaved onto the floor.

Luke turned grey as sweat poured from him, Reggie proceeded to vomit to the side. Alex tried to stand but his muscles were weak. Luke tried to call out, but the words tore from his mouth as a sob.

“Bobby -,” Alex strangled out before a cough cut through, the copper tang coated his tongue as blood filled his mouth.

Dread rolled again as he tried to cry out. Nothing. No one would come to help. He vomited again; this time filled with blood. He tried to call out again, this time with more success.

“HELP! ANYONE HELP!”

Reggie turned to him, the panic in his eyes as the tears rolled down his face broke his heart.

No, this wasn’t their time. They had so much more to do. ___

Luke was the first to go. 

“Luke, c’mon man. Stay with us -,” they both gasped, the strain on their chests becoming insurmountable as Luke slumped down the damp sofa. Alex’s hands remained on his sallow skin as he wiped the tears from Luke’s cheeks, skin clammy but not yet cold. This couldn’t be how it ended for them, in a back alley on the edge of greatness. Seventeen and ready to set the world a blaze, taken before they had the chance. Alex heaved himself from his position, his chest tight and throat dry as he turned to Reggie.

Reggie was pale faced and clammy as he tried to lay his head on Luke’s shoulder. The denial and despair had hit him as he called out for his Mom and Dad. No help came.

____ Reggie soon followed Luke. With a last heaving breath, he surrendered, and Alex was alone.

They were gone. Sobs heaved through his chest as he struggled to move, his body had stopped trying and he could feel his resolve slipping.

Bobby would find them, but it would be too late. The tears streamed down his cheeks, trailed his neck and he grasped on to the whisper of life he had left. He had so much more living to do. They all did. Rasping breaths wrecked him as he tried to call for help, but nothing came. 

The faint flicker of red and blue lights filtered through his damp lashes and he swore to the gods that if they just let him live, he would do good in this world. The sounds dampened as his breathing shallowed, colours fading to grey. There was something so absolute about the darkness.

#jatp #julie and the phantoms #jatp fanfic #julie and the phantoms fanfiction #charlie gillespie #luke paterson #jatp alex #jatp reggie #owen patrick joyner #jeremy shada #nicjd writing